OnDSnap Loc: NE New Jersey

So my wife informed me last night her job is sending her to Mumbai, India for a week, she asked if I wanted to tag along and while she's working, I could be roaming around camera in hand. Has anyone been there? If so, warnings? I haven't delved in to the net yet for info...I hear it's hot as hell at the end of Sept. or I could stay home and do my own Motorcycle photo trip.
Any advise???

steve_icbinb Loc: nr. Rochester, UK

GO!

you may never get the chance again?

c'mon, you can always wheel the scoot out for a weekender..

I haven't been to Mumbai, but have ridden an old Enfield m/cycle around north India (Himalayas, including the Rohtang Pass) and can't wait to go back to India.

Dirty, crowded towns, dangerous drivers who smile as they run you off the road.., but so friendly and charming people...tasty food (mostly vegetarian), bright colours everywhere, animals in the streets, whole place looks like it's half-built - dunno how it works, but it does. just.

Bad things? Poverty/beggars/children: painful to see, but there is nothing you can do. it may shock you on first sight - a very different world...

Petty theft/crime? didn't see or hear of any - they'd rather ask you for money (beggars), win over whilst bargaining (tho' most of the stuff seems really cheap to me & not worth haggling over!)... or give YOU stuff...

DON'T drink the water anywhere - only drink chilled bottled stuff (check seals) ditto beer, refuse ice for same reason.

If you're staying in 'quality' places, food should be fine - if eating out on the streets/little cafes etc, you should be able to watch the food being cooked - don't eat stuff thats been left out (flies/germs). raw veg/salad best avoided as you don't know what it's been washed in...

Take the camera & share with us!


:thumbup:

gravelc Loc: Nepean, Ontario, Canada

I went to India 5 times and am planning to go back. Of course, it is very poor. In Mumbai, you will see many whole families living on the street (sleep, eat, wash), especially the rickshaws families. Don't ever eat ice cream because the electricity goes on and off. I did once and was REALLY sick. I published 2 books on blurb. One on Kolkota, Varanasi and Bodhgaya and one on Varanasi, Agra and Nepal. You can find them under my name : Blurb - Claudette Gravel. It is not an easy place, especially the first time because of the culture shock. And all the beggars. Mother Teresa was suggesting not to give to the beggars because it keeps them beggars for generation. I worked in some of her houses, in Kolkota, Varanasi and in Haïti. Go! The colours, the life, the noise, the people, the dogs, the cows everywhere, you will never see anything like this riding on your motorcycle in USA! Enjoy! and bring you camera always making sure everything is very close to you. No fancy jewels or stuff like that. It is such a poor country, people steal whatever they can. And if you travel by train, buy the most expensive seats where the door locks. People attach their luggages with chains to prevent luggage thefts. And bring us some pictures!

morriscowley Loc: sydney australia

You will get a cultural shock. Be on your gard is good advice. Poverty is everywhere. NevilleM

ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

Get a cut-proof camera strap (with a wire running through it). Also put aluminum foil in your wallet and passport case to protect against RFID scanning your credit cards and ID theft.
http://www.corporatetravelsafety.com/catalog/carrysafe-camera-security-strap-p-337.html

OnDSnap Loc: NE New Jersey

Some great advise from everyone, Thank you for the heads up...RFID...wow :(. and the shots, what can I say, they paint/tell such a disheartening yet interesting & cultural story we as Americans (most anyway) are not used to. And your right I should go, I have a few friends from India and they also said I should go. I had my chance to go to both Greece (my wife parents are from there) and Scotland (my daughters in-laws are from Scotland) and had to back out of both at the last minute due to work load...at 60, chances may be not be so often any more. Thank you again...

catgirl Loc: las vegas

check with subroto he is on the daily challenge and he is from India

mariraju Loc: Toronto

Yet, that is the first country in the world, who could make electronic voting possible for the entire population.
I think many of us try to look at bad things more than good things. Such a negative mindset. The deep culture is something which you can't measure with anything.

How could someone generalize the whole place.
Did anyone know India is a country which produces large number of movies than any other countries.
Before any modern tallest buildings were built, did anyone know "Kutubminar" was the tallest structure in the world.

What does this link say
http://www.bread.org/hunger/us/?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=onlinead&utm_campaign=search&utm_term=us-poverty&utm_content=text&gclid=CJG4-d21krICFYk7OgodbD8Ahg

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

Don't be intimidated by the poverty and the petty crime. Go. Relax and enjoy what the city has to offer. Don't be afraid to go out of your comfort zone. You will probably end up loving the place. I haven't been to Mumbai but I've been to many other cities about which I was warned about everything from terrorists to pick-pockets. I can tell you that I felt safer walking on the streets of Cairo, St Petersburg and Barcelona than I did in Washington DC, Baltimore and Detroit. I'll bet you'll see more smiles on the streets of Mumbai than you will in New York City.

steve_icbinb Loc: nr. Rochester, UK

i'd rather hoped my comments were positive - i loved my trip, which covered Delhi up to Himlach Pradesh region, and i repeat the people i met were charming, welcoming & friendly. This is a good generalisation, no? The comments i make about food/water are likewise well-meant: i didn't not suffer any 'bad effects' during my trip, but several others did so.

I love what i've seen, and look forward to returning there.

As a complete aside, there is a dreadful TV series 'Ice Road Truckers', who were up there (we met 'em) filming the Most Dangerous Roads: Rohtang Pass etc. In one episode there is a clip where the young lady truck driver is apparently being harrassed by a crowd of Indians whilst stuck in the traffic. makes me VERY angry!!! No way would the people there do any such thing: Polite, friendly, curious, but not aggressive to Women Drivers - we had our back-up Susie following us everywhere driving a 4x4...and one girl riding a bike with us too.. I work for a trucking company, and i make sure everyone who i talk to about biking/trucking in India knows this!

ps OnDsnap: if you don't go... can i get your seat?


:-D

OnDSnap Loc: NE New Jersey

Mariraju, If anyone generalized the "whole place(India)" I missed that part. I happen to have/know quite a few fine people from India. Nor did I get that feeling from fellow HOG folks within this post, I don't think anything was said than I'm sure if I had asked about going elsewhere or for that matter coming to the US from another country. All places have a bit of both sadness and joy, without the sadness, think how the good would be so meaningless. Without the good, nobody would care for those less fortunate. Sorry if you were offended by what was said or implied...in fact, had I not gotten such good wishes and encouragement from fellow hogger's, I would have leaned more toward not going. From what I have learned, read here and now elsewhere, I can't wait to go. Keeping my fingers crossed I can clear my work schedule as I wasn't able to do with passed opportunities.

OnDSnap Loc: NE New Jersey

Steve
We'll talk :) my mother in law got my seat enabling her to go back to Greece after not being home for 50+ years, the Scotland trip I was able to recoup my ticket cost.

Hal81 Loc: Bucks County, Pa.

GO you may never get the chance again. But like they say never drink the water. In fact I never drink the water anywere I go. I remember when I was in the navy in the early 50s we stopped at one of the islands and were told only to drink bottled water. We asked for it in one ot the restarnts and they gave us a coke bottle with a cork in it and the water was so clouldy you couldnt see through it.

OnDSnap Loc: NE New Jersey

Hal, That I will take under advisement.

infocus Loc: Australia

Just a thought regarding India's economic situation (number of poor people) versus USA. I read here today on the Chat segment that there are 23 Million Americans living below the poverty line. Correct me if I'm wrong but I read it here. if it's correct that equates to about 10% of the population. Well India has 2 Billion people - 10% of that population is 200,000,000 almost USA's entire population. That's why there is so many sleeping on the streets etc.
Still I would say GO. Just take all the advice the good folk on UHH have given you.