Hello Mummmbai…
Eight things everyone does whoever arrives in Mumbai for the first time
1. A visit to Mannat
Most people who come to Mumbai are quite enamored by the fact that this is the city of dreams and of course, Bollywood. It’s where all the superstars reside and when one thinks of superstars, you can’t help but think of the quintessential Indian romantic hero – Shah Rukh Khan. As you might’ve heard, Mannat, is the residence of the actor and is situated at Bandstand, Bandra. There’s rarely a dull moment outside Shah Rukh’s home, as everyday, people flock outside just to get a picture of the huge, (boring) gate, or with the hope to get a glance of him.
2. A walk on Juhu beach
Though I bacame a laughter stock among my cool ‘Mubaikar’ pals, it was something I just had to do. Not every city has a beach and people really need to understand that. It’s quite the privilege to be able to go take a long stroll along the shore, (with your pants rolled up and chappals in your hand) at any given time.
3. Shopping at Colaba and Hill Road
No city has street shopping as good as Mumbai, and for a shopaholic like myself, I literally felt like I had discovered heaven on Earth. The first few weeks of my stay in the city, I blew up all my cash on buying shit that I didn’t really need and I’m sure there are hundreds of people who can relate to me. I walked the length and breadth of both Colaba Causeway and Hill Road, and returned with cuts on my fingers, from lifting the ten thousand plastic bags that held pure treasure (not).
4. Chit chatting on Marine Drive
Mumbai is well known for the ‘Queens necklace’ at Marine Drive and yep, it’s a magnet for the new girl in the city. Being the dreamy person that I am, one evening after work, I dragged a reluctant office colleague to sit with me by the sea, and promised her that it would be a super fun experience. I romanticized it so much in my head, and thought it’d be the ideal place to unwind, indulge in some banter and of course, reflect. However, it took us a good hour and a half to get there, and ten minutes into our little party, the cops asked us to leave. Sigh.
5. Partying like there’s no tomorrow
How can you be in Mumbai and not party? That’s like going to Mac Donald’s and ordering a salad – it’s just not done. I clearly recall how my initial stages of partying in the city had me hungover for the next week, but helped me realize that I don’t have the drinking capacity of a whale. I learnt my lesson and I’ve mellowed down, since…
6. Getting pushed around in a local train
Well, not the pushed around part, but traveling by local was definitely on my list. As I stood at Andheri Station and gathered the courage to get on a train, I was stunned! I’d never seen so many people at once in my entire life and I stared with my mouth wide open, literally! Of course, I couldn’t board that particular train, but I did take the next one that was partially empty. Thankfully.
7. A cab ride on Bandra-Worli sea link
The architectural marvel, Bandra-Worli sea-link is one of India’s best bridges till date. By night the structure looks absolutely beautiful and a drive down that road is a must. I think this is one of the things even Mumbaikar’s enjoy and don’t make too much fun of! However, you must know that a cab ride from Andheri to South Bombay over the sea link might sound like a fun thing to do, but it’s also quite expensive!
8. House hunting
You can’t move to Mumbai and not experience the pain of house hunting. Wherever you’re coming from, another thing you can’t avoid is the minor stroke you get when you hear how expensive rents are here. And as much as it kills you, you will just have to raise your budget, or else ..”itne paise mein, itna hi milenga” !