Mumbai Mayhem: Curry, Chaos, and a Whole Lotta Humidity
okay, so. mumbai. wow. just…wow. i’m still peeling the city off my skin, you know? like, the dust, the smells, the sheer energy of it all. i’m a botanist, which means i’m usually surrounded by quiet green things, meticulously cataloging leaf structures. this? this was…a different kind of ecosystem. a human one. a gloriously, aggressively human one.
I landed, bleary-eyed and clutching my field notebook (which is now mostly covered in chai stains), and immediately got swallowed whole. The air…it’s thick. i just checked and it’s a damp hug right now, clinging to you like a persistent relative. twenty-two point six degrees, they said. feels like twenty-one point five. the humidity is a solid twenty-five percent. i’m pretty sure my hair has achieved sentience.
I was here to study the surprisingly resilient plant life thriving in the cracks of the *city. Seriously, you wouldn’t believe the tenacity of a little weed pushing through concrete. It’s inspiring, honestly. But also, a little terrifying. It’s like, ‘yeah, we’re all gonna survive, even if it’s a little…dusty.’
My accommodation was…an experience. Let’s just say it involved a shared balcony overlooking a courtyard where pigeons held daily strategy meetings. I found a decent chai wallah nearby, though. That’s crucial. Like, survival-level crucial. He makes a mean masala chai, and his name is Ravi. Ravi knows things. He’s seen things.
“Don’t trust the auto drivers near Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus,” someone told me, leaning conspiratorially over a plate of vada pav. “They’ll charge you double, easy. And they’ll ‘accidentally’ take you to a shop where they get commission.”
So, yeah. Take that with a grain of salt. Or maybe a whole bag of salt. I did get ripped off once. Briefly. But hey, it’s part of the adventure, right?
I spent a lot of time wandering around Crawford Market. The smells! The colors! The sheer volume of spices! It was sensory overload in the best possible way. I bought a ridiculous amount of turmeric. My suitcase now smells like curry. I’m not even mad.
I also checked out the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. Absolutely stunning architecture. Like, seriously, someone needs to give those Victorian architects a medal. It’s a chaotic hub of activity, though. People everywhere. Trains arriving and departing. Pigeons. So many pigeons.
If you get bored, Pune and Nashik are just a short train ride away. I didn't make it out there this time, but I'm already planning a return trip.
I overheard a drunk guy at a roadside stall saying, “Don’t go near Dhobi Ghat after dark. It’s…unsettling.” I’m not sure what that means, but I’ll probably avoid it just in case. Better safe than sorry, especially when you’re a botanist who’s clearly out of her element.
Here's a quick list of things I learned:
*Hydration is key. Seriously. Drink all the water. All of it.
*Bargain hard. They expect it. Don’t be shy.
*Embrace the chaos. It’s part of the charm.
*Chai is your friend. Always.
*Watch out for the pigeons. They’re plotting something.
I’m already missing the energy, the smells, the sheer life of Mumbai*. It’s a city that gets under your skin, clings to your clothes, and refuses to let go. And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Check out TripAdvisor for some restaurant recommendations: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g297604-Mumbai_Maharashtra.html. And if you're looking for a place to stay, Yelp has some good reviews: https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=hotels&find_loc=Mumbai%2C+Maharashtra%2C+India. For local events and happenings, check out TimeOut Mumbai: https://www.timeout.com/mumbai. And if you're interested in learning more about the city's history, this website is a great resource: https://www.mumbaitourism.org/
Okay, I’m off to de-dust myself. Wish me luck.