Hello friends!
Well, I am off to India… again! I was there last year for a wedding, this time I am going there with a group from my church to visit and support a sister church out there! We will be in Delhi for a week, then I'm off to Mumbai to visit my friends who got married. I'm very excited!
When I was there last time I was only in Delhi briefly between flights, so I never experienced the city itself. Does anybody have any advice for the solo female traveler? Prayers are always welcome for a safe journey as well.
Thanks!
That's great! My parents were born and brought up in Mumbai. My grandmother and a lot of my relatives still live there. When I was a kid, I used to fly there every two months or so. I was born in Delhi. When I used to do well in tests at school, my mom used to ask me what I wanted, and I used to say, "I want to go to Bombay!" (now known as Mumbai). My dad used to immediately book my ticket and I used to fly there the same day. Well, things change when you grow older, and you don't get those privileges. =P
That being said, I have a lot of childhood memories in Mumbai. I can't live there though. The city feels too claustrophobic for me, and it's such a rush to live there. Everyone seems to be rushing all the time. Presently, I live in a very leaned-back city. Here are a few things that you can keep in mind while traveling to Mumbai as a solo female traveler:
1. Be prepared to see a hoard of slums right from your plane window while landing. Mumbai has a lot of slums.
2. The weather there presently is HOT. My mom is there at the moment, and she can't wait to be back because it's quite cool in my city. So, you may want to carry lighter clothes.
3. Try to wear clothes that are not too revealing. Men will stare. You're a foreigner, so they will stare anyway. But, you'd rather not draw their attention to certain body parts.
4. Do not look random men in their eyes. And, do not smile at them. They'll take it the wrong way. Just stick by your friends.
5. Mumbai is super crowded. Keeping your arms in front has a double bonus. Helps you ward off stray hands from seeking your chest, as well as helps you to elbow your way through swarms of people, especially if you are going to visit markets and railway stations.
6. Street food in Mumbai like pani puri is a must try! Just be careful of drinking water. Water in India is not purified. So, buy mineral water bottles, even at restaurants. I wouldn't drink their regular water.
7. Be a bit careful of jewellery and bag snatchers. So, keep an eye on your belongings.
8. Travel by AC cabs instead of autorickshaws. There isn't much of a price difference. Take the meter cabs, that have a fixed price, else they will definitely try and loot you. But, you can take an autorickshaw once just for the experience. Most of my cousins aren't Indian, and are "white" foreigners. When they visit India, they love riding in autorickshaws. There's a different feel to it.
9. Sun screen! You will need it.
10. The spoken language there is mostly Marathi and Hindi, but most people do know English. So, you should be fine. Learning a few Hindi phrases might help though. And, it could be fun to try out there. It's not a difficult language. =)
11. Quite a few beggars around. Don't feel sorry for the ones who can walk around easily. The handicapped ones could probably be helped. But, a couple of rupees is all you need to give. Also, Mumbai as a big beggar mafia. They make tons of money everyday. It's a scam. And, I never give kids money. I prefer buying them something to eat.
I can tell you so much about Mumbai, but I think you should experience it for yourself. The good and the bad of Mumbai. =) It's the Bollywood of India, after all. You'll have a good time for sure. There a lot to see, smell, taste, hear, and feel. And, if you need any help, I've got family and friends all over Mumbai. But, you should be fine. Have fun, and let us know how your trip went!
