I belong to Delhi therefore I am well versed with the challenges of staying in the mega cities that too in India where population exploded and we became second most populous country after China.
Last week I went to Delhi and then the following week to Mumbai for summer vacations. I could see myself dealing with crisis at every step. Honestly !Â
Acute space crisis ! There was no place to walk on the footpath. I literally struggled to cross the road since there were cars moving neck to neck. I could hardly find any space between the two cars.
I could see so many taxis on the road but drivers refused politely to go to Colaba market.  Reasons given by drivers were weird. It is just that they were not interested for short distances.  With great difficulty I could get one taxi driver showing interest in going there. I quickly got in.
People all around. Walking on the footpath, traveling in cars, taxis, in buses, everywhere. I don’t know whether they were going to their homes or coming back from their work place but one thing was sure, they were in hurry ! Nobody had time to look around and enjoy the beautiful weather of Mumbai.
Rains brought so much of happiness but who had the time to enjoy the drizzle? We enjoyed every bit of it at Marine Drive. The sea, crowd, wind and sky scrappers all were so fascinating !
So nice of my husband’s friend who lent us his car for remaining two days to roam around in Mumbai. What a feel ! Your own car in Mumbai ! WOW :)Â
The excitement fizzled within no time. We were stuck badly in the market. Gosh ! There was no parking man.
Crisis again. We did what others did. Parked the vehicle where we got the space. There was hardly. 
People had parked their cars along the footpaths, next to side gates, in the narrow lanes, anywhere a vehicle could fit.
It was actually a crisis and we dealt with it smartly. Enjoyed the mad rush, ocean of people or rather I should call them Zombies?
The daily Prompt:Â Honestly evaluate the way you respond to crisis situations. Are you happy with the way you react?
27 Responses
Despite all the hustle and bustle, I would very much enjoy checking out all the buildings though 🙂
Oh you will love it Andy. I will write a post on architecture of Mumbai soon.
I will be waiting for it! 🙂
I felt the same during my recent visit to Delhi. Glad you enjoyed the weather at Mumbai!
Delhi is another mad house. Good thing about Mumbaikars that they are really not bothered with what others are doing contrary to that it is a favorite pass time of Delhites. You feel safe in Mumbai, not true in case of Delhi.
I totally agree with you here Rashmi. I too feel more safe in Mumbai though ‘safe’ here is used in reference terms.
I love the victorian and Gothic architecture of Mumbai on the other hand Street food of Delhi is awesome.
New York and London are sometimes like that too. I know Cairo is like that all the time. Maybe that’s just the way it is in huge cities everywhere. There are so many more cars now than when I was growing up and the roads in older cities — that is pretty much all large cities — cannot handle the traffic. And nowhere is there adequate housing for normal people who are not rich. As far as that goes, it is no different here … maybe not QUITE as crowded, but still too many people and far too much traffic.
I feel good for two to three days in these urban dwellings but by fourth I want to go back to nature for all the blissful experiences. There is everything in the woods which keeps me happy.
The people make it fun. Stop and ask someone for help and you will know the true nature of the city and its people. Did you manage to do some shopping ?
I found Mumbaikars simple and nice lot. The only problem is they don’t have time to even speak much. Rush rush !
Oh, really ! And what about the street food ?
Did you get a taste of it ?
I loved Vada Pav and Bhurji pav so much ! Some old cafes since colonial era serve delicious snacks
Yes, I bought few pieces of funky jewelry and cotton tops. Quite reasonable and stylish. Oh yes, two pairs of fancy sandals too 🙂
Good- I am sure you made great purchases. I remember your crocheted jacket, from a few posts back- you have great choice.
Thanks for the compliment 🙂
Despite what you had to deal with in Mumbai, I enjoy the tour. The architecture of the second and third photos are fascinating. 🙂
I will share some pics of old historical monuments soon. I could not capture much since were busy in other things.
🙂
I love the pictures! I’ve never been to India. Mumbai looks like a fun place to visit!
The city never sleeps ! Full of energy.
I remember traffic in (Bombay) as being horrid and frenetic and random–but this was in 1967. Looks more orderly in the “new” Mumbai. https://grieflessons.wordpress.com/2015/06/15/crisis-reasoning/
I agree. It is much more organised now but the number of vehicles have increased since you visited there. Things have changed on a rapid pace.
I grew up in London, not Mumbai, but the noise smell and bustle is similar. I am glad I now live out in the country. A visit to Mumbai would be great, so much to see, but I would probably be glad to return. I suppose they also have cows walking around in the traffic – are there never any cow accidents with the cars?
Thankfully there were no cows found on the roads. I’m talking about South Mumbai because I visited that part mostly. New Mumbai is extension of old city so it lacks that vintage feel. Cattle is one of the main reasons for road accidents in India.
Wow…parking..I prefer city transportation but it sounds like that was not an option in Mumbai. A car brings such freedom but parking the car such headaches. Thanks for the fascinating local insight.
You can travel in local trains but it doesn’t cover the markets and places of interest. Buses are also there which take lots of time due to traffic.