Mumbai highlight

I am now in Goa with good friend Olly Simons, soaking up sun and rolling on waves and, as predicted, the intense and unrelenting city that is Mumbai refused to allow me a moment to post about any of my adventures there. But here is one highlight from my Mumbai diary…

I absolutely love this place, it is having a profound effect on me, opening my eyes, ears, nose and taste buds. Despite the desperate sadness of the poverty that grips me at times (often literally in the form of a small hand around my wrist) Mumbai is also immensely exhilarating.

Hanging out of a Mumbai city train as it speeds past slums, junctions, markets and all manner of congregations of busy people is a great, if voyeuristic, way to see the city. A 45 minute train ride costs about 10p and provides deep insight into the city behind the scenes. Thousands of flashes of what people do for work, idle entertainment, domestic chores and to relax.

Lost in the wonder of the miles of Mumbai that had swept past my wide eyes however, when the train arrived at my station (Borivali), I was taken slightly off-guard. Whilst still at relatively high speed, a solo flying ninja of a man leapt into the carriage and swiftly took a seat. He was by far the most skillful train jumper I have seen, such that I had a good two or three seconds to revel in his cat-like skills before scores of less adept people started boarding the train, shouting and jostling for seats.

As my face turned from ninja appreciation mode to ‘shit I’m going to get crushed and miss my stop’, a true gentleman sat nearby caught my eye and, with a calming nod, indicated to me where to stand. He then timed his silent communication perfectly to direct me off the train as he predicted the one lull in the crush that was my opportunity to escape unscathed.

I still had to wrestle my way through as the train was already moving off and gathering speed so I didn’t get a chance to give a return silent nod of thanks to said gent. I’m sure he got over it and I doubt he’ll be writing about the experience but his throw-away gesture was my exhilarating triumph. And next time, I’ll stand in the right place to observe the city flying by, aware that it reserves the right to smack me in the face at any time.