Kathmandu to Mumbai – 12 March

We packed up early and discovered that my Kindle was missing.  The hotel searched the housekeeping lost and found with no luck.  I am so darn sad!  Now I wished I had taken it on the trek, but I against doing so as I doubted I would be doing much reading.  Unfortunately, I was not 100% certain if I put it in the hotel safe or not.  Perhaps I left it on Drukair.  At any rate, we will try to locate it and if worse comes to worse, I’ll have replace it.  I am very, very sad about that.

There were 4 security check points to pass in order to get onto our flight to Mumbai; prior to check-in, following immigration, upon leaving the terminal to get on the plane, and once more as prior to entering the staircase to the plane.  Each checkpoint involved being frisked as well.  The flight was uneventful except for the passenger behind me who kept pushing my seat from behind. 

Sajid, our World Wide Adventures rep was there to meet us at the Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai for the transfer to the Marine Plaza Hotel.  Mumbai, with a population of 20 million, is quit massive city built on a series of 7 islands.  We drove over the Bandra–Worli Sea Link cable bridge which was built last year.  It now saves travellers about 40 minutes of commuting time around the city.

We passed by the amazing Haji Ali Dargah Mosque, constructed in 1431 on a tiny island and accessible to pedestrians via a long pier while the tide is low.  At high tide, the pier is submerged.  Hindu people account for 15% of the population in Mumbai and are the largest minority community. 

The Marine Plaza Hotel is quite amazing.  We were greeted very warmly, then security checked!  It is built in a hollow square setting with all rooms on the outside of the square.  On the very top of the hollow square is the clear-glass bottom swimming pool, which enables those in the lobby to see people swimming on the roof top. 

We weren’t really certain about the city, so we opted to eat at the hotel while people watching socialization on the peer.

Bandra–Worli Sea Link cable bridge - hard to see with all the smog

Greg on our hotel rooftop



our awesome hotel rooftop with pool to the left - it is someone's job to chase away the pigeons




lobby




Greg in the elevator

awesome roof top pool from below