BEWARE, Mumbai

I went on a private guided tour of Mumbai for 2 hours - I was approached outside gateway of India. The tour was good and the guide very friendly.

But, the last stop was supposedly to see 'Cottage industries'. I walked inside and was immediately in the middle of a hard sell in a shop! They were laying out carpets for me to buy. The guy was a very good salesman, although a tad unethical, by putting so much pressure on to buy. I am OK in these situations and held my own, but still felt a bit uncomfortable (the guy wasnt at all rude or nasty, just putting on sales pressure!). As it happened I needed to buy some gifts anyway so I got some stuff. I haggled down to less than half the marked price, but in retrospect that was probably still too much.

So in summary, if you do get offered a guided tour, ask beforehand if any shops are involved and ask not to go to them.

Unique Suggestions: If you do want to go to to a shop, I would haggle to about 1/3 the original marked price, or just walk out the store if they dont agree.

This little pesky hustler was following us for almost an hour. To him, every great architectural building was Mumbai or Bombay! I don't know whether to pity him or not to, he had no shoes, dirty clothes, smelt bad and had dandruff in his hair. He obviously wanted money and we were his best bet. He's even had a friend following him! I was so tempted to buy them shoes. We came across plenty of children like that in Mumbai, no shoes and desperate for money. Sometimes, it's just best to ignore them although they can be quite fun to talk to. If you do, you can expect them to be around for the next 2 hours. Just don't touch them! LOL!

Although we said we wanted a taxi with A/C, we got one only to realised halfway that the A/C wasn't even blowing cool air at all! At the airport pre-paid taxi booths, you pay for your taxi and meet your driver outside. The difference between an A/C and non A/C is about 100RP I reckon but I get a chance to relive that episode, I would rather have got on a non-A/C and wind the windows down. I was palputating in that ride from the airport to the hotel and it wasn't even funny. A/C taxis are blue while non A/C are black.

If you come to Mumbai without any accomodation sorted, be prepared to be walking around for a bit. I think we practically spent 3 hours looking for an appropriate accomodation in the Colaba area. There are many touts around who spot tourist easily and offer to take them to affordable guesthouses. Well, I have to admit we got sucked into it. Lol...only because i was so tired and the initial place we wanted to stay in was on renovation. Don't even bother asking them about other places you have read about, they will probably say it's closed or fully booked even when its not - it's a classic scam. These touts get a commission out of the owners of guesthouses and they take to you cheap run-down places which you never imagine your belongings being safe. So be extremely cautious, you might as well just have a couple of places you wish to stay in mind and head there right away. Most places allow you to view rooms before you decide.

Unique Suggestions: As I mentioned earlier, we decide to go with one of the touts knowing what he was up to only because the initial place we wanted to stay in was on renovation and it wasn't mentioned on the website!!! Yes, that god-forsaken Shelleys! Although, it may be re-opened now. Anyway, we followed this bloke who took us around like 5 different places which are absolutely run-down and so dodgy although they were clean enough but you never know if someone will come in your room while your out. I was so mad because it was my mate's idea to follow him and I lost my cool and yelled at the poor bloke to stop following and suggesting stupid places to us...Lol!

When at the Gateway we were walking toward the gated garden area in order to take a full view photo of the Gateway when the guards came up and asked if we wanted to come in and take a picture form inside the garden. Of course, we did. So we took a few shots and then we were asked politely for a donation in order to be shown the exit. We gave the guard Rs 100 and he told us no and wanted Rs 100 from all three of us. Of course being tourists in the city didn't argue with him, and just gave him what amounted to $7 USD.

Unique Suggestions: Just politely decline to go into the garden if requested.

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Crowded trains and buses are the favorite work areas of pick pocketers in Mumbai, like any other crowded city.

Unique Suggestions: If you have to travel by bus or train, keep your wallet in your front pocket, NEVER your back pocket. I did that when I went down to India and Voila .. the wallet was gone in 5 minutes!

If in Colaba, and a beggar with a child comes askin you for baby food for their kid, don't fall for it !!
They take you to a chemist shop, and get you to buy them the most expensive Baby food can, which they then sell back at the same shop.

Well stations like ChurchGate or VT need to be walked through ; churchgate to get to the other side and VT to get to the outstation platforms ; without a ticket u could get caught and fined upto 10 $

Fun Alternatives: At churchgate there is an underground subway but at Vt ull just have to walk 1/2 a mile around the station unless ur in a cab !!