First video of 2017

[rafiki_]

Another great vid H. Looked like you had the boat to yourselves in the early shots? Mumbai is a really difficult city on business as travelling around is so challenging, as is much of India!! Taj a nice place, apart from the occasional terrorist. Shame you had to keep doing the laundry to fund the trip ��

 

[henryf]

Seabourn ships are a very different beast to the mainstream offerings with a lot of space per guest so finding quiet times to do a bit of filming isn't that difficult.

It was in relation to the terrorist attack that I saw a documentary program on the Taj Hotel and I'd always wanted to pay it a visit. A lovely building inside. A bit "Indian" in terms of the finer details - the pianist in the restaurant could do with a bit of an upgrade for instance But lovely to spend a bit of time in there and I appreciated the history. As you say travelling around the city is an absolute nightmare. I can imagine the country as a whole is hassle.

I also felt there were a lot of people trying to shaft you in Mumbai. You offer a bit of financial help to someone and they try to run you for a £20 scam. The result is that you assume the worst of everyone which probably isn't fair.

I enjoyed our time in Cochin. More relaxed, not unlike Thailand in some respects.

The blokes doing the washing must be the cleanest people in India they were always washing themselves ! I think you'd need to wash a lot of shirts to pay your fare on Encore

Henry

 

[petem]

Mumbai is a really difficult city on business as travelling around is so challenging, as is much of India!!

We were lucky, our offices were in Andheri and we stayed at the ITC Sheraton Grand Maratha, both next to the airport. We'd fly out on the 5pm Sunday night flight and be at our desks for late Monday morning! Other then the occasional drive to Pune (very scary, particularly in dark and wet) any travelling was for pleasure / self inflicted.

 

[petem]

It was in relation to the terrorist attack that I saw a documentary program on the Taj Hotel and I'd always wanted to pay it a visit. A lovely building inside. A bit "Indian" in terms of the finer details - the pianist in the restaurant could do with a bit of an upgrade for instance But lovely to spend a bit of time in there and I appreciated the history. As you say travelling around the city is an absolute nightmare. I can imagine the country as a whole is hassle.

I also felt there were a lot of people trying to shaft you in Mumbai. You offer a bit of financial help to someone and they try to run you for a £20 scam. The result is that you assume the worst of everyone which probably isn't fair.

I enjoyed our time in Cochin. More relaxed, not unlike Thailand in some respects.

The blokes doing the washing must be the cleanest people in India they were always washing themselves ! I think you'd need to wash a lot of shirts to pay your fare on Encore

Henry

We never gave to beggars, hard to do when they're kids but you just can't encourage it at all. Better to give to charities where the money won't end up funding organized crime.

I assume you mean the Dhobi Ghat, where they do the washing. That's part of the amazing Mumbai 'infrastructure' alongside Tiffin Men!

 

[rafiki_]

We were lucky, our offices were in Andheri and we stayed at the ITC Sheraton Grand Maratha, both next to the airport. We'd fly out on the 5pm Sunday night flight and be at our desks for late Monday morning! Other then the occasional drive to Pune (very scary, particularly in dark and wet) any travelling was for pleasure / self inflicted.

Pune Highway is a "shut yer eyes and hope for the best" experience

 

[petem]

Pune Highway is a "shut yer eyes and hope for the best" experience

Yep, see http://indianexpress.com/article/ci...ns-deaf-ear-agencies-play-blame-game-2836472/.

It's no joke when you're in a car and there are motorbikes coming at you on the wrong side of the motorway without any lights on. Absolutely suicidal so I would only do it in the daylight otherwise it was the 20 minute flight.