by Debbie Ross
Womens Travel Network founder.
Day 14 India tour – Mumbai (Bombay), ferry ride to Elephanta island
This morning we traveled by ferry to Elephanta Island, located about 10 km from Mumbai Harbour. The magnificent Hindu Temple dedicated to Shiva is a UNESCO World Heritage site and remarkable for its sculptures. We boarded the boat just in front of the TajMahal Hotel. it’s a beautiful building and there are no others like it in Mumbai. Our hour long boat ride takes us past the navy ships an island that holds the cities oil supply which is brought in large tanker ships from Saudi, Iran and Brazil. This is also a large container port so there are many ships in the harbour. What amazes me the most is the skyline that goes on for miles, further than the eye can see. I’ve never seen a skyline like it anywhere else in the world.
We’ve now graduated from bus shopping to boat shopping. Jewelry salesman Sandeep lives on the island and he is keen to let us know his mother makes the beautiful necklaces. Once off the boat we have to walk up to a little train that takes us part way. From this point we have 150 steps to climb and many shops to pass by. It’s a geat day for this tour, the sky is reasonably clear of polution and the temperature is moderate with low humidity. Once reaching the top we are entertained by the many monkeys playing and there’s one mother with a couple of babies in her lap.
Our guide Perviz takes us on a walk through the ancient caves that date back to the 2nd century AD. The carvings are quite ornate and each panel tells a story of Shiva’s life. Shiva the destroyer is one of the three main gods worshipped in the Hindu religion. It’s hard to comprehend the age of these incredible stone carvings and so interesting to hear the stories behind each panel.
On our way back down to the boat we are met by the shop keepers selling their souveniers. I must say there are some interesting items to buy and the prices are very reasonable. It seemed to take a lot longer going down as we stop to purchase trinkets. At the bottom of the long stairway we are greeted by cows, goats, dogs and makeshift restaurants. What an interesting island.
Back on the mainland we stopped for some fresh coconut, this treat is not only tasty but healthy too.
This afternoon we had lunch at Khyber, one of Mumbai’s best restaurants. The food is superb, the service exellent and the decor very pleasing to the eye. White marble floors throughout and intimate rooms with beautiful murals paintded on the walls. What a great way to spend an afternoon in Mumbai, enjoying great food and excellent company. Just out the front door of the restaurant there’s a girl walking a tight rope, such a strange sight to see but nothing surprises us in this city.
We are staying at the Trident hotel, which is part of the Oberoi chain. This has to be one of the nicest hotels I’ve stayed in. The rooms are well appointed and comfortable, the service excellent and the pool and garden area wonderful. The view of Mumbai’s skyline froom the pool area is absolutely spectacular.
Some of our travelers headed home this evening. Bon Voyage! There are 7 ladies going to Varanasi tommorow. This is the oldest living city in the world and certainly the holiest. We are looking forward to another new experience in this incredible country.