Mumbai

Fish market

We woke up at 5 in the morning to go to a fish market run by the real citizens of Mumbai, the Koli people. The Koli men go on one-to-two-day fishing trips, then they go home and do almost nothing but drink. The Koli woman sell the fish, buy the fish, and run the household.

The smell was intoxicating. There were fish guts everywhere. I had to wear plastic wraps on my feet, to keep my shoes clean. We saw baby sharks, eels, fish, and sea flap-flaps (stingrays).

The people in the rest of India were extremely nice

The people outside the fish market were amazingly friendly, throughout the rest of India in fact. All of the kids waved and yelled “Hi,” and the grownups all thought Tori was cute. In the fish market, however, people were not as friendly. People pushed and shoved their way in front of us. I even saw several women beat a man for accidentally dropping fish on the ground.

Elephanta Island

We set off on an one hour boat ride to nearby Elephanta Island. The caves on Elephanta Island were amazing. The island had seven caves, but we only visited one. It had pillars built from top to bottom every eight feet and beautiful carvings of the Hindu god Shiva, destroyer of evil.

On the island, Zoe almost fainted from the heat. I was also affected a lot by the heat. The return ride was horrific, but at least their was a breeze. Stomachs were hurting and bags were used. I learned that I can get seasick.