I used to live five years in London where the Indian community is huge and everywhere so I had a good idea about their culture in general, music, food, looks, clothes, etc, but no matter how much you are told in advance, nothing prepares you for what you are about to see the moment you put one feet out of the plane.

The level of poverty and misery is shocking and you feel like crying at every corner where you can see 5 year old kids living in the streets with almost nothing to eat or dress.

On the other hand, its a very safe country and such an spiritual place that you feel constantly challenged about our western world’s way of doing many things and there’s a lot of lessons to learn too.

On a funnier note, being Southamerican I know a bit about chaos and mad driving, but in Mumbai is really out of this world.
The horns sound non stop all the time, the traffic lights completely ignored and the streets all packed with cars, bikes, people and animals! (cows, elephants) altogether, and the best thing is they make it work perfectly!
I remember about taxi drivers in El Cairo being crazy, but the Indian driving way is completely mad.

I wish I had more time to share with locals since they are such great people, so will definitely come again in 2011 or 2012.

Thanks Himanshu to taking care of me and the Indian crowds for being so nice and friendly.