Day 3: Fri 7 Nov 25

Day 3: Fri 7 Nov 25 - Mumbai

November 07, 2025

Fri 7 Nov 25 - Mumbai

Still adjusting to the time difference, I was awake and ready to go at 4:00am after a good sleep, obviously still too early to get out and do anything though. Greg and I eventually ventured out at 06:30am for a walk before it got too hot and the traffic built up. It was quite a pleasant 26 Deg wandering the streets of Churchgate, the seaside area of Mumbai on the Arabian Sea where we are staying. Churchgate is apparently the more affluent part of Mumbai, famous for its historic architecture, especially Art Deco and other magnificent buildings, all sadly poorly maintained. The area is also a renowned hub for cricket, with many large cricket ovals and home to the famous Wakhede international cricket stadium. We have another 3 nights here before the cycle group all come together and we set off on the actual riding part of this cycle tour, allowing plenty of time to adjust to the time zone and temperature, and to have a good look around. Back at the hotel we had another 'unique' breakfast, before Greg, Dogan from Turkey (who also arrived for the tour yesterday), and I set off for another walk to the Gateway of India via a different route, then back through Colaba. On the way we stopped for lunch at a clean looking cafe, ordering what we all considered a safe option - vegetarian pizza. At 1:30pm, after wandering about 12km in 30 Deg heat and 85% humidity, we returned to the hotel for a rest. At 4:00pm, Greg and I went out again for another walk along the Promenade, then found a nice spot to sit and watch the sun set, along with thousands of our new Indian friends. Dinner was about a 15 minute walk away at Samrat restaurant which specialises in north Indian vegetarian cuisine. The quantity and quality of food, and the service was outstanding, and the price seemed far too low for what we ate. We didn't complain, and we'll be back again tomorrow night just to be sure. A short walk back to our hotel brought the distance covered walking today to about 20km, so an early night in our respective rooms was an easy decision.

Morning Walk through Churchgate

Morning Walk through Churchgate - Quiet streets and wonderful old buildings (poorly maintained)

Cows are revered in the Hindu religion and can be seen in the streets around Mumbai. People often feed the cows as a way to seek blessings, find peace, or practice cow service, which is a spiritual act of kindness and devotion.

Guarding the bike

Locals having breakfast from a street vendor

Newly weds

It's surprising how many Indians ask me to take their photo

Gateway of India

Selling (trying to) cucumber snacks in the hot sun

A bit of research last night revealed the the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel was a target of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, a series of coordinated assaults by the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba. The siege began on November 26, 2008, and lasted for over three days, resulting in the deaths of 31 people at the hotel and injuring many others. Terrorists took hostages and caused extensive damage, but Indian commandos eventually killed the attackers, ending the siege on November 29, 2008. Overall 175 people died, including nine of the attackers, and more than 300 were injured across a number of sites including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.

Dogun from Turkey who joined us for our walk today

The Waterfront

A bronze statue tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a 17th-century Warrior King and founder of the Maratha Empire

Gateway of India

Gateway of India and harbour

No comment needed

A sad state of affairs

November 07, 2025, marks the 150th anniversary of India's National Song Vande Mataram, which translates to “Mother, I Bow to Thee”. Today the Indian Prime Minister launched year-long celebrations.