Mumbai

Mumbai, my first stop in India, a thriving city of 20 million inhabitants (an Indian man told me than unofficially, the population could be almost double that, taking it close to the population of Spain!). I was expecting to be shocked on arriving, and I wasn't to be disappointed. Flying into the city, the corrugated iron roofs of the chawls (slums) spread out as far as the eye could see, squeezing into every little space between the more permanent structures of the city, and right up to the edge of the airport. In the distance, towering skyscrapers indicated the location of the city's financial district. The airport was decrepit compared with the clinical feel of Doha's, where I had stopped briefly en route from Madrid for the connecting flight.

The hour-long taxi ride from the airport to my lodgings provided me with closer view of the squalour... by the roadside, hundreds of people sleeping under plastic sheets supported by wooden poles, some even forgoing that luxury. The traffic was utter chaos, rickshaws, black and yellow taxis, buses, private cars, bicyclyes, men pulling carts, pedestrians and animals walking in the middle of the road, all competing for the same bit of space, and making as much noise as possible.

I had been expecting to experience a period of initial shock on arrival, and I wasn't to be disappointed. Even venturing out on the safe streets of Colaba, one of the richer areas of the city, seemed risky. As a western tourist, I was an obvious target for street sellers and beggers (people missing limbs, small children carrying babies, asking for me to buy them milk, ...). Taking the camera out of my pocket didn't even cross my mind for the first couple of days.

After the initial shock, things started becoming clearer... This city was a wonderful mix of new sights, sounds and smells. The poverty, although fairly harsh compared with developed countries, was the norm for millions of people here, and the vast majority seem to make ends meet one way or another. Beggers and touts seemed to be concentrated in the more touristy areas of the city, outside of which the constant bustle was far more enjoyable.

On my penultimate day here, I took an early morning walk down to Sasoon Dock, where fishermen unload the previous night's catch. Women and children had all manners of fish and seafood on display on the dock, a vibrant and noisy atmosphere. Unfortunately, photography was forbidden on the dock for some reason, although I did manage to take a photo of some of the fishing boats through the early morning mist.