Places

I am going to be arriving in Mumbai well after dark. 10:30 pm local time (9:00 AM PST). I will have awaiting my arrival a chauffeur holding a sign marked with my last name ready to whisk me away in my own private limo to my luxury suite at the Hilton Mumbai.

Just kidding. Actually it's a cab driver and he will be taking me to the Railway hotel located near the Fort district of Mumbai (above the lower peninsula near the Gateway of India).

From what information I have been able to gather my hotel is directly across the street from the General Post Office and just down from a major, well known train depot, the CST. Both buildings are architecturally and historically magnificent (click on the image below for a larger view). The hotel itself looks very quaint at night. I wonder what it's like when the sun comes up.

I am quite excited to be going there regardless of day or night appearance. That it's secure works for me. The price of a standard room is only $50 which includes air conditioning, a hot item here for the tourists and you pay extra for it. I also have an attached bath. Something else you pay extra for.

The first hotel I wanted to book was only going to cost me $30/nt but their online reservation system didn't work. An email to them reported back that people all over the world make reservations online, why couldn't I? So I called them. English was not their strong suit, however, and I was hung up on before I got around to what I had called for. Enter Railway. Online systems operational; English speaker within 'it's for YOU' range of the phone; desk clerk forward thinking enough to send stretch limo for airport whisking.

I voted with my rupees.