mumbai’s streets are a strange mix of chaos and charm or something
so i was expecting this place to be this big vibrant thing but instead it’s just this... thing. like, there’s a market and some people and a smell that’s not quite coconut but closer to burnt popcorn. which is weird but okay. i didn’t even know it was possible for a city to have a vibe that felt like it was holding its breath. maybe that’s the point. maybe mumbai is the kind of place where you’re supposed to feel small. or maybe i’m just exhausted. either way, the weather’s been that weird consistent thing where it’s 18.54 and not 19 or 17 or whatever, like someone forgot to turn the thermostat. i just checked and it’s that weird 18.54 thing right now. not hot, not cold, just... stable. like someone set a timer and it’s stuck at that number. hope you like that kind of thing.
if you get bored, the nearby cities are just a short drive away but not really. you’d have to ask. i tried once. the ride was longer than it should’ve been and the traffic felt like it was whispering sarcastic jokes. which is fine, i guess. the locals here don’t waste time with pleasantries. they’ll hand you a plastic bag of spicy snacks and a look that says ‘please don’t ask why.’ which is either helpful or a warning. i’m still not sure.
last night, i heard that the rooftop café on bandra has a secret menu. someone told me that. i don’t know if it’s true or if they’re just trying to make you spend more money. i’ll probably never find out. but i did find a spot with decent chai. not amazing, but it’s Bolivia. the owner kept looking at me like i was a tourist who forgot to tip. which honestly, i think is fair. i didn’t even realize i was buying a drink until they handed it to me. awkward.
i saw a photo online of a guy skateboarding down a narrow alley. the caption said it was taken at 3 am. i went there at 3 am. no one was skateboarding. but there was a man playing guitar and a dog that looked like it had seen too much. the dog kept staring at me. i stared back. we both felt like we were in a movie. maybe a bad one. or maybe a good one. i don’t know. the guitar thing was decent. not great, but it wasn’t like they were trying too hard. which is a relief. i hate when people go all out.
the neighbors here are... interesting. not in a bad way. more like they exist. one family next door has a goat. yes, a goat. it’s outside all day. i think it’s there to keep the others in check. or maybe it’s just bored. either way, it’s part of the daily scenery. if you’re into that kind of vibe, the nearby villages are just a short drive away. but not really. you’d have to ask. i tried once. the drive was longer than it should’ve been and the traffic felt like it was whispering sarcastic jokes. which is fine, i guess.
someone told me that the local market is haunted by a guy who sells mysterious spices. i don’t know if that’s true or if they’re just trying to make you spend more money. i went there anyway. half the stalls are closed. the rest smell like regret and lemongrass. i bought a bunch of something that looked like dried flowers. maybe it was for tea. maybe it was a curse. i’ll find out when i brew it.
there’s also this image of a street that looks like it’s from a different era. like, 1970s but with more chaos. i’m not sure if it’s real or if someone photoshopped it. either way, it’s stuck in my head. maybe it’s a metaphor for mumbai. a time capsule that’s also a dumpster fire.
another thing is the coffee. i tried a place that claimed to be a hipster spot. the barista made me a drink with three different milks and a foam art that looked like a confused owl. it tasted like regret. but the view was nice. the city spread out below, tiny and chaotic. which is exactly what mumbai is. tiny and chaotic. the map here shows the area around 29.9928,73.2536. not a specific landmark, just the general location. if you zoom in, you’ll see everything. everything that matters and everything that doesn’t.
i also saw a review on yelp that said the best street food is at a place called ‘the hidden chaat stall.’ someone else mentioned it was closed for renovation. maybe. maybe not. i’ll have to check. the link to yelp is useful, but i won’t waste time on it. i’ll just find the place myself. probably by asking a local. which i did. they pointed me in the right direction. or maybe they were just trying to be helpful. i can’t tell.
not everything here is bad. the people are loud, the traffic is insane, and the smells are overwhelming. but there’s something about mumbai that feels raw. unfiltered. like it’s trying to tell you something but isn’t sure how. maybe that’s why it’s so exhausting. maybe that’s why it’s compelling. i don’t know. i’m still here. probably because i can’t leave. or because i’m waiting for something to happen. something weird. something real.
so if you’re coming, don’t expect order. expect surprises. expect a scent that lingers in your nose for days. expect to pay in small bills. expect to laugh at yourself for being here. and maybe, just maybe, expect to find a hidden gem if you’re brave enough. the link to tripadvisor might help. or it might lead you to a scam. either way, it’s part of the adventure.
i left with a bag of questionable spices and a headache. but i’m writing this because i had to. because mumbai doesn’t let go. it holds you tight and then lets you go. or maybe it doesn’t let go at all. either way, i’m back. probably for more chaos. probably for more 18.54 weather. probable because i’m a mess. which is fine. we all are.
here’s a photo of the goat. you might not like it. but it’s real.
and here’s the street that looks like 1970s chaos.
and finally, the rooftop café. maybe.
if you’re curious, check out the tripadvisor link for reviews. yelp has the hidden chaat stall. and the local board says something about a festival next week. probably. who knows. but it’s all part of the journey. the messy, the strange, the 18.54. it’s all part of the experience. even if you hate it. even if you love it. even if you just want to go home.
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