I treated myself to one night and was _really_ glad I did.

What really stood out was the politeness and helpfulness of the staff. They really care about making your stay as comfortable and convenient as possible.. in every way possible.

I went to the business centre last night and asked where I could buy an adaptor from a US to Indian plug to charge my iPhone and the guy behind the counter said: we have one here and promptly produced one and gave it to me at no charge.

Upon returning to my room, I needn’t have bothered as there were already adaptors in the sockets.

Tip# 1: I recommend getting a pre-paid taxi from the airport and not dealing with the touts. It’s safer and will cost you around 400 INR (Indian Roupees) to get to the Gateway to India. You can take the train a bus to Anderi station and a train to Churchgate.

I’m loving being back! The moment I got out of the airport and went to find a cab I remembered how I felt here over 10 years ago..!

The sights and sounds of India are unique and it was every bit chaotic as I remember it! I ended up taking a non AC taxi.

Tip #2  Taxi types determine the cost – low end are rickshaws, medium – non AC taxis and high end – AC cabs.. even higher end are limos. Not stretch limos, but fancier cars). If you want to save money – go for the lower end and from the airport go to the pre-paid taxi booth.

I headed straight for the The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in the Colaba area of Mumbai.

Backpackers, Mid Range and High End accommodation in Mumbai

Tip #3. Colaba is the area to head for – there you’ll find a range of accommodation. From the Taj which is upwards of 11,000 INR a day, mid range (4000-5000 INR) such as The Garden Hotel, which will get you a room with an ensuite – hotels will be very clean, cable TV although often no pool, budget (2400 INR) such as the Apollo Guest House hotel and backpacker hotels (400-900INR). The 400 roupee a day hotel will give you a room with partitions, not proper walls – so you can hear everything, dirty pillows and stained mattresses. The Salvation Army hostel private rooms will run you around 900INR, the dorm beds are cheaper. Mumbai isn’t cheap.

Head outside Mumbai and you’ll immediately notice the drop in prices.

Start working on a few months before your trip

• Health Insurance
• Vaccinations – current recommended ones are Typhoid, Yellow Fever, Polio, Tetanus, Hepatitis A and B.
• Malaria Tablets – ask your doctor for a prescription.
• Visa – direct from the Indian Embassy or Consulate or through a travel firm.
• Current passport – recommend having at least 6 months.