Asia 2006: Random Bozo goes to Maharashtra

My diary tells me I woke around 10·30, feeling dehydrated and still tired. I wrote off the torn shirt and dilapidated trainers I'd worn to travel. From now on, I'd wear sandals or bare feet. The hotel receptionist couldn't believe I wanted to throw away my trainers so asked if he could have them, even though the soles were worn through.

I asked him to tell me how to get a train into central Mumbai and he said he'd take me to the station and buy me a ticket because I was new to India (so long as I gave him a tip). I was happy to do this, especially when I saw the queue for tickets. While I was waiting, a crowd of muslims came into the station, waving banners denouncing George Bush, the US and Europe. I was a little scared because I was obviously european and had my cuddly pig strapped to the outside of my rucsac. However the demonstration went on its noisy way without any trouble. Two adverts made my diary: one for Feng Shui and another saying that seven days without a bible makes one weak.

I have no recollection of the train journey into central Mumbai but I recall looking for a tourist info place my guide mentioned when a slightly dodgy-looking bloke asked me if I needed a hotel. I think I must have been in Random Bozo state because I let this man ('Henry') take me to a hotel on a very dilapidated street in Marine Lines suburb. For Rs200 (just over £2) I got a 4th floor room in which there was just room for a single bed. Just off the stairwell on each floor were squat toilets and showers which had electrically-heated water. I was heartened by seeing fairly 'western', formally dressed people using the hotel and pleased that the room padlocked shut. The hotel issued me with a padlock but I used my own and padlocked my bag to the bed.

I slept and then showered and walked to the famous Marine Drive to sit and watch the sunset and courting couples. After dark fell I spent ages trying to find my hotel. I did find a Liberty Restaurant (which I now know is less than 50 metres from the hotel) and ate aloo methi (potatoes in fenugreek-leaf gravy), steamed rice and ganja jamuna (orange and lime juice).

I found my hotel about two hours later after a lot of tedious retracing of my steps. The sketch-map in the photos column may help you if you ever stay at the hotel I used. Its full address is Liberty Hotel, 49, 2nd Marine Street, near Metro Cinema, behind Round Mesjid, Dhobitalao, Mumbai 400002.