Getting lost in Mumbai

Traveling alone is always a good chance for personal development. There are no people who organize your accommodation, figure the direction out, solve the upcoming problems instead of you. However, you travel alone, you are always connected to people who never leave you alone in trouble. When you are completely lost, there is always somebody who takes you to the place you want to go. When you are waiting for your friend without having umbrella while it's raining cats and dogs, there is always a helping hand who give you one. It's not easy to accept the help in all the cases especially for people who have problems with trusting others. It's something that you can really understand the importance when you do a solo trip. Therefore you only have two chances for surviving: take it or leave it. It's up to you.

In my opinion, the Asian countries can be a challenging and cultural shocking experience for Europeans. That was one of the main reasons why I choose India for my backpacking trip in this summer. I was traveling by air from Budapest to Mumbai via Paris. Before buying the ticket I was thinking about landing either in New Delhi or Mumbai because I wanted to visit the north and the middle India. Finally, I chose Mumbai because of its low cost. I spent four days there. I used a web page for finding hosts not just in Mumbai but in other cities as well. In this site, people can offer their couch/bed for travelers who are open for that. It's totally free. Then you could ask what they get in return. Actually nothing but literally everything: the other people's kindness, friendship, and gratefulness.

So I contacted Kriti and we have set she is going to host me during my stay in Mumbai. My first thought was that she is really short. Afterwards, I realized it's not that surprised because in India people are normally really short. But she was even shorter than the average. After four days of sharing our lives, I can honestly say she is super nice, helpful, hardworking and openminded.

On my first day, I wanted to go to the city center to have lunch and visit some temples. However, Kriti doesn't live in the suburb area, Mumbai is so big so it took me one hour to get there. At first, I had to take the subway and then change to the train. The subway is really modern. I think it has been working for some years. After entering the subway the first step was to buy the ticket. When I did that, I got a small grey disk. In the entrance, I needed to touch it to a sensor and keep it till the exit where threw it to a money box. I found it a smart, green idea. Firstly it's sustainable. Secondly, the disk can be reused over and over again. Thirdly, it's not necessary to print tickets every time thus the company can decrease its expenses and also the amount of waste.

After I entered the first gate, I had another gate separating to man and woman part. Obviously, I went towards the gate with ‘women' sign. A middle-aged security worker was standing there with a screening equipment holding in her hands. When I went closer, she warned me that I have to put my bag on the baggage belt, then stepped away to a short distance where there was something just like a changing room. This system is really similar to the safety checks at airports.

After I left the subway, I needed to find the train station. It was not easy. There were more corridors directing many different ways. I took me approximately 30 minutes to find the right one, however, I felt it lasted forever.  In the Indian trains, there are separated carriages for men and women what they mark with gens and ladies sign. However nobody checks it, people keep this rule. At the beginning I was not aware of it, that's why obviously I got on the carriage with gens sign.

So just imagine the situation when a white Hungarian young girl gets on the train which is with full of black Indian men. In the first moment, everybody was looking at me with their big dark eyes. When they realized that I am really there, they started to make a space for me. Six people were standing up from the closest seat to me and offered me to sit down. I said: "No, No, thank you I'm OK with standing." But in this situation, I didn't have an option at all. Nobody cared if I want to sit or not. I had to sit. That was the time I learnt that never say no to Indians and always accept their help.

When I got there, I had lunch at first, then I was walking around the area. I visited some places such as Gate of India, Marine drive, Hanging garden and Chowpatty.

After some hours when I was getting tired, I went back on the same way. I did everything well for a while such as getting on the carriage with ladies sign and following the proper direction. After getting off the bus I should have turned right on the third street. But on that crossroad, there were three streets directing in different ways. I choose one and I was walking on that while asking more people about the direction to Kriti's flat. They said something in Hindi but I didn't understand them at all. It was getting dark when  I reached the end of the street where was situated a kind of acre with almost no houses. I thought that I must turn back. This time I realized my phone was out of battery and had only 10 rupees (0.15 USD) left.  This time I started to be shocked and despair. I didn't know where I am, where Kriti's flat is and how I will get there.

I needed to calm down and seek the solution. I went back to the crossroad to ask people for help again. Everybody showed me different direction therefore somehow I got a small house where several motorbikes parked in the front. I got in the house. Guys wearing leather jacket were playing cards. 1 out of 10 people spoke English. I told my problem him, then he left me alone without saying anything. I didn't know what I should do: leave or stay.  After some minutes, he came back and started the engine of the motorbike. This time still I haven't understood what was happening.  I didn't move, just was standing there like a statue.

- Come! – he said. – I take you home.

I was not able to say anything, not even a ‘thank you'. It was the first time when I traveled by motorbike in India. WOW!!! I cannot express with words how it was. We were rushing. I was concentrating on taking care of my foot otherwise I would have gotten hit by the cars and bikes. After a hidden application of the brake, I have screamed like a lunatic. My driver turned back immediately whether I'm all right. I couldn't say anything but nod. Instead, this screams didn't make him slow down. After 30 minutes and getting lost more times we finally found Kriti's flat. He accompanies me to the fourth floor, then I thanked him to take me home. I wanted to give him something in return, but he refused. I rang the bell and when Kriti opened the door, I was extremely happy. J

I was really shocked not only due to the first day, but also the dirty streets, the poverty, and the deep look at my eyes.

I learnt this day that how important is to trust and believe in others, even if I don't know them, but I feel their altruism. People like helping others, because they understand your situation. They are on your side, not against you. You can never be lost on the Earth as long as other spirits also live here.