Olly managed to get up at 7.30, but as we had jumped forward 2½ hours on the 'plane, I was too knackered so I didn't bother claiming my breakfast.
By the time I had got up and had breakfast it was around eleven. We walked to the Gateway of India and got on the ferry to an island called Elephanta. The cost was 40 rupees, but included a guided tour of the caves plus the return journey.
The island itself was quite interesting. There were many cafés and gift shops selling hats and extremely intricate carvings. A meticulously detailed 12-inch elephant was 1,200 rupees. There were also hundreds of monkeys everywhere; interesting to us, but a nuisance to the shop-keepers.
After a shower we ate in Alps again, this time going for a steak costing 35 rupees. On the way to the restaurant, we were approached by a black marketeer who offered me 48 rupees to the pound. When I protested that the bank rate was 47, he generously offered me 50. Not on your Nellie, mate!
I wasn't too keen on the steak—the vegetables had a funny taste to them. I'll stick to curries, I think.
Back in the dormitory we spoke to a Japanese guy and an Italian. The Italian had been to Goa and had some interesting stories about it. The police there are really corrupt. A girl on one of the beaches went topless, so a policeman threatened to chuck her in jail unless she paid him $250. The silly cow paid him, but, in a different incident, a hashish-smoking hippie told a copper to fuck off following a similar demand. He fucked off.
By the time I had got up and had breakfast it was around eleven. We walked to the Gateway of India and got on the ferry to an island called Elephanta. The cost was 40 rupees, but included a guided tour of the caves plus the return journey.
Gateway of India.
The sea in the harbour is absolutely disgusting: It is impossible to see anything deeper than an inch. And the "beach" on the island is just unbelievable: It consists of oozing layers of effluent slime.The island itself was quite interesting. There were many cafés and gift shops selling hats and extremely intricate carvings. A meticulously detailed 12-inch elephant was 1,200 rupees. There were also hundreds of monkeys everywhere; interesting to us, but a nuisance to the shop-keepers.
Monkeys on Elephanta Island
The cave itself was absolutely incredible. A whole temple had been carved out of the solid rock. There were beautifully ornate pillars and statues of Lord Shiva all over the place.
Elephanta cave temple.
Back on the mainland we did a little bit of shopping and I 'phoned Dad. It was six o'clock Bombay time, but only 12.30 in the afternoon GMT, so I rang him at work. The main message was about our camera films, which may or may not have been damaged by X-ray equipment at Cairo Airport. I asked him to develop just one film at a one-day laboratory to see how it turned out. If I were religious I would pray morning and night. It will be a total catastrophe if all six films are useless.After a shower we ate in Alps again, this time going for a steak costing 35 rupees. On the way to the restaurant, we were approached by a black marketeer who offered me 48 rupees to the pound. When I protested that the bank rate was 47, he generously offered me 50. Not on your Nellie, mate!
I wasn't too keen on the steak—the vegetables had a funny taste to them. I'll stick to curries, I think.
Back in the dormitory we spoke to a Japanese guy and an Italian. The Italian had been to Goa and had some interesting stories about it. The police there are really corrupt. A girl on one of the beaches went topless, so a policeman threatened to chuck her in jail unless she paid him $250. The silly cow paid him, but, in a different incident, a hashish-smoking hippie told a copper to fuck off following a similar demand. He fucked off.
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