Mumbai

Hey All

I arrived in Mumbai early this morning, around 2am. Got some cash, a phone card, a prepaid cab as directed by Rahul ... everything went fine

The cab ride to the hotel was maybe 45 minutes ... during which I saw things that I had never seen before. Hundreds of people sleeping outside, on the street, on some kind of beds, underneath the trucks ... lots of people walking up the street too.

Mumbai has a very distinct smell, a mix between saffron, encens, hot rubber and a constant mist it seems.

Got at the hotel and the guy tells me there's no room ... I stay in the waiting room for a bit then he comes back and suggests to put a matress in this same waiting room ... hmmm I do need to shower and insist on getting a proper room, given that I had booked on some time ago.

Around 4:30 I get the room, pretty humid with lots of mould on the walls and little moffs too. Oh well ... I'm here.
Finally fell asleep around 7:30 and got up at 9am this morning.

Gregor isn't in Mumbai, his flight got cancelled last night, they're travelling with Roni and Oleg and will be back tonight.

I call Amita, I'm a bit lost and don't really know what to do. She gives me a few places name to go and have food.

I walked around the harbour, the indian gate. It's a strange city but I like it. It's poor, really poor and beggers are everywhere. Little ones and young women are not asking for money but for rice ... it's hard

I came in this cafe to check my email and I am staying a bit longer in order to do this first post and also get some freshness ... Mumbai is super hot and humid

I'm leaving on the 18th to go to Rajasthan. Not sure when I'll be able to post again.

For now, thanks again to Rahul and Amita who helped me out :)
And thanks for reading this and following my incredible adventure around the world

Be well
Magali

Bye bye Paris

Rahul came to visit for the week-end and we had a fantastic time !! We saw Paris from the top of the Grand Grasshoper (nickname given by the Brits to the Effeil Tower), went on a cruise on the River Seine and went to the world famous Buddha Bar :)

Merci de m'avoir accueillie et au revoir ma Vignette, j'ai été très contente de te revoir et j'ai passé de super moments en ta compagnie et like Rahul said : "you're a star"

Merci aussi Krimstel d'être venue sur Paris :)

Now the time has come to leave Paris and continue the journey.
I'm off to India tomorrow to see the chaos of Mumbai and the beauty of Rajasthan.

Will log on again once in Sydney
Be well
Magali

De retour à Paris

I joined Frank for lunch and we went to the Sacré Coeur with his little Diablesses, Méli Mélo
Here are some random pictures ... enjoy!

Turkey

Mutlu Yillar ! Happy New Year !

I spent 3 weeks in Turkey, mostly in Istanbul where my brother moved a few months ago.
It was great to be with my family (mum was there too !) and Elie this year for Xmas. Guido joined us for New Year's eve and that was quite a treat :) I missed them all so much

Istanbul or Taksim to be more precise is quite something during Bayram (end of the year festivities) !

Mum and I went to Kapadokya for a couple of days. The nature and the rock formation there is incredible. More pictures in this gallery :
http://picasaweb.google.fr/magaloof/Kapadokya

On my last day there, Guido and I took a small cruise on the Bosphorus. The weather wasn't great but the view and the experience was definitely worth it!
http://picasaweb.google.fr/magaloof/Bosphorus