|
...................................................................................................................................
Airport: Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji international airport is a main gateway to India. It is 25 km from the main business district and is not served by bus or train; use car or taxi. Travel time from the airport to the city is about one hour, but during peak hours, it can take at least two.
Visas: All foreign visitors to India require a valid visa. A tourist visa, valid for 90 days from the date of entry, can be obtained from any Indian embassy, high commission or consulate. If you intend to leave India and return within the 90-day period (such as from a trip to Sri Lanka or Pakistan), then it is worth applying for a double or triple-entry visa. An extension for a further 90 days can be given to a tourist visa by the Regional Registration Office, Annex 2, Office of the Commissioner of Police, B. T. Marg near Dhobi Talao, St. Xavier's College Lane, Mumbai; Tel: 2620455; 2621169; fax: 2620721). The visa fee varies from nationality to nationality. If a visit extends beyond 90 days, an Income Tax Clearance Certificate is required at the time of departure. This is available from the main tax office in Mumbai.
Climate: and Clothing The period between October and February is the most pleasant time to visit Mumbai, when the city enjoys a balmy season of blue skies and a cool breeze. From March, the temperature gradually rises and the humidity reaches saturation point. It is very hot just before the monsoon rains break in mid-June. The rains last until September. They come as a welcome relief to residents but when the drainage system fails everyone encounters difficulties getting around town. In September, the humidity and temperature begin to fall. Luckily Mumbai does not suffer from the incessant power cuts that plague other parts of India, so offices and hotels remain air-conditioned and bearable through the hot months.
Health: Risks Gastroenteritis, typhoid, cholera or jaundice may be acquired through unhygienic water or food. Conjunctivitis is common as the pollution level is high. As protection from disease-carrying mosquitoes, flies, etc., wear long-sleeved shirts or blouses. The estimated number of AIDS cases is quite high. Drink bottled water only.
Medical: Requirements Most medicines are available in Mumbai, but it is always sensible to take a small reserve stock of any prescription drugs. You may also want to put together a basic medical kit in advance; this could usefully include something against upset stomachs, antiseptic cream, lip salve, mosquito repellent and soothing cream for bites, suntan lotion, water purification tablets if bottled water is not available and elastoplast. Some travellers develop a problem on their second or third day in India because of a lack of acclimatization or heat exhaustion, rather than a reaction to the change in food and water. They are advised to drink lots of fluids (water with a little salt and sugar) and keep to a diet of rice and yoghurt for a couple of days to give their system time to adjust. If an upset stomach persists, seek medical advice (tourist-class hotels have a doctor on call).
Water: Never drink tap water (the flasks in hotel rooms contains filtered water and bottled water is now available almost everywhere).
Time Zone: Despite its size, India has a single time zone. It is 2-1/2 hours behind Hong Kong and Singapore, 5-1/2 hours ahead of London (GMT), 4-1/2 hours ahead of British Summer Time, 10-1/2 hours ahead of New York and 13-1/2 hours ahead of San Francisco
Currency: One rupee=100 paise. Indian coins come in denominations of 5, 10, 25 and 50 paise and 1, 2 and 5 rupees. Notes are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500. If you are handed a grubby note, insist on having it exchanged for a newer one. Have a big supply of small bills as change almost does not exist in India. Use our currency converter to check the exchange rate on the day you travel.
Credit Cards: American Express, Diners Club, Mercard, MasterCard and Visa are accepted by large establishments, but it is still wise to carry Indian currency. Credit cards can be used to get cash advances in rupees.
Tipping: 10% is the norm in high-end restaurants that do not add a service charge to the bill. Small change in modest restaurants is acceptable. Round off taxi fare; add more for exceptionally good service. Tip porters 1 rupee per bag.
Tourism Offices in Mumbai
Government of India Tourist Office, Churchgate, Mumbai
MTDC Main Reservation Office
C.D.O Hutments, Opp. LIC Bldg, Madame Cama Road, Mumbai
MTDC Mumbai Office
Express Towers, 9th Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai
Harassment: Indian society has a strong tradition of politeness to strangers, to women and to the elderly. There is a commonly held view that Westerners, particularly women, have loose morals. This view has developed from exposure to Western media, from contact with insensitive Western travellers, and from the huge contrast between what is acceptable dress or behaviour in India and that in the West. As a rule, the more touristy a place is, the more poorly behaved some locals might be. Fortunately, this problem is almost non-existent in a modern city like Mumbai, but it’s still advisable to heed how locals dress and try to dress accordingly. This doesn’t mean walking around in a Sari, but it does mean that ladies should ‘cover up’ more than they would in the west.
Languages: The national language is Hindi, spoken by 30% of population. English is also widely spoken and largely used in business. Other languages spoken include Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, Sanskrit, Hindustani (a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India). Plus there are more than 700 dialects, largely unintelligible to each other
Religion: The major religions are Hinduism (82%); Islam (11%); Christianity (2%); Sikhism (2%); and Buddhism (0.7%)
Communication: Telephone Most Mumbai phone numbers have seven digits. The international dialing code for India is 91, and the local telephone code is 22. When making international telephone calls from India, first dial 00 + country code + area code+ telephone number
Mail and postal service: The postal service is generally efficient, but some additional duties may crop up for packages sent to other countries. Stamps are available at hotels. A small canister of glue may prove helpful because Indian stamps and envelopes do not have glue. If sending from outside your hotel, make sure that the seller cancels the postage in your presence, lest it gets taken off and resold after your visit. Note: The city of Bombay is now officially known as Mumbai. Mail using the name Bombay will be returned unopened.
Newspapers and Magazines: The city has almost a dozen English-language newspapers, most of which circulate nationally. The leading dailies are The Times of India, The Hindustan Times and The Indian Express. The city also has several financial and business dailies, including The Economic Times and The Financial Express. Foreign publications such as Time, Newsweek, Asiaweek and The International Herald Tribune are available at news-stands in almost all major commercial and shopping areas.
Internet: There is no shortage of Internet cafes and generally speaking the connections here are pretty good and are far better than frustrating ones elsewhere in the country. Lal and Company in the streets behind the Gateway Of India is a reliable choice. generally speaking Mumbai rates are fair, roughly a dollar an hour. Hotels are vastly more expensive, typically offering only greater comfort with trimmings such as pot plants.
...................................................................................................................................
|
