2017 Grand World Voyage, Day 173, Mumbai, India....

Our last flight of the India journey and another early morning.  We flew from Jaipur to Mumbai and met a guide for a tour with the Dabbawala lunch box delivery boys but because we arrived late this tour was cancelled.  Later, we found out that that was incorrect information provided by our (very substandard) guide so we visited the Dharavi Slums based upon assurances that photographs were allowed….  I have been there on many occasions and this was never a problem.  This slum area occupies 2 square miles and has both a residential and commercial area.  We walked through the commercial area and saw recycling plants and clothing factories...there are more than 1000 factories in the slums.  The residential area is home to over 1 million people.  Unfortunately, our tour of the residential area was cut short as we were not allowed to take photographs...very disappointing for me since the prerequisite of going there in the first place was only if photos were allowed….  Another untruth from our (very substandard) guide….  This was not a proud day for “Distant India Journeys” our tour operator….  We then went to Dhobi Ghat, the largest outdoor commercial laundry facility in India...this is where you see men doing laundry for hotels and other businesses.  Everyone was tired of the disappointing tour and physically exhausted from our long journey so we to made our way back to the ship.  Historically, it is a train wreck to get back on the ship in Mumbai...today was no exception!  It took us three hours to make our way through the process...we spent 1.5 hours at the Yellow Gate where our paper work was supposed to be...no paperwork, had to get photocopies of our passports, unable to contact the port agent....the next twist, a trip to the Yellow Gate Police Station to go through Immigration, stand in a line to check our documents, receive the yellow pass...then to the Green Gate to enter the port...hurry up and wait...when in India!!!  That being said, it was nice to be back on the ship safe and sound…..   It is a sad note for Distant India Journeys to end our tour in such an abysmal way…  I have booked with them 3 years running, will there be a fourth?  They really have to step up their game for that to happen……