After thoroughly enjoying the last two weeks with Selma, it came time for her to return to Montreal. I was accustomed with a travel companion, so it took several days to truly acknowledge I’m alone again. It’s an adjustment that took longer than I expected, and believe it’s a healthy sign that I miss the company of my friends.

Traveling alone has many advantages, and I believe everyone need to experience it for themselves to fully understand why. It’s easy to write about the personal growth you’ll have, on how to completely rely on yourself, your wits, and your decisions, how it’ll improve your confidence and teach you how to be happy by yourself. But until you actually travel to foreign countries, where language is a barrier and different types of decision making occur many times a day, it’s simply a few (digital) words on a (digital) page.

The good news about Selma leaving was locals significantly reduced their constant barraging of questions; asking whether they could take my picture with them. I guess I don’t look as friendly as Selma, lol. Or perhaps they just like women more than men. Either way, they didn’t stop trying to sell me anything and everything though. What would I do with a fan made of peacock feathers anyway?!

Mumbai is the New York City of India, only more Indian. It has everything you could ever need, including Bollywood movies. I didn’t visit for long enough to visit a Bollywood studio but I did see the highly recommended washing ghats. It’s an outdoor area famous for washing clothes, linens and towels from most of the city’s hotels and hospitals. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get lost in the maze of narrow streets as some guy wouldn’t let me continue unless I paid him. Not in the mood for negotiating or arguing, I simply left.

My guide grew up in the largest slum of Mumbai called Dharavi, so I was able to experience life there from a real local. We took turns riding his friend’s motorcycle up and down the busy roads, dodging people, vegetable carts, other vehicles and kids yelling, “Selfie! Selfie!” (they noticed my GoPro extension). We also ate street food, the kind that DIDN’T give me Delhi belly, and played cricket with a few of his brothers (In India, it’s customary to refer to your closest friends as “brothers”).

Only a few pictures to share, and a quick video of the motorcycle ride.