Well I have finally got the internet up and running in my room and I can now continue writing the blog. I will give you summary of the first week and then try to update the blog each day.
Caron and I arrived safely in Mumbai on Tuesday morning after a wonderful flight on Kingfisher Airlines (a 5 Star airline!). The service of the flight was great apart from the entertainmanet system not being that good - lots of time for sleep!
We were picked up by one of the 'Vision Rescue' team, Pradeep, and taken to our accomodation which is a Christian Ashram (Like a hostel). Our journey to our accommodation was our first test of survival in Mumbai. Never again will we get road rage in London!! It is mad! Cars and rickshaw drive in all directions and ‘boy’ do they cut each other up. Every two seconds you will hear someone honk their horn as they overtake, or move commonly, undertake! Our accommodation is basic but very peaceful and clean, with a shower (cold) and a flushing toilet (not the hole in the floor that we were expecting). We did have to buy some toilet paper as most people in India use their left hand but our willingness to experience the Indian culture did not stretch that far!! Unfortunately there is no mini-bar but I think we’ll manage. The monks and nuns are highly entertaining and very down to Earth. They are very patient when it comes to teaching us Hindi and have an unusual taste in Bollywood films not to mention a surprising passion for Joseph and the Technicoloured dream coat (They know all the words!).
Tuesday was really a day for us to relax, settle in and get used to the heat - very hot!!
Wednesday started with breakfast at 7.30am and we were then picked up at 10.00am by Rajesh, who is the project director for 'Vision Rescue'. Rajesh drove us to the one of the location where the yellow bus stops and during the journey the realisation of the appalling conditions that these people live in really hit home. Your heart really goes out to these people as you watch them go about their daily lives amongst the pollution, dirt and rubbish. This location that the bus stops at is specifically to feed homeless adults and drug addicts. As soon as the bus pulled into the area, they were all there waiting. As it was the first stop we had come to, we were advised just to watch from a distance to see what goes on. Around 40 – 50 men queued up for food, which consisted of an egg, rice and curried vegetables. Once all the food was given out, the bus then moves on. Caron and i drove with Rajesh to the next stop and our first experience of Slum Life. I cannot begin to describe the smell and the awful conditions. Again, as the bus pulled in, the children from the slum come running to meet it and eagerly clim aboard. Some of them are so small, they have to be lifted on. They bring with them a bowl for their food after the teaching session. They have no shoes on their feet and their clothes are very dirty, but so many of them say ‘Hello’ and smile at you. They have so much missing from their lives yet they are happy. In England we have more than we need and yet grummble so much - why is that??? About 40 children came onto the bus and some had to queue outside. Unfortunately not all of them can fit on for the lesson but they queue to get the food. Caron and I sat on the bus during the lesson on Hindi which lasts about 45 mins. All the children sit, listen and enthusiastically join in. It was a amazing to see these children with very little in lives, enjoying being taught! Once they have the lesson the children then get called up one at a time for their food. They are given very large portions of the egg, rice and curried vegetables. They love having their photo taken and will burst into smiles and laughter when you show them the picture of the camera.
After stop two, we moved on to the third location which was another slum at the edge of a main road. This time there were less children again they all wait eagerly for the bus to arrive and then climb aboard. At this location there is moree opportunity to interact with other family members. The interaction with mothers, fathers, grandparents or brothers/ sisters is so important as it allows the team to help them learn about how to look after themselves and their children. After the third stop, we then visited the kitchen where the food is prepared. We were shocked how small it was. Here they cook enough food for 800 people every day. They start at 4.00am and finish cooking after the buses go out on the second shift at 4.30. Whilst we were waiting around the kitchen we attracted a few local street children who were fascinated by us. They were playing cricket with a piece of wood and an old ball. Some of them had made their own mini catapult which they took great delight in showing us. Caron and I introduced then to the good old ‘High 5’ greeting which they loved and they even sang a song for us. It is so humbling to see these kids enjoying life.
Whist we were at the Kitchen, we met up with another English couple (Maryam and Kenny)who were out in Mumbai just visiting for a week. We decided to head off to a market place in Mumbai with two of the ‘Vision Rescue’ Team (Mina and Jaywan) as our guides. Wow – what an experience! The market was a typical Indian market where you haggle for the best price. Luckily, Mina is fantastic at bargaining and could reduce their starting price by way over half. As it was a ladies market, us guys just soaked in the atmosphere rather than spending money. Being Westerners, as we walked around the market, we attracted lots attention from the sellers and street children who were begging. Again you feel you want to help but know that you have to walk on and not give the anything. Giving money to the begging children only encourages them to do it more and they may not spend the money properley. For lunch we went to a good old KFC. The amazing thing is to see the two extremes in the same place. One moment you are passing a wealthy person and next you are passing begging mothers and children. This day was a real eye opener for Caron and I and we knew at the end of the day that there is going to be so much that we can give and offer to help these children reach the life they deserve.
On Thursday, Rajesh gave us a tour of Mumbai, taking us to many of the different slums that the 'Vision Rescue' buses stop at and to the rubbish dump. When we arrived at the rubbish dump we had to wind up the windows because of the smell. The shock comes when you see the heads of children pop up from the rubbish. They collect anything rubbish that they can then sell or used to make things to sell. No shoes, dirty clothes and hair, and going through the rubbish - these are the children that Vision Rescue aims to save. Our journey also took us past Asia largest slum, one of the filming locations for slumdog millionnaire and the wealthier parts of Mumbai.
I have some photos of some of the children we have met but am having trouble uploading so will try again later.
Caron and I arrived safely in Mumbai on Tuesday morning after a wonderful flight on Kingfisher Airlines (a 5 Star airline!). The service of the flight was great apart from the entertainmanet system not being that good - lots of time for sleep!
We were picked up by one of the 'Vision Rescue' team, Pradeep, and taken to our accomodation which is a Christian Ashram (Like a hostel). Our journey to our accommodation was our first test of survival in Mumbai. Never again will we get road rage in London!! It is mad! Cars and rickshaw drive in all directions and ‘boy’ do they cut each other up. Every two seconds you will hear someone honk their horn as they overtake, or move commonly, undertake! Our accommodation is basic but very peaceful and clean, with a shower (cold) and a flushing toilet (not the hole in the floor that we were expecting). We did have to buy some toilet paper as most people in India use their left hand but our willingness to experience the Indian culture did not stretch that far!! Unfortunately there is no mini-bar but I think we’ll manage. The monks and nuns are highly entertaining and very down to Earth. They are very patient when it comes to teaching us Hindi and have an unusual taste in Bollywood films not to mention a surprising passion for Joseph and the Technicoloured dream coat (They know all the words!).
Tuesday was really a day for us to relax, settle in and get used to the heat - very hot!!
Wednesday started with breakfast at 7.30am and we were then picked up at 10.00am by Rajesh, who is the project director for 'Vision Rescue'. Rajesh drove us to the one of the location where the yellow bus stops and during the journey the realisation of the appalling conditions that these people live in really hit home. Your heart really goes out to these people as you watch them go about their daily lives amongst the pollution, dirt and rubbish. This location that the bus stops at is specifically to feed homeless adults and drug addicts. As soon as the bus pulled into the area, they were all there waiting. As it was the first stop we had come to, we were advised just to watch from a distance to see what goes on. Around 40 – 50 men queued up for food, which consisted of an egg, rice and curried vegetables. Once all the food was given out, the bus then moves on. Caron and i drove with Rajesh to the next stop and our first experience of Slum Life. I cannot begin to describe the smell and the awful conditions. Again, as the bus pulled in, the children from the slum come running to meet it and eagerly clim aboard. Some of them are so small, they have to be lifted on. They bring with them a bowl for their food after the teaching session. They have no shoes on their feet and their clothes are very dirty, but so many of them say ‘Hello’ and smile at you. They have so much missing from their lives yet they are happy. In England we have more than we need and yet grummble so much - why is that??? About 40 children came onto the bus and some had to queue outside. Unfortunately not all of them can fit on for the lesson but they queue to get the food. Caron and I sat on the bus during the lesson on Hindi which lasts about 45 mins. All the children sit, listen and enthusiastically join in. It was a amazing to see these children with very little in lives, enjoying being taught! Once they have the lesson the children then get called up one at a time for their food. They are given very large portions of the egg, rice and curried vegetables. They love having their photo taken and will burst into smiles and laughter when you show them the picture of the camera.
After stop two, we moved on to the third location which was another slum at the edge of a main road. This time there were less children again they all wait eagerly for the bus to arrive and then climb aboard. At this location there is moree opportunity to interact with other family members. The interaction with mothers, fathers, grandparents or brothers/ sisters is so important as it allows the team to help them learn about how to look after themselves and their children. After the third stop, we then visited the kitchen where the food is prepared. We were shocked how small it was. Here they cook enough food for 800 people every day. They start at 4.00am and finish cooking after the buses go out on the second shift at 4.30. Whilst we were waiting around the kitchen we attracted a few local street children who were fascinated by us. They were playing cricket with a piece of wood and an old ball. Some of them had made their own mini catapult which they took great delight in showing us. Caron and I introduced then to the good old ‘High 5’ greeting which they loved and they even sang a song for us. It is so humbling to see these kids enjoying life.
Whist we were at the Kitchen, we met up with another English couple (Maryam and Kenny)who were out in Mumbai just visiting for a week. We decided to head off to a market place in Mumbai with two of the ‘Vision Rescue’ Team (Mina and Jaywan) as our guides. Wow – what an experience! The market was a typical Indian market where you haggle for the best price. Luckily, Mina is fantastic at bargaining and could reduce their starting price by way over half. As it was a ladies market, us guys just soaked in the atmosphere rather than spending money. Being Westerners, as we walked around the market, we attracted lots attention from the sellers and street children who were begging. Again you feel you want to help but know that you have to walk on and not give the anything. Giving money to the begging children only encourages them to do it more and they may not spend the money properley. For lunch we went to a good old KFC. The amazing thing is to see the two extremes in the same place. One moment you are passing a wealthy person and next you are passing begging mothers and children. This day was a real eye opener for Caron and I and we knew at the end of the day that there is going to be so much that we can give and offer to help these children reach the life they deserve.
On Thursday, Rajesh gave us a tour of Mumbai, taking us to many of the different slums that the 'Vision Rescue' buses stop at and to the rubbish dump. When we arrived at the rubbish dump we had to wind up the windows because of the smell. The shock comes when you see the heads of children pop up from the rubbish. They collect anything rubbish that they can then sell or used to make things to sell. No shoes, dirty clothes and hair, and going through the rubbish - these are the children that Vision Rescue aims to save. Our journey also took us past Asia largest slum, one of the filming locations for slumdog millionnaire and the wealthier parts of Mumbai.
I have some photos of some of the children we have met but am having trouble uploading so will try again later.
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