Last year, I decided I would take a year off from working in an office day in and day out. I am an avid student of history and I realised that for a historian, I hadn't seen much in the world!
Traveling alone as a pastime is becoming increasingly popular, particularly among women who until fairly recently had more reason to be worried. The world is not always a safe place but thanks to many travelers, it is becoming easier to make sure you do it safely.
My first destination from London was India, where I wanted to visit the Elephanta Islands, about 20 km off the coast of Mumbai. The islands are host to a set of 450-750 AD caves that were once used as Shiva Temples and were designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The boat ride there was beautiful and uneventful, which was a welcome change from the bumps and potholes of Mumbai taxi drivers. A long walkway leads you to the bottom of the stairs, which are many and steep. It wouldn't have been so bad had the heat not been so extreme. By the time I reached the top, I was drenched in sweat. This is the type of place and situation where a GPS comes in handy!
Which brings me to my gleaming new HTC Magic phone with GPS navigation (which I can really recommend, I think it's exclusive to Vodafone so check out mobile phone shop). At the beginning of my travels, I didn't feel the need to use the GPS, but as I journeyed more and more into remote areas, I found that it became increasingly useful. While it is true that if you are in a very rural place, it will be harder to operate the GPS, I found that it was incredibly useful to check out your trip ahead of time. That way you have the road imprinted in your head, so to speak. Aside from that, GPS systems can give you an accurate calculation of how long it will take you to go from point A to B, which is a huge plus when traveling.
Anyway, the caves were fantastic! All around me were panels carved out on the rock representing various aspects of Shiva, in her various incarnations: Shiva the destroyer, Shiva the dancer, Shiva getting married, etc. The intricacy of the carvings was magnificent. Everything from the locks of hair to the tiny flowers was done in minute detail. The over all effect was one of opulence and magnificence, but without losing a sense of peace.
With the heat and the traveling, a visit to the caves is about all you can do in a day. In the evening, after showering, I took a walk down Marine Drive to see Chowpatty Beach, which is sort of like the Brighton beach of Mumbai. Dozens of food stalls line the lively walk. The thing to eat there is bhelpuri, which is a mixture of fried rice, vegetables and herbs with lots of chili!
