On our first full day in India, we headed to downtown Mumbai from our hotel in Vile Parle (which happens to be the neighbourhood where the “God of Bollywood” Amitabh Bachchan also lives).

Mumbai, one of the most populous cities in the world with a population of almost 14 million people, was a little overwhelming to say the least. I’ve always been an urban gal, but nothing could’ve prepared me for the sheer chaos of the intricate train system, the gutsy autorickshaws, the never-ending game of bartering down prices and the overall culture shock.

After some intense shopping where I picked up several silk scarves (the first of many!), we went to this darling spot on Colaba Causeway called Leopold Cafe (now infamous for being one of the spots targeted during the 11/26 Mumbai attacks last year).

The restaurant boasted an extensive menu of Indian and Hakka Chinese food. The Paneer Tikka Masala and the garlic naan were so so soooo good. And the tea…oh the tea. Authentic Indian Masala Chai is lip-smackingly divine *grin*

Although I grew to admire and appreciate this fascinating metropolitan by the end of my Indian adventure, it wasn’t really love at first sight for me. It wasn’t the slums that really bothered me or the occasional stench of sewage in the thick air. Rather, it was the sickening amount of pollution that somehow made the inside of my nostrils black (don’t ask me how I found out!). This first day was more about adapting to the extreme change in environment and standard of living than anything else. Luckily, it all went up from there.

Anastasia is a TV/new media producer, host, interviewer and saucy minx and is best known for her shows Your GEEK News, BSGcast, Naked Wine Show and Your Greek News. Anastasia is a classically trained pianist, an avid reader of memoirs, a hot yoga addict and loves to travel. Find out more about Anastasia’s hijinks at www.anastasiatubanos.com

Tags: adventure, Anastasia Tubanos, Backpacking, Bombay, culture, India, jetsetting, Lonely Planet, Matt+Nat, Mumbai, Travel