Mumbai was still shut down because of the concern about possible political unrest which didn't seem to actually occur. This meant our tour was cancelled but we had to drive through Mumbai to get to Pune so we actually got to see a lot of the city with traffic much lighter than usual. The shops were starting to open but offices were still closed. The drive to Pune gave us our first real experience of driving in India which really has to be experienced to be understood. It seems total chaos with traffic weaving in and out totally ignoring lanes and traffic rules. There are huge numbers of motor cycles and scooters. They go everywhere, not overly concerned about whether they are going the same direction as everyone else. Some of the drivers wear helmets but their passengers (wearing saris and riding side saddle, sometimes carrying babies do not. The cars don't go as fast as ours which is a good thing and I am told that there are not a lot of fatalities but we did pass 2 or 3 overturned trucks by the side of the road.
Also had my first experience with a squat toilet!
In the afternoon, we checked into the Sangam World Guiding Centre and had a tour after a late lunch. We will be there until the morning of the 23rd. The facility is lovely and I took lots of pictures. I can't post right now because my internet connection is not good. Sangam is staffed by a mix of paid and unpaid staff from all around the world in addition to its local staff. We share our meals with women from England, Australia, the U.S and Ireland, India and more. Everyone is friendly and include us in everything.
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