I was made redundant last Monday, being offered a position in Mumbai for a few months which is a fantastic oppertunity and looks as though it could be a good move. Not set in stone yet but I'm thinking it's a great chance here and would look great on the CV.

I know nothing about India or Mumbai.

Is anyone on here currently out there? Has anyone here been out there?

What do I need to know? What are the do's and don'ts? What's to be seen and what's to be avoided?

Thanks

I've been a few times with work, three / four times a year in a normal year.

Never stayed anywhere other than top notch hotels so can't comment on apartments etc. Although I do have a guy that works for me who is now based out there three months at a time. He seems to love it although it took a bit of time to get him settled into a decent apartment.

As a city it's like all other big cities, it has good bits and bad bits. I'd suggest not being there during the monsoon season if you can avoid it. Every time I've had a stomach problem has been during monsoon season visits.

Culturally India is an incredible country (some decent riding to be had too), there's something of everything. The people are very welcoming and friendly, more restrained and stand offish in the north but more chilled in the south.

Mumbai's very multicultural now, partially due to the presence of Bollywood and that means you'll not struggle to find other UK people to build a network of friends. You can get UK beer if you want it, I've heard a rumour of an Irish bar but have never managed to find it.

If I had the chance of an extended trip, and didn't have a wife and kid on the way I'd jump at it.

Great experience and a great country, go for it!

Drop me a line if you want to know more or specifics

Cheers

G

Thanks BigG,

I know it's going to be hot out there but how hot? Am I going to melt?

Just go, My wife and I spent a year working out there in Kerala and India is brill, all of it. you spend a lot of time alternating between disgust and sheer delight, almost every few minutes some days. Quite a big European comunity in Mumbai, we'd go again at the drop of a hat.

It will be @kin hot compared to what you are used to in the UK though.

My front line supprot is run out of there. It is proper hot, and there are regular mails warning of an excessively large snake in the car park which should be avoided 🙂

If I were offered a few months secondment out there, I'd do it for sure.

you spend a lot of time alternating between disgust and sheer delight,

Very true

From my vast experience of being there twice, 2 weeks each time

nothing works
takes 2 months do get something done that should take 1 day
takes about 3 weeks to travel the shortest distance
it stinks
you will get really ill

But I was trying to get a job done in a limited time. I think that it would be really interesting to live there for a couple of months provided the money was good and you didn't mind those things above too much.

I've spent some time in Delhi and would describe that city as mad, and I hear that Mumbai is even madderer. If you're a sensitive type you'll feel upset by the incredible poverty that's all around you; coupled with the sheer chaos, mess and the consequent smell of the place it's quite something. However, it is worth enduring its many shortfalls to witness and experience a culture so far removed from what we in wealthy western europe would consider normal.

Do it!

Was only there for 48 hours a long time ago and found the place utterly mind bending, it was my first experience of Asia and I loved it. I would go because the experiences you are going to have will be priceless.

oh my, that's pretty much along the lines of what I thought it might be like.

It basically comes down to the money. If the price is right then I'm going… mental! But I see it as a huge oppertunity and one which doesn't come along often even in the best of times.

I'm nervous but excited too…

I've only spent one night in Mumbai on the way to Pune. It was mad at 3am when we arrived and it was mad at noon the next day when we left.

I thought it was madder than Pune, Chennai and Bangalore by some margin.

I loved India and would go back at the drop of a hat (although family stuff means that would never be more than a couple of weeks).

I know it's trite but it's better to regret something you tried than something you didn't.