Checking out

Last day - Tuesday 8 January

This is the way to holiday - ha ha! - breakfast at 10am, 10 minutes to stuff everything in our rucksacks and then a poolside sit until 1pm.

We met the savvy and stylish Deepa in person at her office in Mahim and after an all important masala chai and snack stop we spent a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon walking around food markets, identifying all the mystery fruit and veg.  We admired stunning shop window sari displays, wedding jewellery, leather shoes and all manner of paraphanalia.  John had some more fantastic photo opportunities.

With our flight not being until the early hours we returned to the hotel and then found our best bargain dinner yet at The Food Inn - tandoori chicken, aubergine curry, a naan bread, some rice and 2 Pepsi for just 400 rupees (about £4.50).

Apart from a cow in the middle of the toll road our journey to the modern Mumbai International Airport went well.  We declined the offer at check in to 'help out' by delaying our flight by 24 hours because it was overbooked.  Home was calling.

It was a foggy arrival to the UK on Wednesday 9 January, which delayed our arrival in Manchester by an hour or so.  We made a quick stop into French Connection to see Emma before taking the wheel back to the Ribble Valley and home.

I'd like to make a few important "thank you's"

• John - thanks for an amazing adventure and for following our dream to see the Taj Mahal
• Tom & Emma - thanks for letting us escape for Christmas and for missing us
• Mum - for looking after the dogs, taxi-ing Emma and holding it all together
• Frank Pleasants - for your encouraging comments and inspiring us to splash out on the Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai
• Cousin Virginia's scarf - so pretty, head cover when needed in temples and for  the cold
• Cross Trainers - wow have they seen some stuff!
• A certain shop in Long Preston - rucksacks, layered clothing - highly recommended
• Mr Penant-Williams (neighbour) - who advised it might be chilly in December, only sorry we didn't take nearly enough notice it being the coldest Indian winter in 90 years
• Our god daughter Amy - for a valuable gangham style dancing lesson in The Dog, Clitheroe
• Book - my book list has been immense but the most humourous  read at the right time, "Indian Takeaway" by Hardeep Singh Kohli - amused me through the train journeys (especially when John got off to get some snacks and I saw him walk past the window - Indian trains are VERY long and not connected!)

Deepa & team - great guides, marvellous meet & greets, dedicated drivers, terrific trips and fabulous food recommendations. Thank you..