Howzat

This morning we headed off in the direction of The Playground - a huge oval cricket ground where several cricket matches are in progress at once. At one end the games start with youngsters in team colours, moving down the oval teams are in whites.

The teams in whites are inter company games - employees receive one day off a year to go to Mumbai to play cricket. One of the groups we spoke to travelled from Jodphur this morning. They offered us some desert made by their wives for their day out.

We meandered back stopping off at a store Eshwari had recommended - Fab India. Fab indeed, no sales persons, clothing, bedding, furniture all available to browse and it's not just the westerners who seem to like this revolutionary way of minimum contact shopping!

This evening we met up with Mustaffer at Dharavi slum. His first question 'what do you expect of a slum?'

Though we expected a community we didn't expect one so self sufficient. Mustaffer guided us through the whole recycling process - plastic sorting, shredding and washing. Then the plastic is turned into pellets by machines made in another room. Other 'cottage' industries included aluminium, tin, block printing, pot making and textiles. The slums have shops, cinemas, restaurants and bars. I have to tell you, in a move worthy of The Bodyguard (or Dabangg!) John quickly diverted a man who lunged towards me having had a few too many bevvies. No big drama, but fast action.