I forgot I wrote this!

'Baby you're a Firework'- love that song!

Two weeks ago on Wednesday I woke up excited, I didn’t know what it was but I was excited. Mumbai seemed different, everyone was excited and there was definitely something in the air! Then I remembered why I was so excited… it was because I was going to Goa on that Friday for a long weekend! Yey! But that didn’t explain why everyone else was feeling the same? As the day went on the excitement was turning in to tension, there wasn’t the normal beeping of the car horns, screeching of breaks, the hundreds of people sitting on the wall gazing out to sea on Marine Drive and there was no Lift Man! In fact there was no one about, apart from me. I felt like that guy out of 28 Days Later when he walks down the street in London and there are no people- I’m not going to lie, for a moment there I was a little bit worried that everyone had turned into Zombies, but then Ramesh arrived and I knew humanity was safe. Ramesh and I were going to take advantage of this eerie situation by going on a drive, but not just any drive, a safe drive, a quiet drive, a drive where I didn’t have to fear for my life! Barely two seconds into our road trip we came to a set of traffic lights, I looked to my left and saw around 100 people gathered around something, at first I thought it was a fight or worse zombies feeding on a human body, but it wasn’t (phew) it was the local TV shop. ‘Have they got a sale on’ I asked Ramesh? ‘No, no madam, they are watching the cricket’ Ramesh replied. Of course, it all made sense the tension/excitement/ nervousness, the lack of people.  India and Pakistan were in the Cricket World Cup Semi Final! This was a big deal, a massive deal and a great opportunity to get my hair done! 
I quickly got out my I Phone and Googled the top 10 best hair salons in Mumbai. At number 3 was ‘JUICE’ in Colaba- off we went.  When I arrived the place was deadly silent, I was the only customer and the staff were watching the match. ‘A hair cut’ please I whispered to the receptionist, without her eyes leaving the TV screen she ushered over one of the stylists. I started to think that this was a bad idea, what happens if they score a goal (or what ever they score in cricket) there goes an eye!  After having the quickest hair wash of my life (there was no TV visible from the sink) he asked me what I wanted done. ‘I’ll have a bit of shape please’ I replied. He started working his magic, every couple of seconds looking up at the screen, not really giving me his full attention. After 30 minutes he had finished and I was surprisingly, very pleased! It was great, a completely different style and only cost me 750 rupees! Not content with just a hair cut I then asked what else they did ‘Threading’ the receptionist replied quickly. ‘I’ll have that’ I said. Another member of staff begrudgingly left the TV and started shaping my eye brows with a piece of thread. 5 minutes later, done- the best eyebrow threading I had ever experienced and for only 100 rupees. Today was turning in to one of my top 3 days in Mumbai so far!


I left the hair salon to find Ramesh fighting for a spot around the TV at a stall which sold pencils. He looked happy enough so I went to the beauty salon next door to get a facial. Again no one wanted to do facials today apart from one girl; she was short, slightly rounded with dark circles around her eyes. Despite her almost sad appearance she seemed happy to see me.  ‘I hate cricket’ she giggled, ‘You want facial?’ ‘Yes!’ I replied. She led me up some rickety old stairs to a room which wouldn’t look out of place in an Amsterdam brothel, but as the girl was sweet I went through with the treatment. ‘Green tea?’ she asked. Well that was a surprise! ‘Yes please’ I replied- expecting the worst, I tasted my tea- amazing! ‘You like? Twinning’s’ she said. I did like, I liked a lot! ‘You can have another after.’ I lay down on the bed (I feared would collapse at any moment) and tried to relax, I could hear the cheering from the staff down stairs watching the game, the vibrating of the water heater and someone’s mobile phone going off repeatedly – not relaxing at all, however the facial treatment itself was amazing, I had my make up removed, face steamed and massaged, a facemask, moisturizer, and another massage. I was in the place for a total of 1 and a half hours!  I paid my 500 rupees (yes around 6.50 for a 1.5 hour facial) and dragged Ramesh away from the game to take me home. Paul and I settled down to watch the remainder of the match which we obviously know now India won! It was crazy, one minute Marine Drive was empty and silent the next minute it was like the M6 at rush hour on a Friday! We watched the commotion and celebratory fireworks from the roof terrace. A perfect end to a perfect day.

Just before the end of the game

5 minutes after the game

Juice Hair Salon: Shop No 4B, Royal Terrace, 58, Nathalal Parekh Marg (Woodhouse Road), Colaba, Mumbai Mumbai ( Next to Charagh Din) Tel: 022 22151108

Butterfly Pond Hair and Beauty: 58, Royal Terrace Building, Wodehouse Road, Colaba, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400005 Tel:022 22182516