A Room With a View……. and a Half!

Freddie and the view from our apartment

In typical Sergeant Paul Hanley style, our first days in Mumbai were spent flat hunting.
The man in the picture is Freddie, or as I like to call him Saint Freddie of Mumbai. After seeing approximately twenty apartments, which all looked as if they had been puked on by the 1970’s, I thought we would never find a place to call home!....That’s until Saint Freddie showed us a small one bedroom flat on Marine Drive. Now I like to call the place quirky, others may call it ‘What were you thinking?’, some may even say it’s a 'Penthouse in the shape of a lighthouse' (Paul Hanley)! Basically, it’s circle in shape, has only 3 windows, the kitchen comes off the bedroom, I don’t remember seeing any doors and has only one small wardrobe, but all these factors seemed to fade into insignificance when Freddie showed me the roof terrace. Arrr the roof terrace… with unobstructed views of the Mumbai skyline and the sea, I knew I was home! It also over looks a cricket ground, which Paul is very excited about as the Cricket World Cup, starts soon (oh joy!)

Freddie not only found our new home but some of Paul’s colleagues’ homes too, so if you’re moving to Mumbai give him a call. He knows what he’s doing, lovely guy and speaks perfect English… what more do you want in a property agent?

Freddie Pithavala, Fred Estates, Tel +91 9821 323 334 Web: www.fredestates.com

View from our new apartment

From One Extreme to Another

Singapore

India

Paul and I decided that I wouldn’t visit Mumbai before we moved here because if I hated it, I would refuse to go through with the move…  he sold it to me in better terms, but I knew that’s what he meant!

Since we arrived in Singapore 6 months earlier, there had been a rumour going around that a Mumbai office of Paul’s company was in the pipeline. Being the assertive individual I am I thought I’d nip it in the bud and told him that if a work opportunity comes up in India to turn it down, as I’d never in a million years move to Mumbai (it took enough for him to get me to Singapore).