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February 2002 My second visit to Mumbai was a brief 6-hour stopover to change trains. I arrived at Chhatrapati Shivaji, still known to one and all as VT (Victoria Terminus). It is a large, bustling station used for long-distance services and local commuter trains. This is rush-hour. On the streets outside VT, there are more reminders of India's colonial past. Not only does the station share a name with one in London, but the double-decker buses are remarkably similar as well. I took a suburban train from VT to get to Lokmanya Tilak, another main station about 16km from VT, to catch my train to Varanasi (Benares). Lokmanya Tilak was an Indian politician, part of the National Movement which resulted in India's independence. February 1999 My first ever entry point to India was Mumbai, known until 1997 as Bombay. The famous 'Gateway to India' down by the waterfront was so named since most arrivals to India by ship walked through this gate on disembarking. Now it is little more than a tourist site, although local tour boats still leave from here for various islands in the surrounding harbour. Just over the road is the impressive Taj Hotel.

	I publish new stories here while I am travelling. Click on each title to read the full story. Date Title Written From Wed 19th Jun, 2002 Poland - Looking Back, Looking Forward Warsaw, Poland Wed 12th Jun, 2002 Changing Times, Moving Borders Wroclaw, Poland Tue 05th Mar, 2002 Land of the Mountain People Darjeeling, West Bengal, India Tue 26th Feb, 2002 Toy Trains - the only way to travel Darjeeling, West Bengal, India Thu 21st Feb, 2002 What is your Good Name? Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India Subscribe to receive new stories by e-mail List More Stories...