Getting around

It's hard to navigate the city because none of the streets have names except for the main streets. If you look on google maps supposedly these streets have names, but no one knows what they are. So how do people get around? everyone uses landmarks to navigate. You have to have a good sense of what is nearby in order to give someone directions. I've mostly been using rickshaws and Taxis to get from place to place. When I hop in one I tell the driver the name of the place I am going to (if it is well known) or I tell them a landmark nearby. How I get home is I tell the driver the part of the city I live in and when I get close I tell them the name of a local cafe. From there, I walk home, which is about a half mile away.

Drivers don't speak very much english so it can be hard to communicate with them sometimes. However, they know the basics for giving directions, which can make it easier if you know where you are going. I've been traveling from Kim's apartment in the northern suburbs to the tourist area (where most of the action is) in south Mumbai. It can take about 40 minutes to an hour depending on traffic. The whole trip usually costs about 4 dollars. Most of the time they over charge, but I've taken the trip so many times I know how much it costs now and can catch them trying to get more money from me.