Mumbai, India

Mumbai has been a complete surprise. The locals are delightful. Everyone has gone out of their way to be friendly and helpful, which found Robin and I posing for a photo on a Royal Enfield after the owner saw us photographing the bike. Robin had a bindi painted on his face and some colourful string tired around his wrist and my quest for a gluten free dinner was solved.

We took a taxi from the airport into Mumbai, which involved cars, tuk tuks and the occasional cow taking every spair inch of what should have been a two laned carriageway. All the vehicles tooted and jostled for space. We passed some slums that we recognised from recent documentaries, which were a sharp contrast to the brand new skyscrappers.

Our hotel is great. It does feel as if we have stepped back in time. Everyone is very formal and attentive, but also genuinely warm hearted.

We braved the 35 degree heat and went to explore the city. We wandered around the Fort area and went to see Victoria station. There's some stunning colonial architecture. We took a taxi out to the Gateway of India and watched the crowds gather for the sunset, looking out to sea. We found a French restaurant nearby, and intended just to stop for a drink, but their stunning menu persuaded us to order dinner.

I was dreading trying to convey that I couldn't eat gluten, lactose, nuts or chilli, but I found a suitable steak and vegetable dish. The waiter was so attentive and even took my translation card to the chef to make sure there were no problems. I was so impressed by the willingness of the waiter, to cater to my awkward requirements without any fuss. The steak was delicious, which was equally unexpected as I wasn't sure what the quality of meat would be like. It was a great meal. We wandered around the city a bit more before heading back to the hotel to repack for Thailand.

We've loved our time in Mumbai. It has a great atmosphere and feels like one of the friendliest cities in the world.