Honestly, I promise this is almost the last post from India but I really wanted to share some of the things we saw. Shame to just leave them clogging up my hard drive.

The fish at this streetside stall in central Bandra, Mumbai, was absolutely superb, particularly the tandoori prawns. And, no, I didn't get sick. 

We were all rather seduced by the energy and excitement of Mumbai. After Rajasthan, it was like arriving in the 21st century. This is the view from our hotel, the glorious Taj Lands End, slap bang in one of the most expensive residential areas in the world. Somewhere amid all that is Bollywood star Sharukh Khan's house.

Here is the obligatory shot of the Gate of India.
  

And if you turn 180, this is what you see: the Taj Hotel, still under repair following the terrorist attacks of 2008.
  

And where I was lucky enough to meet possibly the greatest chef in India, Hemant Oberoi.

 After dealing with this assistant, he casually mentioned that this was the spot where several of his staff were gunned down before his eyes. Rather puts cooking into perspective, doesn't it?

 Chef Hemant is always keen to bring Indian street food onto the menus at his hotel restaurants, and served me a sensational belpuri, a crispy sphere filled with aromatic vegetables, along with his bite-sized take on chaat.