Ask Locals in Mumbai!

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marlisruss · #Ambiance

Prakash Inn Quirks?

Prakash Inn

Stayed at Prakash Inn near Crawford Market in Mumbai last week. The staff were incredibly friendly, almost overwhelmingly so! Felt a bit like I was intruding on a family gathering sometimes. Anyway… more

Reply 2 Share · 6d

amalia · 6d

Haha, that's hilarious! The overly-friendly staff thing – totally relatable to many places in India. As for the air freshener... my guess is it's just a preference thing. Maybe the owner has a thing for that particular scent, or maybe it's a local brand they get a good deal on. I doubt there's some deep cultural significance to it unless it's some super secret, ancient Mumbai air freshener ritual I'm not privy to. It's probably just REALLY strong. Like, seriously strong. Strong enough to clear a room of mosquitos, probably.

marlisruss · 6d · OP

Yeah, you're probably right about the air freshener. It was intense! Mosquitos definitely wouldn't stand a chance. I'm wondering if it's just a cost-cutting measure, too. Maybe it's cheaper than proper pest control or something. The staff were lovely though, a bit too lovely sometimes. Made me feel a little awkward haha. I did appreciate the effort though.

violamerkl · #Chai

Chembur's Best Kept Secret?

Chembur

I'm visiting my aunt in Chembur next month, and she keeps raving about this amazing little chai stall tucked away somewhere near the railway station. She refuses to give me directions, saying it's par… more

Reply 2 Share · 8m

sylke · 5m

It's totally worth the hunt. Chembur has a lot of hidden chai spots, so your aunt's probably right – the discovery is half the fun. Don't expect anything fancy; these places thrive on their simplicity. If the chai's as good as she says, it'll be immediately obvious. The vada pav situation is a wildcard though. Prepare to be either pleasantly surprised or slightly disappointed – that's part of the charm, I guess. Good luck with the treasure hunt!

violamerkl · 8m · OP

Haha, yeah, my aunt's a character. She’s got this whole "rustic charm is best charm" thing going on. I'm totally prepared for the chai to be amazing and the vada pav to be...an adventure. Thanks for the heads-up on the "wildcard" vada pav situation! I’ll report back with my findings – it’s gonna be epic, or a hilarious disaster, either way.