After many trips I’ve decided that few people get up early in India – in my case and in Mumbai it may have something to do with heavy nights in Colaba Social or Leopold Cafe (if you’ve never heard of Leopold’s you should read Shantaram, everyone should read Shantaram).
But as usual it pays dividends to get up early – whether you have a camera in your hand or just value the solitude, which is difficult to come by in India; especially at the Gateway of India. It was built by the British to commemorate the visit of George V in 1911 (although they didn’t start building it until 1915), rather rudely, he was the first monarch ever to visit India.
It’s also where the British left from in 1948; and always my first and last stop in Mumbai.