A group of us (4 English, 2 French, 2 Americans) wanted a night of drinks and fun in Mumbai, which seemed to be a lot trickier than one would have thought.

We arrived in one bar which I wouldn’t even know how to start explaining. Though I shall try.

There were three women dressed in full sari’s who would stand there as one would sing. Then a group of Indian men would get passed a bunch of 10 Rupee notes by the bar manager to throw at the women. As soon as money was flung towards them, all the male waiters would get on their hands and knees to pick up each note to hand back to one particular worker. He would then bundle the notes back together with an elastic band, just to give to the manager to give back to the same disgusting man. This continued for the whole time we were there.

It was like a strip club, except without the dancing or removal of clothing. It was the most bizarre thing that any of us had ever seen.

At one point I decided to get up and start dancing with another English man to which they started throwing money at me! I didn’t know whether I should have felt honoured or dirty. After the third bunch of money was thrown over me, dirty didn’t even begin to describe it. It was at this moment that the manager came over to me to say ‘You must sit or leave’. So we all had to endure this horrible pain of watching sleazy, degrading men feel strong and powerful till we had all finished our drinks.

We don’t plan to return anytime soon.

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