"My Frrrriends" (read this loud, smile while shaking your head from right to left at the same time): Let me cook for you, a spicy evening in vibrant Mumbai. The list of ingredients will not be too long, but the right preparation and mixture will bring all of its flavour to a city. Be prepared to succumb to the intriguing charm of this city! Specially for you girls: early evening you will have purchased and slipped on a “salwar kameez”, the traditional though practical female Indian outfit, and this, yes, this will put you into the mood. Now, it is twilight, so get yourself a trustworthy motorbike driver (and a helmet!). Sun is down, night is black, but not all is quiet. On the contrary. Hoots and shouts sound around you. Ride the bike, hold your breath and " chalo chalo* " is your motto (*carry on carry on). Dive into the sea of motorbikes which now flows and rises, then ebbs down mythic Mumbai Marina Drive. Girls, mind the beautiful but long scarf of your salwar kameez , boys, don't worry too much for the yellow taxi that comes so close to your leg, or the bus that puffs ahead of your bike. Your intrepid driver knows how to fiddle through the crowd of bikes. At this precise moment, you feel that you are part of it. Now, glance at the promenade where groups of friends are strolling along. Some guys and girls are sitting together, their back to the sea, facing the boisterous city and they are having a gentle chat. Far in the distance a bollywood song can be heard. Carry on till the end of seafront drive, and you are now able to see what locals call the "queen's necklace" and indeed, you can now spot the sparkling lights that have been dotted all long the seafront like many shiny beads. It's breath taking. During the afternoon, you didn't see anybody on the beach, the temperature was almost unbearable, and the air saturated with humidity. But now the sea is dark, and you can stop at the beach. Don't be surprised! It is a picnic by night. Mums, dads, uncles and aunts, are relaxing and children are having fun or running around. No, there are no bathers, still, a feeling of long due holidays lingers in the air, as if none of these people had been working during the day or had to go back to the office on the following day. You could try the water, it is incredibly luke warm, but I would certainly not recommend a swim, it is just not done! Now that you feel totally relaxed, it is time for the vibrant Mumbai which I promised to you. Drop at the jazz club It’s called: “Not just Jazz by the Bay” in Marine Drive. (Link: http://www.mars-world.com/restaurants/jbb.html) Before stepping inside , take some time to observe guys meeting their friends, calling out at each other loudly in the street, inviting each other for a pizza (yes, right at the corner of the jazz club), or buying an ice cream from the street shop. After midnight, after the jazz club session: it's time to cruise once again along the seafront, the temperature is finally totally bearable, and the traffic slightly less congested, you would like this evening to last a little bit longer, if not for ever.