For one Indian woman living in Australia, a return to Mumbai brought an unexpected realisation about how much money can go into simply spending time with others. Her experience has sparked an online discussion about socialising, public spaces, and the need to spend money while exploring a city. In a video, Instagram user Smidha shared her experience of returning to India and compared it with her life in Australia.
Smidha wanted to explore the city, but found that almost every plan involved a cafe, restaurant, or mall While in Mumbai. One user commented, “The summer heat, lack of nature, and inadequate public infrastructure in cities force us to limit ourselves to indoor spaces. Because it had always seemed normal to her, she said she had never questioned this before moving to Australia.
Talking about the difference, Smidha said that back home, meeting someone first meant deciding where to have coffee. Another user noted, “That’s one of the reasons people find it difficult in their fitness journey, every socialisation revolves around food.”
