Back to Hyderabad
I’m a little behind with this one as I have already been in Bangkok 5 days now, but you are going to get everything in order so stick with me.
During my last days in Bombay I caught up with Mike again. Being the considerate soul he is, he was worried about me going to Hyderabad. There were some bombings that occurred at the Mecca Masjid while I was getting ready to go there. I decided that it would be extra safe to go there as all security and Police would be extra vigilant and on Wednesday night boarded the train at Victoria Station. I got the lower bunk in a 3-tier and did my best to sleep.
In the morning our little section (for 6 people) consistently had more than 6 people in it. On my bench there were just the 3 of us (myself, a woman and her daughter), but the other side was crammed with between 4 and 7 people the entire way to Hyderabad. I think it is because they wanted to look at me. The people that were actually booked on the seats opposite us were squished to the ends of the bench if not ousted all-together and relegated to returning to the top bed. One very fat man inserted himself on the seat at about 9am and the people who could rightly claim to sit there politely let him take up their room – amazing.
It was nice to be back in Hyderabad. Even though it has similar traffic chaos to everywhere else, the inhabitants are very laid back. The only place I was hassled was from rickshaw drivers and hotel hawkers at the railway station. I found a room to stay at the Hotel Saptagiri – now my favourite hotel in Hyd. Not as noisy and dusty as the Park Hotel and has a lift (I swear I’m not lazy, it’s just really hot work going up stairs).
After checking in and cleaning up I went straight out to get Mum’s Salwar Kameez – success. Also got my sunglasses fixed – the rotten things . I keep forgetting where they are hanging and they fall to the ground, every time they meet the ground the same lens bounces out. If they hadn’t cost a small packet I’d have given them away already. The kind people at the opticians fixed it for free and it seemed that for the entire time until I boarded my plane the next evening, there was kindness coming from everyone. It is hard not to judge but this compares starkly with Bombay where everyone has an angle.
Will add photos later.
Tags: bombings, Hyderabad, India, Travel
mjb
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