A strange thing...

Vasko · Jul 14th, 2003, 20:57

Hi all!

I've been on the road for one month, coming down from-Mumbai-Hyderabad-Bangalore-Mysore-Ooty-Coimbatore-Aleppey-to-Kollam. I still have one more month to go and I find myself already making plans for my NEXT trip! Calculating in my head if I work a certain period of time back home, I'll be able to save up a certain amount of money, and I can return to India for a certain amount of time!

I guess that's what India does to you - you want to come back before you've even left the country! (It doesn't really make sense, I know.)

Anyways, a humid hello to everyone from Kollam!

cyberhippie · Jul 14th, 2003, 21:28

Phew Kollam I can imagine!!
Vasko I think you may be sick with ITS (India Travel Sickness).
A common ailment amongst visitors to mother India. the symptons start just like you describe!!
Irrational thoughts about how to organise your life around travelling in India, the giving up of all career plans in order to travel, all financial prospects, present or planned, channelled into another trip, and inccessant planning about what to do and where to go next in India.
This is only the begining, the syptoms get worse, when you get home you'll find you have little interest in the things that used to stimulate you before you left, everything seem grey and controlled by comparison to the warmth and colour you've just experienced, your old friends begin to drift away bored to distraction with all your rantings about shakras, Indian buses and veggie curries!! A 30 second piece of bollywood music will set you to daydreaming for hours, your kitchen will begin to smell like the spice merchants at Fort Cochin, the neighbours will start complaining about the incense! and you'll spend all your freetime on sites like this!!
You're sick man!!!

But don't worry you've come to the right place!!!!

-m2- · Jul 15th, 2003, 04:53

Hi Vasko -- daydreaming about 'the next trip' before you've finished the current one is pretty normal (I think) -- nice to hear from you and all the best for the final month of 'this' trip

Like cyber says, it's only going to get worse when you get back home.

Vasko · Jul 15th, 2003, 12:19

I won't be surprised if it gets worse. Late autumn/early winter in Finland is usually a horrible time, with or without India on the mind! It gets darker and darker (till you have only a few hours of daylight), the sky pours out a mixture of rain and snow, and you just feel tired all the time. Getting up early in the morning and going to work... ok, you get the picture. I'm off to Varkala today!

By the way, have any of you been to Reflections Guest House in Ooty, run by an old, lovely lady? Nice homey atmosphere with a living/dining room, excellent place to make new friends! And the possibility to go hiking with a guide called Rajiv Kondan, who has a passionate love affair with the surrounding mountains and its people. Strong recommendations for both!

wonderwomanusa · Jul 16th, 2003, 03:35

Vasko, how about writing up the guesthouse for our hotel files?

Hope the India dreams can sustain you through that long Finnish winter!

Where did you stay in Hyderabad? I need to find a hotel for there!

indiamike · Jul 16th, 2003, 07:06

Quote:

Originally posted by cyberhippie

This is only the beginning, the symptoms get worse, when you get home you'll find you have little interest in the things that used to stimulate you before you left, your old friends begin to drift away bored to distraction with all your ratings about shakras, Indian buses and veggie curries!!

LOL...and then you start a website, spend your nights sitting around in boxer shorts chain-smoking and drinking instant coffee (because your to damn lazy to make fresh coffee) and then.....well you know.

Quote:

Originally posted by wonderwomanusa
Vasko, how about writing up the guesthouse for our hotel files?

Please do. I haven't stayed at Reflections in about five or six years now and the information I have, like prices and phone numbers, are way outdated. It's an excellent place.

Maybe the owner changed or aged a bit, but a few years I thought "yeah she's alright"

There you go I said it.

Vasko · Jul 16th, 2003, 12:14

Hi wonderwomanusa,

In Hyderabad, I stayed in the Taj Mahal Hotel on Abid Road, ph. 24758250. (THe LP guide says it's on the corner of MG and King Kothi Roads, go figure).

At the time (end of June), they were doing a massive renovation in the main building, so I stayed in a room in a separate wing. The room was easily the nicest I've stayed in so far. TV with cable (which was nice because I was sick), comfortable bed, and a clean bathroom.

A single non-AC room cost 525 Rs plus 5% tax, so it wasn't the cheapest of places, but in my opinion worth the money. There's also a good veg restaurant in the hotel area.

PS. There is also a really friendly paan-shopkeeper in the yard called Shashi, good for a talk if you're bored or lonely!

wonderwomanusa · Jul 17th, 2003, 00:28

Vasko, thanks! It seems not many travellers go to Hyderabad, or else they just disappear more easily than in other places.

Vasko · Jul 17th, 2003, 13:30

During my time in Hyderabad (6 days), I met just one non-Indian person: a Canadian medical student doing her internship at a local hospital!

But there are some nice things to see there. Don't miss the Golconda Fort!

wonderwomanusa · Jul 18th, 2003, 07:44

This time, I have introductions to several people living in Hyderabad, including a New Zealander married to an Indian chemist. I think I will have some great guides this time, and am really looking forward to it.

keshav · Jul 18th, 2003, 17:05

There are 3 Taj Mahal hotels in Hyderabad. One where Vasko mentioned, the other at Narayanguda and the third on SD Road, near Manju theatre, Secunderabad. All of them have the same facilities.

wonderwomanusa · Jul 19th, 2003, 00:00

Thanks, Keshav. Is there any advantage to staying in Secunderabad? Or at SD Road?

If you were a visitor in Hyderabad, where would you stay?

keshav · Jul 19th, 2003, 17:25

No particular advantage of staying in Secunderabad, except maybe it is closer to the airport. If visiting Golconda, Charminar, shopping for pearls, etc is what you are planning to do, then Abids is better.

Another advantage of staying in Secunderabad is my fav chinese restaurant Nanking walking distance.

wonderwomanusa · Jul 20th, 2003, 07:40

<laughing> thanks, Keshav!

Jul 14th, 2003, 20:57	#1
Vasko Non-speaker fruit-eater Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: State of Contemplation Posts: 482	A strange thing... Hi all! I've been on the road for one month, coming down from-Mumbai-Hyderabad-Bangalore-Mysore-Ooty-Coimbatore-Aleppey-to-Kollam. I still have one more month to go and I find myself already making plans for my NEXT trip! Calculating in my head if I work a certain period of time back home, I'll be able to save up a certain amount of money, and I can return to India for a certain amount of time! I guess that's what India does to you - you want to come back before you've even left the country! (It doesn't really make sense, I know.) Anyways, a humid hello to everyone from Kollam!

Jul 14th, 2003, 21:28	#2
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	Definite case of ITS Phew Kollam I can imagine!! Vasko I think you may be sick with ITS (India Travel Sickness). A common ailment amongst visitors to mother India. the symptons start just like you describe!! Irrational thoughts about how to organise your life around travelling in India, the giving up of all career plans in order to travel, all financial prospects, present or planned, channelled into another trip, and inccessant planning about what to do and where to go next in India. This is only the begining, the syptoms get worse, when you get home you'll find you have little interest in the things that used to stimulate you before you left, everything seem grey and controlled by comparison to the warmth and colour you've just experienced, your old friends begin to drift away bored to distraction with all your rantings about shakras, Indian buses and veggie curries!! A 30 second piece of bollywood music will set you to daydreaming for hours, your kitchen will begin to smell like the spice merchants at Fort Cochin, the neighbours will start complaining about the incense! and you'll spend all your freetime on sites like this!! You're sick man!!! But don't worry you've come to the right place!!!! Last edited by cyberhippie : Jul 15th, 2003 at 00:28.

Jul 16th, 2003, 03:35	#5
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 3,509	Vasko, how about writing up the guesthouse for our hotel files? Hope the India dreams can sustain you through that long Finnish winter! Where did you stay in Hyderabad? I need to find a hotel for there! __________________ The map is not the territory. --Alfred Korzybski

Jul 16th, 2003, 12:14	#7
Vasko Non-speaker fruit-eater Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: State of Contemplation Posts: 482	Hotel in Hyderabad Hi wonderwomanusa, In Hyderabad, I stayed in the Taj Mahal Hotel on Abid Road, ph. 24758250. (THe LP guide says it's on the corner of MG and King Kothi Roads, go figure). At the time (end of June), they were doing a massive renovation in the main building, so I stayed in a room in a separate wing. The room was easily the nicest I've stayed in so far. TV with cable (which was nice because I was sick), comfortable bed, and a clean bathroom. A single non-AC room cost 525 Rs plus 5% tax, so it wasn't the cheapest of places, but in my opinion worth the money. There's also a good veg restaurant in the hotel area. PS. There is also a really friendly paan-shopkeeper in the yard called Shashi, good for a talk if you're bored or lonely!

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Jul 15th, 2003, 04:53	#3
-m2- . Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: . Posts: 1,577	Hi Vasko -- daydreaming about 'the next trip' before you've finished the current one is pretty normal (I think) -- nice to hear from you and all the best for the final month of 'this' trip Like cyber says, it's only going to get worse when you get back home.

Jul 15th, 2003, 12:19	#4
Vasko Non-speaker fruit-eater Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: State of Contemplation Posts: 482	I won't be surprised if it gets worse. Late autumn/early winter in Finland is usually a horrible time, with or without India on the mind! It gets darker and darker (till you have only a few hours of daylight), the sky pours out a mixture of rain and snow, and you just feel tired all the time. Getting up early in the morning and going to work... ok, you get the picture. I'm off to Varkala today! By the way, have any of you been to Reflections Guest House in Ooty, run by an old, lovely lady? Nice homey atmosphere with a living/dining room, excellent place to make new friends! And the possibility to go hiking with a guide called Rajiv Kondan, who has a passionate love affair with the surrounding mountains and its people. Strong recommendations for both!

Jul 17th, 2003, 00:28	#8
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 3,509	Vasko, thanks! It seems not many travellers go to Hyderabad, or else they just disappear more easily than in other places.

Jul 17th, 2003, 13:30	#9
Vasko Non-speaker fruit-eater Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: State of Contemplation Posts: 482	During my time in Hyderabad (6 days), I met just one non-Indian person: a Canadian medical student doing her internship at a local hospital! But there are some nice things to see there. Don't miss the Golconda Fort!

Jul 18th, 2003, 07:44	#10
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 3,509	This time, I have introductions to several people living in Hyderabad, including a New Zealander married to an Indian chemist. I think I will have some great guides this time, and am really looking forward to it.

Jul 18th, 2003, 17:05	#11
keshav Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 60	There are 3 Taj Mahal hotels in Hyderabad. One where Vasko mentioned, the other at Narayanguda and the third on SD Road, near Manju theatre, Secunderabad. All of them have the same facilities.

Jul 19th, 2003, 00:00	#12
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 3,509	Thanks, Keshav. Is there any advantage to staying in Secunderabad? Or at SD Road? If you were a visitor in Hyderabad, where would you stay?

Jul 19th, 2003, 17:25	#13
keshav Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 60	No particular advantage of staying in Secunderabad, except maybe it is closer to the airport. If visiting Golconda, Charminar, shopping for pearls, etc is what you are planning to do, then Abids is better. Another advantage of staying in Secunderabad is my fav chinese restaurant Nanking walking distance.

Jul 20th, 2003, 07:40	#14
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 3,509	<laughing> thanks, Keshav!

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