Hyderabad in Jan, maybe...

Norway

Hi,

First, this is a great forum!

I am not sure where to put this thread as I have many different questions...

My husband is going to Hyderabad for a conference in January. I have the opportunuty to go with him, but I am SO scared to get ill that I am not sure if I dare to go. My brother went to India some years ago and became sick and a friend of mine also got sick when she visited India this spring. In general, my stomache is a little bit "unstable". BUT I would LOVE to go to India and this is a great opportunity. Does anybody have any experience with Hyderabad? (I assume there is a diference between cities?)

How is the climate in January?

As my husband is going for the conference all day for a week, I will be alone the most of the days. How is it to go sightseing, for a woman, alone in Hyderabad?

I have read about clothing. How is this in Hyderabad, do I have to wear Indian clothes? I ask because it seams like there is a difference in different places in India.

Thanks in advance.

C.

New-South-Welshman

In January, the daily average maximum temperature is around 29-30 degrees celcius. Everybody gets sick, I even got sick. But only a mild case of Delhi-Belly. Before you pack your bags, make sure you pack a box of Imodium.

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Norway

Thanks, just what I needed!

I will pack Imodium yes...

How is the humidity in Hyderabad in Jan?

C.

New-South-Welshman

"Humidity in the morning is very high exceeding 80 per cent from July to September. In the dry months of March, April and May, humidity is generally low with an average of 25 to 30 per cent and decreases to 20 per cent at individual stations."

That's from Reachouthyderabad.com, so I'd say it would be in the middle during January. Not too moist, not too dry.

capt_mahajan

Hyderabad is reaonably dry and, after Norway, warm in January, though it is South Indian winter. My guess is the temperatures would be min/max 12 centigrade/25 centigrade, but I may be out by a few degrees.

Safe for a woman tourist, generally, though maybe for a first timer to India, a group may be better. Or you could always take the tourist department sightseeing buses the first couple of days, and then see how it goes. Sometimes, if there are a few spouses at conferences, the organisers fix sightseeing/shopping for them.

You do not have to wear Indian clothes. If you search on this site, you will get quite a lot of information on this from other travellers.

http://www.aptourism.in/main.html for tourist information

http://www.aptourism.in/newshyd_daya...itytour.h tml for city tours.

Norway

Hi, and thank you for anwering.

So far, I don't know if the conference has an organised sightseing. Anyway, I prefer to go on my own. Maybe a silly question, but will it be difficult to go in the city-center on my own?

I read something about not being alone in the evenings. Will it be difficult to eat alone at one of the finer hotels (like Sheraton or Taj, 5-star) when staying there?

PS. Maybe I should move this post to another forum, but don't know how to do it... Anybody?

Thanks again.

C.

capt_mahajan

There is no problem or safety issue with travelling on your own anywhere in Hyderabad, provided you take basic tourist precautions. Part of the reason I suggested company was that you may find India overwhelming all alone first day out.

And there be no difficulty in eating out at any hotel resteraunt.
Or even outside, unless, like me, you dont like eating alone.

Norway

Normally I don't like to eat alone, but rather eating alone than not to eat at all! As I am with my husband for his buisiness, there may be evenings he has to go for dinner without me. Normally I will be with him, but there are times that I can't. If I don't understand that, I can't go with him either, so it's OK for me to eat alone some evenings. And as I said, I am used to it. And to be honest, I like having the mornings and mid-days free. Then I can do whatever I want to. When we were in Japan in May, I bought a day ticket with the tram! :-D And one day I only lay on my bed and red a book (jet-lag).

C.

edwardseco

Hyderabad is a great place for eating. I would suggest a car & driver setup as its a spread out city. Let me contradict the too easy resort to immodium. Self diagnosis is a dangerous vice in India and often runs opposite to good practice. For Bacillary dysentry it would prolong your distress and for Amoebic perhaps threaten your life and long term health. First, there can well be disturbance due to changes in clime and food. Local doctors are excellent and I recommend the Apollo Hospital should you need contacts. I would recommend, given your concerns, a dose Dukoral which will handle some of the common intestinal beasties. Enjoy and see the recommendation pages for Hyderabad on virtualtourist for more detail. Where the conference is makes a difference. Is it at Osmania U. or out at Hitec City? In any case a car & driver makes all the difference. The tourist destinations are largely in the south instead of the north. By the way is 2 cities, Hyderabad & Secunderabad. Check out the local guide, Channel 6, at major news stands for what is going on..

edwardseco

Lost an "of" somewhere..

Norway

I didn't recon. it... :-D

Anyway, the conference will be held at different places: Hitech-city, International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad international convention center and... some more places. I have been looking for some hotels, Taj Krishna, Taj Residency, Taj Banjara and Sheraton. I haven't decided where to stay yet, maybe because i haven't decided IF I am going either... BUT I think I am prepared.

C.

edwardseco

Hitec is NE and a bit far out. Car & driver essential. Next to a modest craft park. You will undoubtedly be dragged to a Rajasthani theme park in the far NW. I cringe a bit at the memory of the kitsch impression (a friend set this thing up so I had to go). But, the food is great! Ride a camel there. Avoid eating at the Oberoi (mediocre but expensive). Is that now the Taj Banjara? You'll be relatively near Our Place and my favorite Khabura. Cheaper but still good go to Paradise for Chinese at the Nanking (my family hangout) or Parsis for Tandoori. Lordy, I am hungry..

capt_mahajan

to give you an idea, all the hotels you have mentioned are about 10/12 km from Hitec and within 10 km from almost anywhere in the city.

and, if your husband has an evening free, you could go to the sound and light show at the golconda fort. just make sure you check out the times for the english language one.

disclaimer: i seem to be promoting sound and light shows everywhere. just stating i have no financial interest in any.

Norway

This is amazing! I really apreciate your advises and comments!

You said the hotels I mentioned was far away from the city. Can you then recomened a good hotel (4-5 star) in the city center?

About the clothes... Is it true I have to wear indian clothes, can't I just wear my own (conservative) clothes? I am very sure I will feel stange in an indian outfit... Please, don't feel offended, it's just what I think. If I wear my own clothes, how short can the skirts be? Can I wear a t-shirt?

C.

Bigzero

Hi Norway,

All hotels you mentioned - Taj Banjara, Taj Krishna, ITC Kakatiya Sheraton, etc are all in the center of the city. Hitec City will be around 30-45 min from there, depending on the traffic.

Great to know that you are coming down to Hyderabad. You should definitely go around restaurant-hopping as there are quite a few decent ones depending on what your taste is.

In any case, it is not a very large city, thought the traffic scene is beginning to get a little bad lately.

The weather should be quite pleasant in Jan.

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