Southern India taste test - would that be hot, or extra hot?

[bPeteb]

We didn’t have a lot of supplies with us for the five and a half hour journey. Just a starter bottle of water.

We needn’t have worried about getting food or water as it was constant from about five minutes out of Chennai station and it just didn’t stop. It was hilarious. Cooked meals in boxes, biscuits, chips, fruit cups, tea, coffee, water, samosas, and it went round and round in a rotation for about five hours of the trip. Even our issue of running out of anything but 500 rupee notes was not a problem for the food guys.



I moved over into an empty three for a while just to see some scenery and were soon joined by a couple sitting in the inside two seats. I went to get up but the wife said “no, enjoy the view”. Indian people are just so friendly.



I stayed for a bit longer but at the next station went back to my seat and someone did have that seat. The couple had said if someone came they’d find another seat but I said no, it was ok.

no concept of ohs. Kids were sitting with ther legs hanging out of the wide open door at one point!



The scenery constantly changed, rice paddies, marshland, small towns, large hills of huge boulders. I love watching the world pass by from a train.

'lunch'



the problematic bottle holders



Toilets were a bit hit and miss. The ones near us were all Asian style. Two had water available in the.m. Two didn't.

Walk out of our carriage and into 7 and I lucked into quite clean western toilet, with loo paper, and that even flushed. I guess you just have to keep lookinf if you want a western loo. BNeither of cared.

About an hour out of Bengaluru the blind finally came up and we could both see what we had just passed



Oh yeh, we were seated facing backwards. Def not my favourite but it was actually ok.

into outer Bengaluru



Two more acts of human kindness before we got to Bengaluru Central.

We stopped at a station called Bangalore/Bengaluru Cant, and most people seemed to get off here. We were confused and a lady sitting over from us said not to worry, our stop was next, when the train reached it’s final destination.

Then, as we pulled on our packs a man lifted bAlt’s shoulder strap up onto his shoulder. Have I said Indian people are just so friendly?

train beside us at Bengaluru Central



I’d already been told, and read, that the auto drivers will try to charge you crazy prices for small fare journeys. We walked out and 300 was the first offer. I’d already priced Uber and it was 50. No that’s for one person and no luggage. No it’s not I replied. 250, no, 150 no. I told him to leave us and I called an Uber car. 150 and two minutes away.

Our hotel was literally eight minutes away.

I’d originally booked the Radisson Blu City Centre but realised it was near nothing, so cancelled and re-booked the Radisson Blu Bengaluru Atria. It was a great choice. I’d booked a standard room at about 14,000 and when we checked on the train that was the rate for a ‘Business Class’ room so I better get that member upgrade!

At check-in the first thing I asked was about an upgrade and was told yes, we had been upgraded to a Business Class room. Then something was said about breakfast and the rate and I said no, I’d booked bed and breakfast. Oh yes. What the?



Anyways up to the room we went and we were at least ready for what the room was like. Big, yes. Quiet, yes. Nice facilities including a coffee machine, yes. Purple lighting, yes, mirrored ceiling, yes. That’s yes to a mirrored ceiling. These rooms are clearly intended for a different kind of business



It was actually a really nice room. Super comfy bed, huge bathroom with both bath and shower. Somewhere to sit as well as the desk. Facing the carpark so hopefully very quiet. A full minibar overflowing with spirits but just two beers, that we didn’t touch. I just want to know who thought that ceiling was a good idea?

 

[bPeteb]

more of the hotel



We had an appointment that night and needed to get a gift. First place I thought was the hotel gift shop but it was just expensive crafts. bAlt rescued me from a potential ill advised purchase there.

We then decided tea or sweets and both were at shops 650m up the road. We decided we had time for a quick lunch and it was actually delivered quickly, after waiting for quite a while for a waiter to come near us.

Chicken caeser and chicken club and not a hint of spice in sight



Up the road we walked and found Sublime House of Tea. They had the perfect giftbox of teas and dried fruits. Gift done.

Our appointment was actually dinner with an ex-colleague of mine, at his family home, hence the need for the gift.

S was working in Melbourne for HP (our IT partner) while I was doing my two year week on week off stint as product owner of a large IT replatform. He was a brilliant guy, the team lead, always prepared to call out when HP had made a mistake, a rarity in an Indian IT worker. We became firm friends. After we successfully delivered our project he was poached by Telstra to work in the ICC IT centre in Bengaluru, where he's currently working as a chapter principle. Those in the IT world will know what all of that means

The rush was because we had a pick-up time of anything from 4.30 so we had to get back, shower and get pretty.

S gave me a running report via WhatsApp on how far away he was and 4.30 became 5.15 due to Bangaluru's unpredictable traffic.

I hadn't seen him for nearly eight years but we'd stayed in touch. It was a never ending when are you coming to India? Well, here we were.

It was like we had just clocked off work, even though I've now left the big T and S is working on very different projects to what we did.

He lives towards the south ring road so it was another 90 minutes before we got to his apartment complex. On the way I'd seen a name come up on his phone, another colleague from our replatform project. M was also coming. Then S admitted another had also been invited, V. Sneaky!



It was the most magical evening. bAlt listened along as we laughed about our time together. S's wife MS kept food flowing and A his #1 son, brought out the food. We even sampled some Indian whiskey. Not being much for whiskey we'll both say it seemed good.



Just one of the many dishes. Lentils, chicken, prawns, these delcious crispy things,



a mushroom biriyani that S had made, and finally a very, very sweet dessert that neither of us can remember the name of.

It was the most fantastic night that came to end as the clock struck 10. These people had to work.

the apartment is filled with art created by S, including this huge mandala that he created with his wife and two sons



Then the gifts to us come out, one from S and MS, one from M, and one from V. We looked at them all and say this was not at all expected.

Then it was time to call an Uber. S wanted to pay but we said not a chance. Lets just say it was one of the scarier 60+ minutes of our lives. Seatbelts didn't work so we were done for if anything happened. But, we got back to the Radisson safely. Phew.

The gifts. A couple fo shirts from S and MS, ine the box were some christmas decorations from V that possibly he made, and finally from M, a man after my own heart



a bottle of Indian sparkling shiraz



that has made it home safely. I'll let you know what it's like. Our last night in India, below the mirrored ceiling. What an excellent adventure it has been.