Musings of an Idiot

Hyderabad

I have been Hyderabad for 3 days now and I've still had no success in finding a gym anywhere close by. I used google maps to search for some gyms and I spent the last couple of days in a pointless exercise in trying to find them and it was only today that I figured out that the map was wrong altogether once I had a look at the map on bing - which is not as detailed as google maps but atleast it shows the correct location of places {shame on you google maps}. Why do I need to join a gym? Well the food here is awesome and I don't want to pack on a few kilos before I come back - that would be detrimental to my fitness goals plus it gives something physical to do in an otherwise sedentary holiday at home. Since I had no luck finding a gym I woke up this morning and went for a 30 minute run on the road - which is not something I like as it puts a lot of pressure on knees, but it is better than doing nothing I suppose. Now that I have the correct location for a couple of gyms close by I might check them out tomorrow and see what the go is.

Mum's home made food is delicious and I just can't get enough of it - even though I am regulating my diet. The plan is to learn how to cook atleast 4-5 dishes before the holiday ends. Since I've been here the only thing I have crossed off my 'to do' list is a visit to the dentist. I had my teeth cleaned and also getting that empty gap at the back of my right jaw sorted, which will take a couple of sittings this coming week but I am happy about it because the whole thing is saving me a bundle. To give you an idea, if I had this done in NZ - this whole thing would cost me NZ$3000 atleast while here I'll only be spending around NZ$180 and the dentist I am getting this done from is one of the best.

One of the things about living in India is that power cuts, water shortages, pollution, very high cost of apartments, shortage of domestic help {which is a common practise throughout India} is a way of life and people adjust to it pretty well; though I wish that mum can find a proper domestic help sooner rather than later. In my parents place there is a daily power cut for 1 hour a day and also fresh water comes through only every alternate day {so they store water for use on the day it doesn't come through}. For some reason I haven't taken any pics while I've been here and I'll try and take some but as I said it is a strange feeling acting like a tourist in a place you originally are from.

Today,dad took mum and me out {since I can't even dream of driving in the traffic here anymore} furniture shopping as I have been pestering both of them to get a dining table and also a new computer chair and table {as the old one is such a pain in the neck - literally}. Furniture shopping wasn't really successful as there was nothing good in the shop we stopped by, so the next stop was Salarjung Museum. The museum is amazing since all the collections there belongs to one man and the length and breadth of collection is mind numbing. To see so much history in one place, some of which is several centuries old is humbling. It is definitely worth a visit if you are in Hyderabad. The only thing that annoyed me at that place is that photography is not permitted even though it is a tourist attraction.

Crossing a road or an intersection here - whether you are driving or on foot, is a little bit more than strenous than normal. The easiest way to describe it is to compare it to the massive herds of wilde beest on their annual migrations, trying to cross the crocodile infested river from one place. It is a little like that - no one stops for anyone and if you are a pedestrian, you are on the lowest end of the food chain, so you have an even harder time. Indian roads are not a pedestrian friendly place at all.

I have my work cut out for the next couple of days - find that damn gym which is supposed to be relatively close to the house and also check out a few furniture places that I got addresses off from the internet. The thing I am loving about Hyderabad is that it is not humid at all - even though it is hot, which means that you are not sweating like a pig.

There is a lot of talk about me and my marriage and have to see how things pan out over the next few weeks.

That's me for now.
Amit

Labels: Hyderabad, India, Travel

posted by Amit @ 5:39 AM