Hyderabad

As we've mentioned before, India's culture is remarkably different to that of the Western world. Although this is exactly why we came, and why most people visit, at times you find yourself in need of a breather. Feeling this, for our first night in Hyderabad we decided to head to the Banjara Hills area which is know for being quite cosmopolitan. It has to be said that Banjara Hills is not as glamourous as we had naively expected, but it is still a world away from the chaos we have become accustomed to.

Shane and Mr. Motivator

After a meal in a mediocre and somewhat overpriced restaurant we spotted a British pub. It was very mch a parody and quite over the top which we found most amusing. We both felt like extras in an Indian episode of Cheers. A chap sat next to us catching peanuts in his mouth seemed over the moon that he was sat next to a British couple in a British pub, authenticating his whole experience. Pitchers of beer were our drinks of choice and these went down easily. The dance floor opened and we were on it with the locals for the rest of the night. We got a work out trying to keep up with a pint sized man who was pulling out all the moves. If he brings out an exercise DVD we will be the first to buy. The night finished at 12 as per the local drinking laws. We thoroughliy enjoyed the whole experience and it was even worth our sore heads the following day.

Really Big Buddha

One of our aims in visiting India is to learn about the fascinating religion of Buddhism and the next day was to be our first experience of this. We visited one of the worlds largest free-standing Buddha statues situated in the middle of Hyderabad's Hussain Sagar Lake. The statue had an interesting start in life, having stood at the bottom of the lake for two years after the barge which was transporting it sank. It was raised again, cleaned up and now stands proudly on a man-made island.

To geth there, we boarded a small boat from the poplar 'Eat Street'. The statue itself was a marvel of craftmenship, standing tall and weighing a massive 358 tonnes. The ambience was somewhat dampened by the stench of the lake. In fact, the smell, which we can only assume was raw sewage, was near vomit inducing. Not quite the experience of enlightenment we had hoped for, but worth a look for those visiting Hyderabad.

Recently we had splashed out on meals that were disappointing and so we both still craved a little luxury. We decided it would be third time lucky for us and visited the Waterfont Restaurant on Hussain Sagar. Having gone from recommendation we can cheerfully say it delivered in all areas. The restaurant itself was a beautifully lit modern building, with a raised stage on which a live band played. The food was heavenly. Again on recommendation we opted for Thai food, which was beautiful,  and we certainly recommend the Spring Rolls. Excellent food combined with attentive service and a lovely location added up to money well spent.

The following day we visited Indias famous Ramoji Film Studios, which boasts the title of 'World's Largest Film Complex. Given our background in Media we felt it would be perfect for us. We boarded a local bus and took the 1 hour trip to the famous Film City. Once there, you eter through a grand archway and board a private bus which takes you through a mass of countryside. Finally you arrive at the prestigious, glamorous, world famous Ramoji Film City........... Theme Park! Our expectations were quashed. What we thought would be an insight in to the inner workings of Bollywood Cinema turned out to be a tourist attraction comparible to Cleethorpes Pleasure Island. However, we did find the place fun. Indian entertainment retains an innocence you may have seen in Britain 50 years ago.

Butch Cassidy and the Samosa Kid

The variety of shows on offer were short and sweet, they were very loud, a little cartoon like and didn't really go anywhere. We particularly enjoyed the Western Stunt Show. Nevertheless, the locals loved it and in the end so did we. Later we boarded a tour bus which took us around the complex, this was actually very interesting. The bus took us around the many film sets with fake houses, streets and railways. A highlight was the multipurpose hospital / airport terminal which also housed the internal structure of a plane. Overall it was an enjoyable day, but not quite what we had expected. Visit the Film City if you want a break from Temples and Museums but not it you want an in-depth look at Indian Cinema.

Charminar Street Market

On the final day in Hyderabad, before boadring the train to Aurangabad we visited the city's principle landmark, the Caharminar. This is a four-collumn structure which commemerated the founding of Hyderabad at the end of an epidemic caused by Golkonda's water shortage. It was an impressive building. But for us the real joy in visiting the Charminar is seeing the vast and colourful market which surround it. A matrix of tiny alleys are lined with every material in every colour with every pattern one would ever need. We did not buy anything because ready-made garments are limited. If you want to purchase such materials you can then take them to a Tailor. But if you want to do this in India you will need to allow a week for the garment to be made.

That's it for Hyderabad. Next we board the train to Aurangabad.