Entries about bangalore

Day 66: Bangalore, Karnataka 04/12/11

Arrive in Bangalore around 6am refreshed (!) from the night before. It is not warm when we arrive and we grab an overpriced rickshaw to the hotel we booked the night before. Get to the hotel to discover that our names are nowhere to be seen in the ledger, check in and get to our flea ridden room. Face an uphill battle to get some clean sheets delivered, let alone some towels.

We head out to get some toilet paper and shower gel. In trying to convey the words ‘shower gel’ to the local traders, my voice gets a little mixed up and I end up shouting something in a half Welsh, half far eastern accent, accompanied by some impressive hand actions and mimes. Eventually succeed and we head back for a quick sleep.

After a brief nap we catch the train into central Bangalore, seeing little of the 21st century silicon valley super business centre we have heard so much about and more of the hectic, filthy, bustling cities we have come to love and hate in equal measure in India. This is the worst train journey yet, despite being only 20 minutes, with the rudeness, impatience and jostling well beyond the boundaries of being a joke.

A quick trip to a manic market district sees us work up a bit of a hunger and after still being a little empty after the illness in Hampi, we headed towards a modern shopping mall called Star Bazaar, which is essentially just a big Tesco (really) with a few other shops dotted around. It is here, I am ashamed to say, that we consumed a big, fat, greasy McDonald’s. The rickshaw back to the hotel is a serious white knuckle ride and there are a few extremely close shaves before the safety of the hotel beckons. One day in Bangalore seems more than enough.