A deja vu-too good to be true!

I went back to my favorit-est city of this year-Hyderabad. Before going, I wondered if this was really worth all the trouble. I mean, I'd already been there and done that. Still, this journey was mind blowing. If someone were to ask me right now (that's rather unlikely but here goes anyway) if I preferred the May trip to this one, then I'd have to stay undecided. Both were fantastic in their own ways and I'm really feeling lucky (the Google pun intended) to have had the chance to visit the same place twice and have contrasting but equally exciting experiences! :-) 

So where should I begin from really? I'm too lazy right now to sit and type out every single detail of the trip. Go on, heave that sigh of relief! I'll probably sketch out a rather rough picture of my entire trip. Good enough for me to read later and get lost in reverie. (I still believe only a handful people read this blog thingy when they have nothing else to do so I'm writing with only my later intentions in mind.) 

The train ride: How long has it been since I last stepped into a 2nd class compartment of a train anyway? This one was bereft of the paan-pichku which adorned the walls of Karnataka Express, AC coaches et al. It had nice mica-type sparkly flooring and clean, very clean, berths. Clearly my inexperience in a night journey by train shone through when I bumped my head on the overhead berth rod and cut and bruised myself by almost falling off! But the games, the birthday celebration, the supposed midnight feast (which we ravenous pigs finished by 10 only) and the early morning chat were all worth it! 

The City- Hussain Sagar lake has never looked so mystical draped in the blanket of smog. The hotel, although situated in a rather congested area was amazingly delightful inside. Our room especially! Food was lip smacking, and the industry we visited..well...ahem...was interesting too. Now moving on to other things! The Snow world adventure- a deja vous with a twist-or rather, a fall. After landing squat on my posterior twice in that ridiculously cruel snow, I have resolved to stay in warm climates forever. Golconda fort however, was beautiful. It's the one place I want to go back again and again. It's eerie, but the last time I went there, I promised myself I'd be back. Soon. And it worked. Maybe it has the charm of that Roman Fountain. Contrary to many of my friends I was spellbound by the Sound and Light Show. It was so cool I wanted to go back and live during the times of the Kakatiyas and Bahamanis! 

Film City was interesting too. It just erased that line between illusion and reality. It also taught me that camera does the work of a make-up artist. The sets looked quite fake, to be honest, but cameras really do a splendid job of making hospitals and airports look authentic. The Mona Lisa portrait was a laugh riot, as were the various Movie Myaaagik shows we were compelled to watch. But our lunch at Gunsmoke-the Wild West Restaurant was one-of-a-kind. How often do you eat good ol burgers the size of a palm? With lots of crispy french fries thrown in? And coleslaw to top it all off? After McDonalds has arrived, not so often, my friend. The entire day was spent in discovering new things there. It was like a Pandora's box for us. 

10 Downing Street was an interesting experience as well. I must confess, I am not really those clubbing-pubbing-dancing type people. I'm perfectly content with a good book on a sofa. But my first experience was not so bad after all. Not only did I dance like a roller coaster gone haywire, I got to witness a few tunn classmates at their charming best! A rather classy place it was, where the DJ and the other guests kept serenading us 'Bangalore Girls' with lots of praise. We were 67 of us after all! 

Last day- it was spent in that usual frenzy of shopping for biscuits, bangles and biryani - something most tourists do. All three were fun, and Char Minar has now begun to grow on me, I liked it a tad better than last time. Otherwise the last day went off in a jiffy. Before we knew it, we were back to the train with our usual banter and attention seeking habit of high pitched laughter and lame antics! 

Things that MUST be documented, but I'm too lazy to do so in my diary: 

1. Pri's animal farm game! :-) 

2. Blespaul's Naxalite threat! (I kid you not, we all closed window shutters, flattened ourselves on the berths and whispered for over 15 minutes before realising it was a hoax!) 

3. Sigh, that horrendous roomie. She didn't leave us alone even this time. Anyway, this is only being documented to renew a fresh surge of indifference the next time I read it. She has crossed even limits of hatred and vile feelings. But we didn't let her spoil the trip at all! 

4. Pepsiiiiiiiiiii Uuuuuuuuuumaaaaaaaa!!! Dear ol Quashy! What could we DO without you? :-) 

5. Our industry visit. I'm only documenting this because I'm supposed to do a PPT on it soon. :-(

 

6. Snow World! And that cruel cruel snow which seemed to attract me from all sides, especially     below. Something else that attracted me was The Sound and Light Show. Breathtakingly marvellous. Amitabh Bachchan's voice has never sounded this majestic. It is still reverberating in my mind. It's turned me into a History Freak! 

7. Food, in general: From that yummy chocolate cake in the train with rolls and chips to pineapple juice at breakfast in the hotel to that spicy gongura chutney during lunch and spici-ergobi at dinner, to the HUGE burgers and Dabal Ka Meetha and Paradise Biryani and that interestingly tasty Paan to that crappy dinner in the train. All was memorable. 

8. Ramoji Film City- the pretend game that it is, and those tattoos that we all got, that crazy ride we went on, the stunt show, the bus ride to and fro-with our dear teachers compering an impromptu punny fashion show in the bus! 

9. Ten Downing Street- just for the place. And the way we all danced forever. And brought the house down with our enthu-sober version of being High! 

10. And of course, how can I ever forget A, B and C? And our villain D? How often do you find blackberry using, fair-and-lovely guys who are trained pilots studying to be fashion designers? Our topic of interest that sustained throughout the return trip!! :-) :-) 

Only 10 this time, there are a million memories that are floating like an unedited movie in my mind. But dinner beckons, and so do a lot more things in life. So I shall refrain from falling prey to staying back in my past like I did the last time, and move on with these splendid technicoloured memories. Plus, I think my fingers have begun to cramp after all this typing dude. I love you Hydera-baaaaaaaad! All over again! :-)