Steve Truman's Guestbook

i can read urdu
Thanks - that makes sense!

Hydera- bad / good / so-so
Hi Shankar As you may have seen I've been to few places quite close to Chennai recently (I'm flying back from Chennai, so I'll get there last). Puducherry and Mamallapuram were certainly two of the most pleasant places for a holiday that I've seen in India. I think that part of the answer to your point one is that India and the way it iseen by other countries is sometimes quite "Delhi-Centric". So places that are close to Delhi like Jaipur and especially Agra are heavily promoted. I think that standards of garbage removal generally and the provison of public toilets is much better in the south than in the north. Generally, though there are exception, English seems to be more widely spoken here too. On your second point, I stayed in Lucknow a couple of months ago and quite enjoyed it there. Part of that may be that I went there innediately after moslem Agra and Hindu Varanasi which must be two of the towns with the worst hawkers and auto drivers and traffic in all India. But it's also true that I wasn't feeling too well when I was in Agra and Varanasi and was feeling better by the time I got to Lucknow. I was also put in a good mood when I first arrived because I came by train and the railway station is magnificent! Certainly, I don't think most prospoective tourists know about this. On the other hand though, Agra is obviously Islamic and is heavily promoted - maybe because it's near Delhi - and most of the famous sites there are Islamic as well, I think. I think your third point is right and it's a pity. I wonder if it's still an inheritance from the British. I would have thought that now each separate state should teach its own history in its schools. Regards Steve Truman As an Englishman, I was attracted to Lucknow by memories of the Siege during the First War of Independence and thre eventual Relief of the town. So I had it in mind to visit the Residency and La Martiniere and was taken by surprise by the splendours of the Imambaras.

How was your trip to Hyderabad?
Finally, I should say good. I hiope, though, that after the recent tragedy the new CM of AP will continue YSY Reddy's policy of putting more money into the old ciity area.