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Published: February 27th 2014
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We lingered in the comfort and luxury of the Falaknuma for as long as we could this morning, but eventually it was time to say goodbye and set off on the second half of our journey. Our new driver was waiting for us, in an identical Toyota Innova people carrier to the last one. After a slight hiccup when he took the wrong road, we were soon on the highway for a mere 3 hour drive to Bidar. We have just one night here, partly because it would have been a very long journey to our next destination if we’d driven direct from Hyderabad, and partly to see the fort.
Luckily the driver knew his way round the fort. You enter through the 14
th century city walls, which are about 10km long and encircle a large area. We drove along the main road, which would once have been the main shopping street, and stopped first at a huge mosque that had been mostly destroyed by an explosion in 1672. The local children were just leaving their madrassa and getting onto their various buses, so we spent a lot of time saying hello and answering the same old questions: ‘What
is your name?’, ‘Where are you from?’
Next up was the fort itself which is huge and impressive. Our guide in Hyderabad said he had spoken to someone who would unlock the various buildings. Whether or not it was the same person, an old fellow with a key appeared out of nowhere. We looked round another mosque with an Indian family for company. They left, and our guide led us into two separate palaces. Restoration work seems to be taking place slowly and patchily, and we were grateful to have a guide to lead us through the labyrinth of corridors and stairs (including one in pitch darkness that David found especially unamusing). We wandered round some more distant ruins, overheating steadily even though it was 4.30 by now. Back at the entrance, we thought we’d seen everything, but our driver summoned another key holder who took us round yet another palace, this one with bright tiling and amazing carved wood all dating back to the 1400s. It’s extraordinary it could have survived so long given the monsoons. There were very few visitors and, needless to say, no other foreigners. Once again we were much in demand for photos.
Fort tour complete, it was time to find our hotel. To say Bidar is a dump would be kind. We drove up and down the main street, which outdoes most other Indian streets in looking dirty and unfinished, and eventually found a small grimy sign for the Sapna Continental hotel, handily located above a clothing store and a shop selling TVs. Much discussion ensued at the front desk who claimed we had no reservation despite our pre paid voucher. Mercifully the driver conducted the discussion in Telugu, the local language, and called the travel agent for us. Eventually all was sorted and we were led to our room. Or, more precisely, our suite, complete with a large seating area, two sofas and a mock marble table and chairs for six. Execrable taste but it was clean – such a relief! Though the lack of any hot water till 6am next morning was less pleasing. The manager offered to bring hot water upstairs by the bucket load but somehow that didn’t seem like much of a solution...
The hotel has no restaurant, but dinner can be ordered in and served on the marble table. £3 for the two of us
produced a tray with 4 foil bags (potato curry, pea and paneer curry, rice and nan) 2 bags purporting to contain lime juice and 2 bottles of soda water. Since lime juice should be clear we didn’t have the lime sodas as, once mixed, a strange orange scum rose to the surface. The food tasted fine but nagging doubts about hygiene remain – fingers crossed and sphincter muscles tightened........
It’s 9.00pm. The TV options comprise Bollywood serials, old sport of various sorts or – most bizarrely – WWF wrestling. I feel an early night beckoning.......... but wait, there’s a National Geographic programme on Komodo dragons, not to mention the last 15 minutes of last week’s Everton match at Chelsea which David watched glumly.
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sarah pillay
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hey your adventures sound great. The last hotel looked really great. The food sounded amazing. How are both yr stomachs????How hot is it there????????? You look lovely and healthy. Enjoy the rest of yr holiday. wish I was there.