South Asia
Republic of Incredible India, the world's biggest democrazy
Karnataka
Raichur
Hotel Uma +918532225980
Adequate double room for only INR 350.- or US$ 7.95 per night. Indifferent local staff.
Beer: 650-ml bottles of cold Kingfisher Strong (8 % alc./vol.), "The King of Good Times", for INR 105.- or US$ 2.15 per large bottle from the hotel’s dinky a/c bar.
Click below for an interactive road map of the Hotel Uma in Raichur and for directions:
Matt: Overnighting uneventfully in untouristy and rather non-descript Raichur, taking the next morning an A.P.S.R.T.C. bus (Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation) through a polluted and battered landscape with many unfinished but already neglected buildings and run-down factories ("...oh yeah, we Indians won independence, but lost the country...") to Hyderabad (c. 200 km, 7 ½ hours, INR 123.- per person), the capital city of Andhra Pradesh, the meeting ground between North India and South India and the successor of the legendary Golconda Kingdom which was famous for its enormous wealth in diamonds, including the 105.6 metric carats Koh-I-Noor, trifling away my time for over three hours at a roadblock near the forlorn Marikal Junction and becoming an unwitting participant of an incited and orchestrated political rally with hysterical speeches from one of the state’s big-wigs.
"You very quickly learn in India that when it comes to direction it's the consensus rather than the personal opinion that you should follow. It's common for people to tell you what they feel you want to hear, rather than what's true. Never ask a question which can be answered 'yes' or 'no'. This is because 'yes' may mean: 'No, but you really are way, way out and I'm not going to be the one who gives you the bad news.' Or, it could mean: 'I don't have a clue.' It could very likely mean: "Good God! What planet are you from then?' Finally, there's always the tantalizing possibility that 'yes' could actually mean: 'Yes.'"
Click below for more blog posts about interesting long-distance bus trips
16 Nov - 19 Nov 2014 Lumbini (Lumbini to Varanasi)
13 Jun - 16 Jun 2013 Gyeongju (Gyeongju to Seoul)
31 May - 07 Jun 2011 Srinagar (Srinagar to Leh)
16 Jun - 22 Jun 2010 Hoi An (Nha Trang to Hoi An)
26 Aug - 11 Sep 2007 Aden (Aden to Sana'a)
Click below for a summary of this year's travels
2011 Map Konni & Matt
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