To catch the bus to Bangalore Shree and me had to hurry a bit and so there was only time for an egg sandwich for breakfast. Typical with it were potatoe chips and ketchup.
Well, one need some energy for India, isn´t it? And it was yummie as usual.
Well, one need some energy for India, isn´t it? And it was yummie as usual.
The bus should leave at 9.45 am +/- 1 hour. In India departure times are relative. Thus one should be early enough at the place of departure.
Since we always returned to Chennai as our starting point, we could leave our big luggage at the hotel reception, which made everything much more easier.
Of course the journey in the A/C Volvo took a bit longer again. Even the refuiling stop took almost 1 hour and I was asking myself what the driver and his conducter were waiting for. It turned out that they waited for the money to pay the fuel.
Most of the passengers were youngsters from the college and they took it quite easy with all their gadgets like laptops and mobile phones..
Finally we moved but the ride didn´t begin... no. Since we had still empty seats in the bus, they were looking for more passengers at some bus stops. The driver opened the door so that the conducter could shout: "Bangalore... Bangalore... Bangalore.. "
Now and then it worked, people entered the bus and paid in cash. Guess it was kind of an extra income for the driver and the conducter.
That they even transport furnitures with this busses,I witnessed on the trip to Hyderabad. But this I will tell you later then.
Like I already mentioned in the Pondicherry report, the Pongal festival was about to take place and so the streets were full of sugarcane sellers. It´s a tradition that people have them at home for that harvest festival. They promise good luck and sweetness but also have a religious background. If you want to know more about it you can read here .
The ride took around 8 hours. Hard to believe since it was just a distance about 350 km ( 220 miles) but roads are another thing in this country. There are motorways but not everyhwere or not fully developed. That´s why there is always a transition from motorway to normal roads and back. Then a cow is crossing the street or a tractor slows down the traffic.
But time was flying. In the bus they showed the latest Bollywood movies on dvd but I was more interested in the landscape and was starring out of the window.
It was so beautiful to see how the scenery changed from the barren landscape to amazing mountain ranges and it became more and more green everywhere. It was something I enjoyed a lot.
After a stop at an indian roadhouse for a really good lunch (chapati & chicken curry) and my first experience on a public toilet (not too bad.. hurry in, squat and hurry out and don´t forget to wash your feet afterwards ;)) ) we reached Bangalore at around 6 pm.
It´s possible to get off the bus even between the official stops, when it´s on their way and so we were standing right on the motorway after a flyover close to an industrial area. But we had everything under control. The hotel wasn´t too far and we called there to ask for the shortest way. The manager insisted to pick us up, since friends organised the hotel for us and they knew the owner of it. And so after 10 minutes he came on his bike with an auto for us behind him. Nice service :)
We were lucky again. The room was clean, the staff very friendly und the food was absolutely delicious!!!.
After freshen up we hurried for dinner and decided for Palak Paneer. That´s an indian cheese with spinach. With it we had butter naan. So buttered, baked bread.
Believe me, I was in heaven with that dish.
The climate was so pleasant that we decided to spend some time on the roof top of the hotel. The evening was, in terms of temperatures, comparable with a summer evening in Germany. Lovely cool breeze. Not for nothing the city is so popular by western companies.
Due to the industrial location it was unsual quite, we just enjoyed it.
Next morning then off to join the hustle and bustle. I wasn´t interested in a guided tour or something like that and so the manager adviced us to use the public busses. The route he recommended led us through many parts of the city and our destination was Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens.
India must have one of the best bus networks in the world for super cheap prices and one gets almost everywhere all the time.
It´s never boring, at least not for me and it already began at the bus stop itself. The journey is the reward somehow. And there might be time tables but no one seems to care about it. Busses are coming and going just with a short stop, if at all. People also jump in while the bus is driving, when they know where the bus is going to.
Though the Hotel manager gave us the number of the bus, he recommended the A/C busses, however that busses always passed us in 2nd or 3rd road before we even could draw attention to us.
That was because we weren´t standing alone there. It must have been at least 40 people around us, plus the passengers which were changing the busses or just getting down.
After some time we were sick of it and asked some people which bus we could also take to get to our destination. We pushed into the crowd when that bus came and somehow got into it. Uff.. finally.
The front rows were for ladies only and I also got a seat.
Shortly after that the bus conducter came, always shouting "Tickets...tickets...tickets". So you buy the ticktes during the ride. There´s no other option with such crowds everywhere.
I just imagined the german way. Everyone has to enter the bus at the front door, paying at the bus driver or showing their tickets....Impossible.
We bought our daily tickets for a ridiculous price of 60 rupees (85 Euro cent/ 1,10 USD). They were only valid for the non A/C busses.
Though it was morning rush hour we made good time on the road and for most of the people I was an attraction in the bus.
I thought that in Bangalore I wouldn´t look so "exotic" to the Indians. But I was wrong and so people looked at me in a curious way, sometimes they also starred at me. Some women also smiled to me now and then. Also a "where are you from" was common.
After a 45 minutes ride we got off the bus on a big crossroad. The conducter said that Lal Bagh is close by.
But distances are another thing in India. Everything is "just near by", "just 1 km away" or "just 5 minutes".
But there was also a good thing in it, I was able to try my first sugarcane juice. (it´s essential to order it without ice!!) It was so tasty and refreshing and cheap too with 10 Rupees (15 Cent) per cup.
On the way we crossed many small food stalls and of course we had to stop at least at one of them. It lured us with various small cakes, milk sweets and also spicy snacks. We tried chocolate and butterscotch cakes and also yummie spicy Samosas. Later I had also my first fresh guava. India has a huge variety of fresh fruits and in Chennai I loved to have watermelons, pineapples and papaya in the evenings, since the stall was right infront of our hotel.
Finally we reached Lal Bagh, the huge botanical garden in Bangalore. Entrance fee: 10 rupees (15 Euro cent!)
The quite and calm atmosphere there is so relaxing and
it´s no wonder that the residents of Bangalore love to go there for a picknick. That´s the best way to escape the stress and hetic rush of the city.
There were young couples hiding under the trees, families with kids running around and the older gentlemen sitting on benches, discussing cricket and politics.
We also enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere there and strolled through the park. After 2 and a half hours we left with a bus to Majestic bus station, a really huge terminal. The crowd there was amazing, so many people running around and the rush hour hadn´t even started.
There we first went to a restaurant for a late lunch. We had a good mutton Biryani before we headed to the Metro. We just wanted to take a ride in it.
So off to the bus which should take us to the next Metro station. This time we took an A/C bus, these busses were always almost empty because of the higher ticket price. It was around 15 to 20 rupees more than the normal busses. Occasionally it´s really nice just to take a breather even if the ride wasn´t long.
And the conducter was very caring this time that we get off at the right stop and taking the right direction then.
Kindness is really a big thing in India.
But India wouldn´t be India if this kindness sometimes is a bit overdone and so we ended up in an auto whose auto wallah (that´s how the drivers are called) told us that the next Metro will only go in 1 hour. So he could take us to some handicraft shops and clothes stores to spend some time there. He will just charge 20 rupees, which was already strange to me.. but hey... no risk, no fun, right?
Off we were and after a 10 minutes ride we stopped at a handicraft shop, which was really beautiful and most of all, expensive. Nicely done for the tourists. They offered jewellery, scarfs, wooden statues and also marble things. They had wonderful stuff there and the sales people were surrounding us from the first minute we entered, offering everything they had.
At the jewellery department I felt a bit pushed and I refused them in a kind way.
But when I saw a marble Ganesha I couldn´t resist. The price was 1600 rupees (around 23 Euro/ 30 USD) and hearing that I laughed at the salesman, also because Shree told me what I should pay maximum. I tried to haggle and he was literally crying. But I wasn´t impressed and so we left the shop. That made him realise that I was serious about it and he ran after us just to accept my last offer. 500 rupees (7 Euro/ 9USD) which I thought was a fair price.
Back into the auto and off to the next shop for Saree´s and other clothes. We weren´t in the mood for another shop but what to do? We entered the store just to leave it again after 10 minutes.
The auto wallah got gas vouchers as payment from the shop for getting foreign toursits to them. So it was all rigged in advance as we already assumed.
He dropped us back to the Metro station and we were lucky to be free again. ;))
The station was very modern, big and clean. Security wise it was just like at the airport. Our bags were checked and we also got scanned before we could buy our tickets at the counter.
For a change the station was not crowded at all, maybe because of the only 6 or 8 stops of the metro.
The ride took only about 20 minutes and ended in no man´s land. But it was good and when we were downstairs at the station I wanted to take some more pictures. The staff wasn´t happy about it and so they asked me to stop that.
Maybe they were scared of spying. :)
It was alread 5 pm and it was time to get a bus back to Majestic. Again it was a little adventure. We had to change one time which wasn´t too easy in the rush hour. The driver and also the conducter were really kind, they said we should come infront so that we could get out fast of the bus. And when we reached the stop and got down he shouted that we have to take the bus infront of us. But that one was about to leave already, so we had to run to catch it. But somehow we made it and that conducter smiled to us as if he was proud of us. :)
When we reached Majestic it was 6 pm and when I thought the terminal was crowded in the morning I was wrong. Now I only saw people everywhere. It´s hard to believe and to describe. We also have crowded places in Germany at stations. But I´ve never seen so many people trying to get into busses.
Luckily I have a good sense of orientation and I also remembered our bus number back to the industrial area. That´s why we found our platform immediately and our bus was already about to leave. The bus was absolutely full and we had to stand for 2 hours on the way back then. But that wasn´t too bad, you can´t fall over at all. But I got a lot of bruises, not the last ones in India ;)
The traffic was so slow and we were really exhausted when we finally got out of the bus. We needed a refresher and a coconut for 20 rupees was perfect for it. I don´t like the water much but the flesh I love and it´s a real energy boost.
Back in the hotel we were tired and very hungry. After a quick shower we had the best mutton fry ever. I had to lick my fingers after it. With it we had fried rice with different kinds of meat. And lot´s of water of course. For this feast we paid 500 Rupees ( 7 Euro/ 9 USD). Too much, isn´t it? :)
By the way.. in India you eat by your right hand only. That needs some practice but after one week I was already quite good in it. Except of eating rice, that´s still difficult for me. ;)
Unfortunately we had to leave Banglore at the next day already again. There was no other option in our time schedule.
The place of departure of our bus back to Chennai was quite far away from our hotel and as you already know.. time is relative in India. So we didn´t want to risk anthing and left the hotel early even tough the departure time was only at 1 pm.
After delicious Pooris (fried bread) for breakfast, we left to the bus stop. And we were lucky again to catch a private bus immediately which drove directly where we wanted to go.
Just inside I heard that "tickets, tickets, tickets..." again and this time we had the full entertainment with TV and loud Bollywood song clips.
That´s also a way to wake up fully in the mornings.
Because of our luggage we sat in the last row and had quite to do to keep sitting on our seats. There were many potholes on the streets and bumpers seem to be overrated.
But after one hour we also survived this ride and were searching for the travel agency where the bus should start from. It wasn´t far and so we could buy some snacks for the long journey.
Again we couldn´t resist the sweets and had some snacks while waiting for the bus back to Chennai..
some more pictures:
Since we always returned to Chennai as our starting point, we could leave our big luggage at the hotel reception, which made everything much more easier.
 |
| Shama Sardar travels, waiting for the bus |
Most of the passengers were youngsters from the college and they took it quite easy with all their gadgets like laptops and mobile phones..
Finally we moved but the ride didn´t begin... no. Since we had still empty seats in the bus, they were looking for more passengers at some bus stops. The driver opened the door so that the conducter could shout: "Bangalore... Bangalore... Bangalore.. "
Now and then it worked, people entered the bus and paid in cash. Guess it was kind of an extra income for the driver and the conducter.
That they even transport furnitures with this busses,I witnessed on the trip to Hyderabad. But this I will tell you later then.
Like I already mentioned in the Pondicherry report, the Pongal festival was about to take place and so the streets were full of sugarcane sellers. It´s a tradition that people have them at home for that harvest festival. They promise good luck and sweetness but also have a religious background. If you want to know more about it you can read here .
 |
| Sugercane |
The ride took around 8 hours. Hard to believe since it was just a distance about 350 km ( 220 miles) but roads are another thing in this country. There are motorways but not everyhwere or not fully developed. That´s why there is always a transition from motorway to normal roads and back. Then a cow is crossing the street or a tractor slows down the traffic.
But time was flying. In the bus they showed the latest Bollywood movies on dvd but I was more interested in the landscape and was starring out of the window.
It was so beautiful to see how the scenery changed from the barren landscape to amazing mountain ranges and it became more and more green everywhere. It was something I enjoyed a lot.
After a stop at an indian roadhouse for a really good lunch (chapati & chicken curry) and my first experience on a public toilet (not too bad.. hurry in, squat and hurry out and don´t forget to wash your feet afterwards ;)) ) we reached Bangalore at around 6 pm.
It´s possible to get off the bus even between the official stops, when it´s on their way and so we were standing right on the motorway after a flyover close to an industrial area. But we had everything under control. The hotel wasn´t too far and we called there to ask for the shortest way. The manager insisted to pick us up, since friends organised the hotel for us and they knew the owner of it. And so after 10 minutes he came on his bike with an auto for us behind him. Nice service :)
 |
| Hotel room Bangalore |
We were lucky again. The room was clean, the staff very friendly und the food was absolutely delicious!!!.
After freshen up we hurried for dinner and decided for Palak Paneer. That´s an indian cheese with spinach. With it we had butter naan. So buttered, baked bread.
Believe me, I was in heaven with that dish.
The climate was so pleasant that we decided to spend some time on the roof top of the hotel. The evening was, in terms of temperatures, comparable with a summer evening in Germany. Lovely cool breeze. Not for nothing the city is so popular by western companies.
Due to the industrial location it was unsual quite, we just enjoyed it.
Next morning then off to join the hustle and bustle. I wasn´t interested in a guided tour or something like that and so the manager adviced us to use the public busses. The route he recommended led us through many parts of the city and our destination was Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens.
India must have one of the best bus networks in the world for super cheap prices and one gets almost everywhere all the time.
It´s never boring, at least not for me and it already began at the bus stop itself. The journey is the reward somehow. And there might be time tables but no one seems to care about it. Busses are coming and going just with a short stop, if at all. People also jump in while the bus is driving, when they know where the bus is going to.
Though the Hotel manager gave us the number of the bus, he recommended the A/C busses, however that busses always passed us in 2nd or 3rd road before we even could draw attention to us.
That was because we weren´t standing alone there. It must have been at least 40 people around us, plus the passengers which were changing the busses or just getting down.
After some time we were sick of it and asked some people which bus we could also take to get to our destination. We pushed into the crowd when that bus came and somehow got into it. Uff.. finally.
The front rows were for ladies only and I also got a seat.
Shortly after that the bus conducter came, always shouting "Tickets...tickets...tickets". So you buy the ticktes during the ride. There´s no other option with such crowds everywhere.
I just imagined the german way. Everyone has to enter the bus at the front door, paying at the bus driver or showing their tickets....Impossible.
We bought our daily tickets for a ridiculous price of 60 rupees (85 Euro cent/ 1,10 USD). They were only valid for the non A/C busses.
Though it was morning rush hour we made good time on the road and for most of the people I was an attraction in the bus.
I thought that in Bangalore I wouldn´t look so "exotic" to the Indians. But I was wrong and so people looked at me in a curious way, sometimes they also starred at me. Some women also smiled to me now and then. Also a "where are you from" was common.
After a 45 minutes ride we got off the bus on a big crossroad. The conducter said that Lal Bagh is close by.
But distances are another thing in India. Everything is "just near by", "just 1 km away" or "just 5 minutes".
It must have been around 45 minutes by foot at least in the burning sun. As lovely as the weather had been in the morning, also in Bangalore we had up to 32° c without any breeze during the day.
 |
| sugarcane juice stall |
But there was also a good thing in it, I was able to try my first sugarcane juice. (it´s essential to order it without ice!!) It was so tasty and refreshing and cheap too with 10 Rupees (15 Cent) per cup.
On the way we crossed many small food stalls and of course we had to stop at least at one of them. It lured us with various small cakes, milk sweets and also spicy snacks. We tried chocolate and butterscotch cakes and also yummie spicy Samosas. Later I had also my first fresh guava. India has a huge variety of fresh fruits and in Chennai I loved to have watermelons, pineapples and papaya in the evenings, since the stall was right infront of our hotel.
Finally we reached Lal Bagh, the huge botanical garden in Bangalore. Entrance fee: 10 rupees (15 Euro cent!)
The quite and calm atmosphere there is so relaxing and
it´s no wonder that the residents of Bangalore love to go there for a picknick. That´s the best way to escape the stress and hetic rush of the city.
There were young couples hiding under the trees, families with kids running around and the older gentlemen sitting on benches, discussing cricket and politics.
 |
| lake in Lalbagh |
 |
| Lalbagh |
We also enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere there and strolled through the park. After 2 and a half hours we left with a bus to Majestic bus station, a really huge terminal. The crowd there was amazing, so many people running around and the rush hour hadn´t even started.
There we first went to a restaurant for a late lunch. We had a good mutton Biryani before we headed to the Metro. We just wanted to take a ride in it.
 |
| A/C bus |
So off to the bus which should take us to the next Metro station. This time we took an A/C bus, these busses were always almost empty because of the higher ticket price. It was around 15 to 20 rupees more than the normal busses. Occasionally it´s really nice just to take a breather even if the ride wasn´t long.
And the conducter was very caring this time that we get off at the right stop and taking the right direction then.
Kindness is really a big thing in India.
But India wouldn´t be India if this kindness sometimes is a bit overdone and so we ended up in an auto whose auto wallah (that´s how the drivers are called) told us that the next Metro will only go in 1 hour. So he could take us to some handicraft shops and clothes stores to spend some time there. He will just charge 20 rupees, which was already strange to me.. but hey... no risk, no fun, right?
Off we were and after a 10 minutes ride we stopped at a handicraft shop, which was really beautiful and most of all, expensive. Nicely done for the tourists. They offered jewellery, scarfs, wooden statues and also marble things. They had wonderful stuff there and the sales people were surrounding us from the first minute we entered, offering everything they had.
At the jewellery department I felt a bit pushed and I refused them in a kind way.
But when I saw a marble Ganesha I couldn´t resist. The price was 1600 rupees (around 23 Euro/ 30 USD) and hearing that I laughed at the salesman, also because Shree told me what I should pay maximum. I tried to haggle and he was literally crying. But I wasn´t impressed and so we left the shop. That made him realise that I was serious about it and he ran after us just to accept my last offer. 500 rupees (7 Euro/ 9USD) which I thought was a fair price.
 |
| the marble Ganesha |
The auto wallah got gas vouchers as payment from the shop for getting foreign toursits to them. So it was all rigged in advance as we already assumed.
He dropped us back to the Metro station and we were lucky to be free again. ;))
The station was very modern, big and clean. Security wise it was just like at the airport. Our bags were checked and we also got scanned before we could buy our tickets at the counter.
For a change the station was not crowded at all, maybe because of the only 6 or 8 stops of the metro.
 |
| Metro .. |
 |
| The station, no crowds |
 |
| last stop |
 |
| Madam, no pictures please.... |
The ride took only about 20 minutes and ended in no man´s land. But it was good and when we were downstairs at the station I wanted to take some more pictures. The staff wasn´t happy about it and so they asked me to stop that.
Maybe they were scared of spying. :)
It was alread 5 pm and it was time to get a bus back to Majestic. Again it was a little adventure. We had to change one time which wasn´t too easy in the rush hour. The driver and also the conducter were really kind, they said we should come infront so that we could get out fast of the bus. And when we reached the stop and got down he shouted that we have to take the bus infront of us. But that one was about to leave already, so we had to run to catch it. But somehow we made it and that conducter smiled to us as if he was proud of us. :)
When we reached Majestic it was 6 pm and when I thought the terminal was crowded in the morning I was wrong. Now I only saw people everywhere. It´s hard to believe and to describe. We also have crowded places in Germany at stations. But I´ve never seen so many people trying to get into busses.
Luckily I have a good sense of orientation and I also remembered our bus number back to the industrial area. That´s why we found our platform immediately and our bus was already about to leave. The bus was absolutely full and we had to stand for 2 hours on the way back then. But that wasn´t too bad, you can´t fall over at all. But I got a lot of bruises, not the last ones in India ;)
The traffic was so slow and we were really exhausted when we finally got out of the bus. We needed a refresher and a coconut for 20 rupees was perfect for it. I don´t like the water much but the flesh I love and it´s a real energy boost.
 |
| Gebratener Reis |
 |
| Mutton fry |
Back in the hotel we were tired and very hungry. After a quick shower we had the best mutton fry ever. I had to lick my fingers after it. With it we had fried rice with different kinds of meat. And lot´s of water of course. For this feast we paid 500 Rupees ( 7 Euro/ 9 USD). Too much, isn´t it? :)
By the way.. in India you eat by your right hand only. That needs some practice but after one week I was already quite good in it. Except of eating rice, that´s still difficult for me. ;)
Unfortunately we had to leave Banglore at the next day already again. There was no other option in our time schedule.
The place of departure of our bus back to Chennai was quite far away from our hotel and as you already know.. time is relative in India. So we didn´t want to risk anthing and left the hotel early even tough the departure time was only at 1 pm.
 |
| private bus for public transport |
After delicious Pooris (fried bread) for breakfast, we left to the bus stop. And we were lucky again to catch a private bus immediately which drove directly where we wanted to go.
Just inside I heard that "tickets, tickets, tickets..." again and this time we had the full entertainment with TV and loud Bollywood song clips.
That´s also a way to wake up fully in the mornings.
Because of our luggage we sat in the last row and had quite to do to keep sitting on our seats. There were many potholes on the streets and bumpers seem to be overrated.
But after one hour we also survived this ride and were searching for the travel agency where the bus should start from. It wasn´t far and so we could buy some snacks for the long journey.
Again we couldn´t resist the sweets and had some snacks while waiting for the bus back to Chennai..
some more pictures:
 |
| modern Bangalore |
 |
| Metro on the bridge and not too much traffic down |
 |
| Gopuram close to our point of departure |
 |
| nice colonial-style building |
 |
| many sweets and spicy snacks |
 |
| Police in Bangalore (I liked the hat :) ) |
 |
| Inside the bus with the TV screen above |
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