Welcome to Hyderabad

The Highway around Hyderabad! Where are the cars?

My second sojourn from Mumbai has taken to me to Hyderabad. My first flight on the dreaded Air India was fine. It wasn't the best airline I've ever flown but we got there with no drama and all our luggage came through so that's all that counts in the end. On arrival in Hyderabad we were greeted with the cleanest place I have yet seen in India. The airport is new and has all the trappings of a modern new airport: clean lines, beautiful landscaping stretching for miles in all directions, big wide roadways… wait a minute… are we still in India? Apparently this is all very new, but it covers a large area. We came out of the airport complex on to empty freeways, smooth as glass and stretching as far as the eye can see. Yes that's right, I said "empty." This is nothing like Mumbai where the freeways are a chaotic jumble of two-wheelers, trucks and cabs jostling for position regardless of lanes and zipping between gaps even Los Angelinos would shy from. It was so unexpected that I took pictures like it was a rare species of bird or something. The driver said it is all brand new and is a beltway circling the city at some distance.

Part of the Mural at the Entrance to Ramoji Film City

I didn't see the transition from this alien landscape to Hyderabad proper as we were headed for a property a ways outside the city called Ramoji Film City. RFC as it is called is a massive preserve built by Mr. Ramoji as a giant backlot, film studio and resort. Imagine an Indian Universal City with a backlot the size of MGM circa 1940 when almost all of Culver City was the MGM lot. It's huge and has every imaginable location somewhere on the property. It hosts tons of weddings, parties and other events and includes a theme park complete with a HOLLYWOOD sign. More on that as I explore.

The Sitara

I am staying in the nicest hotel on the grounds, the Sitara. It is quite nice with a beautiful pool, decent food and rooms that are very comfortable. The constant weddings with their lights, screamingly loud Indian music and rowdy drunken guests are a downside, but you can't have everything. The view is nice!

The view of the pool from my room

Sunset over the Ramoji Film City Theme Park

It's quite hot generally. The Mumbaikers complain about it but luckily for me I'm pretty good in the heat. Morocco has trained me to deal with it and oHIo will always be responsible for me appreciating that at least it's not cold. I still have my Dorks of the Desert™ hat to protect me. 

This place, sheltered as it is within the Bubble of Bollywood is a lot more comfortable to me than the streets of Mumbai. I'll be back there soon enough so I am enjoying this little working vacation.