Wet Wet Wet

Well, we are about four days in and most have been relaxed, just working out the practicalities of organising a life in India. Tonight we decided to treat ourselves by having a meal at the Kakatya Sheraton hotel in the centre of Hyderabad. The journey from Logos Bhaven to the centre is around 15 km and usually takes about 30-45 minutes – tonight was different…

Before leaving the apartment, we decided that we would go down to the main road and hail an auto-rickshaw – however, as we began walking from the flat, the rain began to fall. We asked one of the staff on campus if it would be better to get a regular taxi, but after a few phone calls he suggested we share his rickshaw. We agreed.

When the rickshaw arrived he said that we could take this one and he would get another – very selfless. The rain by this point had begun to fall harder. The rickshaw took us about a mile down the road and then pulled into the side of the road. He shouted something in Taligu to another rickshaw driver and they then had a prolonged conversation, which seemed to be discussing whether or not we would swap rickshaws. Ten minutes later we were in the other rickshaw (which had no flaps to cover us from the rain, which our original had offered) and were heading down a very wet road. The rain was absolutely lashing down by now and we were both getting pretty wet, although as Gareth was on the roadside he was getting the splash back from other vehicles. It began to get a little ridiculous and by the time the rickshaw had forced its way through numerous floodings and driven the 15 km to the Sheraton, both of us were absolutely soaking.

Walking through the lobby of the Sheraton like two drowned rats who had wet themselves was highly amusing, However the idea to dry off using the hand dryers in the bathrooms proved unsuccessful, as did the “sit in the bar and have a drink while it dries” option. We were left with no other alternative…we had to ask the reception for a hair dryer. Although our request for a hairdryer was refused, a far better option was offered to us – we were taken to the hotels’ health club where we both gave our clothes to the attendant who took them to the laundry to be washed and ironed!! For Free!! Sitting in our bathrobes in the health club we sat and read the papers and enjoyed the unscheduled break in the evenings proceedings. After 15 or 20 minutes, we had our clothes back and they were in great condition – so we headed off to dinner.

Dinner was a relatively dull affair in comparison to the evenings other events, but was very nice indeed.

After dinner, we called for a taxi (regular) to take us home – they quoted us an hour waiting time as the rain had continued through the night and the roads were proving pretty hazardous. We said we’d wait. However, after 10 minutes we noticed a taxi sitting outside and we asked if it was available. To our delight he was, so we both hopped in and started our journey home. It wasn’t long before we realised this wasn’t going to be an easy journey – some of the worst flooding we had seen in part because of no drainage for the water to level out presented us with some interesting driving techniques in a taxi that had seen better days. We almost crashed 3 or 4 times into other vehicles, but our driver seemed undeterred. Flood after flood, we crunched into 1st gear and flew at the watery obstacles – and it looked like we might just make it, until…we hit the big one…and the engine purred its last. We were stuck right in the middle of a 3 foot deep “lake” in the road and every time a bus or lorry drove past we literally swayed like a rowing boat. The determined and still smiling driver got out and began to push. He did well for the most part, but as the road began to incline he could not do it alone anymore. It was at this point Andi suggested Gareth might help… So in his best shoes and new trousers, Gareth gets out the taxi and into the water (brown) and begins to push. 5 minutes, a few close scrapes with passing buses/lorries, and a pair of very wet socks later, we hit dry land and despite many attempts to restart the engine, we all knew in our heart of hearts that this taxi was not going anywhere tonight.

After making sure the taxi driver was well paid (for determination, if nothing else) and that he had a ride home, we took the only available option left…we began to walk. Gareth drenched from the knee down, and Andi in open toed sandals and jeans rolled up, we couldn’t help but laugh at the madness of this evening. We are still about 2 miles from our destination, but we are pretty hardy people and determined to get home! The rain continues lashing down. We ask a nearby motorist if he could give us a lift, but he refuses. Nice. So we carry on walking. As another vehicle goes to pass us, Andi sticks her hand out and he pulls over. Much to our surprise it is the same driver who shook his head only seconds earlier – this time he is in a more charitable mood and we are also sharing the car with another helpless journeyman who has been left stranded by his rickshaw. According to our new travel buddy these rains were not expected by anyone – no kidding!

Needless to say, we managed to get home and although we were both soaked through to our skin, we saw tonight as our first truly Indian experience. There were many others out there who were not as blessed as us to get home that night or have comfortable and dry beds to climb into. Thanking God for a safe return home and praying for those who are still struggling back, we also recognised we had experienced some of the generosity, tenacity and humour of Hyderabadis.

It also puts into perspective just how important those brown leather shoes really are.