– ODO- 8511-8596
– Location- Bangalore, Telangana, India
– Weather- 10- Thick smog
I left the hotel in the industrial district of Hosur at the usual 7 am. The hotel staff were all asleep on the sofas when I first came down the stairs. The smog was so thick that I could barely see the other side of the street from the hotel entrance. My last day on the bike for this leg and I was really looking forward to having an apartment again. The track led to a road which led to the highway. All I had to do was follow this road for 30km into the centre of town.
The fog cooled the air to 10 degrees. The coolest I’d been in India so far. A layer of water droplets built on the sleeves of my jacket and dripped from my helmet onto my phone screen making the map go haywire. Ahead of schedule, I stopped for Iddly and Vada at the first cafe I found. Pleased to find some real food not just sweet shops as I’d found in Tamil Nadu.
The highway became increasingly busy as I reached the centre around 10 am. Luckily it was a Saturday so the commuting traffic was slightly quieter than usual. I slipped into my Airbnb parking space and greeted the host. When I stop to work I like to have an apartment so I can get away from things in the evening. The apartment I’d chosen a few days before was suspicious in the photos for its lack of light. The host showed me to the “apartment”. It turned out to be just the reception area of a hotel like building. He showed me a flimsy screen which rolled over the kitchen area and separated the staff and other guests from the space. The windows were simply curtains over a solid wall. Oh, and they would be letting themselves into the apartment twice a day for puja. Not quite what I was after.
I said I was heading to breakfast and left the building. Through some searches, I came across Casa Cottage. There have been a few places in India that really stand out. In accommodation terms I mean. Casa Cottage is a grand converted house. In the centre of Bangalore while still seeming a quiet oasis thanks to being away from main roads in the centre of a block in Richmond town. I was instantly at home and quickly made arrangements to stay for the rest of the week. This place is on my favourites list.