Goodbye to Cuttuck

We got up early, and headed out to find the silver filigree stores for which Orissa is particularly famous. The most readily available form of transport here is the cycle rickshaws, which can fit 2 persons. It was quite a long ride through town to the silver shopping area, and as there was mostly bicycles travelling these narrow streets, the was no sound of engines, as it made us feel like we were just floating through these colourful streets. It was overcast and cool, and a really beautiful atmosphere to be travelling through. We shopped until nearly dropping- the silver filigree is truly amazing, and we bought up fairly big. You could get anything from the well known Orissan Konark temple wheel, to models of dinosaurs and televisions in intricately shaped fine silver thread. Sandeep bought me no less than two very beautiful silver filigree necklace and earring sets, which I will truly treasure, especially the memory of the trip we made to find them! We raced back to the hotel – as much as you can race, willing the peddling rickshaw driver on (I do feel somewhat bad being a passenger on these man-powered rickshaws), as we had a train to catch in less than one hour. So we made it to the train station in time, (the train was delayed anyway), and are now travelling back to Vijayawada, to pick up the car and drive back to Hyderabad. We will arrive by train at 3pm, and will probably take a nap at Harshid’s family’s house, before the 5 hour drive home. We are already planning where to eat first when we get back to the Cybercity! Better try get some sleep, if my chest will give me a break from the constant coughing. The kids are now eating ice creams, and it seems the later it is getting the more lively the crew here!