An Afternoon Walk in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

Upon arrival at the Coimbatore Junction, the first thing I did was confirm the train timetable to Ooty. I went to the ticket counter to ask and was told that no train was on schedule to Ooty for tomorrow and I should take the bus instead. What a disappointment! 

I didn’t bother asking why so I left and head off to my accommodation. I only had a day to spend in Coimbatore so I wanted to make the most out of it. I chose Hotel Raamus just opposite the railway station and got a spacious private room for 800 rupees (12$). It’s a decent, well-maintained hotel with an elevator. The only thing I hated about it was paying extra for the wireless internet.

An Afternoon Walk in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

Coimbatore is not a famous tourist destination in India. Besides three theme parks and a number of temples, which are common anywhere in India, the city does not offer other “peculiar” places of interest. Instead, it is an industrial city known for various industries and often compared to being the “Manchester” of the southern part of India.

After checking in, I basically walked around the central district of Coimbatore without direction, no maps or anything.

I stumbled upon an Indian restaurant along the main road close to the junction and ordered a set meal for 100 rupees (1.50$). Btw, I hate spicy food so ordering “Chicken Biryani” has always been the safest option for me.

Not that bad for the price! Humongous rice, chicken, with two side dishes and crackers:

After finishing my meal, I asked the waiter where I could buy a pair of slippers and he pointed me to the West. I forgot to bring my flip-flops and I have been looking for one since arriving in Kochi but couldn’t find one within my budget. I managed to get a decent pair for 70 rupees (1$) after haggling. Yay!

I also tried some traditional, odd-tasting Indian snacks (chichirya). 

In the next couple hours or so, I went roaming around Coimbatore and captured banal scenes of Indian life.  Before sunset, I went back to my hotel for a much-needed rest.