Love Letter of an American traveler after his tryst with Vizag

To us local Vizagites we love the city of destiny, the city of education, beaches, hills, Buddhism, temples… basically it is our home, our city. But what does Vizag mean to a non-Vizagite, to a non-Indian? Yo Vizag interacts with a visitor from the foreign shores of USA who has made Vizag his temporary home. What comes out is a love letter for his new temporary life in Vizag.

Smitten by Vizag?! Yes.

“An eclectic blend of the ancient, the contemporary and the futuristic; a unique harmony of traditional and modern aspects; noisy malls and noisier markets; every other kind of rustle and bustle at every nook and corner of the city.”

“A city where almost everyone’s English is better than his/her Telugu.”

“Where the most popular mode of transport are the yellow and black auto rickshaw with no fixed meter, where the fare is decided by the auto-driver after assuming how gullible his passenger is.”

“An urban neighbourhood where a thousand curious faces do not think it is ‘rude’ to bombard one with questions like “Ma’am/ Sir, photo? One photo?”, “You are an American?” …. so what is Vizag?!? Vizag is definitely not only about all this, but these are the first things which a Traveller, for the first time in Vizag experiences. And post these initial experiences, invariably and eventually one is destined to fall in love with this beautiful city. My narration is nothing short of a love letter. It is how one feels here.”

Interaction:

Where are you from?

Columbia, Missouri, USA

Why are you here in the city?

I was an exchange student at Andhra University  later I came back to Vizag for somebusinesses in financial and software services.

First Impression of the city

Vizag was a very sleepy town when I first came here. Today, a lot has changed.

Favourite thing to do in the city

Jogging on the Beach Road

Favourite Spot in the city

Dolphin’s Nose

What would you go back and tell everyone in your hometown?

Vizag is so pleasant in the winter. Even though it’s a big city, it’s easy to move around. It’s not too congested, especially in comparison with other big cities.

Any tips to first-timer in the city?

Please visit Kailasagiri. You get a great view of the city and are able to see how it is laid out. At night, it is particularly attractive to see the city lights.

Anything else?

The people here are very warm and friendly. I think it is the relationships that create the ties that bind.

Will you stay long?

That is hard to say. As a single guy, when I meet Ms. Right, I suspect she will have a lot to say about that!