BM 100 Meet in Hyderabad – Part 3

Conclusion of our BM 100 meet up in Hyderabad. Fun filled activities ranging from sightseeing, food, shopping, baking, return gifts and lot more..

Day 4, July 20th

Dress color – blue
Agenda – Charminar and bread baking

I came to the villa by 9 am and by Sandhya left and everyone was ready to head out for breakfast. Ramakka sent couple of vehicles for us and all of us went to Mint Leaf for breakfast. It was a scrumptious breakfast and by the time we left for sightseeing, it was almost 11 or past 11.

We first went to necklace road and drove around tank bund, took a few pictures and headed straight to Charminar.

As soon as we reached Charminar, some of the ladies went into the first jewelry store we came across. Some of us who were not interested in pearls walked to Laad bazaar and did some bangle shopping. I didn’t buy anything but felt nostalgic going back to Laad bazar or Choodi (bangke) bazaar after almost 2 decades. We ate some yummy street samosa, walked around Charminar and then went to Nimrah cafe.

It was a hot, muggy 90F day and it took a toll on most of us. As soon as we entered Nimrah cafe, we ordered some biscuits, curry puffs, Irani chai and Frutti. Biscuits were hot off the oven and melt in the mouth kind. Curry puffs were delicious as well. After eating, most of the ladies wanted to head back to the villa. Those who wanted to leave left in the cars and the rest of us decided to take a cab.

Nimrah cafe guy took us into the kitchen and showed us how the Irani chai is prepared and also their oven. We were late by few minutes and they just finished baking the last batch for the day.

Their plum cake is so spongy and moist. I picked up a couple for my nephews and they finished those off in a single go. Then we all decided to head back to the villa. I had some personal stuff to take care off, hence took a short break from the group and stepped out for a couple of hours.

By the time I returned, bread baking team baked sourdough breads. Varada brought dehydrated starter from Dallas and she flew in directly to Hyderabad. In the last 3 days she hydrated the starter, fed it and baked bread on day 4. On the list were pav, stuffed buns and another stuffed bread. Vaishali made bhaji to go with the buns. Pav bhaji was so yummy and so were the stuffed breads. I did not taste ragada the previous day and had it with pav. Overall, it was a scrumptious dinner.

After dinner we all assembled in the living room, discussed about our blogging marathon rules and took some important decisions. Later, Preeti organized a few fun games and after playing, we all retired for the day.

Day 5, July 21st

Dress color – beige/gray

It was time for goodbyes and time to end our fabulous meet. Ritu was the first to leave, followed by Priya and Veena.

We had to vacate the villa by 9 am and requested the owner to give us a small room or an area to store our luggage for another couple of hours. We put all our luggage to a corner and handed over the villa to the caretaker. I requested one of my cousins to lend his car and with mine and Amara’s we managed to get ourselves around. We had South Indian breakfast at Minerva Cafe. Some of the ladies wanted to taste MLA pesarattu and their wish was fulfilled.

After breakfast we collected our luggage and headed to my co-sister Shailaja’s place for lunch. She lives near Gandipet and it was convenient for everyone to go to the airport from there.

Shailaja prepared a delicious spread of Telangana lunch for all of us and so glad Shailaja offered to do it. Initially Valli and Vaishali were a bit reluctant and I was hesitant as well. But I am glad shailaja insisted on hosting us all. 12 of us made it for lunch and everyone enjoyed the meal. After lunch everyone left to the airport in 3 batches, depending on their flight timings.

The last batch to leave to the airport were Valli, Priya Suresh, Gayathri and Preeti. They had some time and we all including Amara, Vaishali and Pavani started talking and some secrets were revealed!! That’s when I realized our biryani party from day 3 was an open secret and learnt about the hilarious incidents that happened afterwards.

Priya from Paris is one lively and entertaining person. She made us laugh so much in that 1 – 1 ½ hours that our cheek and stomach hurt. Once the last batch left to the airport, Pavani and I headed back home and, Amara took Vaishali and Ruchi for shopping before dropping them at Vaishali’s relatives place.

A wonderful BM 100 Meet concluded with lot of memories. Just 3 posts are not sufficient to narrate all that we did in 5 days. I feel I left out a lot of stuff which I need to share here but penning down each and every detail is so time consuming.

Here are some of the gifts I got back home from the meet, aport from fond memories to cherish until we meet again in 2021.

Members present

We were 15 of us for the last two days of the meet.
Amara, Archana, Gayathri, Pavani, Preeti, Priya Srinivasan, Priya Suresh, Ritu, Ruchi, Sowmya, Srivalli, Varada, Veena and Vaishali.