A quiet city, a sick brother and a chaotic market

Tuesday 6 October 2026

After a few quiet days I headed into the city on foot today. No plan, just a nice little wander. And that's exactly when you notice how lovely Bhopal really is.

Because it's wonderfully peaceful here. Everywhere you look there are trees and greenery, as if you could walk into the jungle at any moment, and around every corner there's yet another lake to admire. That gives the city a pleasant climate. Living close to the water always seems to bring a bit more calm, and you notice it in the people. Everyone is friendly and does everything nice and easy.

But that quiet moment came to an end for me when Yasha called. She told me her brother had got really sick and was going to the hospital. Could I pop over? Luckily it was nearby, so after a fifteen-minute walk I was inside. There he sat on a bench, white as a sheet. He'd been throwing up all night and now had a serious case of diarrhoea.

I'm a little ashamed, but my first thought was: yes, I'm not the only one. Even an Indian stomach loses to India now and then.

After a while of waiting it was finally his turn. The doctor listened, gave some advice and an injection, and with some medication we were free to go.

We flagged down a rickshaw and bumped our way back to the Airbnb. There everything went quiet for a bit: curtains closed, fan on, and a lovely afternoon nap. Exactly what we needed after a morning like that.

Well rested, we went over to the family again in the afternoon. And after that to the market: some things for the family, and of course something tasty for ourselves.

A market like that never stops amazing me. Every building looks like it's about to collapse, but apparently nobody has told them. Goods and treats lie jumbled together in a wonderfully chaotic order. People walk past or over each other, looking for something they want to buy. And everywhere you see young people tucking into jalebi.

With our mission at the market accomplished, we went back to the family. There we stuffed ourselves with the treats from the market. If no blog appears tomorrow, you know where I am: on a bench in that same hospital. 😉