midnight wanderings in kurnool

i stepped off the rattling bus into the humid evening of kurnool and the first thing that hit me was the heat hanging like a thick blanket i just checked and it's sweltering right now, hope you like that kind of thing the sky was a bruised orange and a few stray clouds drifted lazily while i wondered if the neighbors would notice my clueless wandering if you get restless, nearby towns are just a short drive away the air smelled of fried snacks and diesel and somewhere a vendor shouted about fresh mangoes someone told me that the old clock tower never quite tells the right time but locals swear it marks the best spot for street tea i wandered toward the market and the stalls were a riot of colors spices piled like mountains and the chatter felt like a low hum i popped into a tiny cafe that smelled of burnt espresso and incense and ordered a chai that was almost too sweet i heard that the owner used to be a dancer before the pandemic turned everything upside down the walls were plastered with old film posters and a faded map of the city hung crookedly someone posted a review on tripadvisor that called the place a hidden gem but i suspect they were just bragging i checked the map on my phone and saw the coordinates 15.506,80.049 pinpointing a spot near the river i just checked and it's sweltering right now, hope you like that kind of thing the riverbank was littered with plastic bottles and the occasional graffiti that read freedom in bold letters i snapped a photo of a half moon peeking through the clouds and posted it on instagram with the caption midnight wanderings in kurnool

i followed a narrow lane that led to a quiet courtyard where a street artist was painting a giant mural of a peacock the colors were so vivid they seemed to pulse in the dim light i stopped to listen to a busker playing a battered violin and the melody floated over the hum of traffic i later found a local board online that listed a night market selling handmade crafts and i added it to my list of things to try tomorrow i also bookmarked a yelp page for a rooftop bar that supposedly has the best view of the city lights and i plan to swing by if the weather holds Yelp page for rooftop bar i heard that the rooftop used to be a cinema in the 70s and the owner kept the old projector as a décor piece i ended the night with a walk along the illuminated bridge and the reflections on the water looked like scattered diamonds i stopped at a street vendor selling grilled corn and the scent of butter and spices was intoxicating i imagined the next morning when the temperature would drop and the city would breathe a little easier i felt a strange mix of exhaustion and excitement and i knew i would be back for more chaos and colors soon TripAdvisor guide to kurnool Local board for night market the night ended with a quiet moment on the bridge where i whispered a promise to return and the stars blinked in agreement as if they knew i would be back for more stories and that the city would keep surprising me with its endless layers of greenery and noise and sweet chaos