May I have a foto, please? 17402km

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Sorry for this late backup, but here it is!

My friend Sepp arrived in the early morning on my birthday, 23.1., in Chennai. Outside the airport it is (like everywhere) extremely loud due to the much traffic that wants to go to or away from the airport. For people that dont want to flight it was forbidden to get into the airport or you have to pay a visitor ticket. Of course, I didnt buy such a ticket, so I had to wait outside. I had the feeling that Sepp was the last passenger who came out. Immediately a taxi driver came to us. We said we want to have a prepaid taxi. He said, yes, of course he is a prepaid taxi driver, 450Rupees. Very funny. If he were a driving a prepaid taxi, he would not have to look for the passengers and besides that I had found out before that it costs only 300 something. So we went to the pre paid taxi stand. The taxi driver joined us. It is very interesting to see that in India they all work together if it is about getting some money from tourists. The guy at the taxi stand laughed at me as I said that it costs only 300 something, and he said we have to go with the driver and pay 450. Since it was in the middle of the night we didnt want to discuss and we went with the taxi. We had to pay after the ride. I think thats why it is called "prepaid" 😊 Sepp was quite afraid when he saw how the taxi driver was driving. Although there was almost nothing on the streets. I said he has to wait until the morning... The driver even didn't know the exact address of our hotel, but I recognized the area and said that we will find the hotel on our own. A Riksha-Driver said he will take us to the hotel for 20 Rupees. Since Sepp didnt want to walk in the middle of the night we agreed. But the Riksha driver had no idea where the hotel was either. However, we arrived finally at our hotel.

The next day many Rikshaw drivers were annoying us. Normally I am always on my bike, so that they don't get the idea to ask me if I need a ride. But here every driver asked us and some even followed us for half an hour. When we wanted to ask someone for the way, we had to be careful that no riksha driver was seeing that because else they immediately offered their riksha:"Get in! I will bring you there!" One riksha man was offering us to bring us to the beach for 10 Rupees. We agreed. He started to show us some temples and so. We said we just want to go to the beach. He said with a few Rupees extra he will do a city tour withe us. No, thank you. When we come to some shops our ride will be free. No, thank you. Just to the beach. That will be 50 Rupees. No, you said 10 Rupees. Nono, 10 Dollars. Thats bullshit. No ride in the city costs 10 Dollars. He said, no ride in the city costs 10 Rupees. So I wanted to get out, but Sepp still wanted to argue. After a while we got out and paid the 10 Rupees. The driver shouted after us: "Crazy tourists!"And we said "crazy Indian". We had no idea where we were, but after a while we found the beach. We heard that Chennai has the world's largest beach. To have a bath there is not recommended because many litter is put into the sea. We were happy that not only we but also Indian tourists were asked to buy some kitsch or to pay for a picture on a horse. We went to a bike shop area and looked for a bicycle for Sepp. They all had a standard single speed bike but could put some gears on it. Sepp chose a bike with six gears. We were said to take the bike the next afternoon. In the evening we celebrated the arrival of Sepp and my birthday in a bar.

The next day I tried to get new bars for my tent. But most people that we asked even didnt know what a tent is. Although we tried several shops and areas where the people,that did know what a tent was, sent us, we didnt find any tent or even tent bars. I was a bit surprised, that such a huge town (Chennai is the fourth biggest town in India) has no outdoor shops. That was in Teheran a bit different...

We met a homeless family. They wanted that we make fotos of them and the poor area. The man was trying to tell us something on Tamil which we couldnt understand. He couldnt speak English. As he recognized that I know some Hindi words he called excitedly his wife who was able to speak Hindi. But my Hindi was not good enough to understand her. He invited us for a tea. Actually we wanted to pay it but he was faster. He led us a whikle around the area and wanted that we make some pictures. After a while he found some youth who translated what he had tried to explain us.Their houses were broken down by the government with no chargeback. He wanted from us that we bring his story to the newspapers. We said that we are just tourists and no reporters. But I promised to make a note in my blog about this. He was very disappointed about that and was going away immediately. We felt very pity with him but we didnt know how to help him.

We were in the cycle shop to get Sepps bike. We were told that the guy who had to build the bike hasnt arrived this day to work. Ahhh, okay???? One could think that they are not interested in our money. I would have gone to the next shop I think, but Sepp gave them a next chance and we wanted to take it tomorrow noon.No problem! (Of course not, how could we think that it could be a problem?)

In the evening we were in a dance performance.We weren't too excited so we went out in the pause again. There we met a funny old guy. Who said that we have to come tomorrow again, there will be a great singer. We went together to a restaurant. Two women also joined us, the guy was not very lucky with that. He said to me women always make only trouble. The one woman said all the time that she needs some money for the marriage of her daughter. We have heard before that there is still the problem in India that some families are still forced to ruin theirselves for the marriage of their daughter. Although it is already forbidden by law. The guy was ashamed of her and of the situation and wrote on a paper for me, that he has not enough money for us all. I answered that it is no problem and that we can pay the bill.

The next day we were again at the bike shop. The bike was still not ready they couldnt get the gears on it. Sepp still wanted to stay at that shop and looked for a ready bike that costed much more. He finally bought a bike that was much more expensive than the original one but compared to Germany still really cheap, of course. They had no panniers there, so Sepp had to put his big backpack on the carrier.

We rode out of the city. Respect to Sepp who managed to ride through the mega city with a new bike much luggage, crazy traffic and left traffic. In the evening we stayed in a hotel called farm house which we thought would be quite cheap. No, it was not cheap, it was quite luxury. We said its too expensive but we asked if we can build up our tents there.They offerd us a room for 700R instead of 2800R so we took the room. In the hotel in Chennai I traded my Rough Guide to the new edition which also was much thinner. I was happy about this, but in the evening I saw, why it was so thin: the pages of much chapters were pulled out.

We went to Mamallapuram where some historical buildings are. There were also many Indian tourists and they all wanted to make pictures from us.

We continued to Pondicherry which wis a french colony. The streets there are often still named in French. Pondicherry seemed to be a bit richer and cleaner as the cities that we have seen before. We stayed along the coast till Nagapattinam and had some nice baths in the Bay of Bengal. One night where we made rough camping a few youths said to us that there it is dangerous because of wild animals. We decided nevertheless to stay there. One guy was joining usand drank some brandy with us. But with the time he was getting more and more excited that it is so dangerous where we are. He was getting louder and started to ennoy us really. He could not really explain what the problem was and said something like: "Dang-aaa!In-aaaa!Out-aaaa!Tent-aaaa!" We didnt know how to get rid of them and went into the tent. He went away but came a few minutes back.We shooed him away. But after a while he came back and was trying my helmet and twiddled with my bike. I was getting very angry and then he ran panically away. Maybe he just was drunken.

The next day Sepp was in a very bad mood. In his tent it was really wet and cold. He had stomach cramps and diarrhoea and could not sleep. I think the two flat tyres and the 4 kids watching him in the good morning show hasn't raised his mood I think...

We went from the Eastern coast to the Ghats in Western Tamil Nadu. On the way we visited some temples. Always the question: "May I have a photo, please?" What we think is quite crazy, is, that many people also want that we make a picture of them. We dont knw them, they dont know us, they wont get the pictures somewhen, but they like it to be photographed. In Trichy (actually Tiruchchirappalli, but since the English colonists couldnt pronounce it, it is just called Trichy) we saw a big nass of pilgrims coming to a little temple.They arrived with drums and other music and with idols. They smashed coconuts in a container.We learned that from that day on starts a month for a special god of this temple. They start to pilgrimage from here and everywhere in South India to a town called Palani. The next days we have seen thousands of them. There are three main days where they arrive there.

We were often in restaurants. It is so tasty and cheap and there are so many restaurants, that it doesn't make sense to make your own food. There are sometimes so many staffs for so little guests that 5 staffs are standing around our table and give us new water or rice or anything thats going to finish. A meal costs often less than an Euro, so you cant imagine that so many people can live of that. On the other hand they are often confused if you order after the main course something else. They often bring the bill before we have finished and they have to change the bill a few times. As if they want to get rid of us and don't want our money. Others are smarter and recognize that we eat a lot and offer us after the second portion much other stuff that we have to try. In total we are quite happy that we ride every day, so that we dont have to matter about the amount we eat.

Often when people see us building up our tents (actually, I had no place in India, where at least a few people saw me in the evening or in the morning camping), they warn us or say we cant stay there. They often cant explain why and the most time we insist on staying there and they go away. Maybe they just cannot understand that we rich tourists stay voluntarily at a uncomfortable place.

There are often lakes where the people wash theirselves. One night we were at such a lake and had a nice washing session. Two locals came there and said we cant wash there. They couldnt explain why and we thought now it is too late, we are already ready. The next morning I was there again. In the night I had diarrhoea and I was too slow so that some stuff got on my undertrousers. I wanted to wash me and my clothes again in the lake and this time two locals warned me before I was getting in.This place was used as toilet place...Maybe this time it would be the right place for me 😊 but I went to the real washing place they showed me.

Sepp was often moaning that he is exhausted and cant anymore and needs some rest, but was the most time faster than me, especially when it was going upwards. We went to Kodaikanal in the Ghats. It was 2 days very steep upwards. The first day we asked for a hotel. "In 4 km". Okay, thats doable. After 5km there was a little village. We asked again. "Just 5 km upwards." We were not going for another 5km, so we asked if its not possible to sleep somewhere here. We could sleep behind a school. We thought that we won't be alone there for a long time. But we were not disturbed that night and the morning. We were told that the school starts at 8am, but at 8am nobody was there, so they probably just told us so to that we vanish in time. The landscape around Kodaikanal was amazing. But it also was quite cold, we had to wear long clothes. In Kodaikanal there was very often power breakdown. In our hotel we had not hot water either, except from 7.30am-8am when we extra were awaked to fill the water in containers. Sepp was very cold in the night, for me it was okay, I had a warm sleeping back... We were offered a better room with electricity and hot water the whole day for 300R extra. We said we dont need the better room, but the next two days Sepp was a bit annoyed especially about not having warmth. We wondered what the locals are doing here in the evening or night. It is getting dark at about 6pm. We found one bar that also closes at 9 or so. One evening we saw a procession with loud music. we learned that there was celebrated the day of St. Thomas. Thats probably what they do. There are so many festivals and processions that you can make party nearly every time 😊 Downhill it was not so great fun as expected! The streets were very bad so that we had to ride very cautious. Due to a big road hole I got a puncture. There were many monkeys who where quite aggressive. One monkey was offending and hitting me to get some cornflakes that I had in my hands.

We went to Palani where at this time millions of pilgrims come to a special temple. We were in the temple one day after the three main days but it was still very crowded. All the people wanted again that we make pictures of them. The next days we still saw on the roads thousands of pilgrims going to that place. They all are barefoot. The next day we saw a big river were many pilgrims were washing. It was amazing to see the coloured people and clothes in the water. Of course, we also had a bath there!

One evening we were in a bar were a guy joined us. He could not speak a full sentence in English and tried to talk to us in Tamil all the time. We spent him some beer. He was ordering some new drinks for us and wanted also to drink of it. We were a bit annoyed about him and we said to the staff, that he can sit next to us and drink his beer, but he has to pay his own beer, that we want no common bill but an extra bill for him and for us. The bar man could nearly no English, too, just understood "bill" and brought us the bill. We hadn't the intention to pay at that moment and ordered more. After every order they brought us the updated bill. Quite funny!

There is a very tiny train going to another hill station in the ghats, Ooty (actually Udagamandalam, but as many other cities, there is a short form that everybody can pronounce 😊). This train seems to be just for tourists, also many Indian tourists. Although the train was starting very early in the morning, there was a party atmosphere, especially in the neighbour cabin. We didnt stay in Ooty because it is said to be similar to Kodaikanal and we had not so much time anymore. So we rode downhill on the same day. I think it was the steepest descent I ever had. We had to break all the time. That was not so fun.

We went to the Mudumalai National Park. When we arrived there we were first told that it is not allowed to go there with two wheelers. But then we also could get inside and saw also many mopeds in the park. At dusk we made a private jeep tour and the next morning a official bus tour. Then we rode outside again and we realised that that is the best way to go through the park. You dont disturb the animal with your noisy vehicle and can see more animals.

After the park we wanted to go to the neighbour state Kerala. We decided to do a night ride. At dusk we saw a bar and we thought that we can drink a beer first. There were two rooms, one without A/C and one with. The first room seemed to be more fun, there were many people laughing and having fun. The second one was quite boring, it was cold and dark and nobody there. So we wanted to go to the romm without A/C but we couldnt sit down there. We were immediately led to the second room. But after a while it was also quite funny. We made much pictures and discussed nonsense. Some people could speak better Hindi than English so I tried some Hindi again. From the one beer it became a few and some brandies or whiskys... The bar was closing at 9pm so we still could do our night trip. Sepp had no light but thats normal in India, I have never seen a bike (except mine) with light. The back light even some mopeds or trucks dont have. That night we slept for a few hours under palm trees without our tents.

Our last aim was Calicut at the West coast, the Arabian Sea. We have heard of a resort where you can make boat trips on the backwaters. As we arrived there Sepp could see my face expressing panic because it was very luxurious and seemed to be very expensive. We nevertheless entered. We should sit down on very luxurious seats at the reception. We had some compunctions to sit there because we were so dirty and did not seem to fit to this place. As the reception told us the prices for the boat trips our assumptions were confirmed. It was too expensive for us. But we arranged a date for a Ayurvedic massage for the next day which was really great! After the massage we decided to go to a cinema. But that was not so easy. We were send from one cinema to the next and they all were closed at that time. Finally we found a cinema with the movie "Spanish Masala" in Malayalam. It was quite nice although we havent understood much of the dialogues, of course. We were surprised about the huge, comfortable and very modern cinema. Maybe the best cinema we have seen yet. But the sound was too loud for us. In the middle of that night it was knocking at our door of our hotel room. We first thought that we watched TV too loud, but that was just a staff who started to paint me when we read some newspaper at the reception of the hotel and wanted to finish it.

The last day in Calicut we made a short cycle trip to the nice Kappad beach, where I already have been alone. (Where I first was warned from locals of snakes and was shown another, safe place, and later the police awaked me in the middle of the night to say me that that place is not safe because of thieves)We were lying there in the sun, so that our stomaches also got a sunburn😊 The water was so warm, that it was not very refreshing to swim there.

We took the train back to Chennai. We had to put our cycles to the parcel office. They couldnt promise that the bikes come with our train to Chennai. We didnt feel very comfortable with this statement! The train was driving the whole night from 8pm to 8am. We had a nice sleeper wagon. We havent thought of a blanket or so and was getting cold in the night. So I could not sleep very well there. Sepp said he could sleep very good. We thought we were already champions with parcel in trains because we aölso had to put our bikes to parcel with the train to Ooty. But we had to learn that Chennai is a bit bigger than Ooty. We had to go from office to office and nobody could tell us were our bikes are. After a while we were told that we have to come back later and see if they are there then. They only arrived at 3pm but they arrived! It took some time to get a hotel, all hotels are full. This phenomen we also had in the other towns. In germany the hotels would be very lucky if they had so much guests all the time! The room we got was very bad and expensive. One woman was brushing the dust from one corner to the next and wanted to have some tip for that. Even after that, everytime she saw us she was begging. And that in her hotel. I havent seen that before.

While I was taking some money from an ATM, Sepp found a person who was interested to buy his bike. He paid 9000R and the guy wants to pay him 4000R if he gives him the bill. In the evening there was also another interested guy that had paid him 2500R immediately. But he refused. He couldnt find the bill again and the next evening he only got 2000R from the first guy. Better than nothing! He was happy to get rid of it. The last day Sepp was a bit ill. He had to vomit into a dustbin. Nobody noted that. Seems to be quite normal there. We were in a little park with zoo in Chennai and went early to bed. And again I could leave him much stuff to reduce my luggage. Sepps flight back to Germany was in the morning of the 18.2.

It was a really great time! Thank you so much for your visit!

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Photos

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the family who wanted that we bring their story to the public

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there were their old houses

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we met many people that liked Hitler and the Nazis

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local hooligans

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dance performance in Chennai

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when we are agreed about the direction we can start:)

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geckos everywhere

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from now on no shirt...

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the kids cant miss this spectacle!