Kodiakanal to Auroville & Pondycherry to Mallapuram

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It has been a few days because I have been too busy having fun to be tied to a PC in this gloriously fascinating place called India.

The sun has shone on the righteous, as it should, but its cooler in the shade for us mortals so I don't mind that at all.

Vatta Kanal was magically mystically and remotely crazy; I had a
breakfast tea with a village family, i was up at 6:30 and out in the clouds 10 mins later. The lady we rented the cottage from invited me for the tea breakfast; their house was so sparse, they had one main room with a fold up zed-bed type thing for their sitting area, a wall of pots and pans, a fire and that was about it; the other room they slept in, that was about 4 x 6 feet only. I had taken some colouring/painting books and pens for them but after seeing how much they appreciated it I have made a pact to send one book for each of the kiddies every month.

The families all want jobs in England, after seeing their living standards I can see why. We met one "beggar", a lady with a baby so tiny it must hve been at least three months premature, his little arms were less than the lenth of my hand. Very sad.

We took the overnight bus to Pondycherry arriving at 5am; we only had rats and night workers for company the first hour before the breakfast place opened at 6. After food we took a rickshaw to Auroville (worth looking at if you have time) and stayed in a bamboo/wood hut on stilts. The owner slept on a stone table under the hut - amazing! (photos to go up when I am home as the cafe pc's aren't too clever at that!)

Tackled a biggie - went swimming in the sea; the waves were challenging to say the least and after gettnig a load of sand shrimps where they shouldnt go I gave up for the day! hahah!

We got bitten by bed bugs... 3 days later they are still sore!

Went on a moped driven by kay, then sam. Went for ice creams, to Sadhanna forest, stalked by street sellers, taken in to a house to buy a shirt (weird!)

The most important bit though - Learnt so much about Sam and Kay and their adopted lifestyle, far too much to go into on here but eye-opening and I feel very proud of them both.

Then, onwards with a 2 hour journey from Pondycherry to Mamallapuram which is on the coast, we can just see the sea from our hotel. Sea here is too wavey for me to think about swimming.

Went on a tour fo the old temples, carved caves/rocks etc.

Im knackered, so am off now, bye bye buddies, cya all soon xxxx

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Comments

[Pan]

love it !
hehe ;-) Im sure you could have swapped and tried the stone table/bed?? Would have completed the whole experience! Think a looooooooong phone call when you get home will be in order? Love and hugs xxx