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Published: August 7th 2007
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Hi Guys....So i've made it through 10 days all on my own (i'm sure some of you are happy to know i'm not planning to come home yet!)
India is great!!!..
Yes the weather is extremely hot & humid and at times its unbearable but luckily there are so many beautiful temples and churches that plays a perfect hideaway from the ray of midday sun or taking a lovely stroll along a sandy beach with the fresh sea breeze and a quick dip in the sea is also a quick way to cool down.
The hygiene levels are not as we are use to in the UK but with my iron stomach and my experience in Vietnam it has kind of prepared me for what to expect. So far i've only had a minor stomach upset from having a chicken curry.. so gonna stick with vegetables and fresh fish from now on 😊
The Food is great, totally different to the curry we have back home, so much more tastier and full of fragrant...and eating with your hands of a banana leaf always add to the experience.
I'm surprised!... i've had curry for breakfast, lunch and dinner
Someone stole my new sandles :(
Enjoying some traditional dancing in temple in Chennai, whilst someone ran off with my new sandles!!!..It was only 2 days into my trip :( for the last 10 days and not really even sick of it yet.
I'm definitely turning into an Indian! actually many of the Indians think i look like i'm from the North-East of Indian, so after all these years of teasing from my family maybe i was really adopted...MUM/DAD...is it true?....hehehe
I'm meeting new people everyday, although there are very few foreign tourist as its off peak season due to the extreme heat it's the Indian holidays so there are a lot of Indians Tourist about from other regions.
There are so many different States and Territories in India which all speak different languages so the common speaking language is English which makes it so much easier for me to get by and communicate with them all.
India so far for me is such a beautiful country, full of life and inspirations with all its Beautiful Architectures and Ruins, Religions and different Beliefs, Colourful Textiles and Skilled Handicrafts to the friendly people you meet every day. Yes there are always those who will always try to con and trick you and charge you triple or quadruple as you are tourist (which you expect for most poor countries) So
Got myself some new sandle :)
All happy again..hehehehe!!!... you have to quickly learn (for me its a little slower than others) but you really try to see pass those few people and simply enjoy the great experience india has to offer.
SO WHAT HAVE I BEEN UP TO?
Over the last 10 days i have been in the State Tamil Nadu, I landed in Chennai (Madras) at 4am which i spent most of my time recovering from jetlag and to simply acclimatise to my new environment. After 2 days of playing safe having a personally Rickshaw man driving me around and showing the the sites of Chennai and also taking me to all these Handicraft stores which i know for sure his got commission for bringing me there...i didn't mind, it was nice seeing their art and chatting to salesmen in lovely airconditioned stores. 😊 I decided to take a bus to Mamallapuram to visit some old Temple Ruins.
There i had a really nice time, stayed at a nice beach hotel (thought i gently ease myself into the hostel/backpacking mode...you don't want me to scare myself back home now do you?.... especially when they only cost 5-8 pounds...hehehe).
I meet a guy from Switzerland
there, who has also been travelling for the last 2 months. He himself have travelled to many place but its his first time his doing it alone...he admits it was difficult for the first few weeks but its something he had to do for himself...i suppose just like myself, there's no really reason just something inside you that tells you you have to do it...Funny thing we spent all night chatting but never asked each others name.
From there i then moved to Pondicherry again another lovely place, there i stayed in a guest house which was part of the Aurobindo ashram, so there was some strict rules, no drinking and smoking and there was a curfew of 10:30 pm, wasn't too bad as it had a lovely peaceful garden within the guest house...which i made use of lying there reading my book under the stars.
The french Quarter of Pondicherry was also a lovely place, i spent many hours sitting in the park watching people, writing my journal and listening to the wind chimes which was hanging on the trees.. it was so relaxing.
After reluctantly and continually postponing my 7 hours bus journey to Madurai.. which
Rock Carving @ Mamallapuram
Ooops..sorry finally able to uploads pics but dont have my book so forgetten the name of ruins. actually turned out ok! It had reclining seats with plenty of leg room. My only complaint was for 6 hours it didn't stop for a break and i hadn't eaten anything all day.
I only spent a day in Madurai visiting the Beautiful Nayaka Palace and Minaski Sundareshvara Temple which astonishing dated back to the 7th-10th century and took between 14th-18th century to extended and complete.
I then moved onto Rameshvarum, the part of India where you can see Sri Lanka. Here i had a Lovely personal guide, who made me cycle around the village viewing the old temples in the heat, went snorkelling (actually a little disappointed not that many beautiful coral and tropical fish) then we went to the point where we can see Sri lanka.
Hahaha...now my next journey.. thinking my last long haul wasn't to bad, i had my snacks ready this time for what i thought was an 8hr journey to find out once i boarded the bus that it wasn't as comfortable as my last bus with the reclining seats...and it also stopped at every destination so it took over 10 hrs. By the time arrived at Kanyakumari (the southern most
Local Fisherman HeHe...Notice what his wearing as a hat?
was chatting to him for quite a while but didnt realise what he was wearing untill after 10mins...made me giggled inside. tip of India where the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal all merge together) at 6am i was shattered and beatened by the bumpy journey...but there's always light at the end of the tunnel.
I arrived to a beautiful Sunrise which i viewed from my hotel rooftop 😊
Still very tired from the journey and i have an early check out tomorrow morning 6am i decided to take it easy today and also gives me the opportunity to update you all with my trip so far.
So bye for now from me and Tamil Nadu, My next State Is Kerala, which i'm hoping to take it a little slower to relax and hopefully get a few ayurveda pampering and massages in. I so need after that 10 hr bus ride!!!
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Klaudea
non-member comment
Chiniiiitttttttttaaaaaaa
U sound great girl!! Keep it all up, and meet lots more interesting travelling people! :) I sent u a link of recent picts from London - we miss u, and will keep u updated fr our end!... Hope u keep happy and well. Have u started reading the little book yet?.... Let me know wht u get from that! - Its really beautiful!... Speak soon chinita, always be careful on your travels - and remember wht I said abt the "new friends"/"gifts"/drugs/ thing!!!! :) ...........xxx