thekua.com@rest

The day started off very well – the thought that the driver I’d hired for the day trip to Mahabalipuram wouldn’t find where I was staying evaporated as soon as I saw the taxi parked downstairs. The driver asked me if I was the ‘Pitersk’ they’d written down over the phone after about 15 minutes trying to spell my name. “Yes, that’s me,” I resigned myself to.

The driver, whose name I understood as Ram Krishna, spoke enough broken English to get through the entire day. Our first major conversation, like many of the ones to follow throughout the day began with money – this time, 700 rupees to fill up the tank for the day. He honked at a petrol attendant for some attention and diesel and soon we were on our way. Every so often, he would look up in the mirror and start explaining some things. I find out that the traffic is very bad in Chennai, there’s always construction (pointing to another fly over to emphasis the point) and apparently plenty of people in Chennai. I think quietly to myself that it’s definitely not as bad as Bangalore. I also wonder if the overpasses they continue to build really work, or simply distract from the bigger problem of too many people and not enough public transport. My answer doesn’t come and we pass yet another flyover under construction.

Our first stop of the day is Elliot’s Beach for the world famous Laksmi Hindu temple. This temple is pretty massive, and totally dedicated to the goddess of wealth. Unsurprisingly, this temple and the area around it took significant damage during the tsunami – the shanty shacks around it reassembled quickly, and the temple slowly following behind. It’s free entry this time though no cameras allowed. It’s one of the biggest temples I’ve entered, and we’re blessed in at least five separate places with a flower, some spiritual water, marks to the forehead and a number of clasps of a metallic bowl to the head. You ascend and descend around the temple as you pass all the blessings and at one point see a fantastic view of the surrounding area.

We drive further down the coast and although the roads appeared busy, I think that honestly they’re one of the best I’d been driven on so far. Definitely miles away from the nightmare bus ride to Ooty. We continue driving through passing through a toll booth – something that I think is universally complained about, with the driver fully getting into the cursing of the excess charges. I pay the INR50 toll for return to Mahabalipuram.

My driver stops for a brief meal and we finally enter Mahabalipuram (and another entry fee – this time I think only INR20). We head for the first sights, this one free and are a series of intricately made temples and features carved directly out of the rock in the hills. Strangely enough, the typical touts (selling jewellery, or asking for money) stay outside of the gate. Inside them instead, you’ll find a different breed of tout – these ones actually speaking English very well and keen to give you a guided tour for either a fee or a visit to their store later. I decline several of them, and manage to pick one up on the way who takes me around telling me all about it. The best bit here is really the Krishna’s Butter Ball that looks as if it would topple and crush a whole swag of people, yet remains stuck to the wallface. I have enough as it’s getting extremely hot, and the number of tourists at some of the points is overwhelmingly numerous.

I find my driver (by the number plate of the car) and we make our way to the next sight, another World Heritage Monument, the Five Rathas. A series of carvings, all out of stone stand out in the middle of an enclosed area and I sit down to watch the large groups of families and a handful of tourists descend on each temple for a show. I find the taxi driver once again and we make our way to the final destination, and probably my most favourite of the three, the Shore Temple.

Parking in the area is ridiculously busy, not only because of the temple, but because of the beach that lies adjacent. I walk down there first – a narrow alley bustling with stores selling random beach items and a couple of food and drink places. I stop for some chai to ironically escape the heat for a bit. Arriving at a beach is one thing to really look out for. Stores line the sand from one point to another, whilst people jump into the water – sometimes fully clothed (the women in saris, or men in singlets and trousers). Others strip to their underpants before taking to the water.

I walk back down the alleyway, and make my way for the entrance of the Shore Temple. Foolishly I end up paying the tourist fee once again (you can use the same ticket for the Five Rathas and the Shore Temple) and hopes it pays for some good maintenance. I’ve seen temples by the shore before, and the unique different here is that it’s completely carved out of a rock (or perhaps series of rocks). There’s something magical standing in amongst its pillars facing the ocean on almost all sides. I tire after the temple, and it’s getting late in the day, so we make our way back to Chennai. A quick nap ensures a relatively speedy ride home.

The rest of the photos are here.

The journey didn’t start off too well. The flight from Pune ended up delayed by an hour. The prepaid taxi didn’t really know where to go and then when we started, broke down very quickly. A rickshaw driver helped out (though of course, expected an inane sum of money for it). I eventually found the place I was staying at – a serviced apartment not quite being the thing that I expected – I thought it would be some sort of 3-star hotel. It’s just a place to stay.

We’ll see how tomorrow goes with a prepaid vehicle driving me to Mahallapuram.

I avoid catching a rickshaw tonight. It’s easy enough to call out MG road – it’s the getting back bit that I’m worried about.

Walking around the local neighbourhood of Mylapore ended up very interesting. It seems there’s a number of schools and colleges hosting students around the area – with a whole heap of them coming up to have their photo taken by me. I stumbled across, what looked like, a political rally – though for all I know, it could have been some sort of community celebration with Christmas coming up and all. People crowded the streets trying to get closer, and the rows and rows of plastic chairs setup remained full by the time I walked past. Turning up and down one lane, putting the directions into my consciousness to later backtrack, I find what looks like the jewellery street. Some of the stores actively clean and refine their metallic wares on the doorsteps, with the rest of their already polished wares beckoning the street-weary traveller into the doors. I manage to resist somehow.

My belly rumbles, reminding me that it was at least nine hours ago since I’d fed it and was about time to have dinner. Biryani stores line the street – some of them look busy enough that the food is guaranteed fresh and yet I hesitate. I find what looks like a very popular and happening joint – I don’t mind that it has a “chain veg restaurant” from the outside. The crowds and the smell attract me in. I find a free seat next to a couple and after scanning the menu, ended up with a thali-like order. Funnily they even have three outlets in London (I’ll definitely have to try it when I get back).

Initial thoughts on Chennai – it’s definitely less dusty than Pune, definitely better roads than Bangalore. It has the humidity of what I expected from Mumbai – I’m not sure if I’m really going to enjoy the day tomorrow, so I’m hoping that taxi manages to turn up in the morning. The people seem very crowded and perhaps it’s the period close to Christmas, I notice many, many churches everywhere – probably a side effect from the days of the British rule.

I’m surprised that at least Port Blair is connected very well. I’m writing this in an Internet cafe, costing only INR30 per hour and it’s actually a very fast connection. I’m writing this in notepad while I wait for firefox to download – I just find it a much better browser and I feel a little bit safer with its security.

The flight to Port Blair left horrendously early at 7:20 this morning. Of course that means leaving even earlier from the place I stayed in. I promise to write more about the brief couple of days in Chennai.

The weather is fantastic at 27 degrees celcius and the (lack of) humidity levels make it almost perfect walking weather. What makes it perfect is the cool salty sea breeze blowing off the green and blue water. I find the marina, and walking along it, spot three different kinds of fish and plenty of crabs along the rocks. I think to myself can things get any better?

Lunch time arrives and I find myself at a place called the New Lighthouse Restaurant. It’s located by the water and serves very fresh seafood. I end up ordering a masala crab – the waiter picks up one and asks if this is okay. I look the squirming thing and think about how great it will taste so fresh. It costs me INR380. I also order a couple of rotis to soak up the masala sauce. A local guy, Arun, starts up a conversation and soon he’s telling me about all the different things to do, and some places to go on Havelock Island. I leave for there in the morning tomorrow and I hope that it’s going to be as good. He asks me to call him when I get back to Port Blair.

I start heading back to the hotel for an afternoon siesta as I’m due to meet a person to take me to see the evening light show at the Cellular Jail. I’ve heard a lot about this place before, apparently the place that the British held all the Indian freedom fighters. I find it interesting that this place of oppression now attracts tourists.

I can’t wait for the next ten days. I’m sure I’ll get sunburned though I know I’ll end up with a wicked tan. I’ll also be sure to be filling my belly with some very nice seafood.