Where the hell are we? Good Question. If you have been following, we were scheduled to depart for Alleppey, the Venice of the East, but as all things in real time, everything changed. We were there, waiting happily, chatting about our escape from the crowds of Delhi to a warmer place and a more relaxed state of being. We sat, and sat, and still our train did not come. Platform 3, Platform 3, that is where everyone had told us to wait for the train to Kerala, but it never came, or it came and went. Either way, we were not on it. We would not be going to Alleppey, not that day anyway. We spent the night in a rundown hostel, after purchasing new train tickets. Chennai would be our new starting destination. No more trains to Alleppey that week, we had missed the last one. Anywhere that wasn't Delhi would do. The next night, determined not to be foiled again, we boarded the correct train. Hurray! We are not complete idiots!
We sped through the country side, the change in environment and temperature nearly instant. If I could give one piece of advice about Indian train travel, it would be to pack toilet paper. Our train compartment was full of friendly, middle class Indians, this particular group returning home to Chennai after the international auto show in Delhi.
Chennai was warm, and relaxed, everyone wearing their best for Pongal. Pongal is a Hindu harvest festival predominately celebrated in the state of Tamil Nadu. It goes on for three days. It is similar to thanksgiving, but longer, and the food is better. In actuality, Pongal kicks Thanksgiving's ass. The pastel street chalk art, the balloons, the ladies and children dressed in their best and brightest, the cups of raw sugar cane juice, the incessant smiling and family activity, Pongal is a holiday I can definitely get behind.
We stayed just a night in Chennai, not wishing to be stuck in another city if we didn't need to be, but already things were a great deal better than our previous adversary, "Winter in New Delhi". We had met a nice fellow on the train, just out of college who directed us to another town, Mamallapuram*. We had planned on hopping the bus down the coast, towards Pondicherry, a well known coastal village, near the green future friendly European planned city of Auroville, but we had not heard of Mamallapuram. We decided we would put ourselves in fate's hands. Mamallapuram, here we come, and then we went.
* If you follow this link, I have to note that I personally disagree with how Wikitravel has painted Mamallapuram. I found it a million times less touristy than half of the other places I have visited in India so far, but the Wikilink is otherwise informative.
Note from GRACE: I am currently working from internet cafes where there is no wireless, so I apologize for possible format issues, and the absence of visuals. Once we have the problem solved, I will be updating entries with more pictures and video. Thanks for understanding the ways of the road!
We sped through the country side, the change in environment and temperature nearly instant. If I could give one piece of advice about Indian train travel, it would be to pack toilet paper. Our train compartment was full of friendly, middle class Indians, this particular group returning home to Chennai after the international auto show in Delhi.
Chennai was warm, and relaxed, everyone wearing their best for Pongal. Pongal is a Hindu harvest festival predominately celebrated in the state of Tamil Nadu. It goes on for three days. It is similar to thanksgiving, but longer, and the food is better. In actuality, Pongal kicks Thanksgiving's ass. The pastel street chalk art, the balloons, the ladies and children dressed in their best and brightest, the cups of raw sugar cane juice, the incessant smiling and family activity, Pongal is a holiday I can definitely get behind.
We stayed just a night in Chennai, not wishing to be stuck in another city if we didn't need to be, but already things were a great deal better than our previous adversary, "Winter in New Delhi". We had met a nice fellow on the train, just out of college who directed us to another town, Mamallapuram*. We had planned on hopping the bus down the coast, towards Pondicherry, a well known coastal village, near the green future friendly European planned city of Auroville, but we had not heard of Mamallapuram. We decided we would put ourselves in fate's hands. Mamallapuram, here we come, and then we went.
* If you follow this link, I have to note that I personally disagree with how Wikitravel has painted Mamallapuram. I found it a million times less touristy than half of the other places I have visited in India so far, but the Wikilink is otherwise informative.
Note from GRACE: I am currently working from internet cafes where there is no wireless, so I apologize for possible format issues, and the absence of visuals. Once we have the problem solved, I will be updating entries with more pictures and video. Thanks for understanding the ways of the road!
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