Off to India

Off to India

Sunday, October 1, 2006--Bangkok to Chennai

After leaving the internet cafe last night, I discovered that my watch wasn't working--the new one I had just bought less than a month ago in Laos. I went to a nearby shopping center. It wasn't the battery. And the watches there cost more than they do at Wal-mart in the US. So I loaded up my travel clock with its battery and am carrying it in my pocket.

After that, I went to eat at a sidewalk place. This time, I found a place with pork and ordered a plate over rice. It included roasted pork, bacon with the crackling on it, and sausage. It came with a dark, sweet sauce that was very tasty. And I added lots of peppers.

This morning I was up early to go to the airport. I wanted to eat breakfast when they opened at 6. But at 6:05, they announced it would be another 5 minutes. I didn't know if I could spare the time, since it was supposed to be a 1 1/2 hour drive by taxi to the airport. I was taking the bus, so I figured it would be at least 2 hours. Well, I was wrong. Because it was Sunday, there was little traffic. I made it by bus from my hotel to Victory Circle in just 5 minutes. The 551 bus for the airport was waiting at my bus stop when I got off, and it left within a minute. Then it only took 35 minutes from Victory Circle to the airport bus station. Another 5 minutes on a shuttle from the bus station to the departure floor entrance at the airport took only another 5 minutes. I was at the counter to check in about 7:30! I didn't expect to be there until 9:00 or possibly later. I have to remember to fly on Sunday mornings from Bangkok!

The new airport is nice, but it needs some improvements. It's the largest single-terminal airport in the world. It has a stretched-fabric roof similar to the new Denver Airport. And it has island check-in counters like the airport in Rio de Janeiro. There are many ramps for rolling carts and bags (including some of the escalators). Among problems that I saw: 1) It is too crowded around the exit doors from immigration. They should have planned a big lobby area there so that people exiting can get through the crowds of people waiting for someone. 2) Once one passes customs to enter the restricted area, there are no seats for waiting. The only choices are to sit on the floor, shop in the shops, or sit in a restaurant and order food. The gates are kept closed until 45 minutes before departure. They will have to put seats along the walkways to the gates. I heard many people raising their voices about having no place to sit to wait for their gate to open.

Spending Update for Thailand: I spent $189.04 (not including my new ATW ticket or my dental expenses) pver 6 days for an average of $31.51 per day. For the whole trip since leaving Texas, I have now spent $1101.92 over 44 days for an average of $25.05 per day.

It was nice coming into India in the middle of the day instead of the middle of the night when most flights arrive here. Chennai has a small airport. It didn't take long to go through immigration and customs and exit. The tourist desk wasn't there that the guidebook said to use. And I didn't see the shuttle bus to town. Therefore, I exited the airport and walked down the street to the local train station. I caught a train within 10 minutes to the center of town. The train was very crowded, but I managed well. No one seemed upset that I had my suitcase with me.

I got off the train at Egmore Station. I had marked several hotels in that area in my guidebook that sounded okay. Quickly I learned that they were either cheap and dumps or too expensive for their facilities. I had marked another cluster of hotels in another area of town, so I walked there in about 30 minutes. The first hotel I checked was so much better than what I had been seeing that I took the room. It's not great, but it is okay, especially since it is only about $8 per night. There is a lot less for that $8 than what I got in Vietnam, however. It has only a ceiling fan (no a/c), has no mini-fridge, and is well-worn (as are most places in India). Most people would consider it to be dirty, but by Indian standards it is rather clean. (I just never get over the realization that Indians are apparently blind to filth. Windows, floors, walls, etc., are always dirty. The sides of streets and streams are piled with garbage and trash, but no one seems to care. They sweep off their steps constantly, but the stuff just stays to the side and piles up over time.)

After visiting with one of the employees of the hotel for a while and then resting for a while, I headed for the beach. My guidebook said that everyone in town goes there on Sunday evenings to promenade. I was surprised to fine that it is literally ON the beach where they promenade other than on a sidewalk beside it. The beach is a very deep one. It took forever walking across the sand to get to the water's edge. But the book was right. People were everywhere. Unfortunately, I had left a little too late; it was already getting dark when I arrived. But I stayed almost an hour walking up and down the beach and watching the people. There was a half-moon to give light. Finally, I returned to the area around my hotel and ate dinner at the Majarajah Restaurant. I had a masala dosa. That's a huge crispy pancake served with about 4 sauces. I used my right hand to tear off a small part of the dosa, dipped it in one of the sauces, and then placed it in my mouth. It was delicious. I ordered a fresh lime soda to go with the dosa, and that's what I got. But it was not a sweet one. It was quite sour.

I slept very well. I was so tired. But the doorbell to my room rang sometime in the night. It was two guys looking for Rahul. I guess someone with that name had been in my room before me. Anyway, I still fell back to sleep easily and slept until morning.

Monday, Oct. 2, 2006--Chennai

Today is a government holiday. There were celebrations going on everywhere last night for some Hindu event. Cars and doorways were decorated with pieces of palm leaves and flowers. And fireworks went off just as I was going to bed. I guess the holiday today is related to that.

I left the hotel about 7:00 and walked until noon. I went down the beach a long ways. Then I caught the train back to the center of town. (It was obviously a workers' holiday, because the train car was empty--a rare occurance in India.) I walked through the old downtown area seeing an old Methodist church, and old Armenian church, the courts building (a Victorian structure that is impressive), a market area with narrow streets, the main train station, etc. Chennai reminds me more of Calcutta than the other places I have visited in India. It has more poor people and is trashier in appearance. There are some nice sections of town, though, and there are a number of impressive old Victorian buildings. Tomorrow, I will see some museums and some of the nicer parts of town.

Most of the restaurants here are vegetarian, since it is mostly Hindus to live here. (That also means there are many cows free-roaming in the streets. I saw one today with special brass fittings with bells on the tips of its horns.) Therefore, I ate vegetarian again for lunch. I had a type of fried bread (I knew it from the hostel at the school last year) with a coconut chutney and a vegetable curry to dip it in. I had a lemon drink with it.

It is now early afternoon. I will finish on the computer and then go to my room to rest until it cools down for the evening.