As Richard bach says when a torrent of ideas floods you and tells you to write it you can't control it. Obviously I'm paraphrasing.
So here I sit. Listening to November rain on my iPod in moonraker restaurant and cafe in mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu. It's time for me to leave now and head back to my chennai home.
Let's go to the beginning.
When you're in a new city and don't know too many people. When you don't have much to do and feel like exploring. What do u do. Well, I picked mahabalipuram. It's about 40km from chennai and I haven't been there.
Heard a lot about it, obviously having grown up in the south I always meant to go.
So this afternoon after I got done with "work" for the day I packed a small backpack and decided to visit.
People say its a fantastic drive but due to reasons known only to me I decided to take the bus.
Thiruvanmiyur bus terminus is about 2-3 km from my house. Now if your not from chennai. Beware of autodrivers. They are merciless beings who claim petrol to them costs 80rs/lt. Hah. I apologize for stereotyping them, but they're not actually all evil. Jus guys working they're butts off to make ends meet. But what to do, the 1/4 Marwadi blood in me probably doesn't like being fleeced.
Pardon the deviation. After having walked away from 2 auto stands due to requests of 50rs I got one for 25. A bad habit I have developed off late is not carrying cash. I blame debit card companies. I was carrying precisely 30rs an desperately needed an ATM.
Who's the guy who made that law??? Murphy!!! I walked from one ATM to another. 6 ATM's I kid you not were either not working or under repair. With not too many options I looked toward my saviors. The autodrivers of chennai, to take me to an ATM nearby an bring me back. "100rs Saar. Petrol wonly 90rs" came the prompt reply. After some searching I managed one for 70. How my forefathers on my mothers side must be cursing me. So now equipped with an auto I search. After failing again at 4more ATMs I reached the beacon of light. An ING Vysya ATM with Air Conditioning that made me think twice before getting back into the madras heat.
Somewhere in the middle of all this I wondered if these were signs telling me to "take your car you imbicile" or "Do Not go to mahabs". After dismissing them I awaited my bus. It was nothing fancy but I knew it would get me there. Happily I paid 16rs to the conductor an said mamallapuram so that he doesn't think I'm some tourist.
If I didn't make it clear earlier I was traveling with no known companions. iPod plugged in I definitely didn't FIT IN but made friends with a co-passenger.
The bus ride was comfortable only to be interrupted by a loud bang. It was the rear tyre. But there was only a momentary pause. The driver simply chopped off a chunk from the outer circumference of the tyre an we were back on track. No tension.
I reached mahabs round 4 30 I'm guessing. It was a little cloudy and hence not blisteringly hot. I walked around a little bit. Visited the famous shore temple, which to me is one of those places where you wonder how in the hell did guys in some 420 a.d build and so masterly carve out. That's right. Aliens helped them.
A strange thing in mahabs is that almost 50 meters into the sea you can see waves breaking. Apparently when the tsunami hit mahabalipuram it submerged quite a few structures and those waves are actually breaking on the tops of those structures.
Mahabalipuram is, from what I gathered on a Monday evening, a simple place. No hoo-haa. I didn't see too many foreigners, probably went flying??? Mahabs has some really picturesque sights. You can just stand an stare.
Next stop was the beach, which is adjacent to the shore temple an like all beaches gives you a "limitless" sort of feeling. I walked up to Santana roof top cafe an ordered some light snacks. It was like one of those shots in a movie. Beautiful view, music in your ears and well just.... momentary absence I guess.
It started to rain in a while and that's quite a welcome change to raw heat innit. Chennai weather is not that bad. Really. You should visit.
After some contemplation on what is the aim of ones life and all that drama, which as usual didn't yield, I reached moonrakers.
Decent ambience. Not exactly fine dining but decent. Nice wall work an decor. After much consultation I ordered the masala fish fry and rice. Now I'm not a huge fish fan but he was quite insistent. Let me tell you this. He was right. It was delicious. Well cooked Spicy, tangy and soft fish with some fried rice. Needless to say only the fish head and spine remained.
And for dessert. Nutella pancake. Yes. It was really good. You sort of end up playing a game where you don't want any nutella to get left on the plate.
250rs later I was outta there and heading to the bus stop. Good food. Hmmmm. Hopped on a bus an here I am now. Writing my first piece on my phone. Halfway home now.
I would suggest a visit to mahabs. If your looking for action then i suggest going on a weekend.
The experience was not one filled with many unforseen events or drastic situations, it was just an experience and i felt like sharing.
P.S : its my first blog so pardon me for boring you.
PPS: I do not actually think autodrivers are evil.
So here I sit. Listening to November rain on my iPod in moonraker restaurant and cafe in mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu. It's time for me to leave now and head back to my chennai home.
Let's go to the beginning.
When you're in a new city and don't know too many people. When you don't have much to do and feel like exploring. What do u do. Well, I picked mahabalipuram. It's about 40km from chennai and I haven't been there.
Heard a lot about it, obviously having grown up in the south I always meant to go.
So this afternoon after I got done with "work" for the day I packed a small backpack and decided to visit.
People say its a fantastic drive but due to reasons known only to me I decided to take the bus.
Thiruvanmiyur bus terminus is about 2-3 km from my house. Now if your not from chennai. Beware of autodrivers. They are merciless beings who claim petrol to them costs 80rs/lt. Hah. I apologize for stereotyping them, but they're not actually all evil. Jus guys working they're butts off to make ends meet. But what to do, the 1/4 Marwadi blood in me probably doesn't like being fleeced.
Pardon the deviation. After having walked away from 2 auto stands due to requests of 50rs I got one for 25. A bad habit I have developed off late is not carrying cash. I blame debit card companies. I was carrying precisely 30rs an desperately needed an ATM.
Who's the guy who made that law??? Murphy!!! I walked from one ATM to another. 6 ATM's I kid you not were either not working or under repair. With not too many options I looked toward my saviors. The autodrivers of chennai, to take me to an ATM nearby an bring me back. "100rs Saar. Petrol wonly 90rs" came the prompt reply. After some searching I managed one for 70. How my forefathers on my mothers side must be cursing me. So now equipped with an auto I search. After failing again at 4more ATMs I reached the beacon of light. An ING Vysya ATM with Air Conditioning that made me think twice before getting back into the madras heat.
Somewhere in the middle of all this I wondered if these were signs telling me to "take your car you imbicile" or "Do Not go to mahabs". After dismissing them I awaited my bus. It was nothing fancy but I knew it would get me there. Happily I paid 16rs to the conductor an said mamallapuram so that he doesn't think I'm some tourist.
If I didn't make it clear earlier I was traveling with no known companions. iPod plugged in I definitely didn't FIT IN but made friends with a co-passenger.
The bus ride was comfortable only to be interrupted by a loud bang. It was the rear tyre. But there was only a momentary pause. The driver simply chopped off a chunk from the outer circumference of the tyre an we were back on track. No tension.
I reached mahabs round 4 30 I'm guessing. It was a little cloudy and hence not blisteringly hot. I walked around a little bit. Visited the famous shore temple, which to me is one of those places where you wonder how in the hell did guys in some 420 a.d build and so masterly carve out. That's right. Aliens helped them.
A strange thing in mahabs is that almost 50 meters into the sea you can see waves breaking. Apparently when the tsunami hit mahabalipuram it submerged quite a few structures and those waves are actually breaking on the tops of those structures.
Mahabalipuram is, from what I gathered on a Monday evening, a simple place. No hoo-haa. I didn't see too many foreigners, probably went flying??? Mahabs has some really picturesque sights. You can just stand an stare.
Next stop was the beach, which is adjacent to the shore temple an like all beaches gives you a "limitless" sort of feeling. I walked up to Santana roof top cafe an ordered some light snacks. It was like one of those shots in a movie. Beautiful view, music in your ears and well just.... momentary absence I guess.
It started to rain in a while and that's quite a welcome change to raw heat innit. Chennai weather is not that bad. Really. You should visit.
After some contemplation on what is the aim of ones life and all that drama, which as usual didn't yield, I reached moonrakers.
Decent ambience. Not exactly fine dining but decent. Nice wall work an decor. After much consultation I ordered the masala fish fry and rice. Now I'm not a huge fish fan but he was quite insistent. Let me tell you this. He was right. It was delicious. Well cooked Spicy, tangy and soft fish with some fried rice. Needless to say only the fish head and spine remained.
And for dessert. Nutella pancake. Yes. It was really good. You sort of end up playing a game where you don't want any nutella to get left on the plate.
250rs later I was outta there and heading to the bus stop. Good food. Hmmmm. Hopped on a bus an here I am now. Writing my first piece on my phone. Halfway home now.
I would suggest a visit to mahabs. If your looking for action then i suggest going on a weekend.
The experience was not one filled with many unforseen events or drastic situations, it was just an experience and i felt like sharing.
P.S : its my first blog so pardon me for boring you.
PPS: I do not actually think autodrivers are evil.
