Hotel Germanus Madurai

... it is truly manic. Well over a million people are crammed into this city, and it is extremely dirty and polluted. However, it has a certain charm, the people are incredibly friendly, and it is dominated by a magnificent temple complex which brings in visitors from all over the world. We ate out in a rooftop restaurant the other evening, where I got amazing views of the temple, a meal and a 750ml bottle of Kingfisher for less than 4 quid! Will update after my first week of teaching...

... where our 'agent' paid us 500rupees (7euro) each!! awhooooooo! got bus back to hostel & went straight to the leaba!! long day!<br><br>The next day we took a walk down the prom, where our heads we wrecked with touts & people wanting to take our pictures! We then got a 2 part bus to Trichy! by god, twas rough!!<br><br>Landed in Trichy late, so got hostel & something to eat & then called it a night!<br><br>Next day, we visited two temples. The first one contained 6 outer walls ...

... Drops - a multi-cuisine restaurant with soft pastel facade serve Western, Continental, Chinese, and North and South Indian cuisine to all its patrons. <br> Hill Country Holiday Resorts<br>Hill County is just a short drive from the Kodai Lake. Designed and built to capture Kodai's old world charm, It is ...

... so we had some chai, spoke to an ironing cart guy and to a supari and pan shop vendor. It's nice to have the time to chat with locals, they really are quite hilarious. The landmark Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple complex was the highlight of the city with it's gopurams (towers) covered in a rainbow of carved, multicolored images of gods, goddesses, animals and mythical figures. The temple is a good example of Dravidian architecture. They were so ...

The Southern route of India was at last taking a new direction, we were definitely heading North. After months meandering our way to the tropics it was time to turn around and head due north along India's eastern sea board, the bay of Bengal. Normally heading North means going to cooler climates however this is India and the opposite would prove to be true. To break up the journey ...

... on the streets. It is incredibly deafening and gave me some sense of living in a war zone, but it's great to walk the streets and see all the parents helping their kids out, the kids running around like crazy enjoying the crackers and wearing their gorgeous new dresses and generally see a festive atmosphere. The only problem is people tend to blow crackers over the course of a whole week, not the allotted two days. Aunty, Uncle, Preet and I took a trip out to the ...

... after all. He approved my two day stay and gave me my room key. First I had breakfast, it was now 7:30a.m. The food at the ashram is magnificent. My friend Advait told me this and he was right. Eating at temples and ashrams is the best. Besides being clean, the food has a powerful vibrational energy. It is all offered to God chanted over with mantra's and served to the guest who is seen as God. Then you eat it and your ...

... worship, receive minor medical treatment, and the odd meal. I've posted a couple pictures of myself and Clarice, as well as Uncle Freddy - a devout believer, passionate about the future of India. Thanks to Clarice for the advice, the amatuer tourguide hookup, and the free lunch!

So I am in a little grungy internet cafe in Chennai in some back alley. So unfortunately I can't talk for very long. I just have to say that it is sweltering here, and I'm jealous that snow is on its way for all of you in the Cleveland area. I will definatley say more about Vietnam and Burma at a later time, but I just wanted to hilight the two. Vietnam-- I kinda feel like I wasted my time there. I spent the whole time in ...

... from a plaza twenty minutes away from the dock an hour and a half before our trip left would be safe but we were wrong. It took us an hour and fifteen minutes to get dropped off and he didn't even drop us off at the boat. We quickly ran into the boat and changed and then ran back out to catch our bus to the welcome reception. Once at the welcome reception I decided to get in the line to get a tattoo. It was a lot of fun and I have tons of the pics of me getting it done. Then we ...