Just a quick note to inform you all that I have arrived safely in my next destination --Kanchipuram. Will be volunteering with an NGO here for a week.
The trip from Muttukadu to Kanchipuram was kinda nice. The bus ride from Mamallapuram to Chengalpattu took me through rice fields and some real Indian villages! There is hardly a more beautiful scene than that of a wet, lush padi field with buffaloes and coconut trees in the mix, with mountains in the far back. The bus station at Chengalpattu was very busy and everyone rushed to get on the bus when it arrived. Me too! I had to...by now I knew that if I hadn't rushed to intercept the bus BEFORE it reaches the terminus, I would stand no chance of getting on the bus. Lagi more I had my big backpack with me~~. Got on the bus and already no seat. So packed...haha...the person on the seat next to where I was standing slept and his head rested on my tummy. It was no problem, except that his head was warm, and the day was already warm enough. Hahahaha.
The accommodation here is better than expected. My dormmates are two Germans (both at a young age of 20) who are doing their obligatory social service of one year (it was the policy in Germany, abolished just recently). Mathias, the guy, is very friendly and we are getting along very well so far. We talked a lot, probably because we both lacked talking-partners for the past weeks (months for him).
Tomorrow I begin my actual volunteering work. No idea what's in store. Maybe teaching. Hopefully teaching.
Mathia and Alex (the girl) have internet access. It's going to be tempting to use their internet too...BUT I will stay off the Net.
This is written in a Kanchipuram cybercafe as I wait for Mathias to buy tickets for his parents to visit India. Kanchipuram is much more developed and richer than I expected. Even this cyber cafe is the best I have visited so far in India, and the rates are very reasonable--20 rupees/hour.
take care all.
The trip from Muttukadu to Kanchipuram was kinda nice. The bus ride from Mamallapuram to Chengalpattu took me through rice fields and some real Indian villages! There is hardly a more beautiful scene than that of a wet, lush padi field with buffaloes and coconut trees in the mix, with mountains in the far back. The bus station at Chengalpattu was very busy and everyone rushed to get on the bus when it arrived. Me too! I had to...by now I knew that if I hadn't rushed to intercept the bus BEFORE it reaches the terminus, I would stand no chance of getting on the bus. Lagi more I had my big backpack with me~~. Got on the bus and already no seat. So packed...haha...the person on the seat next to where I was standing slept and his head rested on my tummy. It was no problem, except that his head was warm, and the day was already warm enough. Hahahaha.
The accommodation here is better than expected. My dormmates are two Germans (both at a young age of 20) who are doing their obligatory social service of one year (it was the policy in Germany, abolished just recently). Mathias, the guy, is very friendly and we are getting along very well so far. We talked a lot, probably because we both lacked talking-partners for the past weeks (months for him).
Tomorrow I begin my actual volunteering work. No idea what's in store. Maybe teaching. Hopefully teaching.
Mathia and Alex (the girl) have internet access. It's going to be tempting to use their internet too...BUT I will stay off the Net.
This is written in a Kanchipuram cybercafe as I wait for Mathias to buy tickets for his parents to visit India. Kanchipuram is much more developed and richer than I expected. Even this cyber cafe is the best I have visited so far in India, and the rates are very reasonable--20 rupees/hour.
take care all.
Did you know Mathias means Matthew in German? Your bus experience sounds crazy. Cannot imagine having someone's head on my tummy. Safe travel, YH! And, have fun volunteering!
ReplyDeletehahaha...having someone's head on my tummy wasn't such a huge deal.
ReplyDeleteI sat across two guys' lap (thighs) in a cramped shared-autorickshaw! LOL. One was a youth and another an uncle. I felt so sorry for the uncle who kept on telling me "cari cari ( okay okay)". That was WEIRD. He just pulled me down onto his lap. So friendly, and a serious lack of personal space :)