Just arrived in Chennai (Madras) this afternoon and after the sheer majesty of the Bangkok international airport, it was like flying into a rubbish dump - the first sight out a window being of a parking lot full of broken down vehicles, and the airport looking like an old disused one that we flew into by mistake. I was going to take a photo of a particularly sad part of it with staff just sitting around with vacant looks on their faces, but there are armed guards around the place and after Richard Gere's recent gaffe causing riots, I don't want to die just yet :)
Funnily enough, my old boss Rudolf took me out to lunch to tell me about India and described Chennai as a hellish place. I thought that sounded a little extreme, but I have yet to find any evidence to the contrary! The taxi driver seemed nice enough on the way to the hotel, but pleasant conversation gradually turned into a story of how his family were all destitute and sick etc. I said "Sounds like my family! My Dad is a cripple, etc etc..." but it didn't register he was too focused on begging for all the money I could give him. Gave him a whopping tip in Indian terms (ok, pretty mild in Kiwi terms) but he was so unhappy I hadn't turned my entire estate over to him. He was the first of the demons in this hellish place. And this place truly is hell. I mean, the streets even stink of sulphur - and amazingly strongly in places. The stall holders in the malls are like pit bulls when you are lured into their shops - they just won't let you go. That's ok - the prices are really low for everything here - even the full buffet at this large hotel I'm at was under NZ$10. So hard to believe! And it was one of the best Indian meals I think I've ever had too. Don't get me wrong - I don't hate the place just yet, I'm just still trying to find some charm. It feels a bit like a war zone actually, but the hotel is pleasant and the staff are really friendly and much more courteous than some flash European hotels I've stayed in. And for some reason I felt wonderful after the meal. I have admittedly had to run (yep literally) to the toilet a couple of times since then, but maybe that just shows how super-efficiently food can be digested here. (Just trying to be positive...)
Speaking of that.... there was some real terror earlier this morning when I woke up in Bangkok. I was awake at 5am and came to that most horrible of realisations (as you do) that I'd been such a complete idiot to ignore all the rules about not eating fruit & ice etc in Bangkok eateries. I love the idea of breaking rules, but now it looked like I was going to pay for it really bad!!! But luckily fate had already stepped in. Last night I'd met this really cool lady at a traditional Thai massage place and she was getting worked on by four different masseuses and had them all in stitches with her funny stories. She was also one of the few people in Bangkok who spoke good English so she told me all about herself and how she had been having chronic pains for years. Being an eternal font of unwanted advice, I told her I believed that chi gong might really help - especially if her doctors couldn't - and that perhaps a mysterious illness might best be dealt with using a mysterious therapy. So as I lay in bed this morning with my life flashing before my eyes, I downed a few vitamins and started into some serious chi gong while enjoying a wonderful David Frost interview on renegade Aljazeera TV. (God, that channel is terrific!!!) And half an hour or so later all the queasiness was gone - seems I got to it just in time! Will have to bear that in mind for the rest of the trip, knowing my old stomach.
Ok - highlights of last 24 hours....
Most entertaining moment: being approached in the street last night in Bangkok by all kinds of seedy guys after my traditional foot massage (this is 11pm) who ask "Excuse me - would you like to have a Mona Lisa massage?" etc and flash pictures of racy women. I laughed at one guy and told him he really should have it himself. These touts are quite chilled thankfully about being turned down and the city streets - even the darker side-streets - seemed really safe for such a big city. Ok, I haven't been to many asian cities, but this place beats KL hands down. And parts of Bangkok are so damned beautiful, it was really quite romantic - seriously!
Most touching moment: walking past one of the rare beggars in the street. This middle aged lady had a really elegant look about her - and as I gave her some coins, she gave me one of the warmest smiles I've received so far. I was actually quite blown away. As I walked off, I somehow felt this kind of energy resonance or something all over - can't help wondering if something odd was going on there. I still can't think of her as a "beggar" - real beggars look quite lost or hardened. There was just something so dignified and serene about her. Weird...
Biggest surprise - seeing a large shrine to the elephant-headed god Ganesh in a public square with passers-by offering bundles of smouldering incense to him. Seems Ganesh is second only to the Buddha here for devotion.
Anyway, the rest of the tour group is arriving at midnight so I guess tomorrow I will find out what kind of people I am going to spend the next three weeks with. Hopefully Lady Luck (i.e. Lakshmi) will be kind to me!
Oh man! The tour party has just arrived outside.... I am so nervous!!!! (Mummy!!!!)
