Pondycherry (or how ever you write it)

Yesterday I took a 3 and ½ hour bus ride down from Chennai to this place. It’s an old French colony that still retains a great deal of the French attitude and architecture. Many of the buildings here are hundreds of years old and really do make you feel like you’re in France, if you can ignore the fact that everybody is a great deal darker, dirtier and more conservative (yes, the majority of the Indians are more conservative than the French, believe it or not).

Last night I stayed at an Ashram. The problem with that was that the Ashrams have a number of rules. These are 1) No alcohol, 2) No smoking, 3) No drugs and 4) no coming back after 10:30. Now I can do rules one, two and three (oi! I heard that!) but number four is just too much. What, am I sixteen again? It’s not that I have to stay out beyond 10:30. I just want to be able to have the choice (very Dutch trait, that).

So this morning I got up at seven, got out of the hotel by eight and walked around till 11 to find a new place. The reason I had to walk around so long was that everything was full, too expensive or just nasty.

I’m now staying at a guest house that has obviously just been turned into one (there’s still screws lying around and that kind of stuff). It isn’t half as nice as the Ashram, but at least I can come and go as I please.

I did just have to switch rooms, though. The reason? There was no water in my old room. That’s a bit annoying when you got a slight case of Delhi belly and there’s no new water to flush the toilet.

My new room has a balcony and (this is a very interesting feature) a bathroom that I can only get to by way of the balcony. I hope the neighbours don’t mind seeing a half naked Dutch man shuffle around in plain view, because if they do, well I guess they’ll just have to turn the other way.

So far India has been a great deal milder than everybody seems to have suggested. Though the occasional smell has assaulted my nose and the occasional taut has harassed me, it has all been pretty smooth sailing (well, except for the mosquitoes, the lack of water, Gandhi’s revenge and the interesting interior design).

I found an internet place that has wireless, aircon and great coffee. Unfortunately I think I drank a bit too much of the coffee, because it’s 12 at night and I’m still very much wide awake (despite spending half the day walking around).

Well, I guess that just means I’ve got more time to write. No rest for the wicked; or the caffeinated, for that matter.