Bonjour! Ok, so it's been a few days since we last posted and we've taken a bit of time here to relax, drink some cafe au laits and soak up la atmosphere. We've done a tres bon job at that but don't worry we've not forgotten our true purpose...
On Monday we put our thinking caps back on and headed on an auto adventure to Auroville- a utopian living experiment, just outside of Pondi central. We'd heard about this place from various people and were told we must go as craft making was such a huge part of it culturally and economically. Though it's trying to eradicate money and it's inhabitants are encouraged to become free of personal possessions, making beautiful objects- in leather, textiles, paper, you name it- is seen as a way to express creativity and also to sell off to punters like us, 'cos lets face it folks, money really does make the world go round! We were under the impression from ex-aurovillians and our guidebooks that this would be a small town with working studios but when we arrived it was actually a closed community with only a visitor centre and 3 boutiques. Mm. It would be interesting to learn more about how this community works but we think you'd need to live there for at least a few weeks... and to be honest we'd be a tad worried that we'd be brainwashed by the giant golden golfball that sits centrally in Auroville and represents concentration. Mm again. Thankfully we were able to glean enough food for thought to keep our brains from going into total cappucino meltdown and it was fascinating to see the manifestations of one person's ideal world.
Yesterday we visited the ancient and marvellous carvings in Mahaballapuram. Go on say it fast. This was also a trip down memory lane for Lyns as she visited this place 15 years ago first time round. But time has not treated this traveller well, for the second time this trip Lynsey has been mistaken for Jen's mum! Er, hello?! Unfortunately time has not treated Mahaballapuram well either- what with tonnes more littering tourists and sadly the effects of 2004 tsunami, the hidden caves and tremendous temples remain breathtaking but all around is frankly a bit of a mess. However, the trip did lead to our next travel update...
Buses. This time day ones. A few handy hints:
Don't fall asleep whilst travelling as this only leads to embarrassment when EVERYONE tries to wake you up when you reach your destination.
Do not worry when you are pointed to an empty stretch of barren highway and told this is a bus stop. Trust the locals, the bus will come.
And just like in the UK three come at once. Another thing that is the same the world over.
On Monday we put our thinking caps back on and headed on an auto adventure to Auroville- a utopian living experiment, just outside of Pondi central. We'd heard about this place from various people and were told we must go as craft making was such a huge part of it culturally and economically. Though it's trying to eradicate money and it's inhabitants are encouraged to become free of personal possessions, making beautiful objects- in leather, textiles, paper, you name it- is seen as a way to express creativity and also to sell off to punters like us, 'cos lets face it folks, money really does make the world go round! We were under the impression from ex-aurovillians and our guidebooks that this would be a small town with working studios but when we arrived it was actually a closed community with only a visitor centre and 3 boutiques. Mm. It would be interesting to learn more about how this community works but we think you'd need to live there for at least a few weeks... and to be honest we'd be a tad worried that we'd be brainwashed by the giant golden golfball that sits centrally in Auroville and represents concentration. Mm again. Thankfully we were able to glean enough food for thought to keep our brains from going into total cappucino meltdown and it was fascinating to see the manifestations of one person's ideal world.
Yesterday we visited the ancient and marvellous carvings in Mahaballapuram. Go on say it fast. This was also a trip down memory lane for Lyns as she visited this place 15 years ago first time round. But time has not treated this traveller well, for the second time this trip Lynsey has been mistaken for Jen's mum! Er, hello?! Unfortunately time has not treated Mahaballapuram well either- what with tonnes more littering tourists and sadly the effects of 2004 tsunami, the hidden caves and tremendous temples remain breathtaking but all around is frankly a bit of a mess. However, the trip did lead to our next travel update...
Buses. This time day ones. A few handy hints:
Don't fall asleep whilst travelling as this only leads to embarrassment when EVERYONE tries to wake you up when you reach your destination.
Do not worry when you are pointed to an empty stretch of barren highway and told this is a bus stop. Trust the locals, the bus will come.
And just like in the UK three come at once. Another thing that is the same the world over.
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