Mais oui mes amis, c'est Pondicherry!

Well, after a long stint in a very Indian district, which has been wonderful, we are now in the very French area of Pondicherry. After another long 18 hour train journey from one side of India to the other (Kasaragad to Pondi), we arrived at about 4am. A cycle rickshaw driver greeted us and I don't really know quite how he managed to cycle with all the rucksacks and passengers from the station to the hotel, he was a small chap too-but he did. It felt in a weird way that we had somehow arrived somewhere in France (French road signs, trees along the roads, wider roads, buildings with french windows), and yet it couldn't be, as the same India 'smells' were evident, plus you don't find small indian cycle rickshaw riders in France!

I have been enjoying some nice French cuisine(a welcome break, as much as I love Indian food), promanade walks by the sea here, and visiting the area. Nearby is the very alternative and interesting town called Auroville, where my cousin lives, and who I was hoping to see, though it seems I missed her as she is in France! DOH!Anyway, we went on a bike there (stopping for refreshing watermelon on the way) and discovered Auroville. It is a town which is 'owned by nobody' and the whole idea behind it is to create a town whereby there is no seperation by religion or race, and that everyone lives as 'one'. Its a kind of commune town, and everyone volunteers in order to keep it going, and works together, no one leading. It was really interesting, though when I was watching a video at the visitor centre which explains what its all about, we noticed that the 'Mother', a lady who founded the place in the 60's had stated that in order to live in this village "you had to 'renounce' all religions, ancient and new". We thought that maybe it would have been better to say, accept all religions, as isn't the renouncing of religion seperating you from those who are religious, and also hasn't religion taught us a lot even though I agree it has seperated us as a world society? Anyway, sorry if this is getting a bit deep-just thoughts! Having said all, the idea was really nice, and it was good to see something that people often talk or dream about actually physically existing. Please see pic of the center of the town the 'Matrimandir'' which is a place for people to go and have meditations and reflect. I couldn't help thinking of Disneyland when I saw it though and was waiting for Mickey and Minnie mouse to jump out at me...

I am here a few more days, and really happy as going to see my Mumsie and lil' (whose not so lil' anymore) brother who are arriving in Chennai on the 17th-sweet!

Pics to go with post below (please read)!

Kerela

Well I must say I had the most interesting train journey to date on the way from Karnataka to Kasaragad (North Kerela) to the location of my Ashram. Whilst waiting on the platform, I befriended an American girl from California, and we decided to head to ther same carriage. It was 2pm, I was only to be on the train for 5 hours, She for the whole night, in the sleeper carriage (basically a train with bunks). Anyway, after having got on the train, we are joined by 3 lively Russians. Within half an hour, they proudly displayed their Vodka (from Russia, no less I'll have you know) and 3 tins of baked beans. Hmmm, yes I too was wondering about the baked beans on a train. Anyhow, before we knew it they invited us to join them in a taste of the Vodka , and gave us a very important lesson in drinking skills. Now in normal circumstances, I don't drink Vodka, and I certainly never considered it 'on the rocks' without rocks before! It was the "this is not just any vodka, this is Russian Vodka-and we know how to drink it and will demonstrate, please join us" selling point that made it for me, and this was what they taught.

Take shot of vodka
Down it as quickly as possible
With a plastic fork, immediately precede the vodka with a mouthful of baked beans (why baked beans? Who bloody knows)
Enjoy ther feeling of warmth in your belly....

5 Hours later, after singing (this was hysterical) Russian folk songs with guitar and drum-AND local indians on train who seemed to be immensly enjoying the whole spectacle.
"Shit-its my stop! Where did the time go? " Me grabbing bags
"Hey let me help you!" Russian guitar player and singer tries desperately to put my rucksack on my shoulders upside down for about 5 minutes
"I have to get off! Please just give me my bag eeek!" I jump off train, and train leaves, with 1 American, 20 Indian, 3 Russian, faces pressed against the windows grinning wildly at me. The train departs. I turn around, realise I am in a new station, with rucksack, that I've left my hiking boots on the train and that I am completely and totally sozzled. Miraculously I make it to the Ashram, (2 hours, a litre of water and a train journey later) and have sobered up a bit.

I found the Ashram in Kasaragad, Kerela, to be interesting, but didn't stay as long as planned, which is funny, as was the only thing I had planned on this trip back in the UK! However I made a good freind(my room mate) Phylis, from Canada, and we went shopping! THis is also an extremely spiritual activity, and I gained enlightenment about the Salwar Kameez and the Sari. I actually thought there would be more yoga and guided meditation and such likes, but when I got there, I didn't quite understand what was going on except that everyone was lovely, and I did pariticpate in a very beautiful hindu flower ceremony. Following this I have hooked up again with Gertie (from the group previous), and we have been travelling in the really incredibly beautiful Kasaragad district here in Kerela. The thing that makes this place different is that its not mentioned in the lonely planet and there are absolutely no western tourists, so this feels like the most authentic Indian experience to date!

We have been 'guests' of a rich plantation owner near the hill station of Kottancherry, and have been visiting beautiful temples in amazing places, been on the river (50 metres away from the sea), visited a monkey Island, rode the plantation owners nearly wild and un-saddled (IN -TER EST -ING!) elephant, who was actually quite docile and sweet and I felt like the whole experience was even more exciting for the local villagers than it was for us, due to their intense and shocked stares! We visited temples in the hills, and have seen the most spectaculr views. We hung out with the plantation workers, who showed us how they extracted rubber from the trees. At mealtimes, we were fed by the most lovely lady Vilasani (the plantation owners wife, who got up every morning at 4pm to meditate for 2 hours), and whilst we ate we had either her or the servants watching, in a rather fascinated and slightly disconcerting way! Vilasani actually commented on our eating with right hand skills and gave us a spoon! (obviously 4 months experience still leaves me looking like a westerner).

After all the amazing experiences however, we were a little bit shocked, as we thought we had heard 2,500 ruppees as the price for our excursion and accomodation. What he actually had said, was 12,500 ruppees! We were unimpressed, and less wealthy afterwards. See next post above for more pics...