10th December 2004 – Chennai to Pondicherry 5 hours

We caught the 6am bus to Pondicherry which was actually quite pleasurable as it followed the coast road so the views of the sea and lush green scenery was stunning, that was until an Indian film started playing (we paid for a tourist bus) at a distorted volume which was painful to the ears. This happens a lot in India, they love noise.
We booked into the Suya Swatiska (meaning good karma) which was basic (Rs150/ 1.80 per night) but friendly.
Pondicherry is a former French colony so it has some beautiful well preserved architecture. You turn a corner and find yourself walking down a spotlessly clean French like avenue. The police wear white uniforms and red kapis (caps). Pondicherry has an ashram which attracts a lot of westerners who float around in traditional dress. Oh its good for shopping to but as we had only been away for a week I can’t justify a shopping trip YET! Pondicherry is somewhere I would definitely revisit it its charming.
We managed to meet Rachel (who I used to work with) and Zac who have been traveling India for 5 ½ months so it was great to see them and get an update on their travels. They were staying in Auroville where we hired a moped to drop in on them. Auroville was set up in 1968 which was an experiment in international living where ‘people could live in peace and progressive harmony above all creeds, politics and nationalities’. There is people from about 33 diferent countries and travelers can stay on site doing voluntary work whether it is within computer research, architecture , agriculture, health care etc. Rachel and Zac where volunteering on Solitude Farm staying in a stilted hut. We got a little tour around it, which was really interesting along with the best herbal tea I have ever tasted. The architecture within Auroville was both stunning and experimental.