My colleague and I stayed in Chennai for 2 days, then headed off to Pondicherry. Pondicherry is where the volunteer training will take place and so where we needed to be to start organising it all. The task of preparing a 5 day orientation for 7 volunteers is quite daunting, especially as I have only been in India a week myself!
Anyway, we took the 4 hour bus journey to Pondicherry, and somehow I slept for a fair bit of it. I say 'some how' because there was (of course) the buses horn going off every 6 seconds, dust flying through the windows (can you call them windows when there's no glass and it's just a whole?), and we had our rucksacks where our legs should have been. But as many of you will know, Ruth will not miss her sleep! Regardless of what's going on :)
I'm not sure how many of you have the pleasure of recieving photos from Jo C's of funny Ugandan signs (like BEWARE! falling Mangos), but I saw a great sign as we flew past in the bus. It said 'Buy one shoe, get the other free!'. Well you can't beat that can you?!
Pondicherry is a very nice place which has a very meditaranian kind of feel. It was colinised by the French and so we have the benefit of croissants, pastries and really nice bread! Didn't think I'd get that in India. Pondi is on the coast, and the flat is about a 10 min walk from the beach. It's quite rocky near the water, so you can't go swimming. But if you pretended all the people around you were English, you could be a blackpool beach. You can like plastic toys, games and anything else that you think is a great idea, but you never use again. They sell popcorn and ice lollys. Honestly, it's quite bizare sometimes!
Anyway, we took the 4 hour bus journey to Pondicherry, and somehow I slept for a fair bit of it. I say 'some how' because there was (of course) the buses horn going off every 6 seconds, dust flying through the windows (can you call them windows when there's no glass and it's just a whole?), and we had our rucksacks where our legs should have been. But as many of you will know, Ruth will not miss her sleep! Regardless of what's going on :)
I'm not sure how many of you have the pleasure of recieving photos from Jo C's of funny Ugandan signs (like BEWARE! falling Mangos), but I saw a great sign as we flew past in the bus. It said 'Buy one shoe, get the other free!'. Well you can't beat that can you?!
Pondicherry is a very nice place which has a very meditaranian kind of feel. It was colinised by the French and so we have the benefit of croissants, pastries and really nice bread! Didn't think I'd get that in India. Pondi is on the coast, and the flat is about a 10 min walk from the beach. It's quite rocky near the water, so you can't go swimming. But if you pretended all the people around you were English, you could be a blackpool beach. You can like plastic toys, games and anything else that you think is a great idea, but you never use again. They sell popcorn and ice lollys. Honestly, it's quite bizare sometimes!
And below is a pic of the lovely Pony flat, where we stay when we're not travelling around.
Here is one last pic of Pondy in the monsoon. It was pretty cool to get caught up in it!
Anyway, I best be off and do some work. Hope you're all well!
Anyway, I best be off and do some work. Hope you're all well!
Hehe! That made me smile the thought of Blackpool in India!
ReplyDeleteGlad you got to your new place safely.