Chennai

We skipped the train ride here.. there was a bomb on a train between Delhi and Pakistan... so we flew. Not sure whats more dangerous.. having to face the the taxi ride back to the airport or flying India's version of easyjet...called 'spicejet.' They give you yummy biscuits and bottles of water on the plane.

We leave the airport.. now wise to the aircon taxi ride trick and head for our hotel. By the time we arrive its dark and the street our hotel is in looks rather dodgy. Chennai ( what used to be called Madras) is similar to Mumbai - big, busy and loud, however, the streets are wider here so more traffic to negotiate at every turn.

We check into our room.
No window again.
It still looks safer than the darkening street outside.

We attempt to walk the street. We last 5 minutes. We are the only westerners and suddenly not feeling so touristy anymore. We find a shopping center, once again, so overwhelmed we are blinded and find ourselves in a pizza hut ... I hate that crap and my last time in one of their restaurants was on the Durban beachfront aged about 10 - but we would have taken anything except for the flea infested, disease ridden street food on offer.

Afterwards, we attempt to walk around again. To our delight we find the 5 star hotel round the corner. The pattern is emerging as we head in to use the facilities.. toilets, lounge and coffee shop. Safe.

The next morning our street doesn't look any better. We are leaving for Mamallapuram - 55km's away. We hire a taxi as to avoid the bus station. The cab driver fills up with gas. I look around, we are sitting on a bench above the gas tank. Oh well.. ..