28-31 July 2013
Chennai, India
Familiarity breeds contempt. Or in this case, it breeds complacency. This was my third trip to Chennai, and my second solo trip there.
As a result, I neglected to bring the face masks and the glasses and the sense of heightened alertness. I didn't check the hotel booking or transport arrangement, easily assuming that it would have been all sorted for me. Unfortunately, the hotel got the timing wrong and there wasn't a car to pick me up. Credit to me-- I didn't panic or get neurotic. Instead I got angry, shouted at some people and made my own arrangements. My only safety precaution was to turn on my Tracker app so that I could be tracked, big difference that would have made in a rapist situation.
On the plus side, being more comfortable with the place also meant I relaxed a little and started to enjoy the city a little more, laugh a little more at its idiosyncrasies, even brush my teeth using tap-water (living dangerously, I know!).
Some things which cracked me up along the way (literally, as I explored Chennai via taxicab)
Scores of old-fashioned taxi cabs reminded me of photos of 60s Singapore
Other discoveries:
1. Chindian food! Never thought to pair black pepper chicken with plain noodles but it goes together so well!
2. Beautiful beach setting 5 minutes from the city centre, and its not even tarted up for tourists. Where is the Sentosa development board when you need them?
Chennai, India
Familiarity breeds contempt. Or in this case, it breeds complacency. This was my third trip to Chennai, and my second solo trip there.
As a result, I neglected to bring the face masks and the glasses and the sense of heightened alertness. I didn't check the hotel booking or transport arrangement, easily assuming that it would have been all sorted for me. Unfortunately, the hotel got the timing wrong and there wasn't a car to pick me up. Credit to me-- I didn't panic or get neurotic. Instead I got angry, shouted at some people and made my own arrangements. My only safety precaution was to turn on my Tracker app so that I could be tracked, big difference that would have made in a rapist situation.
On the plus side, being more comfortable with the place also meant I relaxed a little and started to enjoy the city a little more, laugh a little more at its idiosyncrasies, even brush my teeth using tap-water (living dangerously, I know!).
Some things which cracked me up along the way (literally, as I explored Chennai via taxicab)
The Indian obsession with qualifications |
Roads doubling up as public toilets. Men, back facing the main roads, taking a leek at polite intervals from each other. Even saw a guy rolling up his dhoti ready to take a dump. I didn't linger to watch his progress. |
Other discoveries:
1. Chindian food! Never thought to pair black pepper chicken with plain noodles but it goes together so well!
2. Beautiful beach setting 5 minutes from the city centre, and its not even tarted up for tourists. Where is the Sentosa development board when you need them?