Mamallapuram and Pondicherry

As we have already left dear India here's a quick recount of the last adventures there.

We spent a week back in the South, in Tamil Nadu. The little fishing village and tourist spot Mamallapuram was originally not in our plans at all but one thing that we got used to during this trip I suppose was changing plans as we go along. Have never yet regretted that either. :)

Mamallapuram is a balm for ones soul after coming from the North. It is literally a little sleeping village, not a noise on the street other than slurps of people having real coffee in little French cafes by the road or a lone tourist bus or a bicycle going by. The beach is very much a real fishing beach, meaning one is not really tempted to go swimming there but Mamallapuram is still one of those blessed places where people always wear a smile and where they end up hanging around much longer than they planned. Oh yes, for travellers who are not in a stage where just being, and just chilling in cafes and the nature is a perfectly acceptable and utterly enjoyable activity, for people looking for some cultural things do do- Mamallapuram is also famous for its temples, rock carvings and other historic monuments. The carvers of this little village are some of the most sought after in the world, this was what we kept hearing from the locals themselves time after time. Sweet little place!

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On to Pondicherry, a town very much influenced by the French and it shows. Walking down the promenade and the avenues lined with beautiful blooming trees, one does not feel to be in India at all. It is pleasant, it is quiet, it is clean in Indian standards. We spent way too much money for satisfying some accumulated food cravings (olives, gherkins, blue cheese- oh yeah :) ), visited the Sri Aurobindo ashram and to say goodbye to India had a few cups of "secret tea", which tasted remarkably like beer. :)

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So this is the end of our planned trip.
And the beginning of the unplanned one.

Where to now? As Bob Dylan says, "The answer is blowing in the wind." All we really knew was that we were not ready to return to the cold Europe yet.
And to answer one of his own questions "How does it feel?" I can say- it feels really really great! :)