Thalassery or Tellicherri ... take your pick

From Mysore I headed west to Madekeri, a hill station in the Western Ghats. The reason I headed there was to break my journey back to the coast, and to visit the Golden Temple at Namdroling Monestary, nearby. See pictures below.

Today I got the bus to Thalassery (also called Tellicherry), on the coast, whose claim to fame, among other things, is as the birthplace of Hermann's Hesse's mother - god bless her.

Today, however, was a bit trying ... it started last night actually.

The hotel room was actually not bad ... and the TV had a gizillion channels. I watched the movie The Dream Team (pretty good - Michael Keaton) and the power stayed on for the WHOLE movie!!! Great. I'd just put the light out when there was a knock at the door - would I please pay my breakfast bill? Geez ... I paid the 30 rupees (.75cents) and went to sleep, only to be woken at 4:30 by slamming of doors, and loud voices - apparently, as I later found out, a group checked in at that time ...

I have to tell you that Indians can be some of the noisiest people you will ever meet.!

When I did get up, there was no hot water. Now normally this would not annoy me, but when I had checked in, the room they showed me had no shower, so I shelled out an extra $3.00 for one that had one .. with promises of 24 hr hot water.

So bleary-eyed I headed to the bus station and found the bus to Thalassery. As usual, the seats were spaced about 2'' closer than I needed have room for my knees ... but what the heck, it's only abt 100kms to the coast - how long can that take?


6 hours is the answer. 2 1/2 hours of tha to cover 26kms coming down off the hills, on one of the worst roads I have ever been on ... and that's a lot of
roads.! Not that the driver was being over cautious .. he was a speed demon! .. people were throwing up, those at the back of the bus literally rising off their seats! The last 20kms or so, on a fairly good road were insane ... full speed, horn blaring, passing everything ... I was scared to look.
Quite a ride for $1.50

I headed for the hotel I had researched on the net from travellers sites, The Paris Residency ... When I looked at the room it didn't sound at all like the description I'd read - it was pretty basic, but at least clean (by Indian Standards) so I took it - after all it was only 120 rupees ($4.00)

It was only after I'd checked in and went in search of some food I saw the hotel I was supposed to have found .. The Paris Presidency ... a swish looking place with an elevator no less! I bet they even give you toilet paper there!

Then it was on to the train station to make some onward reservations to Varkala ... only to find that the reservation office closes at 2:00 ... ahhh well .. go with the flow. Manyana.

On first inspection Thalassery looks like most Indian towns. Some of the words that come to mind are shabby, decrepid, squalid, faded, fetid or one of my mum's favorites, tatty ....

India is like that. It's only after you have been in a place for a while you see the other things .. the amazing architecture, the elegant women in their silk saris, the flowers growing in the garbage, the call from the mosques at sunset, temple bells ....

It seems whatwever conclusions I try to come to about India, as soon as I come to them, I get contradicted.

Anyways .. that's all for now .... off in search of dinner ....


























Temple at Sera Jhe, a large Tibetan Monastry in Southern India