I got to Pondicherry at about 5am yesterday morning. Had to get 3 buses from Kodai so had been travelling all afternoon and night, but was with a nice friend I'd met in Kodai so that was good. Half way we stopped for a few hours at the Villupuram bus station to while away some time before morning. After geting a rickshaw to the station to check if ther was an early train (no) and waking up some guesthouse owners to see if they had a room (no! In fact one very firmly told me to get out!) we decided to just drink tea and chat to the nice guys at the shop by the bus station. At 4 am Paul and I decided to get on our respective buses and said our farewells. Onthe way to Pondicherry my head kept banging against the handrail as I dropped off, squashed up against the window and with a man falling asleep on my shoulder. I ran off the bus after someone woke me up at Pondicherry bus stand, and got immediately accosted by rickshaw drivers as is normally the case. I said "give me 5 minutes to wake up", threw my bag on the floor and sat down on the curb to get my senses together. As I was looking around I noticed something was wrong. I was feeling around my pockets and couldn't find my wallet. I looked in my bag but was sure I'd had it in my trouser pocket. I knew it must have fallen out on the bus which was long gone...
So I jumped in the rickshaw and asked him if he knew where the bus was going. He did, so I said "Follow that bus!" - it was the first time I've been in a chase situation and it was certainly exciting as the wind blew through the open sides of the rickshaw and we overtook trucks, buses and motorbikes. We went about 2 km and the bus wasn't where it was supposed to be. "3 km more!" the rickshaw drivershouted and he hurtled down the quiet streets of Pondicherry. Finally, we got to where the bus had stopped and I ran onto the bus where the conductor was counting his money and writing down his accounts. Searched around on the floor and couldn't see the wallet and was about to give up when I saw it poking out from between the seat and the window. Relief and joy were my initial reactions and I thanked the driver, got back in the rickshaw and told the driver to take me to the beach. As I got off at the promenade where people were doing their morning exercises and walks, it was just starting to get light. I chucked my backpack on the wall next to the unattractive beach of rocks and lay down next to the other people who choose to sleep on the beach because they don't have homes and they work in the city.
Woke up and watched the sunrise over the misty horizon and at about 10am I made my way to Pulumkupam, a small suburb of Pondy where a friend I met in Goa is living with an Indian boyfriend and his family. They're building a cultural centre where they can teach traditional martial arts, yoga, indian herbal medicines and where people can stay and learn about Tamil culture. It's a stunning spot 5 minutes from the sea and surrounded by banana trees and animals of all shapes and sizes. Mamma feeds us every mealtime and we spend the rest of the day working on building the huts, clearing the land and feeding the cows. The milkman comes twice a day to milk them and takes it to Pondy to sell. It's a simple but hugely satisfying way of life and I've been welcomed with open arms. The only downside is that the mosquitoes don't rest all day and night, but that's s minor complaint...
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