Chennai to Pondicherry

A nice flat route to ease us in gently 😉

Our intention was to leave Chennai mid morning for a fairly leisurely cycle (around 19km according to Max's spreadsheet) just to ease us in. We were heading for Mahabalipurum by the coast and I was looking forward to it 😀 

The hotel manager was very keen for a photo shoot before we left so patiently waited while  we loaded up the bike. I'd forgotten how stressful this process can be - Max gets anxious as soon as he sees my pannier and starts pressurising me to ditch various items! I've tried my best to travel light and be as organised as possible but there are limits and a girl has standards to maintain 🤣

After what felt like an age we were ready and after a quick photo shoot we set off down the little leafy side road where we'd been staying. In my mind I'd rehearsed us getting onto the main road which lay head of us - it was pretty busy with cars, tuk tuks and bicycles everywhere. The constant sound of horns adds to the chaos and creates a sense of urgency too. That said it wasn't as busy as Hanoi and so I figured if we could do that (which we did) then we could definitely do this. We hadn't even reached the main road though before noticing that the mudguard stays were bent and seemed to be rubbing on the back wheel. We stopped to take a look and before long several passersby were stopping to observe and offer their advice/opinions 😉.  Max tried his best to fix the problem but eventually decided we should go back to the hotel to try and fix it there (away from the ever increasing audience that was gathering). They were a little surprised to see us but very welcoming all the same and about twenty minutes later we were on our way for real, onto the main road with the problem seemingly fixed 🤞🤞

It felt good to be on the road and it was exciting to imagine what lay ahead. Cycling out of towns is a great way to observe and soak up the atmosphere. Local people going about their daily routines and the hustle and bustle of ordinary everyday life. Just as it did in Asia, the tandem immediately attracted attention and we were constantly flanked by cyclists and motorcyclists smiling and waving, often riding alongside us to chat. It's great fun 😁 

Our first main challenge came a few miles in when we were routed onto a series of side roads taking us down to the river. This is a great way to soak in the more rural way of life as we pass through small settlements and cycle directly past peoples' houses/huts. The kids in particular get very excited but many of the adults did too and there were several looks which seemed to say "what on earth...."😂😂

We cycled along the river for a while but the track gradually worsened and we were forced to turn around and re route back onto the main road. Max is always so good at thinking us out of these situations and we always manage to escape without too much hassle 👏👏👏

The second challenge came when, according to the Kamoot route we had "arrived" only to realise the location of our hotel had been incorrectly posted on Google maps meaning we had a further 26km to go! We decided a lunch stop  was needed and luckily we found a roadside restaurant, called Geetham, which was a branch of one we'd eaten at (and really enjoyed) in Chennai. It was clearly a very popular haunt and it's easy to see why. We had a fabulous lunch - dosas, rice and saag paneer - all delicious and washed down with a mango lassi. We left feeling re energised and ready to crack on to our destination. The Super O Collection on the outskirts of Mahabalipurum which, based on the pictures we'd seen online, promised a luxurious night. How wrong that turned out to be as it was clearly a scam - the first we've experienced and hopefully the last. It was nothing like the description or photos we'd admired online and was in the middle of nowhere. We arrived to a non existent welcome and to add insult to injury all we could find was a tiny shop selling water and crisps which we had to make do with for our dinner 😬. Thank goodness for our hearty lunch - that would see us through to the next morning. I've posted a review to warn off other potential travellers and it's another valuable lesson learned 😉

Despite the disappointing accomodation we both managed to get a good night's sleep. We'd resolved to set off early and head into Mahabalipurum centre - just a few kms away. First stop was Babu's cafe which turned out to be a great little find 😀.  We were warmly welcomed and while I had a delicious omelette Max ordered dhal and rice which was cooked to order despite not typically being available until lunchtime 😍

The next stop was Mahabalipurum Shore Temple. We hadn't planned to stop here but having realised it's a Unesco heritage site we would have regretted the missed opportunity if we'd skipped it. I'm glad we did because it's the most amazing Chola architectural structure - very reminiscent of the temples we saw at Angkor Wat last year. With the sea as the backdrop it was such a picturesque setting and my only regret was that we didn't see it at sunrise or sunset. I guess you can't always have everything though 🤷 

I left Mahabalipurum thinking we could easily have stayed longer and finding a guest house or hotel in town would have been a much better option. I guess it's all part of the travel experience though and a few duds along the way make us appreciate the hidden gems we also discover 🥰

The ride time/distance to our next destination, CoralBay Farm at Cheyyur, wasn't too challenging. It was a pleasant road, not too busy and lots of trees creating some very welcome shade. We made a quick stop for a cold drink en route and arrived at the farm mid afternoon. It was a beautiful rural location and we recieved a warm welcome and fresh coconut drink from our host, Satish. The accommodation while fairly simple was actually very comfortable and spacious. Satish was really friendly and chatty and went out of his way to help us. Given the remote location he arranged a takeaway to be delivered for our dinner and breakfast the next morning. It wasn't the best food we've eaten but it was more than adequate and we were very grateful indeed. 

We'd planned to leave around 9am the next morning so as to arrive in Pondicherry at lunchtime. Satish was really keen to give us a guided tour around the farm before we left and we politely accepted. Actually it was lovely, he chatted non stop which was very endearing. All the animals - turkeys, chickens, cows and goats were all very well looked after and the baby goat in particular was absolutely adorable 😍 

Having said our goodbyes we set off and our first stop was the remains of Alamparai Fort - apparently built by the French and subsequently destroyed by the British. Another beautiful setting, not commercialised in any way. The locals were very welcoming and when we stopped for a quick photo a young lad pointed out to me that I'd dropped my purse. It must have fallen out when I pulled my phone out of my bumbag 🫣. I was so grateful and really hope I managed to adequately convey that through the language barrier 🙏🙏

We set off again and a couple of young lads cycled past us and egged Max into a bit of a race. He didn't need asking twice and we managed to overtake them briefly until I called time before it got out of hand. Max reluctantly agreed 😂😂

The route continued along small country roads with plenty of shade. We passed through lots of small settlements and each time we were greeted with plenty of smiles and waves. It's so uplifting and such a wonderful experience, although I'm also very mindful of the poverty and wonder how difficult the lives of these people must actually be. Yet still, they radiate warmth and hospitality at every turn. 

After a while we were back on the main road - still very pleasant - not too busy and with a fair amount of shade. We found a nice roadside cafe to stop for a cold drink and Max did some fine tuning on the bike before we continued the last few miles into Pondicherry. We were really looking forward to a week's rest, some sightseeing and more lovely food 😋 

We reached the centre and were surprised at how busy it was. Scooters and tuk tuks everywhere and horns constantly blasting. Max seems completely unflappable but it's going to take me a bit longer to get used to it 🫣🫣. Again we struggled to find where we were staying - Mel Ville apartments on Google maps was in reality an off licence  - but eventually we did find it and what a wonderful welcome we recieved from Mehak and Anup. 

We were shown to our apartment, having been upgraded to the top floor penthouse - complete with private terrace and fabulous views 🤩. The apartment itself was beautiful - absolutely immaculate and clearly decorated and furnished with love 😍.  Mehak invited us for lunch served in their apartment on the floor below below which we did after a quick shower and change. Oh wow, it was an absolute feast and we quickly realised what an amazing cook Mehak was. We were blown away by the hospitality extended to us and this was just the start. I felt sure we were going to really enjoy our stay in Pondicherry whatever the weather had in store for us 🤩🤩

Our farewell photo shoot with Mr Rajamurugam 

Back again to fix the bike 😂

Our first re-route 🫣

The moment we realised we still had 26 km to go and a busy road to cross!!

Arriving at the Super O Collection - a disappointing stay 😔

Breakfast at Babu's cafe the next morning made up for it though 😋 

The Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram - Unesco heritage site 

Max loving his first temple stop 🤣

Mahishasura Mardini Cave - an awesome architectural structure 🤩🤩

A very friendly local asking for a photo 🤩

Rush hour - the cows have right of way!

"I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts "🤣🤣

Our first sunset at CoralBay Farm- hoping for lots more of these🤞🤞

CoralBay Farm - a really nice rural homestay 

This little squirrel was very feisty 😍

Feeding the friendly turkeys. Vegetarian Xmas dinner for me 😂

Yhe animals were very well looked after 😍

This adorable baby goat was a wriggler 😍🤣

This lighthouse reminded me of the helter skelter at Latitude 🤩

The guy on the right rescued my purse 😍

Alamparai Fort - worth the detour 🤩