Updates from Kodaikanal

I’m probably going to do many brief update posts this trip since most days have a few adventures, even if not a day long story. Plus I’m lazy.

I went for a run this morning and nearly got lost which can be less than ideal in a crowded unfamiliar town where you can barely understand the language. Aside from that hiccup, the run was great. The weather this high up is cooler than I could ever hope for elsewhere in India and the elevation presents a bit of a nice challenge on the lungs.

We went to Suicide point and a few other vantage points at the edge of some of the hills. After hiking through the woods alongside monkeys for a bit, we found steep drop offs, the bottoms of which we couldn’t even see through the clouds below. Despite every view only being a variation or different perspective on the landscape we’ve experienced since yesterday, it’s incredible every time.

Driving was fun again, if you can’t tell I really enjoy the travel and will probably ramble about it a lot. There’s something rather cozy and exciting about bumping along Indian streets through torrential downpours. So many people are so used to the rain that despite monsoons being vomited from the skies, people keep walking through the streets in crowds going about their business. Only now, the mass of people and cars are trying to get to their destinations a little quicker and while avoiding the rivers winding through the streets. It’s all one big chaotic, exciting mess. On an aside we’ve now encountered two note-worthy road blocks since our arrival. First a fight that broke out between two cars in front of us, whose ensuing mini mob was entertaining, a tad scary and only managed to cause a half-hour delay for a lot of vehicles. Second, we ran into some marriage related festivities. Over a hundred people proceeded through the street dancing, playing drums, carrying idols and carrying out various other traditions.