Pondicherry

Emerging from the chaos and hectic less touristy part of a poorer state, we have just arrived in Pondicherry, back on the tourist route. We had a cappucino and baguette today - fresh and excellent!
It was quite a challenge travelling where fewer tourists go - the hotels are good and clean but it is definitely Indian food three times a day - great coffee in the south. I even like the food but it gets a bit much seeing similar stuff three times a day! Curry for breakfast - quite nice - reminds me of 25 years ago in Sri Lanka with 2 babies in tow! We enjoyed the temples but found that there was not much else to see or do - so we used the hotel room as a refuge for a couple of hours each day.
The noise never stops!!! The bus driver definitely converses with a honk at everything on the road - he is the biggest vehicle and makes the loudest and most persistent horn noises. He warns everything in his way that he is coming. In fact, the bus driver has a special little lever that allows him to toot all the time. It is so hard on my ear drums - the drivers must go deaf eventually. Then the rickshaw driver has his specially installed horn as well - its little sound to go with a little vehicle. Size and noise of horns are in direct proportion.
Tamil Nadu, the state that we are in now is poorer than Kerala where we have just come from. You can see it in the housing and rundown nature of everything. Also, English is hardly spoken. Yesterday, I asked the reception at the hotel if he spoke English. He said - yes, so ..I asked why so many people shave their heads and put a yellow powder on their head. He tried to take me to a hair dresser - guess that his English was not as good as he professed. Anyways, apparently shaved heads are for good luck. ...Right now I have a lot of curls on my head - and I still expect to wash and wear after 5 months without a haircut! Clive is going for his third haircut soon!

We expect to slow down and enjoy the amenities here for the next week or so. I shall probably find a yoga class and then we will entertain ourselves between looking for some interesting food to try.