Day 27 ctd - Hoping for any standard of room that did not have mosquitos we headed for the New Guest House run by the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. For Rs. 200 a night our expectations were basic but we disovered a lovely clean bug free room with balcony. The only rules were 10.30pm - 5.30am curfew, no smoking, drinking or eating in rooms and shoes off inside and in return we got a pretty courtyard garden and rooms labelled with personality traits (Heroism seemed fitting after our bug experiences). After a visit to the near empty Puducherry Rail Station to find out about the two trains a day, we walked back over the open air canal (sewer) before a stroll along the peaceful promenade with the waves crashing against the pier and rocks. After almost a month our first proper English breakfast tea was a delight at Le Cafe where we looked out over the Bay of Bengal. Due to a lack of all cold drinks and most food items and with a darkening sky we went for an early dinner at La Terrasse. Yummy pizzas from an actual pizza oven followed (we disliked the grape toping but apple and pineapple worked well) and a tasty fried banana split finished off a great dinner and also helped us avoid the brief rain shower. 30seconds later we were back at the ashram, ready for an early night.

Day 28 - It was a hot and sunny day in Pondy and we left the Ashram early, heading to Kasha Ki Aasha art gallery cafe for a delicious jam and honey pancake breakfast on the rooftop, we even had a cute cat family join us. Full up, we went to the large Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception before a stroll through the Goubert Market - mostly filled with fresh (ish) fish including shark. We walked down MG Road (Pondy's only real busy road) to reach a nice temple. Having completed some bargain shopping we even found the Ashram's Post Office, as well as its personalised truck! Puducherry Museum was great for Rs. 2 with a random mix of french furniture, pottery and different types of stones (Matt S you would have loved it!) Following a stroll through Bharathi Park to Government Square we ate lunch in a cheap local place which rapidly became full - where did all the people come from in quiet Pondy?! Wandering through the Sri Manakala Vinayager Temple we made it to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram just as it reopened and spent a quiet few minues with the flower covered samadhi of the Mother, a peaceful moment. With a very toasty walk to a little art gallery we saw some beautiful pieces from India including photos from many places we had visited. Although we understood little in the Pave ar Bharathidsan Memorial Museum a kind attendant produced a leaflet in English, helping us learn about the life and works of the poet. A smattering of temples en route, we found the impressive yellow Insitut Francais de Pondicherry and the French Consulate before a sea front walk to the Old Lighthouse and Gandhi statue. After admiring the Customs House, Hotel de Ville, War Memorial, vast Notre Dame des Anges and compulsory milkshake stop we found the Alliance Francaise and the Meera Mosque. With a service going on, the red and white Sacred Heart Church was buzzing and we sat listening to the hymns as the sun went down. Au Feu de Bois brought us more wood-fired pizza, though a subsequent disagreement over cookie content in our dessert may have left us banned from Pizza Hut for life (are you too poor to pay?!) We quickly retreated to the safety and stillness of the Ashram.

Day 29 - After an Ashram breakfast we were sad to leave the beautiful quiet coast of Pondy, a place we both thought was very liveable in. On the bus to Chennai Catherine's Mum's point about always leaving plenty of time was well proved as our wheel exploded and we dived away from the hot rubber flying into the bus. We pulled over briefly before the driver clearly decided it was safe to continue. Rapidly gathering speed and bang, more flying rubber - luckily our cramped replacement bus delivered us safely to Chennai.