Eight hours, three buses, a pee break on a mountain road, a boy catching his spew nearly projectile vomiting over us later, we arrived in the busy Indian tourist hill station of Kodaikanal.

Being lead to a room by a tout who was calling me his friend, disappointed me as we were offered a kitchen table with a mattress and a single bed, higher than the price we agreed, having made us walk 5 minutes downhill with our packs, I announced the break up of our ten minute friendship. The hostel we were originally going to turned out to have spectacular views and within our budget. We clinched the offer without looking too desperate because we didn't have any negotiating power.

We were looking forward to eating steamed momos at a Tibetan restaurant, shame the momos weren't up to scratch, but my noodles were spicy! I enjoyed the first few mouthfuls but had to get some liquids down to extinguish the flames in my mouth!

The discovery of the lassi in the carton (rose flavoured), and only ten rupees! Not that amazing in taste but a brainstorming evening with the potential creation of a new cocktail called the Vodka 65 or Gin 65 could prove to be a winner. The menus have a dish called a Chicken 65, it is basically dry chicken and I think the 65 represents the price.

I'm amused by the reaction of the Indians when they see Dan, so we end up laughing at them too, rather than with them! Some of them sound so aggressive when they are practicing their English, almost offensive! There are some people who just gawp at him, with wide eyes and open mouths, and some people are just scared of him! The usual is questions like 'what is your name?' and 'where are you from?' welcomed with smiling happy faces and hand shakes.

Day began with a confusing road system which delayed the arrival at the closed bakery, the waterfall was a pathetic trickle, so decided to numb our bums on a cycle ride around the lake and shoot some balloons with an air gun for time pass!

All the direct buses to Pondicherry were all booked up and didn't shy away from the idea of the true traveler's way… by government bus! We planned the stop over in Madurai, where we were to catch an overnight bus to Pondicherry. Hunger had struck and we had a selection of restaurants to choose from, but the first one we walked into had service second to none. We were treated like kings, with a never ending thali. After our feast on the banana leaf we explored the bus stand, which was a copy paste of three or four shops, selling pretty much the exact items! I bought a charger for the camera cheap, later finding out it hadn't charged…

For the two tallest blokes on the bus we had been allocated the two smallest seats above the wheel arch. Luckily the back seats weren't taken and I was quick to join my pack for an eventful journey to Pondi.