We were unable to book a train to our next destination (Pondicherry) because all the tourist level seats were already taken i.e. aircon and soft seatubg. At 7:30 am with a packed breakfast in our bag, we just turned up at the railway station and joined the locals on the lowest class of seated accommodation existing on Indian railways. The seats were hard, the carriage crowded and we were not seated together (Ryanair learned their seat allocation rules here). When the train pulled away, the Indian aircon was activated - They opened the windows. One man moved a number of bags along the overhead luggage racks, then climbed up and went to sleep, with accompanying sound effects.

Heather started talking to and smiling to the children around us - One girl about 4 years old, was making funny faces back to Heather but it took us a while to realise she was mimicking Heather's smile …… When 4-year olds take the P***, maybe it is time to reassess your communication style. The whole journey was hectic, people selling food, toys, chai and general curios punctuated by railway police patrolling the coaches. A visit to the toilet was interesting as one could see the rail track rushing by under the loo - The outside doors were all swinging open and shut with people hanging out of the train, as it sped along from station to station. Before we realised it, four and a half hours had passed by and we arrived in Pondicherry in a strangely amused and light-hearted mood.

Pondicherry, did not gain independence from the French until 1954, seven years after India gained independence from British rule in 1947 and there is still strong evidence of French influence. Most of the streets are prefixed "Rue"- Our street was "Rue Suffren" which Heather thought was appropriate for hangovers. Nice bakeries with fresh baguettes in the morning …. Men in striped tops and berets on bicycles carrying onions (OK, maybe I'm getting carried away). The town was on the coast (Bay of Bengal) and seemed to be a getaway spot from the big cities - accommodation was almost all booked out, forcing us to stay in two separate locations - The first place "Le Maison" was a little strange, it kept a low profile, having no signage but a subtle "62" on the door - the routine was to ring the bell three times and when the door was opened the phrase "a visitor for Le Maison" gained you entry.

The town had a nice relaxed vibe and we spent 4 days exploring it - atmospheric side streets, temples, statues (Gandhi , Nehru et al) and three very large Catholic churches/cathedrals. I may have forgot to mention that bars and restaurants were also in abundance and they served alcohol (openly) - the exploration continued. In the evening the streets adjacent to the promenade were all closed to motor vehicles and the chilled flow of pedestrian traffic enhanced the tranquillity of the area. No Tuk-Tuks this time just a lot of walking, sometimes with our large rucksacks, pretty tiring but that's what travelling is all about.