Toot Toot from Chennai

Well we finally arrived in Chennai (Madras) at 8:30pm Tuesday night after an overnight in Kulala Lumpor. Very hot and steamy in this marpt of the world and when we arrived last night, upon exiting the terminal, we were met by what looked like the whole 1.065 billion Indians waiting for us.

In the middle of this sea oh humanity was a smart young man dressed in white and with a white captain's cap holding a sign, "Residency Towers - Whiteman/Finlayson". It was comforting to know that all my internet booking and reservations for airport pickup had made it through and soon enough we were sitting in Ramesh's car ready for the trip into our hotel.

The next few minutes, our first moments in India, can only be described as bedlam! As soon as the car started and we moved out into the parking lot lanes the traffic became chaotic. And then the horns started, non-stop honking of bikes, cars trucks and anthing else on wheels. It was like the start of the Le Mans race but only in the suburbs of Chennai. I think I had my eyes closed for most of the 30 minute trip into out hotel but the few times I opened them all I could see were a mass of cars and auto rickshaws honking, tooting and swerving around and about each other.

How nobody wasn't killed in this melee is a miracle but Ramesh assured us that this was completely normal for Chennai traffic. Even though it was 9pm, the streets were alive with food sellers and other stalls happening along the way. It was complete pandemonium and an introduction to India neither of us will ever forget. I think the best and most frightening scene was at a busy round-about where I saw 2 trucks, 4 cars, 2 auto-rickshaws and several bikes, without any lights I might add, all heading for us as we entered the round-about and in the middle of all this madness were 2 guys trying to cross the road!

But we made it and our hotel, the Residency Towers, was like an oasis in the middle of all the craziness. A beautiful lobby and a 5 star room were a welcome sight and soon after checking in we changed some money and headed for the Bike and Barrel bar which was packed and had music blaring... only the best of course.. Dire Straits, Jimi Hendrix and Deep Purple were on the DJs play list and after a couple of beers we headed for our room for our first night in India.

Let the adventure proper begin.............