It has been awhile, I didn’t make any entries in Chennai or Madurai. While I didn’t have the energy for written entries I did record audio notes of my days in Chennai and Madurai. I also took hundreds of photos in the last few days – I’ve even edited some of them; just so you know I haven’t been slacking off. I was only in Chennai over night. I enjoyed the Hotel – it was great. All the luxuries I’ve been missing – an internet connection in the room and indirect lighting. The light was warm, friendly even - not sterile and without shadow. It had character. I read, had a few beers and slept.
The desire to learn English is very strong, strong enough to motivate a couple of airline stewardesses to approach me for conversation at breakfast. Let me preface this by saying that we no longer have these types of stewardesses in America; all of America’s stewardesses have been eliminated. We have progressed to airline attendants - highly educated, motivated, strong of character, long on experience; and let me tell you, the moment something happens I want these people about, until that time, can I please at least in India air out the small part of me that remains primitive, chauvinistic and a wee bit sexist and enjoy the young, naïve, the non-male, the smiling stewardesses of yesterday as preserved in the emerging market of India. To those of the politically correct persuasion; I applaud our progress in the name of fairness and eliminating the scourge of sexism, however, I plead with you give me a moment to wallow in my unenlightened past. The stewardesses are all young, slim and beautiful – again let me emphasize it doesn’t matter a bit.
Anyways it wasn’t as if they exposed their womanhood to me they just wanted to make small talk, ask a few questions and be complimented on their English.. Some of the stewardesses are so petite that they have negative hips. They are so narrow that they add space to the universe.
The next day I went to the airport the long way, by way of Fort Saint George and the Municipal Beach. The Fort was a disappointment. I thought I would be able to see the Bay of Bengal from the Fort, but no luck only the typical military museum. What is it with these army guys that they have to have a museum at every Fort with canons and swords?
The Beach was more interesting, the poverty and the dirt, but a very wide beach. I probably didn’t get closer than one hundred yards to the water. I didn’t want to get out of sight of the taxis. I guess it would have been fine to trust the guy, but after I had my cell phone stolen I’m not in much of a trusting mood.
I’m starting to fade, dealing with the stewardess issue in a straight forward yet sensitive manner took it out of me, so let’s fast forward – I’m in Bangalore. I got a 7 pm flight on Air Deccan out of Madurai. The day started early as have all the days in Madurai. I had breakfast and then took a walk to the river. I wanted to photograph the cows grazing around the meandering flow of the river – not much more that a stream at this time of year. It ended up about a 2 mile walk – I only had to back track once. Upon my return I planned on working on the internet but Sathya showed up with the schedule for the day schedule. He had made arrangements for me to meet with Professor V. – the technology guru of Aravind. I first meet him at the London 06 meeting of the 20/20 Technology Committee. Since this isn’t a work journal I’m will turn away from the professional.
Can’t keep my eyes open, so I will end here
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