Today I started my ride really early - I was out the door at 7:30am. Condisering I went out last night, I was happy with the start. The road was awesome and scenary so pleasant that I reached chidamrabm at 11:30am clokcing 70km in about 3:15 hours! Wish all days are like that!! I really enjoyed being on the bike and stopped only for a quick breakfast.

After reaching Chidambaram i directly went to the Nataraja temple. This is the largest Shiva temple in the south and believers flock here for homage and ceremonies. Its lives up to the typical south Indian temple standard – awesome Gopuram, wide ornate Madhup and a small diety temple. I got witness lot of ritual and vedic chanting.

Pic 1. Gopuram of Shiva / Nataraja temple - Chidambaram.

I had my train at 2:50 from Chidambaram to Madurai – so i spent the next two hours having a lavish lunch. Well actually my train was at 2:50 am (I know my family will be laughing hysterically now, but i’m just me…). Well that me in to a tough spot, and my Madurai dream where at risk. The ticket guy suggested i go to the nearby Vidyachalam.

I took a bus to Vidyachalam which was 50 km and convinced the conductor to put my bike on top. I was a bit nervous hoping that the bike will stay there. Finally I reached Vidyachalam station at 4:30pm and the ticket guys told me that I can get on the midnight Madurai train, by 5:45 i even got a confirmed reservation. So well a great day didn’t end that bad ;). Infact I met a couple travelling from Israel ahnd had a dinner with then and shared a lotof tit bits about inida. We dicussed how annoying the horns of Indian vheicles are and how people love to honk!! I wish we can curtail the horn noise..

Well i’m currently Madurai bound hopefully I will get there by morning to check out the Mennaski temple and continue the ride to join Tulika and Rahul who are already 55 km from Madurai! Madurai and rendevous time!!