Rose early to pack and take breakfast. We leave the hotel at 9:15 and Muhtu picks up “Wing Commander” Senuwasen along the way, who chats a lot but ultimately does little for us.
We check-in, buy some cancer sticks for the Duchess and hunker down in the club lounge, where I write up quite a lot.
Board early, Take off early and land early. We actually make contact with the driver, Tuma, before the time we were even due to land!
Some confusion over our destination (41 Lighthouse Street, wheras he thought the Lighthouse Hotel). Then a money stop, water stop, and several attempts to borrow a knife or scissors to liberate Daisy’s medicaments.
Daisy spends much time on phone to Aranthi (a.k.a. George).
Met by Prageeth and Roshan at 41.
We have booked dinner at Galle Fort Hotel. Lovely ambiance, but set meal – still quite a good one. Thai fishcakes, followed by chicken malaise style (not) with a gado-gado salad with corn fritter, prawns, and kerpuk, followed by sorbets (home-made) washed down with a Rose D’Anjou – probably will eat in from now on though.
Then a quick once around the Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple– a dead or ruined temple but in reasonably good condition.
Leaping locals at Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple
Ged [that’s me] downed a drinking coconut (fleshless). Then on to see jacquard silk saris being made – we bought three cotton shirt/kurta things there.
We arrange extra trip to cricket, so agree to do edited highlights of Mahabalipuram. First stop, Bhagriratha’s Penance and the Mandaras, bas-relief’s in rocks and in some porticoes respectively.
Daisy eyes up the Mandaras
Then on to Pancha Rathas (Five Rathas) very elegant ruined temple site which we explored quickly.
Pancha Rathas
Then we set off for the MA Chithambaram stadium. Sanjay points out highlights of Chennai proper on the way (e.g. Saint Thomas’s Church and the ultra long beach).
Then the stadium. Sanjay helps us find the gates for the best seats (Rs.500 not the 200, 100 or Rs.50 seats for us) and takes his leave of us. Unbelievably putrid smell from the toilets. Mr “No Smoke, No Photo” on security and waiting. Loads of people taking photos so we join in only for Mr No Photo to challenge us. Daisy sorts him out.
We see the end of the Zimbabwean innings – and start of the South African innings. Then leave to find Muhtu.
Lots of traffic and interesting scenes on the way home. Find lots of gifts in our room and rapidly a call from the manager who tells us dinner is on him!
Of course we have been moved to the front table as requested last night. He comes down to meet us, everyone (staff) fawns over us while the guests all gawp at us.
We try bouillabaise, then I tried lobster, Daisy tries Khuta fish and we get mash, fries and lots of veggies, just as we asked for them.
As well as the Wasabi mayonnaise we tried yesterday.
The unlisted pictures from Chennai are in the album below:
Rose early at Gateway. Packed grub arrived (chicken sandwiches). So did Jolly & Abhichek on time, as we were for a flight.
We got to the airport right time for check-in to start, in theory. In practice, check-in open half an hour late.
Much haggling over excess baggage with nice check-in man and horrible female enforcer who increases the amount from nine hundred and ninety six to one thousand and sixty rupees. We’ll get by.
After the flight from Visag to Chennai and a drive…
Arrive at Fishermans Cove thanks to driver Muhtu and less so Wing Commander “Chamindavass” (Senuwasen).
Check in and orient ourselves at Fishermans Cove.
Here is a rather weird promo video about the place – worth 18 minutes if you like or are intrigued by this sort of thing:
Following a light pasta lunch – carbonara Daisy & mushroom asparagus Ged – have a stroll around looking at facilities, cottages et cetera. Arrange to eat at seafood restaurant.
Clean up and skeeter up (navigating two power cuts) and then go to lobby to back up photographs etc. Decline invitation to cocktail party.
Ask for our table to be held for half an hour but we are bounced to a rear table – oh well. We start with prawns and Daisy moves onto prawns well I try parrot fish. Minuscule potato and veggies (remedied) but risk the ice cream yummy.
I flake but Daisy endures another power cut and invasion of the power police who blame the toothbrush! Not funny.
