Day-7 Pondicherry to Chennai

After breakfast at our Surguru Hotel, we decided to tour the beach in daylight on the bike without our riding jackets. It is an extra-ordinarily hot & humid day, we got roasted in the sun and after a quick stroll on the beach & taking photo of some of the old French style buildings facing the sea as well as taking in some sights around the congested streets of the city, we halted for our ever rejuvenating tender coconut break. We were back at the hotel within one hour dripping in sweat. Time for another shower!!

Street junction with a Policeman (remember it was a French colony before)

A huge Kollywood poster..

Our hotel

The other attraction in Pondi, Auroville was on the way to Chennai, but we were told it is out of bounds for 'locals'…Well we decided so let it be and skip it! We head out of town and take the exit heading to Chennai and the natural choice is the wonderful single carriageway ECR.

Ok. We Bangaloreans have to envy Pondicherians for their Petrol prices…

The ECR has nice Tarmac with comparatively less traffic almost all the way. Although the road is called the 'ECR Scenic Beachway' we hardly get to see a beach or sea! We enjoyed the ride on this two lane road.

Goats sharing the road with us

The occasional doggy that I dread on the road..

Yet another all too familiar 'Tender coconut' break

After some distance Mr. Rain catches up with us and we are wet & drenched again (sorry no time to put on the raingear again). It's a light but constant drizzle upto mamalapuram. Anyway, we stop for lunch at Motel Mamalla in Mamalapuram where we treat ourselves to an excellent north Indian thali meal.

After that we pass some of the beach resorts, amusement park and arrive on the outskirts of Chennai at 2:30pm.

Goats meeting to decide if the grass is geener on the other side..

From here, we take a left to OMR Road and continue to Laxmipuram to a relatives place for tea. Drop off my wife there. In the meanwhile I contact Chennai xbhp member Aargee(Ganesh) and decide on meeting up near Vellachery. Weave thru traffic and reach there at 4 pm. Aargee is already there in his immaculate looking RX100 which during our conversation I come to know he has rebuilt all by himself.

Aargee is a very lively person and absolutely passionate about biking in general & his own steed, which shows in that beautiful looking bike. With lots of attention towards my bike from passersby we continue standing & chatting at the same place along the road and before we know its already an hour since we started. Wanted to meet Ananth also since he had given me a lot of route inputs in preparation for the trip, but since he was tied up at work I couldn't see him. It was really nice meeting Ganesh & we chatted on lots of interesting topics. Thanks Aargee for taking the time out from your busy schedule. Later we say goodbye and after picking up my wife from where I dropped her, we head to Adayar in thick evening Chennai traffic and make it to my brothers home at 7:00 pm. A yummy dinner is set up by my wonderful sister-in-law and its time for bed.