I stays in Chennai for 1.5 months to completes my summer internships @ EdServ.
The day I landed in Chennai - it was 10th of April, 2010.... and it was evening 7 PM at Koyembedu (CMBT). The moment I got down from the KSRTC Airavat Volvo bus - the humidity hit me - felt like entering an oven - a big one! And my home for nearly 45 days.
Took a prepaid auto from there to T-Nagar, where I will meet my friend and stay for one night till I get a PG or a rented flat for the next few days ( read 1.5 months ). I reached T Nagar after 1 hour on the auto - I was already wet with sweat - even my newly purchased Levis jeans was wet! Jeans getting wet due to sweat - is very very rare well until and unless you are watching some ultra hot porno flicks!!
I reaches T Nagar and meets my friend. The night passes by sleeping on the sofa and under a fan and with AC set at the lowest temperature (16 degrees). The night felt cool with some breeze outside and the temperature dropping down a bit.
Sunday 11th April, 2010 - me and two of my buddies hunt for houses in Chennai. Its not a big problem looking for houses - but when the temperature is very high (37-38 degrees) and if we have to roam on the streets at noon time - things become a bit sweaty! That day I roamed in my shorts - didnt care for anyone. And the auto-anna's looted us to their best pleasure.
I got to learn some good things about the auto-anna's during my stay in Chennai, the price quote goes up if the conditions below are met -
Thus from 11th April, 2010 we stayed in 1st Floor, Annai Illam, Near Amrutham Bus Stop, Nesapakkam, K K Nagar, Chennai 600 078. Our office was in T Nagar - first day we came, we paid the auto-anna Rs.120. We will learn about the actual fares later - so lets pay him one day! Office was good and the work was not-so-good. Still the internship had to be done - so we HAD to do it.
Office got over by 7 PM and we rushed to catch a bus ( cost cutting measures! ). We boarded bus number 17D after walking for 10 mins from office and not to mention after crossing a big compound of Neel Metal Fanalca (NMF) - ( Chennai residents will know about NMF!! ). 17D became our lifeline and dropped us from near our office to our house.
I would get some idli packed for my dinner while my other buddies survived on dosai, veg soup, dal, roti, boiled vegetables and sweet baingan bharta. Bus journeys were very sweaty and by the time we reached home - we were wet! Thankfully we had a washing machine. ( Courtesy - landlord )
Our days went by as such - morning catch an auto near our house, bargain with the anna for Rs.80 and then reach office by 10 AM. Then have breakfast of poori with aloo curry or sometimes just hot samosaa and tea. Then go to office - work there till 1PM, then come out for lunch - I had either meals or biryani. They were heavy - but they were the fastest to be served also. Ordering for some chapati and some north Indian dishes took hell lot of time. Many times I had finished my meals or the biryani - by the time the North Indian Thali of my friend arrived! Then come back to office by 2 PM and sit under the AC feeling sleepy and work till 4PM. It was snack time then - hot chilli bhajji, egg pakoda and banana pakodas and hot special tea!
Life couldn't have been better - but when we would leave office by 7 PM - the buses were very crowded. We had no other way - but to get on them and suffer the heat and pushing. Always had to be careful about the purse and the mobiles. These bus rides taught us a few things -
And thats how we have survived in Chenni for the past 40-45 days. Its hot like hell and very humid. The washing machine, AC and fridge are the machinery that we use the most! And then one very fine day - hell broke loose - Laila came - Hurricane Laila came! The temperature dropped and the streets were flooded. Power went off and the city was plunged in darkness even as the roads became swimming pools!
It continued for 2 days and those days the weather was really nice. But in our house there was no Internet, due to power cut. So I decided to brave the floods and come to office - to get some Internet and recharge my mobiles. The roads were flooded and the auto-anna asked me Rs. 120. I agreed and as we moved on, braving the water, wind and the unseen potholes - we reached a short-cut road, where the water was knee-deep and the auto stopped. I had to get out - and push the auto with the auto-anna in knee deep water. The water level was very high and the colour was dirty - looked like freshly made tea! I had to pay the auto-anna Rs.150 because of the work that we had to do to get the auto started. I paid him without any question - the roads were really bad and we took that short-cut because there was a huge traffic. We thought that the traffic would clear off - but after few minutes of staying near a car, we realized that the car's engine was off - and peeking inside we saw the driver taking a nap!!
Reaching office was a relief - there was AC and power! But the office was closed at 4 PM - Hurricane Laila was approaching the Chennai coastal region with full fury. "Go Home..." Shouted the office boy!Everybody was happy except me - I had just reached and braved the weather without even an umbrella. Who ever thought that it would rain in Chennai during this time and I was not too worried about my skin complexion - so an umbrella was out of question.
So I folded my jeans, put the handkerchief on my head and headed for home. On the way purchased some egg-pakodas and mirchie bhajjis. There was just one place that I wanted to go on a day like that. I got up on bus number 17D and the moment it reached my bus stoppage, I got down and reached the wine shop! Whiskey - thats what I needed on a day like that! By evening I was happily munching egg pakodas and sipping whiskey on my balcony as the rains continued to wash away the Chennai heat and promised of a good nights sleep! That night I slept without the AC and covered myself with my bed-sheet! It was a cold night!
Then one evening - I decided to visit Besant Nagar beach. As one of my friends had been calling me for a long time. I boarded bus number 5E on a hot Sunday afternoon and reached Besant Nagar by 5 PM. My friend met me near the bus stand and we moved towards the beach. My inner motive was not to meet her, but to have fried fresh sea-fish! The walk in the beach was pleasant, but it was crowded and we had bhajji's, boiled ground-nuts and finally fried fish.
Then while passing by we entered a Church, my friend wanted to buy something. I asked why? She replied that she was Christian! I was shocked and the earth shook below my feet - but I held on to my wits.
I had to survive such shocks in life!
On the way back we passes a restaurant called Giorgio - there we had some Mexican Chicken Sizzler as Shahid Kapoor performed at the opening of the IPL T20 Finals between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.
I reached home to catch the T20 finals. Chennai won and there were lots of cracker bursting - I just hoped that the office would be given off on Monday! Never happened!
Well thats how life in Chennai has been and its just two more days before I leave the city..... The hot and sweaty memories will remain forever. And as every day passes, we had new experiences and it was and is interesting.
NB: I still have this doubt in my mind, as to while I was having my Mexican Chicken Sizzler in Giorgio near Besant Nagar, the waiter gave me something interesting to have with the sizzler!
Its a bowl of curd with a roti!
Took a prepaid auto from there to T-Nagar, where I will meet my friend and stay for one night till I get a PG or a rented flat for the next few days ( read 1.5 months ). I reached T Nagar after 1 hour on the auto - I was already wet with sweat - even my newly purchased Levis jeans was wet! Jeans getting wet due to sweat - is very very rare well until and unless you are watching some ultra hot porno flicks!!
I reaches T Nagar and meets my friend. The night passes by sleeping on the sofa and under a fan and with AC set at the lowest temperature (16 degrees). The night felt cool with some breeze outside and the temperature dropping down a bit.
Sunday 11th April, 2010 - me and two of my buddies hunt for houses in Chennai. Its not a big problem looking for houses - but when the temperature is very high (37-38 degrees) and if we have to roam on the streets at noon time - things become a bit sweaty! That day I roamed in my shorts - didnt care for anyone. And the auto-anna's looted us to their best pleasure.
I got to learn some good things about the auto-anna's during my stay in Chennai, the price quote goes up if the conditions below are met -
- If you board from outside an expensive hotel, restaurant or other places. Best is to walk a few mins to a far off places and catch the auto - they demand less! ( 101% proven )
- Similarly if the destination is such a hi-fi place, there is the risk of them demanding more - so its better that we tell the auto-anna about some place near the hotel or pub... they will charge less.
- "Learn Tamil! Or you will always end up paying more!" - well thats what our landowner told us - but we managed with Hindi, English and hand signals! Nowadays I believe that the general public are more open to Hindi and English!
- We dont dress very smart and trendy or in bright clothes - just try to look like a common man - they demand less!
Thus from 11th April, 2010 we stayed in 1st Floor, Annai Illam, Near Amrutham Bus Stop, Nesapakkam, K K Nagar, Chennai 600 078. Our office was in T Nagar - first day we came, we paid the auto-anna Rs.120. We will learn about the actual fares later - so lets pay him one day! Office was good and the work was not-so-good. Still the internship had to be done - so we HAD to do it.
Office got over by 7 PM and we rushed to catch a bus ( cost cutting measures! ). We boarded bus number 17D after walking for 10 mins from office and not to mention after crossing a big compound of Neel Metal Fanalca (NMF) - ( Chennai residents will know about NMF!! ). 17D became our lifeline and dropped us from near our office to our house.
Our days went by as such - morning catch an auto near our house, bargain with the anna for Rs.80 and then reach office by 10 AM. Then have breakfast of poori with aloo curry or sometimes just hot samosaa and tea. Then go to office - work there till 1PM, then come out for lunch - I had either meals or biryani. They were heavy - but they were the fastest to be served also. Ordering for some chapati and some north Indian dishes took hell lot of time. Many times I had finished my meals or the biryani - by the time the North Indian Thali of my friend arrived! Then come back to office by 2 PM and sit under the AC feeling sleepy and work till 4PM. It was snack time then - hot chilli bhajji, egg pakoda and banana pakodas and hot special tea!
Life couldn't have been better - but when we would leave office by 7 PM - the buses were very crowded. We had no other way - but to get on them and suffer the heat and pushing. Always had to be careful about the purse and the mobiles. These bus rides taught us a few things -
- If you wait for long - you may end up lucky and get an AC bus to home. The price is high - but its worth it. Many people don't board it and the ride is a peaceful one. Charges are min Rs.13 and max that I ever paid was Rs. 18.
- We are supposed to pay our bus fares. The conductor seats near the rear door - and if we sometimes get up from the front door - we may end up not paying the bus fare. Well, me and my friends did it many times! But one day we realized that there are ticket checkers on the bus stoppages. Generally three old people, in khaki uniform - just waiting to grab you and ask for tickets.If you have the ticket, its fine and even if you dont have it - its fine. Just talk for two mins and keep searching for the ticket in our pocket and gradually moving back slowly. When they are a little away from you - run! They are old - so they wont run after you! Pray that you dont meet the same guys the next time! Or better have some old tickets in your purse to bluff them!
- How to pay bus fares if you get up from the front door? Simple - take out the money and pass it to the guy / girl behind you, telling him / her your destination. " Murugan Stores, one-aaa ". The guy / girl will pass it to the next person and as such it will reach the conductor. The conductor will then pass the change and the ticket in the similar manner. This is one very unique practice I have seen in the MTC buses in Chennai. Really appreciate it and its very kind of the residents of city to be helpful.
It continued for 2 days and those days the weather was really nice. But in our house there was no Internet, due to power cut. So I decided to brave the floods and come to office - to get some Internet and recharge my mobiles. The roads were flooded and the auto-anna asked me Rs. 120. I agreed and as we moved on, braving the water, wind and the unseen potholes - we reached a short-cut road, where the water was knee-deep and the auto stopped. I had to get out - and push the auto with the auto-anna in knee deep water. The water level was very high and the colour was dirty - looked like freshly made tea! I had to pay the auto-anna Rs.150 because of the work that we had to do to get the auto started. I paid him without any question - the roads were really bad and we took that short-cut because there was a huge traffic. We thought that the traffic would clear off - but after few minutes of staying near a car, we realized that the car's engine was off - and peeking inside we saw the driver taking a nap!!
Reaching office was a relief - there was AC and power! But the office was closed at 4 PM - Hurricane Laila was approaching the Chennai coastal region with full fury. "Go Home..." Shouted the office boy!Everybody was happy except me - I had just reached and braved the weather without even an umbrella. Who ever thought that it would rain in Chennai during this time and I was not too worried about my skin complexion - so an umbrella was out of question.
Then one evening - I decided to visit Besant Nagar beach. As one of my friends had been calling me for a long time. I boarded bus number 5E on a hot Sunday afternoon and reached Besant Nagar by 5 PM. My friend met me near the bus stand and we moved towards the beach. My inner motive was not to meet her, but to have fried fresh sea-fish! The walk in the beach was pleasant, but it was crowded and we had bhajji's, boiled ground-nuts and finally fried fish.
I had to survive such shocks in life!
On the way back we passes a restaurant called Giorgio - there we had some Mexican Chicken Sizzler as Shahid Kapoor performed at the opening of the IPL T20 Finals between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.
I reached home to catch the T20 finals. Chennai won and there were lots of cracker bursting - I just hoped that the office would be given off on Monday! Never happened!
Well thats how life in Chennai has been and its just two more days before I leave the city..... The hot and sweaty memories will remain forever. And as every day passes, we had new experiences and it was and is interesting.
NB: I still have this doubt in my mind, as to while I was having my Mexican Chicken Sizzler in Giorgio near Besant Nagar, the waiter gave me something interesting to have with the sizzler!
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