Getting to and Escaping from Rameswaram!

Got an unreserved train to Villupuram from Pondicherry. Unreserved basically means there is no seat boking it is just a free for all, but thankfully this train was rather quiet. We got to Villupuram at around 8pm and had 3 hours to wait for the train!

Got mithered a bit at the station. A man who spoke not a word of English came over and started chatting to us. We're ok with that, it is nice sometimes to try and cross that language barrier but god he was annoying. He just stood there saying things in Tamil and broken english. He wouldn't leave so Nikki said "Just ignore him and he will go away" I tried to tell him that him waiting around was pointless and in the end he went away scowling and watched us from afar for the next 3 hours!

Train never appeard on the board for departures so feeling a bit nervous, I sent Nikki over the bridge to the enquiries desk, good Husband that I am. They said it would be here soon and it was. We got on at 10:45 and there was someone sleeping in our beds. I shifted them and they reluctantly moved on. We both got very little sleep on the train and Nikki got bit by a mozzie and her lips swelled up! After a antihistamene administered by me, it went down. We pulled into Rameswaram at 9am and immediately decided we would leave after one night. It was so filthy, rivers of waste and plastic rubbish lining the streets with a couple of dead dogs thrown in for good measure. We were the only westerners in town and felt very aware of that, although that didnt bother us. We saw a building called "Shelter for the Minorities" and thought about stepping in but in the end decided to leave it. Why does everyone watch us here? We're not that interesting! We even had our picture took a few times!

The temple, which was the only reason we came, was not strictly open to non-Hndus but we could have gone in if we wanted but it had rained quite heavily and the rivers of filth and mud running through the main corridor was enough to put us off getting barefoot and trudging through it.

The hotel was a laugh. Lots of Indian pilgrims here watching what we were doing. Decided not to eat here after a dodgy lunch we christened "Dystentry Material". Although we were perfectly fine after it. For tea on Christmas Eve we had a bottle of Coke! Met a really nice Keralan family in the hotel reception when we checking out. The little lad took our picture and when we said we were from Manchester he was joyous. He was a United fan, and most of his family were. Although one of his cousins was a Liverpool fan which we quickly booed! He brought his family to talk to us!

Caught a ramshackle bus for 50rps the next morning, Christmas Morning, and it took 4 Hours to get us to Madurai, which is where we are now. We had a bottle of water for the journey and the Indian famiy next to had a feast. Even had Dairy Milk. We were so hungry our mouths were watering. We went to a hotel in a Rickshaw and got a room for 2 nights here. They have a rooftop restaurant and we ordered a feast straight away - Naan Breads, Rice, Papadams, Two Curries, a bottle of Coke and a bottle of water - 350rps (4 pounds). We will eat even more tonight.

Off to see the temples now and have a wonder.

Enjoy your Christmas everyone.

C&N