APR 1, 13 (2/2) .. MORE THOUGHTS ON GETTING SETTLED INTO KODAIKANAL ..
Can It / Can This Possibly Be ..
I must be ‘getting old’!
One short year ago .. in Pondicherry .. at MOTHERS GUEST HOUSE .. I could .. (well I think that I could .. it seems to me that I did .. could it possibly be that I mis-remembered this?) .. ‘steam-up-the-steps’ with-great-gusto to my room from the street level in one-fell-swoop with nary-a-pause!
51 steps up a total of four flights of steps. 16 steps and turn 180-degrees-right and 16 more steps into the lobby. Then through the lobby to 10 steps and a final 9 steps.
NOT THIS YEAR. In fact I often found myself ‘pausing’ in 8 step-intervals when going up the first 32 steps. THEN sitting down in the lobby to rest before finishing up the final 19 steps.
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The all-night bus ride from Pondicherry to Kodaikanal ALL-BUT-WIPED-ME-OUT!
We left Pondicherry basically on-time. 11:15PM vis-a-vie 11PM. Patti and I did a lot of cell phone visiting off-and-on for two hours. About 1:30AM I decided it was time to catch-some-sleep.
I HAD A PROBLEM. I COULD NOT get my bus seat to ‘recline’. So I had to grab some sleep sitting-upright.
At 5AM we stopped to rest and I figured out HOW to recline my bus seat. Too late. While I did get some rest .. as the dawn appeared I wanted to see the mountain scenery. And ‘bask’ in the cool mountain air.
Into Kodaikanal on time about 8:30AM.
I must be getting old! IT SURE FELT WONDERFUL TO BE MET BY A PRIVATE AUTO AND TO BE TAKEN DIRECTLY TO MY HOTEL!
THEN IT SURE FELT NICE TO BE WELCOMED AT MY HOTEL BY STAFF THAT I REMEMBER FROM LAST YEAR 2012.
Then I had some breathing problems. Kodaikanal is at 7,000 feet elevation and I SURE FELT THAT!
LONG STORY SHORT .. things are smoothing out considerably! I AM getting acclimated (Gosh Google is wonderful for spelling!) to the 7,000 foot elevation surprisingly well.
I LOVE MY ROOM AND MY BED AND MY VIEW!
IF you go to the right of the above photo several hundred meters and turn back 180-degrees .. the below photo shows you the little valley that I look out above onto.
And I was planning to stay here in Kodaikanal only six nights!
I AM NOW-AN-OLD-HAND at knowing how to get around Kodiakanal by public bus transportation. TOTALLY NEW from last visit when I walked 100% of the time. GOODNESS riding UP the hills is wonderful!
I must be getting old!
AS YOU WILL NOW READ IN THE FOLLOWING POST below .. I AM STAYING PUT HERE IN KODAIKANAL BECAUSE ..
IF IT ISN’T BROKEN .. DON’T FIX IT! And Kodaikanal is NOT broken!
SETTLING IN SURE FEELS NICE. I have a stash of bottled water in my room. Some good food to snack upon (Corn Flakes and Special ‘K’ and seven types of chocolate bars and India bagged spicy snacks) and a PHENOMENALLY COMFORTABLE BED!
I have been taking some ‘quality’ afternoon ‘naps’ and sleeping 10-11 hours at night.
Sigh! I must be getting old!
With a ‘wink’ I will sign off .. Cap
Don’t forget another Post follows this one.
- APR 1, 13 (1/2) .. THOUGHTS ABOUT MY UPCOMING TRAVEL PLANS ..
- APR 2, 13 .. SOME ODDS AND SOME ENDS FOR YOU ..