MAR 19, 13 .. ‘ZILLA ASKS .. PART III
I am a few days late and more than a few dollars short as to any sort of timely reply to a slew of ‘Zilla Asks questions ..
I could just answer him. But his questions are good ones that some of the rest of you may be interested in.
Here we go:
Which side of the street / road do the drivers drive on?
In India all traffic drives on the LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD. This really is dangerous when you step off a curb to cross a street. You are conditioned to LOOK RIGHT and you MUST LOOK LEFT!
How did I find Pondicherry?
We all ‘travel-in-circles’. Doctors, Engineers, you-name-it .. you are in-a-circle like it or not. Truckers ‘hear’ about truck stops.
One of ‘my circles’ is International Travel. So .. at least with regard to India .. over the past 22+ years I have rubbed elbows almost constantly with other International Travelers here in India.
Pondicherry is very VERY well known in this circle! So I had been ‘hearing about’ Pondicherry for some many years. The same with Goa. In November of 2011 I went to Goa. There I REALLY fell in with big time European based travelers and Pondicherry was always ‘coming up’ in conversations.
How has my stomach been this trip?
Basically absolutely NO diarrhea! I have had some ‘touches’ but only because I ate some food that was so hot it was dangerous to touch with bare skin!
I HAVE been bothered (along with everyone on the sub-continent!) with a nagging Bronchitis and some sinus issues. Several times I have ‘been-tempted’ to take some medicine (Azithromycin) but have not. It came on in Agra Cantt. Here the heat is good for this condition. But it will not completely clear up.
Are my photos of Pondicherry traffic on Main Roads or Side Roads?
New Orleans .. exactly precisely like Pondicherry .. has a ‘greater’ metropolitan area and the French Quarter.
Here in Pondi the roads in the French Section are a bit narrower kind-of-sort-of. It is not really ‘black and white’. India .. in general .. tends to have many narrow roads.
I have not answered your question. Frankly I do NOT ‘know’ the ‘greater’ Pondi metropolitan area all-that-well!
What is the size of the French Secion?
Seems about the size of the French Quarter in New Orleans and yes .. Chinatown in San Francisco. It is ‘sizeable’!
Did I select (and why) the French Section to visit?
Absolutely 100%! THE French Section IS the destination for backpackers and International Travelers.
Do I prefer the South or the North?
Far too complex to answer. India has so many special places.
I love the EXTREME NORTH (Leh in Ladakh up in Jammu Kashmir) and the mid-North McLeod Ganj and the South (Goa and Pondicherry) and the West Rajasthan and the East Puri Orissa and the big cities ..
Why am I going to Kodaikanal and to Ooty?
In February 2012 .. a backpacker here in Pondicherry said to me that I MUST GO TO KODAIKANAL.
I did on his recommendation. I could only go for three days. I want a few more days. It is scenic and it will be cooler in temperature.
Why Ooty? Because in-the-circle of International Travelers Ooty has a higher reputation than Kodaikanal. Both are Hill Stations. So I want to explore Ooty.
What is my criteria to visit a place?
I get ‘callings’ that I can not explain. I get strong recommendations which I follow IF I feel the person is solid. Again .. too complex to really answer you.
What about Sri Lanka?
For years .. the Tamil Tigers (based in Sri Lanka) were a serious concern. I have had NO calling .. I have had NO whisper .. to go there.
For now ‘Zilla! That-IS-That says Baka Kaps !