APR 1, 13 (2/2) .. MORE THOUGHTS ON GETTING SETTLED INTO KODAIKANAL ..

By Cap Chastain April 1, 2013 Can It / Can This Possibly Be, Fatigue, Kodaikanal 2013

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!

MYVIEW

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.

MYVALLEY

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.