Day 28: Mamallapuram

Got up early for our 6am yoga class. Walked out of our room into a wall of hot air. Today was going to be hot with a top temp of 43°C. Stine, Maria and I were the only students that morning. The class was fine. But the teacher wasn't as gentle as I was used to. He pushed me into a pose and my forgotten ankle injury made itself known. I also recalled my neck injury when he tried to get us to do a semi-upside down pose. Travelling is wonderful because it had actually made me forget about my recent injuries!

Breakfast was a good Western and Indian buffet. I have been throwing caution to the wind for the last 2 weeks and drinking tropical fruit juices (with no water or ice though).

We were going for a cycle tour around Mamallapuram's World Heritage sites today. Stine, Lex, Dan, Ravi and a local guide were on the bikes while Christine, Maria and I shared a tuk tuk. We had a hot and sweaty ramble around the various sites. The cycle tour was meant to finish at 11.30am but we finished seeing everything by 10am because it was just too hot and energy-sapping. The temples and monuments were ancient and beautiful. They have suffered erosions from the elements but were still beautiful nevertheless.

Temple by the beach, Mamallapuram

5 Brothers from the Mahabharata epic - monument at Mamallapuram

Lighthouse at Mamallapuram

Big rock at Mamallapuram

Mamallapuram

Mamallapuram

I was threatened by a monkey at one of the monuments. I was behind the group and the monkey started to corner me, baring its teeth and stalking me. I was scared and tried to run past him. Lex threw water at him and Christine told the monkey to bugger off. The guide said the monkey could be somebody's grandfather. Whatever :-p!

View of Mamallapuram from where a monkey tried to attack me

There was an optional visit to an astrologer. I didn't go. But the people who went were surprised by the accuracy of what the astrologer said. All you need to tell the astrologer was your birth date and birth time.

I spent the rest of the day hanging in the hotel room, doing some washing and watching 3 dance movies - Honey 2, Step Up & Step Up 2. Stina and I skipped dinner out to watch Step Up - I enjoyed it. We also very much enjoyed the 4 cheese naans we had between us for dinner.

Mamallapuram is a nice, sleepy town. It would probably be nicer when it's not so hot.