Wow I'm on the Nilgiri steam train

This is the whole inspiration for my trip! Not that I'm a railway buff but I have have always wanted to go to the famed hill stations in India which have been served by railways for over a hundred years. There's three such hill station railways, all with UNESCO World Heritage status, Darjeeling (where had to take as I arrived so late, Ooty and Shimla, which is on my destination list as it's the gateway to Daramasala, the home of the Dalai Lama. So After watching the BBC three part documentary in these hill stations I decided I had to go to Tamil Nadu and go across the Nilgiri range on a stream train!

So sixty days ago I booked my ticket, second class for 30 rupees. I had a mammoth journey to get there, leaving Thanjuvar  on the 19.15 and arriving in Salem at 00.45. I then had a very slow wait at this station for two hours .... Joining the sleepers on the station I sat on platform 1 willing time to whizz past. Luckily an inquisitive policeman joined me on my bench and we whiled away some time conversing in broken English. His children were both engineers, in fact most students I meet on buses etc are engineer students, send the guy I was queuing behind in the incredibly chaotic immigration booths at Chennai Airport was here to have a 25 year graduation reunion of his engineering class and he now lived in The States.

So I got my second train, arrived just in time to get the steam train and started the spectacular journey shrouded in mist! Slowly it broke and we were rewarded with incredible views as our carriages were pushed by the 125 year old steam train named Nilgiri Queen. We made several stops, as the engine had to take on thousands of gallons of water as it inched up hills. In total it took us 5 hours to go 30 miles, but it truly was a fantastic experience. Squeezed into my carriage was a coup,e of families and when they heard to my long train travels I was given a homemade biryani and it had just turned 7.30! I was not going to starve on this journey! It's wonderful to see how many home tourists are always travelling around. The westerners sat in first class, but I was definitely having more fun and food!

Just one more temple

Before I head off to the hill station of Ooty in the Nilgiri range there's one more temple to head to. The thousand year old chola temple to the north of Thanjavur. Yesterday in the unexpected constant rain I travelled by train to the nearby town to see the urban temples and the rural 1000 year old chola temple complex famed for the its miniature statues. I had to get the rickshaw driver to stop off for me to get umbrella to cope with either unexpected deluge of rain. My planning hadn't factored in this, I have sun screen, mosquito repellent, hand sanitiser and now a new umbrella! Must make the most of temples, as I am moving west and there are other sights to seem.

I must help you, as you are in my country

Heading from temple to temple across Tamil Nadu has been an amazing experience, from the largest temple in India in Trinchy, to the tallest tower in Tiruvannamalai, to the sacred Shiva temple of fire to the Shriva temple of water in Trinchy, there's 5000 temples here to explore and that is why I chose here to travel. This is my 6th time in India and it's a place that you either fall in love with and want to come back again and again, or it overwhelms you and you will never return. It is a hard place to travel, the chaos, the crowds, the dirt, the extreme poverty, but take these all in your stride. India is magical, welcoming and open to the adventurous! I got a bus yesterday from the main temple in Trichy to the important Water Shiva Temple a few kilometres away. I asked a woman in the queue if I was waiting at the right stop and she said "I must help you as you are in my county". She guided me to the right bus, popped me in a seat behind her and her friend and then quizzed me about my travels through India. To most men I say I am travelling with my husband, who is back in the hotel with a poorly stomach. In absolute contrast, to most women I declare that I am travelling alone, which brings an equal reaction of anxiousness and amazement. India still is a male dominated and women are culturally and religiously ruled. Sure there's huge exceptions, within a country with such a wide disparity of wealth and opportunity, but a woman travelling alone is an exception. I remember on my last trip in the north I was waiting for a train and a woman near by struck up conversation. She was with her brother in law and father in law and told me that she couldn't even leave the compound where she lived unaccompanied by a male. This really made me thankful to be able to be independent in ever sense! 

Where to stand

There's always an element of chaos at the train stations. Checking platforms, checking for delays and getting the right spot to stand for your carriage, as there's about 40 of them! We see a decline in services, cost cutting and fewer more crowded trains. Indian railways is one of the biggest employers in the country, moving millions of people daily from A to B. When I got on the overnight train to Madurai I really misjudged the spot and as the train pulled away the train guide helped me by dragging my rucksack through half a dozen carriages of sleeping passages, as it had gone midnight. Today I'm heading north and in the light of day the chaos is easier, here at Madurai station there's digital displays showing the train number and carriage. Come on Chennai express,  I'm eager to explore my next destination of Tiruchchirapali. 

Yesterday I walked though the maze of back streets by the dried up river, taking my own walking tour of where the locals lived. The streets were full of temples, children and families going about their daily business, just slightly bemused as to why a traveller would be wondering in their neighbourhood. So many people wanted me to take their photos, from the bamboo sellers to the women at the water pumps! I ended up playing a game at the end of the street, must find out what's it's called bot you flick a white counter and have goals in each corner - like finger snooker! Let's just say I did better playing cricket with the kids the other evening and it's always a pleasure to find yet another you're hopeless at! 

Midnight mass

A friend who coincidently is now in Bangalore posted that this was her 6th Christmas abroad. I'm probably double that, but seldom take the opportunity to go to church. Here in Madurai there's plenty of churches, and after enquiring at the reception desk where an English speaking service was, the hotel manager invited me to join him for midnight mass. And what a joyful mass, there was so much music and dance and the congregation was full of beautiful voices. It certainly was a privilege to see in Christmas in this way and always brilliant to belt out some carols! After the service we all congregated outside the church holding candles and wishing everyone a merry Christmas, which was a lovely end to the service

An Apprentice style challenge

After heading out of the pedestrian streets surrounding the Meenakshi temple I succumbed to the sight of coffee being poured into the tiny glass cups - to give you just enough of a sugar and caffeine shot. On this busy  thoroughfare hordes of pilgrims and devout headed through. I'm not sure how this happened but I was suddenly on the selling side of the stall and joyfully chanting chai and coffee. I'm sure I would not have survived the boardroom with my sales totalling 30 rupees, but it was certainly fun! 

Photographers heaven

Incredible India, you never know what is round the corner, but I bet you want to take a photo of it! I have been overwhelmed by the number of volunteers to have their photo taken. Each day I am setting a photographic assignment and today was shadows. So after a night train to Madurai I checked into myhotel and slept, showered and had breakfast before heading into the bustling centre to see the amazing Meenakshi Annam Temple in the heart of town, dominating the centre with four huge colourful gigantic towers. The pilgrims, worshippers and devout line the streets and wait patiently for the 4o'clock gate opening. Surrounding the temple are quieter non traffic roads and after heading to the market, set on an ancient temple I perplexed the stall holders by just taking photos of the feet and shadows of passers by. It's great to take a breathe in the chaos of the streets and concentrate to get a great result!