Kodai, Tamil Nadu State

(Note: plenty of pics with this entry, but I just can’t post them yet. Arrgh! Also, there is another new entry below this one.)

Woke at 6:30

Had time to watch an entire movie before breakfast – Barfly. That’ll start your day off right. Man, Mickey Rourke used to be an incredible actor.

Had a short meeting in the hotel lobby with some people from a competing advising agency. They basically badgered me into it. Somehow they got wind I was coming to town.

At 11, Prishit drove me to the airport .


Prishit and I. Next I threw him over that wall back there.

AMD-BOM, BOM-CJB

Coimbatore – a totally new stop for me. A large rainstorm can be seen as we land. Johnny the driver is waiting for me at the gate with a sign and a white Ambassador. I have a five-hour drive over the plains and up the mountains to look forward to, and it looks to be a wet one. There was a really weird light as we headed into the storm. I took a picture just because I had never seen a sky that color before. I only have about 20 minutes of reading light, and once it is gone I lay down on the backseat. One of my superpowers is that I can fall asleep in any vehicle, no matter how bumpy the ride, as long as I can get prone, or at least lean my head against something. In fact, I enjoy sleeping on bumpy rides (yes I am a freak). I sleep pretty much the entire way to Kodaikanal, waking only occasionally when we stop at checkpoints or for Johnny to grab some tea.


The funky sky color...

We arrive in Kodaikanal around 11pm. Seems Johnny is a speed-demon. We made it a full hour ahead of schedule. Probably good I was not conscious to observe his driving on steep, narrow, wet mountain roads. The temperature is quite cool now, and it is moist but not raining. Johnny and the night watchman show me into a little bungalow where the school puts up alumni and visitors. It has electricity, but candles as well (that I write by now). Also, there is a wood burning stove and a pile of split wood. How quaint, I think, immediately followed by, I wonder how many spiders are in there? Pippa (school counselor) has left me a note, a thermos of soup, another of coffee and some biscuits. Seems she is sick with the flu, so will meet me in the morning. She says the water is perfectly safe, as it comes straight from a deep well. Still, I feel very illicit running my toothbrush through it, then putting it in my mouth. Getting into bed I discover a bladder full of hot water has warmed it for me. Wow!

_______________________________


School building

Woke at 7am. The bathroom has a water-heating element, thank God. However, it has been attached to both handles of the shower, so one gets scalding hot water no matter what. I tried to take small handfuls of it and splash myself, with moderate success. Relatively clean, I walked down the hill to Pippa’s cottage for breakfast. Done, she drove us the short distance to the school. First off I was introduced to a Korean student who has applied to my university. He showed me down to the IB art building. After that I was taken on a full tour of the campus by the admission officer. At 11 was an all-school assembly where Pippa introduced me to the entire student body and I spoke about my university. At lunch I had the opportunity to speak to interested students one-on-one.


This is the student who showed me the IB shed and some of his artwork.


Pippa in her counseling office. Nice decor.


All that finished with, Pippa took me to her cottage outside of town (the one I mentioned before is just what she uses when working for the school during the week). It lies about 9km north of town, over some truly horrible roads, in a lush little valley of terraced fields. Her cottage is quite small - just right, if you ask me. I think one day I will steal the design and build one like it. Her gardens are amazing. She took me on a tour of them, and some neighboring properties where her friends live. Next-door lives her friend Bob, who is American and used to teach English at the school. He informed us that a recent Pulitzer Winner is a former student of his. I can’t remember his name, but he wrote the biography of Oppenheimer. As an English teacher, that is something to be quite proud of. We sat on his porch, had afternoon tea, and discussed books and interesting people who write them. Delightful. That is the only time I will ever use that word without sarcasm. Savor it.


Pippa's cottage (please say with English accent)


Sitting room of cottage, with view to kitchen. Also a bathroom on the right.


Reverse view of sitting room, with stairs leading to loft


Bedroom loft


Pippa's cats, Sammy and Friend. Don't worry, they are the only two - she isn't a "Cat Lady"


Tree and pots in backyard


Garden path


Pippa is a great proponent of native Indian flora. Ironically, after visiting Southville she smuggled back some Spanish Moss. Kimmy, can you find it? I warned Pippa that 50 years from now, when it has taken over the country, people will spit at her name.





Kids we ran across on the path above Pippa's cottage


Neighbor Bob. No, he's not deranged.


This only blooms every 12 years. And I got to see it!

On the ride back into town I got to see a bit of Pippa’s mean streak. A bus tried to cross a narrow bridge while Pippa was doing the same. She decided she was just not going to move. So, we sat there for several minutes discussing some nearby construction projects while the bus driver gestured at us in various ways. Finally he was forced to back up a bit and we went around him. Tough bird.


Pippa, when she gets angry. Just kidding. It's a Hindu gargoyle.

Now I sit on Pippa’s computer while she practices for the school play. Afterwards we will have dinner. Tomorrow I will be off at around 11 for another lengthy drive. Maybe I’ll stay up reading tonight so I can sleep through it again.