THANJAVUR

So here I am in my second Tamil town, Thanjavur and, true to form, it is entirely different to the last one!

Sadly, the story with Napoleon came to a sorry end. Instead of generosity, he wanted a lot more money from me than was fair and got a bit heavy about it. I should have guessed when he refused money on Saturday night and told me he would be happy if I just helped his children. What he meant was give him a great deal of money and I just couldn't. It was quite nasty and left a sour taste in my mouth. When I say nasty I don't mean there was any violence or even threat of violence, just a great sense of shame. I don't like feeling cheated or even cheating someone else. I suppose I don't know what he was expecting but even though I am in India I am not a millionaire and if my last chat with my bank is anything to go by, am unlikely to be any more so when I get back.

Its hard as there is no safety net here in India, no social security, no welfare state. People need your money because they really, really need it. I was similarly fleeced in a very charming manner the next day when trying to get on a bus by a guy with a stall who said he was booking the ticket for me. As it was early in the morning I was't on the ball but will be next time. I say he fleeced me, he made about 100 Rupees off me which is the equivalent of one pound fifty so it was hardly bank-busting, but all the same.

I don't know what to say about Napoleon. Did I shortchange him? I don't think so. But even if I didn't, he needed the money. I didn't like feeling uncomfortable that way though and guess I just have to be more careful next time.

So here I am in Thanjuvar (pronounced completely differently to it is spelt, BTW). Its so different to Madurai its amazing. Much nicer for a start. The streets are wider and less conjested, everyone seems very relaxed, much more as I had imagined India for some reason. The landscape on the way was parched and green in parts by Wild Westy in the main, rather as I described it yesterday. Every now and then an incredible Monument Valley/ Ayers Rock rock formation would loom up out of the scrub, blowing you away with its outlandish size and majesty. One one such strange boulder formation a fully intact Indian fort rose up. It was quite a site.

This was my second bus trip and as with the one to Mangalore, I just sat and looked out of the window at what was passing by. Images, thoughts, memories, impressions scattered across my mind as my bum got progressively more numb with the brutally uncomfortable seat. Happily the mind won out and I will remember the journey with affection. The things you see out here...!

In contrast to the madness of Madurai Bus Station Thanjuvar's was calm and relatively sane. The rickshaw drivers weren't nutcases and I was relieved not to have a repeat of my Napoleon experience. I alighted at my Hotel safely in the midday sun, surrounded by bright red dust roads and people working slowly in the open air. My hotel is really nice, which is a relief, as I was thinking 'Don't let it be in the shitpit part of town! Don't let it be in the shitpit part of town!' as my rickshaw chuntered along a dusty street past a steelworks. I needn't have worried. Its much nicer than the one in Madurai, which was much more modern and slap bang in the bustling centre. The Hotel Valli (named after a Goddess it seems!) is set back from the main streets and is big and airy, although painted uniformly green for some reason. It has a leafy courtyard with its own brightly-painted shrine and the rooms are like little monks cells, a feeling which is really driven home by their wooden doors and windows and peace and quiet which pervades the place. I think it must be quite an old building as it has a lovely atmosphere. Its also the cheapest hotel I have stayed in in India so far, the three nights coming to the disgustingly high total of ten pounds - good news considering what hotels in Hyderabad look like costing!

I dumped my stuff and went to get some lunch. The same strange rigmarole over beer took place.

WAITER: Would you like a beer, sir?
ME: I would like some mineral water please.
WAITER: Beer?
ME: No, water, please. A bottle.
WAITER: A bottle of beer?
ME: No, water.
WAITER: Beer?
ME: No, water please.
WAITER: (disappointed) Water.
ME: Yes.
WAITER: No beer?
ME: No. Maybe tonight.
WAITER: (moving off) Ok.

I did have a beer the night before at the hotel restaurant just to relax after the two days. It was lovely and very welcome. As an experiment, I offered the waiter a gulp. He immediately said 'no', so clearly this obsession with getting Westerners beers is a vicarious pleasure rather than a desire for an illicit drink.

Well, let's see how Thanjuvar unfolds. It feels lovely. Maybe I will have a walk around.