4 December 2005
Arrive at Chennai/Meenambarkkam Airport
Welcome to India!
The airport is dilapidated, the roof is leaking in a number of places, the immigration checks are smooth, but the guys do not talk, I say hello, how are you, thank you, and they dont even look at me.
The baggage reclaim is chaotic! lots of stuff is coming out tied together in rope then shrink wrapped in plastic, everyone is pushing for no apparent reason, I stand back until I see my bag and grab it.
Chennai Airport Baggage reclaim, I am standing back from the hole where the bags come out, 400 other people are standing right by the hole clamouring over each other.
Exiting the airport is hilarious! There are 2000 people held back by soldiers, I get a call on my phone which thankfully is working and my friends meet me, they have a 4wd just metres away and I jump in.
The drive is....scary, but everyone seems unconcerned, the roads are probably the equivalent of 5 lanes wide, but there are no lines, not even in the middle.
The traffic lights seem to stay red, and you just go through, they have a big LED countdown timer on them, I dont think we went through any green lights.
And then theres the flood! Luckily we have a 4wd, as the water is covering the wheels in some sections, people on scooters are pushing them through the water, we come to a bridge and its crowded with people standing looking over at the water (in the dark), I dont think standing on a bridge to watch floodwaters is a good idea.
I arrive at the hotel, my friends come in with me to make sure everything is fine, and it is, the hotel is clean, it has wifi but you have to pay (havent arranged that yet) and my room is huge.
My lounge room
Other part of lounge room
Bedroom
Other View of Bedroom
Bathroom
I sleep well, the room has good air conditioning to drown out the noise outside.