Straight after exams there is a weeks holiday, so we are invited to accompany the children from the orphanage and its resident staff on a bus tour to Madurai and Kodaikanal! We embark on a 14 hour journey on a handpainted, elderly rickety but full of character Indian bus.
Our first stop was an abandoned palace temple in Madurai. We climbed up a steep cliff face to reach this breathtaking view.
Finally just as the sun sets we visit the Meenakashi temple. This really is big. Without converting to hinduism this was the best photo i could get of the golden temple - the true pearl of Meenakashi.
Day 3 and on the way back to Sevelaya we visit yet another HUGE temple - Tamil Nadu is full of them but they are all so different and beautiful in there own special way :) This one you had to climb millions and millions of steps before reaching another spectacular view, I had a little friend from the orphanage called Ammu to help me though...
Our first stop was an abandoned palace temple in Madurai. We climbed up a steep cliff face to reach this breathtaking view.
We then stop for an unexpected prayer at a small Hindu temple, paying respects to the god Vishnu. As part of the ritual you walk 10 times round the temple, splash your hair with holy water, inhale incense and take flowers and rice from the priest.
Next stop: a Maharajahs palace. No royalty in sight but a major tourist attraction - the huge space had a sort of eerie feeling as we wondered round the ginormous open plan rooms.
Finally just as the sun sets we visit the Meenakashi temple. This really is big. Without converting to hinduism this was the best photo i could get of the golden temple - the true pearl of Meenakashi.
After an interesting nights sleep on mats on the floor of a hired marriage with all other 140 people on the trip we set off to the Kodaikanal hills! It is refreshing cooler the higher we climbed up the precarious tracks, a little to close to the edge of the road...
At approximately 15 degrees, while people in England would be in there bikinis sunbathing the children all put on there woolen bobble hats and jumpers! This is Denmorie and Sharat, two adorable siblings on the bus.
It took about 5 hours to reach the highest peak. The place was full of monkeys - cute from a distance but a little aggressive up close! The camera found it hard to pick up the amazing views of the valley because of the mist but i will never forget the vastness of that sight. The world really is massive!
On the way down the group stop for a photo by this amazing waterfall!
Day 3 and on the way back to Sevelaya we visit yet another HUGE temple - Tamil Nadu is full of them but they are all so different and beautiful in there own special way :) This one you had to climb millions and millions of steps before reaching another spectacular view, I had a little friend from the orphanage called Ammu to help me though...
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