Chennai could be quite a hot city if you land yourself at the wrong places. For example, if you are a tourist and land yourself in the middle of snarling touts, not knowing what to do and where to go, you might just face the heat. But that’s if you do not take the liberty of utilizing your smartness and making the best possible right moves.
I tried to take my call in this city yesterday and this is how it started.
Took a Jabbar Travels bus from Majestic in Bangalore to Chennai at around 10.30 p.m. There are certain things to take care here of which I will share in the later stages of this write-up.
The bus ride was smooth enough save for the most pestering co-passenger who belted out expletives after expletives because the operators had not given him the right ticket. Apart from that the ride was a hassle free one.
At around 6.00 a.m. the bus halted at Park Town.
As you move out, you can feel a swarm of touts ready to pounce on you if you show vital signs of being a new bloke to the city. So here’s what I suggest. Do not look into their eyes. Get down and start waking straight. Left or right is immaterial! Walk for around 200 metres whereby you have left the bunch, and ask someone the directions towards the place you want to visit. Intercity express is a great way to travel across the city. A little bit of enquiry can save you a lot of hassle and of course money.
I had to go to Rajaji Salai. I did the same as mentioned above. People around did help me out with how to go about reaching the place and in 15 minutes after a cool 4 rupees, I was at the beach station. From there I made a move towards my destination, the Deputy Director of Shipping Services, A&N Islands. Here again, a little bit of inquiry here and there will help you reach the place without many hassles. Walk as much as possible when at a new place! It will breed familiarity sooner than later.
While in Chennai, do not forget to start your day with a steaming cup of coffee. A mistake committed is an opportunity lost to savor coffee in its best possible way. Make sure than you mix the coffee in the cup with the saucer the hotel has provided. This is because, if you do not, then you might just find out that the coffee and the sugar are left at the bottom of the cup. Did the blunder. Would advice you, please do not!
If you are new to the city traveling at a distance of not more than 5 kms (local inquiry again) I suggest you take a cycle rickshaw than an auto rickshaw. This is because you would have more time to look around the places and familiarize yourself with the lanes and the hoardings around. The auto is a rapid means of commutation and you would not be able to look around the city’s premises. The other thing while taking this means of commutation being that you can bargain over the price. Just one reminder though! Make sure that the rickshaw that you take is run by a fairly elderly gentleman. Reason, the young guys might charge you astronomically whilst these old guys may spare you some amount when it comes to the final calculation.
Having said that, if you have the urge to look around, just do one thing. Walk! Walk! And Walk!
People in Chennai are extremely friendly lot. Afraid to say but yes a lot better than Bangalore. Apparently, the so-called rudeness has vanished away with the old name of the city – viz. Madras!
Certain things to take care
Make sure you do book tickets well in advance. Having taken a last minute entry, I had to shell out Rs. 450 instead of Rs. 300 in Jabbar Travels. This is because these private buses take it as their birth right to increase fare as per their whims and fancies when they see to it that the seats in the state owned KSRTC buses are filled.
Make sure you do carry a sweater, jacket or at least muffler, if you are traveling by non AC bus. The wind can be really harsh to your throat.
Be aware of the touts
If you need any help, search for some police around. They are extremely helpful, especially the ladies.
If you want to ask for routes, ask a student standing at a bus stop. S/he will guide you without any hidden agendas whatsoever.
If you are traveling by train and while at the station you feel the urge to relieve yourself, go to the station toilet. 1 rupee is the fee to refresh yourself.
If you traveling by bus, do not book a whole hotel room just to relieve yourself. Look around and see if there’s any public restroom nearby. If not, ask the local tout only for the relieving room. Give him some minimal amount that he will extract from you anyways. Some things have to be done because of desperation;)
Hope this review helps a visitor to a certain extent while traveling to Chennai. I am sure there are plenty of to do’s and help centers with regard to the same. Please do send it across, so that it does help a fellow traveler.
