Mysore : "Do you like Pina Coladas? And getting caught in the rain?"

I started my Southern Indian Adventure in Mysore, a city with a glorious palace and market. People there-- and, I would learn, all over the place-- generally fell into two categories: the ones that stared at me constantly but never said a word, and the ones who chatted me up simply to con me into shopping at a store that would pay them comssion, or to take their rickshaw, bring them to Canada, etc.

It was tough going for the first days. Life was lonely and the only other westerners I saw appeared to be the swanky luxury travellers. I checked into a hotel recomended by ye olde Rough Guide and described as a backpacker's haunt.... alas, not a single backpacker. I was alone. Luckily, Mysore has a gorgeous and compact little city centre with a big clocktower, the Maharaja's palace, and the big market. I walked everywhere and took photos most of the time. I sampled a restaurant that served its meals on banana leaves and had my first proper indian chicken biryani-- heaven!

My first night in Mysore was spent sipping fresh juices-- pineapple being a staple-- and exploring the city under a gathering thunderstorm. The lightshow was superb. I stood for a while trying to wave away hawkers and rickshaw drivers looking for fares and just admired the brilliant flashes of intense national-geographic caliber lightning set against the clocktower and Maharaja's Palace while not a single drop of rain fell. Then suddenly, apocalypse. Torrents of rain tore through the city and every last sane Indian sought cover. Meanwhile, I took the opportunity to walk leisurely and un-hassled through the streets around the centre, getting soaked and protecting my camera from a watery death, but all the time rejoicing in the freedom from people trying to sell me something. It was the perfect 15 minutes in Mysore.

After a couple more solitary days, I moved on to the hill station town of Ooty. No, Ooty is not it's real name, but I can't spell the long form, so just google it..... More on Ooty in the next installment of 'Sepahi on the Move'.