Chennai to Pondy (Part 2)

The two-lane ECR road was in sight of the bay for almost the entire drive from Chennai to Pondy -- about 2.5 hours. There were indeed some very nice looking resorts sparkling along the waterfront, set far back from the road.

And there were a few nice housing developments -- a single lane perpendicting from ECR straight down a slight incline to the waterfront, new two and three story Indian style concrete houses with carports and rooftop terraces, painted in a cheery mix of pastel colors (mint-green-and-lavender, terra-cotta-and-sky-blue). Some developments had gates -- the resorts had guards in uniforms, manning their tall, white gates surrounding by lush green lawns.

We wove through countless small villages holding a temple, a couple of shops and houses in various levels of affluence and decay, thin, wizened people walking along the road or across a field, or standing in line at the little shops, never a stoplight in view.

Sometimes a large temple would have huge clunky statues, two-story tall gods sitting on Weeble-esque horses. And sometimes the temples were loud, blasting pre-recorded sermons through PA systems so the entire village -- and maybe the next one too -- could hear it in their hot, trying lives, and maybe would think WWKD or WWGD throughout the day.

Sometimes a single dwelling -- could be 6000 square feet with shiny gold tile roof, could be single room concrete house with roof top terrace, could be a blue tarp and bamboo tent -- would be sitting alone on the side of the road.

The majority of the land was simply empty. You might spot some livestock grazing, or some walking trails, or just empty fields of scrub grass.

With the blue of the sparkling water in the distance, stretching off to infinity.