Topic: Return to Trichy

[Michael]

One of the itinerary stops on this 2024 trip to India has been Trichy (Tiruchirappalli), where Julie and I encountered a major calamity detailed in our book, Destiny at Trichy. After arrival yesterday, we popped into GVN hospital, next door to the hotel, where Julie had spent a month in the Indian medical system before being medivac'd to Australia. Julie, naturally, remembered nothing of this hospital as she was in severe post-traumatic-amnesia at the time.

I asked if Dr Senthil was in, and another doctor informed us that he was, and if we waited a little, he could see us. Julie was distressed that we would be taking up his time, considering there was a long line of people waiting to see him. We finally met him in his tiny office, and when Julie apologised for jumping the cue and taking his valuable time, he calmly said, "This is India, not Australia."

He was delightful - even more wise and bright than I knew him ten years ago. We were both impressed with with his intelligent and gentle manner. He immediately remembered me when he saw me, and asked Julie how her wrist and Jaw were (he had done a bone surgery on both, back in 2014).

Otherwise, Trichy, especially here in Singarathope, is insanely chaotic - it is a clothing bazaar. We are finding it very difficult to walk around and there is little food other than South Indian meals. It is what we call, 'Deep India'. I've only seen one western person since arriving here.

[Michael]

We passed by the hotel where the accident happened - Julie didn't want to stay there, due to the associations, which I fully understand. But this meant there was only one other reasonably descent hotel available, so I booked (with considerable difficulty - these hotels are for Indians) the best room in the place. Thank God I did, because, although it is still fairly impoverished, it has been a saving space for us to retreat to after confrontation with the seething mass of bodies, cars, motorbikes, auto-rickshaws, screaming horns, loud talking (Indian speak on their phones as if they have to shout because the person on the other end is a long way away!)

But this is our first full day here, and that is always difficult while we sort out the room - organising clothes lines, sheets (you always have to bring a top sheet to India - heavens knows why they don't provide a top sheet), air-conditioner settings (I almost always have to replace the batteries in the remote with spares I carry), fan settings that create less noise, bathroom arrangements (Indian showers wet the entire floor of the bathroom, and the floors are often very slippery when wet, so we carry a special light sticky plastic mat, but still, unless you mop up the water, you will slip just going to the toilet), windows (who can see in and are there any bright lights outside through the night?), do the mattresses need reversing (foam mostly which depress where people lie), lights (do they actually work?), and checking the TV works because if it does one can watch totally weird movies even without subtitles (we saw one last night that was completely over-the-top!)

Tomorrow, we plan to tackle the temples. I was impressed with Julie's ability to handle the walk through the traffic around the roads today, but we both agree, it is really dangerous. After that I got an auto to the wine shop - first shop we couldn't reach due to a backing truck, second had no red wine, but third had wine and whisky, so that was a relief. But the auto driver watched as I dolled out a lot of cash, and then asked for an exorbitant fee for the return trip - I didn't mind as what is a lot for them is cheap for us due to the exchange rate.

Hopefully, the temples won't be too busy, especially when we visit the Shani shrine.

[Firestarter]

I know Im gonna misspell, did you see the one nurse, Mithili?

[Michael]

We see her tomorrow - we'll go and meet her family, and her husband Dinesh and two-year old girl Kavinya.

[Firestarter]

How'd it go seeing her? I know she was super important per the recovery.

[Michael]

We go to their place today - in half-an-hour.

[Firestarter]

Let me know how it goes!

How are you both holding up emotionally on all this? While the main event really happened to Julie. Im betting she has blackouts in and out the whole experience. She did the suffering, but you were awake and aware for ALL of it. How is revisiting this place again? I would suspect it would bring back some hardcore feelings (You ARE a Pisces after all)! ♓️🐟. I can understand wanting to go back, see docs, Mithili, and maybe see things you could not last time. (but avoid the Saturn temple no way ugh). But how you managing all this?

[Michael]

The trip to Mythili's house with her two sisters, two husbands, mother and three young kids went well. Except Julie picked up a cold so now we are sitting in the room with AC or fan off - sweating it out. And I picked up a slight hyperthermia for some reason, at least that's what it felt like, and I thoughtlessly ate Pepper Eggs Fry for dinner last night, which were reheated boiled eggs fried with chilli - after a nasty experience long ago, we made it a rule never to eat reheated boiled eggs again - but I'm fine this morning.

Rest day today, for both of us, as we have to get up at 4am tomorrow morning for a day of flights to Kolkata.

I'm doing fine emotionally, but Julie is completely pissed off with Trichy - too deep Indian, noisy, cluttered, dirty, insane traffic. She is hoping for more civilised scene in Kolkata, especially as we have splashed out and booked a famous old hotel - The Elgin Fairlawn (but it is in Sudder Street, which was a hippy dive scene in the past and I've no idea what it's like now. But really, I'm not expecting reprieve until the Himalayas.

Mythili's family was wonderful, and they gave us a beautiful home-cooked lunch (on chair and table! which I bet they brought in especially for us).

[Firestarter]

Well I’m glad the trip with Mythili and family was good at least! But at least you both faced what you needed to.  But that’s sweet they got a table! 

[Michael]

I'll post a picture of the Sani shrine later, when I get it off my camera.