mamallapuram

the 40 hours train ride turned out to be a 44 hour train ride followed by 3 hours on a bus but yes, I MADE IT. the train was late for over 4 hours but you don't really mind it as after such a long journey-what are 4 hours, really?
i am now officially in the south of india and sort of start the second part of my trip. being without my beloved travel companions that i spent the last month and a half with is hard and weird, though. it is so much more easy to travel with friends, shared responsibility and you always have someone to cheer you up.
however, the train ride was much more fun that i expected, the time flew by. met some fascinating people. there was a couple (he from japan, she from australia) that were in my compartment and entertained me for quite some time. i actually slept well, both nights, wrote endless pages in my diary and tried to catch up and listened to music for hours. very relaxing. did not mind the time in the train, the bus ride was a bit more exhausting, but rather short.
so now i am here and tomorrow i go out to explore. met a girl from the uk and we are meeting for breakfast and then discover this village together. i am excited to see the temples at the beach.