Chennai, India

India is one of the few countries where I have to remind myself to go outside.  This past weekend, I was deciding what to do with myself when I realized that I had not experienced fresh air in over a week!  

To be fair, none of my trips require me to spend much time outside since my commute only involves riding the elevator. Even the gym and restaurants are usually all inside one building.  The only hotels that really inspire me to go outside would be the ones located near outdoor running trails or in cities where I feel comfortable just wandering around without a car (read: Europe).    

Since arriving last Friday morning, my only taste of the outside world has been the view from my room:

This is what I get to look at every morning.

My first weekend activity was a trip to a nearby health clinic for some blood work and heart rate tests.  No, I'm not sick (thankfully).  All I really needed was for a doctor to sign a health certificate as part of my registration for the Florence Marathon in November.  

I was a little annoyed by this requirement, seeing as I have already completed 3 marathons this year, but c'est la vie (...or "questa è la vita" in Italian).  I'm actually really interested in health care around the world since I am so critical of the American system, so I framed this in my mind as more of a case study.  As suspected, India provided professional service at a fraction of the cost that I would have paid in the US.  

Behind the registration desk was a price list for the most common procedures and they required payment to be collected up-front.  I just gave them the list of tests that the doctor had prescribed. Within 5 minutes, I was given an itemized invoice and was sent on my way to the blood collection room.  I hardly had to wait at all before the technician was ready to collect my sample.  It has been many years since I have had blood work done in the US, but I was a little surprised that they required a separate vile for each test.  Regardless, it was quick and easy.  

From there, I was directed to another room for the heart testing.  There, I just laid on a table while the nurse put suction cups all over my chest, wrists, and ankle (randomly) for a quick reading.  At the end, she told me I could come back the next day to pick up the final reports.  Easy breezy. 

Obviously, comparing blood tests is far different than comparing complex surgical procedures.  However, I just think the American health care system over-complicates even the simplest procedures.  People have no idea what they will end up paying and, as a result, are fearful to visit the hospital unless it is an emergency.  Ok, enough about health care!  

I think the most difficult part of the entire journey to the clinic was crossing the road in front of my hotel.  After all my trips to developing countries, I have mastered the art of running across busy highways - one lane at a time.  I love the feeling of cars whizzing past me from all sides as I wait for the next opening to dart through.  It really forces me to have faith in my fellow humans that they won't feel the urge to hit the white guy in the middle of the busy road.

By the time I got back to the hotel, my clothes were uncomfortably wet with sweat and I had nothing else on my itinerary, so I rested my eyes for a few minutes.  Seven hours later, I woke up in a daze.  

I had to do something, so I called the concierge to arrange a last-minute city tour.  Within an hour, I was off to explore the city. 

First stop: 

Pretty cool temple

I was more interested in the guys making flower necklaces

Second stop:

St Thomas "Basilica"

Here's what the inside looked like...

Third stop: 

Marina Beach

...and that about sums up the tour.  

Maybe I was tired.  Realistically, Chennai just isn't much of a tourist destination.  The next morning, one of the sales managers asked me if I liked the city tour.  Apparently, the concierge was concerned that I was disappointed in the quality of the tour guide when I returned to the hotel after only being out for two hours.  Nothing goes unnoticed!

I was actually glad to get out of the hotel and explore a little - even though it may not seem that way from my limited commentary above.  I was amused by the beach, which was nothing like any beaches I have ever seen before.  I guess it makes sense that Indian people wouldn't be interested in laying out for a tan - especially with all the heat and humidity.  The beach looked more like a sandy carnival than a place for enjoying the coastline.

Riding through the streets of Chennai was probably the most entertaining element of the entire excursion.  I still smile every time I pass a cow just hanging out on the side of the road.  I'm both amused and perplexed by the sight of an entire family riding on a single motorbike - while only the driver wears a helmet.  And, I will always wonder if the people walking around barefoot actually own shoes.  

After so many trips to India, random holes in the ground don't even seem unusual anymore...

Are they fixing something or building a big sand castle?

Neither do men all over the city who wrap these skirt things around themselves in place of trousers: 

Is this a shirt or a skirt?

I could never live in India, but I do find it interesting.  Unlike Africa and the Middle East, the country has such a deep history and strong culture.  The cities here are full of activity, color, and car horns...lots of car horns. (Why do people beep so much?)  Even though the shops and restaurants do not appeal to me, I can never say that India is boring.  

All of our hotels here are very luxurious and stand in such sharp contrast to the cities that surround them.  Most of the staff earn less in a month than hotel guests pay for one night of accommodation, yet they treat everyone with such genuine and professional service.  I want to devote an entire entry to service in India because it deserves more than just a paragraph.  But, like everything else here, service is different than in anywhere else I have visited.  

Chennai may not provide much incentive for me to go outside and explore, but that certainly will not prevent me from maximizing the cultural experience over the next 3.5 weeks.