-- From Chennai to Chennai

From the bivouac of Indian Oil, I left the 22/01 around 06:15 to Chennai where I arrived about 08:15 on the carpark of the building of Collector beside Department of Customs opposite the building of Chennai Port Trust. I have the agreement of the building customs guard who then directed me towards the department concerned with the Carnet de Passage en Douane. The chief of the department who assure me that there was no problem since I had the new carnet accepted me with 14:30. Alas, I learned by an email from the ACF that the carnet is sent the 23/01, validity date. I will thus receive it about the 29/01. The morning, I had returned visit the Tourism Office. Then I had found in the vicinity a cybercafé to publish my site. The afternoon after the meeting in Department of Customs, I went to Interfreight Services, clearing agent used in 2002 by Simone and Jean Moriot, to get information about the routing of my truck to Malaysia. After one hour of meeting, I had all information necessary to use the port of Chennai.

The 23/01 I went to a maritime conveyer, Pil Ship, to inform me about the routing of the truck towards Malaysia. The manager met informed me that a maritime conveyer did not ensure the services related to the assumption of responsibility of the vehicle. It was necessary to be addressed to a Clearing Agent. I obtained the address of Géodis where I had appointment the next week.
The afternoon, I made two tourist visits. In the south of Chennai at the edge of nauseous Adyar river does the Theosophical Company of which one of the objects consists of the comparative study of the religions knowing that “There is no religion higher than Truth”. Alexandra David-Neel remained there at the beginning of the 19^th century before beginning her peregrinations in Tibet. Then I went to Kapaleeshwarar Temple whose gopuram of entry is very colored.

The 24/01 I went to the Alliance Française where the secretary of the director accepted me. The afternoon was devoted to visits.
Government Museum is localized near the AF. It is composed of several buildings of Victorian style distributed in a park. The museography is obsolete. However, there are some archaeological nuggets of which the Goddesses Mothers of Mohenjo-Daro. The gallery of bronzes is the climax with a remarkable dancing Shiva. Then I made the trip of the colonial churches, the Saint-George Cathedral, Luz Church and the Saint-Thomas Cathedral (Santhom).

I decided not to await the arrival of the Carnet in Chennai. I fled the pollution of this city of more than 6 million inhabitants. I moved towards north to visit Tirumala. The 25/01, I left Chennai by the NH5 to Tirupati where I arrived towards 13:30. At the Toll Gate of Alipiri, the access to Tirumala, the Holy Mountain, was refused with my vehicle. An employee accompanied me at the building of the security police to obtain a special permission. Alas, after discussion and telephone conversation, prohibition was maintained. On the other hand, a jeep of  security police with driver and a guide were placed gracefully at my disposal to climb the Holy Hill and to visit the Venkateshwara Temple. Moreover, the guide obtained the statute of VIP to go directly to the narthex avoiding me five hours of queue in a labyrinth fitted latticework on around the temple. Finally, in half an hour, I reached the sanctum and I saw the statue of the avatar of Vishnu surrounded by pilgrim’s plasmodia. It was one privileged moment giving me an outline of a holy place as Rome, Jerusalem and Mecca with tens of thousands of pilgrims coming to seek the blessing and the realization of their wishes.

The 26/01 was a day of rest and visit of the town of Tirupati and the temple of Govindaraja Swami. I lunched in Punjabi Dhaba mentioned by the LP. Special Punjabi Thali is indeed delicious. Of course I went in a cybercafé to read my mailbox.

The 27 and the 28/01 were days of link to return to Chennai by playing truant. I arrived at the Collector carpark at 12:00.

Le Carnet de Passage en Douane should arrive Monday 29/01, to follow.