India; Chennai

The decision was pretty sudden, and probably has no rational reasoning behind it. And somehow it felt right at that very moment even though I had to cancel previous engagements. Thinking that the same opportunity might not come again in the nearest future and with only 3 years left of med school before I immerse myself in the unrelenting Malaysian healthcare system for the rest of my life, I handed in my passport and applied for an Indian visa. It could be that, or it could might have just been the need to start the new academic year with a bang. Something new. Something different.

Madras, or rather India for the matter, is synonymous with heat, music, colourful sarees, temples, bharatnatyam, and of course Indian food. But somehow I have a suspicion that southern city will manage to bring something different to her visitors with every visit.

The city is heavily populated, and the amount of motor vehicles on the road is a massive amount which probably is the main reason as to why the traffic is HORRENDOUS. I will delve into that in a separate blog post hehe. All I could do was make sure I was not in a car on an empty stomach.

Chennai is rich in history and its affluence has not been masked by the progression of time. Every street, every corner and every neighborhood tells a different story. It is not uncommon to see tall, ultra-modern glass buildings wedged in between time-worn Hindu temples and bustling markets. Seems a bit outlandish but it seems to work for them and that is what makes it a truly remarkable thing to experience.

More to come!