Chennai Chaos & Finding the Right Light (For My Face, Mostly)
okay, wow. chennai. 7603116… that’s the latitude and longitude, apparently. and 1356884472… i have no idea. probably some internal number for the tour bus. honestly, i’m running on fumes and lukewarm chai right now.
this trip has been… a lot. we’re wrapping up the southeast asia leg, and chennai was the last stop. the humidity is real. i just checked and it’s hovering around 22.6 degrees Celsius, feels like it too, with 88% humidity. lovely. my hair is a frizzball, my eyeliner is melting, and i’m pretty sure i’ve developed a permanent sheen. glamorous, right?
we played at this venue, the Music Academy. beautiful building, seriously. old-school, lots of wood carvings, the kind of place where you feel like you should be wearing a sari. which, obviously, i wasn’t. i was in ripped jeans and a band tee, looking like a fish out of water. the sound was decent, though. that’s the main thing, isn’t it? finding a stage that doesn’t completely destroy your vocals.
finding good light for photos has been a nightmare. everything is either too harsh or too dim. i’m trying to document this tour, you know? for the ‘gram, for the fans, for posterity. but it’s tough when you’re constantly battling sweat and shadows. i spent a good hour this morning trying to get a decent shot of my guitar in the hotel room. ended up looking like i was being held hostage by a musical instrument.
food-wise, it’s been… interesting. lots of spice. like, lots of spice. i’m pretty sure my taste buds are permanently on fire. i tried this dosa thing, which was okay, but then i had this curry that nearly blew my head off. i need to find a decent coffee shop. seriously. the hotel coffee is… questionable. i’m starting to understand why people rave about chai. it’s a lifesaver. i found a little place near the venue that makes a pretty decent one, though. it’s called “Sunrise Cafe” - check out their Yelp reviews, apparently they’re pretty popular. https://www.yelp.com/biz/sunrise-cafe-chennai
someone told me that the traffic here is insane. they weren’t kidding. it’s a constant, chaotic ballet of cars, scooters, and pedestrians. i’m amazed anyone gets anywhere. if you get bored, bangalore and madurai are just a short drive away, i guess. i haven’t had time to explore much beyond the immediate vicinity of the venue and the hotel.
i heard that the Marina Beach is supposed to be amazing, but i didn’t get a chance to go. maybe next time. i’m also supposed to check out the Kapaleeshwarar Temple. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g309743-d163273-Reviews-Kapaleeshwarar_Temple-Chennai_Tamil_Nadu.html Apparently, it’s a must-see.
right now, i’m just trying to survive the next few hours until my flight. need to find a quiet corner, charge my phone, and maybe attempt to wash the humidity out of my hair. touring is glamorous… sometimes. mostly, it’s just a lot of travel and questionable food. but hey, at least i’m doing what i love. and the fans are amazing. that’s what keeps me going.
check out the official Chennai tourism website for more info: https://www.tamilnadutourism.com/
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