We left Madurai having OD’ed  on the temple, resisted the sales pressure of ethnic goods and Saville Row tailoring (a la India) but really enjoyed the Gandhi museum!  The run down to Rameswaram was relatively uneventful, our style of motorcycling just pottering along at 50 to 60 miles an hour with nothing too challenging!  En route we saw children being bathed by the street, bricks being made, clothes being washed in the river, an increase in bullock carts, fields with culverts surrounding them which could serve as irrigation or could be rice paddies.  Most towns had high decibel tanoys either calling the faithful to prayer or extolling the virtues of some politician.  In one small town there was a full blown political rally which also seemed to involve the local youths who were dressed in colourful garb but our illustrious leader kept us moving onwards.

On the way we stopped for chai as usual and for a bit of local craic.  Kevin distributed pens to some children but Rogers were rejected, (awe what a shame)!  The comfort stop selected by Gordon consisted of a couple of security gates with a wall of broken glass on the top but as usual the girls managed admirably and the boys found a bush

After checking in at our hotel we regrouped with Mitch and Steve who had been AWOL!  We then went on a Shaffi tour of the island in a decrepit mini bus which turned out to have four wheel drive and a driver with a death wish who seemed to randomly set out across the sands into the sea but in fact quite safely took us to the tip of the island just 115 miles north of Sri Lanka.  On the way Gordon opted for a panoramic lounge ie roof travel and Kevin joined him on the way back. We also picked up some locals with bundles of greenery the purpose of which we never actually ascertained but it was good entertainment.  Finally arriving at our destination we were able to see a tiny temple dedicated to the monkey who jumped from India to Ceylon.  The locals visiting the temple washed themselves in the sea first.  There was the remains of a Catholic Church destroyed in 1964 by a tsunami.and the area was also affected by the 2004 tsunami.

There was a bit of a dichotomy for the evening meal, some remaining at the hotel and the rest of us opting for the only bar in town which took about an hour to open up at our request, the Germans having already given up and then a cheapskate supper in a local cafe.. Altogether another good day on Gordon’s jolly.