A few things that make Chennai wayyy more than just a really humid & sticky city in the South.

5. The Crocodile Park & Snake "Milking" Station. About an hour outside the city is this very random crocodile park with crocs from around the world. The sheer numbers of crocodiles in one area was just plain gross, even though I thought they were maybe possibly fake...no such luck. Next to it (not technically part of it, because you actually have to buy a separate ticket) is a snake milking station which is a co-op with the local tribes people. It is kinda cool- the tribes people make money by collecting poisonous snakes and then give them to the milking center where the snake venom is collected (milking is the correct term, I suppose) to be made into anti-venom treatments. Win, win situation if you ask me.

4. SistaK's Guest House. Her words not mine! :) Kirsten's place and hospitality were the perfect place to end my 2+ week through the south. From cookin up fresh pancakes to treating me to Iddly on the beach for my birthday, Kirsten made Chennai a wonderful place...yes, apparently there are wonderful places in South India, too. ;) Also, I was able to be there for her DVD release party (learn more about Kirsten's project), which was awesome and super motivating and officially made me want to work again. Thank God for small favors.

3. The Beach! It ain't no Goa...but it ain't no Puri either. Elliot's Beach in Besant Nagar, in South Chennai is just great. The cool breeze that hits you as you walk down along the beach, freshly cooked corn, fortune tellers with parrots as their assistants (long story for another day), fisherman boats and even a roller skating rink for the little kids. Precious.

2. Madras Terrace House, Amethyst & the Chocolate Lab. Really great spaces tucked away in gullys or behind walls in random neighborhoods. The best kept secrets are the best places to spend an afternoon...or many...and probably way too many rupees, but, um, whatever.

1. Sheer proximity to Kerala. I was so close. So so close. (Kerala is supposedly the most beautiful place in India and I've never ever been). One night in Chennai I had a delicious Keralan dinner including appam, an amazing bread that reminds me of the Ethiopian bread, Injera, and a meat dish that rhymed with "Leaf." Mmmmm. Thinking about this again is making me crave it...any Keralan restaurant recs in Delhi?!?