Tamil Nadu area ; any tips?

[AYA]

Hi all,

i'll be off for 6 months starting february 2007 in India, mainly in the Tamil Nadu region working in Auroville and visiting nearby cities.Can't wait.
I was wondering wether cannabis is available in the south, wether its use is harshly banned or not and if it isnt too risky what are the best bets and tips for a successfull score?
I'm guessing seeing the rather hippy inspiration behind Auroville there's bound to be cannabisophiles there but in case i don't get to meet them i'd hate to leave india without a taste of their authentic ganja products...
It seems that indian cannabis habits are mainly present in the north near the mountains am i right?
A friend spent 3 weeks last january in Goa, he was able to score though he told me it was expensive (i suppose all the ravers and neohippies drove the prices and police controls way up) and he scored through people a friend of his knew so that made it easier. The hash was great he said, he couldn't understand how local indians could smoke it non-stop with their schillums... :

EDIT : Actually let us not limit the thread to scoring advice, any advice, recommandations or tips on things to do and live in Tamil Nadu would be great!

I suppose they only have hashich? I'd love to sample a true bred exotic sativa as i've never been out of europe! Sure i got some Thai and mexican haze in the Dam but i'm sure its got nothing to do with the real deal...
Hashich will be nice too i'm sure but i'm really into tropical sativas, if i could i'd go to the Réunion just to have a taste of the famed Zaamal and whilst i'am at it i'd go to Dalat in Vietnam for that mysterious Dalat familly weed...
Raaaahh i remember the old timer's thread on OG about the Dalat weed in particular and exotic sativas in general, i used to read it and re-read it late at night to get dreaming inspiration...

Anyway i'm sure whatever i'll score over there will make me forget those horrible laced skunks flooding europe!!!



:jawdrop:

Anywayz, thanks for your advice & contributions!

-peace love unity-

 

[Guest]

If you can visit Sri Lakshmana Swami (rarely sees people...only like 5 times a year...was a disciple of Ramana) and his disciple Sri Sarada Devi (Saradama) near Arunachala. They'll blow your mind better than any sativa.

 

[AYA]

Thank you Redux, i'm certainly not limiting myself to cannabis highs the more the merrier, if i can i will try to go to Arunachala. I don't want to "off-topic" myself but did you meet them? Were you just passing by or did you go there to spend time with them?

I'm very cautious about indian mistycism because i think it is something that needs a whole life devoted to it and more importantly because you can only let yourself be absorbed by it if you find THE right initiator.
But that being said i intend to take ayurveda courses in Auroville. What approach did you have when you went to meet them? Was it curiosity, certainty, luck?

peace

 

[naga_sadu]

I was wondering wether cannabis is available in the south, wether its use is harshly banned or not and if it isnt too risky what are the best bets and tips for a successfull score?

I live in Kerela, the state neighbouring Tamil Nadu. But I've been to TN alot. Well, the "best" ganja in TN state is to be had in the high points in Thekkady. It's a forest station. Can you drive a motorbike? Because there ain't no "official" tour guides to show u around!! Also, you should make your trip to Koddaikkanal, and then hike there thru the jungles to Munnar. Get a local to show u around, don't get the licensed guides. If you want to stay away from the commercial shit which get passed around in citys, your best bet would be to hit the Western Ghats. But you'll have to learn to maneuver a motrobike REALLY WELL, with steep climbs where there are no roads (only dirt "roads"). The portions of Tamil Nadu neighbouring Kerela state always have good greens- in terms of quality and availability.

The southern parts of Tamil Nadu, especially Kanyakumari district is well known for the availability of herbs. Even 9th graders have no difficulty finding greens.

As far as the cities go, every city w/ a professional engineering college is bound to have plenty of greens. Usually, a goalie soda vendor (a soda does not mean soft drink like 7up etc it means areated water w/ a marble circle used as the bottle seal) who has his cart by an engineering college has score. Other than that, in most cities, the soda walla is almost always happy to oblige and auto drivers are also a good source of supply for the first timer.

Be a bit careful whilst travelling w/ supplies especially while crossing into the Andra Pradesh border from Tamil Nadu. Lotsa checkposts there, due to the Naxalite rebel problem.

You can score charas (hash) in Tamil Nadu but don't be expecting Manala cream! And charas is considerably harder to find than is mmj. If you want my recommendation, while you arrive in Tamil Nadu, get yourself a second hand Czech made 250cc Jawa bike. You can buy a good second hand for about $200-$400. And the bike is yours to use for life, and nobody really steals Jawas. When u leave, simply park it near a park by a tree or something.

The "scene" in Tamil Nadu is ok, but as a Kerala native, it falls below the standards I'm used to. Also, nobody knows what the official laws are, and for the most part nobody gives a shit about users. Sellers do get busted, but 99% of the time, it's because the seller belongs to the opposition political party to the one that's in power.

The quality of commercial bhang (weed) in places like Chennai, Madurai, Tirunelvelli, Salem, Dindugul, Coimbatore etc., didn't impress me. The "Jewel" of Tamil Nadu falls along the Western Ghats. And in particular, Thekkady. Go to Thekkady- you won't be dissapointed!! The jungle hike from Kodaikkanal- Munnar (Kerala) is also awesome. For a person in reasonable shape, the hike should take 72 hours. If u see dark green foilage- GET THE FUCK OUT OF THERE- leeches suck. Also, in Kodaikkanal, the place is known for its magic mushrooms.

If you really want a canna holiday, and in South India, you'll have a much better time in Kerela.

It seems that indian cannabis habits are mainly present in the north near the mountains am i right?

I got the impression (from all my years of living here in India) is that the Southereners prefer ganja and the northerners prefer charas. The best ganja in India is to be had in Kerela.

 

[AYA]

Hi naga!

thanks a million for your reply, as with all your travel post i loved reading it till the last word!I didnt know you live in Kerala, i thought about going there too but since my first goal was Auroville, i didnt plan anything about Kerala.Then again i hate planning my travels so who knows, if i can i'll sure be coming around ; i'd like to see the backwaters...

About Thekkady, i'm really interested by the prospect of spending time off the coast, though i read that because of the wildlife reserve there it seems to have become a rather luxurious resort ; is this just web talk or is the place innundated by rich westerners coming to see the elephants&tigers?According to websites hotels there are 600rs minimum which seems a lot for india?

Once in Thekkady, any hints necessary or will the Herb almost come to me?
Seeing pictures and maps on the nasa WorldWinds software sure makes me want to go there, it looks absolutely stunning ; mountains, low grass and jungle, seems like a mix of several climate and landscapes.

I've never been in a jungle before and so india will be my first time. I love the idea of jungle trekking though i'm not going in the "green hell" alone, that's for sure ; i'd have to find a local to teach&guide me through it as i'm not keen on bad things happening to me alone at dusk in the middle of a snake, tiger and leech-infested jungle!
By the way, whats this thing about "dark green foliage"?! Don't leeches live underwater?Or do they stick to leaves waiting for you to touch and push them?

Now i never heard about the Naxalite insurgency ; is it truly popular or is it more political?I mean is it similar to the brazilian or mexican local struggles for shared land and resources or is it purely political/ideological/religious ala taliban? Because if its the first option, well i'd like to meet and talk with them unless they're kidnappers or something...

Can i ride a bike without a license?

Any Keralan place near TN where i could score superior/unique sativas?I'm ready to go far for the uniqueness...But it has to be acquired from someone who knows the scene, genetics etc not a simple rickshaw driver you know what i mean? Isnt there somekind of cannabis village in the south similar to Manali in the north?


Thanks a lot for your time and precious advice!

take care

AyA

 

[naga_sadu]

Hi naga!

thanks a million for your reply, as with all your travel post i loved reading it till the last word!I didnt know you live in Kerala, i thought about going there too but since my first goal was Auroville, i didnt plan anything about Kerala.

Thanks man. That's why I recommend u come out here and buy a second hand Jawa 250cc motrobike. In Tamil Nadu (esp. in places like Trichnapalli) you can snag one for 8000 bucks. About 165 US bucks. Add another 50 USD and you got repairs covered. For your own 250cc biike that's cheap and easy to repair and maintain. This way, you don't have to plan anything, you can just go as you like. Where you like and when you like.

About Thekkady, i'm really interested by the prospect of spending time off the coast, though i read that because of the wildlife reserve there it seems to have become a rather luxurious resort ; is this just web talk or is the place innundated by rich westerners coming to see the elephants&tigers?According to websites hotels there are 600rs minimum which seems a lot for india?

Only in the licensed guest houses and resorts. The areas you'll need to hit usually aren't accessible thru 4 wheeled vehicles and you need to be pretty good at handling a motorbike off road. You don't have to be a pro but you have to have some motorbiking exp. under your belt. YOu need to proceed way further hillwards from the location of the resort areas. Just do some looking around. You'll be fine.

Officially, it's not recommended to camp outside, but nobody cares most of the time- just don't get your ass mauled by that bear! I best recommend going in the early morning hours and returning before sunset. ANd if u spot wild elephants on your route (not that uncommon in some seasons), turn off your bike lights and don't sound your horn and don't freak by making sudden movements. Just chill out, and they'll pass by. There's no tour package that'll take you there, and for sure no auto rickshaw driver. Your best bet is that motorbike!

I've never been in a jungle before and so india will be my first time. I love the idea of jungle trekking though i'm not going in the "green hell" alone, that's for sure ; i'd have to find a local to teach&guide me through it as i'm not keen on bad things happening to me alone at dusk in the middle of a snake, tiger and leech-infested jungle!

As far as leeches go, check out the foilage in the area thru which u're trekking. If you find dark green foilage, stay away, ithas leeches. If u see light green foilage, ure good to go. And make sure you wear at least low leather boots w/ leather sole. And apply LOTS of neem oil on ur feet and take lotsa mosquito repellent w/u. For food, you can stop in isolated hamlets and in settlements. The quality of food is very good, though not exotic & very simple (rice + 2 vegetables + chicken).

IF u get a local guide, pick one up who don't advertise much and who you'd have to ask around to get to. One who overmarkets himself always overcharges. Some even ask for 7000 Rupees for 72 hours, which is bullshit. I never hired guides, personally though.

By the way, whats this thing about "dark green foliage"?!

The colour of the vegetation in the jungles...

Don't leeches live underwater?Or do they stick to leaves waiting for you to touch and push them?

In wet jungles, they're everywhere, where the colour of the vegetation is dark green. And yes, they're underwater as well. I've gotten bit by leeches. It ain't pretty, but it ain't traumatising either. Usually, when you walk over areas of the forest where they thrive (dark coloured vegetation- more moist) they come thru the pores of your shoes' soles, if they're synthetic. WHich is why I recommend thick leather soles. If you unfortunately get bit by 1, simply light up a cig and gently press it over the leech. It will come off. Trying to yank it out otherwise won't work.

Now i never heard about the Naxalite insurgency ; is it truly popular or is it more political?I mean is it similar to the brazilian or mexican local struggles for shared land and resources or is it purely political/ideological/religious ala taliban? Because if its the first option, well i'd like to meet and talk with them unless they're kidnappers or something...

I don't say they're like the Taliban. They have a strong Maoist agenda. For all practical purposes, large areas of Rural Andra Pradesh, Orissa are run by them. At times, they've even made commando style raids on high security prisons in population centres like Bihar and have freed prisoners. They've also made raids on garrisons, storehouses etc. Recently, it was revealed that they had a factory that made at least 1000 Rocket Propelled Grenades...in the capital of Tamil Nadu (though they don't operate there).

But watch your six, when you speak to a Naxalite. Many a time, the police send in tourists who got in trouble w/the law as undercover informants posing to be just passer bys as a part of "the deal." And if you show that you have money, or have backers who'll pay ransom, you'd be setting urself up for a kidnap. The way in which they view outsiders is necessarily not the same in the way they view a subsistance farmer.

But, again, the chances of getting harassed by a Naxalite is MUCH LESS than the chances of getting harassed by a lard-o in LA. Just be careful man and in my view, the best policy for a Western tourist is "I go my way, you go yours" kinda attitude w/ them. In Rural ANdra Pradesh, you NEVER want to flaunt ANY wealth. EVER. Just dress simple. No fancy or expensive looking tents or backpacks- or other equipment. And drive a simple motorbike which is simple yet sturdy. Like a Jawa 250cc used.

But again, there is quality smoke to be had in rural Andra. If you are feelin adventurous, you can embark on a journey that will take you from Tamil Nadu to Kerela to Andra to South Orissa to Puri. It's a fuckin' hard journey, but for sure, that experience is worth it on a motorbike!! Puri is a religious town, where mmj is more or less legal. U can buy off government run shops there, just as u can in Rajestan etc.

Can i ride a bike without a license?

No comments

Any Keralan place near TN where i could score superior/unique sativas?I'm ready to go far for the uniqueness...But it has to be acquired from someone who knows the scene, genetics etc not a simple rickshaw driver you know what i mean? Isnt there somekind of cannabis village in the south similar to Manali in the north?

In Tamil Nadu? No. In Kerela? There is Idukki and Varkala. But now, those places are kinda gettin' commercialised as like Goa and Manali. Munnar (Kerela) is a good place for greens. You might also want to give Palakkad (Kerela) a shot. In Palakkad, you'd be surprised at the "average" quality, if u know what I mean, it's good!

In Tamil Nadu, you have the Western Ghats (the mountain range) but no particular "cannabis city" like Manali. Thekkady is good as well, but again...that's a forest not a city.

Thanks a lot for your time and precious advice!

No problem Though none of this is "special" info or anything of that sort, you'll figure all of what is posted the instant u get here.

 

[Ronley]

Naga your info here is extermely interesting, and mind opening. Thank you.

On another note. The Israeli News broadcasting authority issued a national warning to travellers planning to be in or are in Goa over the New Year festive period.
Intelligence sources warned that Alkaida are planning an attack there.

 

[AYA]

Thanks for the tip Ronley! Glad i'm not going there anyway!
Thanks again naga, i dont have time to reply i'll do it later!
One thing about the Bike & license issue ; i don't have a license though i heard that in asia 2wheels don't really need a license...What i wanted to know is wether i can get arrested for not having a license or not?I'd hate to go that far to score then get the stuff taken away from me simply because of a roadside police checkpoint...
Is the "ok without a license" possibility baksheesh-powered?

cheers!

 

[naga_sadu]

Naga your info here is extermely interesting, and mind opening. Thank you.

No probs man anytime!!

On another note. The Israeli News broadcasting authority issued a national warning to travellers planning to be in or are in Goa over the New Year festive period.
Intelligence sources warned that Alkaida are planning an attack there.

Hey'ya Ronley, I wouldn't take that advise too seriously. My guess is that the Israeli government doesn't want to see its young populus morph into hardcore partying candy rollers. If u know what I mean. THe amount of Israeli tourist inflow into Goa for indulging in synthetic and natural fun has worried the government of Israel, not just now but ever since the late 80s.

ANd there are LOTS of Israelis in Goa. If u want to know where the parties are at, having a knowledge of Hebrew is better than having a knowledge of any local language!!!!!!

I remember another Israeli governmental warning in the late 80s regarding Kullu/ Manali, that tourists were "dissapearing" left and right. In actuality, what happened is that almost all tourists who "dissapeared" ditched their passports on the Ganges river and stayed on.

But anyways, in my view, modern day Goa sucks like every Indian city. Hey, I ain't Pol Pot but really, Indian cities in general blow nowadays. WAY too commercialised. There are greener and happier pastures elsewhere in the country.

I don't forsee the AL-Qaeda making an attack on Goa. As far as India goes, they target places where there are large HIndu and Muslim populations living side by side. Places such as Malegon, Mumbai, etc., are more prone to an Al-Q attack than a place like GOa. Inciting religious hatred amongst HIndus and Muslims has been the AL-Q's stratergy as far as India goes. Goa doesn't really fit the profile of an Al-Q targe in India, as the populus mainly consists of Christians and Anglo Indians, whom the AL-Q have very little interest over.

 

[Ronley]

I don't forsee the AL-Qaeda making an attack on Goa. As far as India goes, they target places where there are large HIndu and Muslim populations living side by side. Places such as Malegon, Mumbai, etc., are more prone to an Al-Q attack than a place like GOa. Inciting religious hatred amongst HIndus and Muslims has been the AL-Q's stratergy as far as India goes. Goa doesn't really fit the profile of an Al-Q targe in India, as the populus mainly consists of Christians and Anglo Indians, whom the AL-Q have very little interest over.

Well hopefully A-Q will not attack anwhere.

 

[Rosy Cheeks]

If you really want a canna holiday, and in South India, you'll have a much better time in Kerela.

As the expert said. Personally, my best Cannabis experience from south India was in Mysore, in the next door Karnataka province. They're very proud of their Cannabis culture, and you can get just about everything, including Cannabis oil. All the weed I had there was first class, but since there are a lot of tourists (visiting the Maharadja's palace) and a lot of peddlers, I'm sure there's a fair chance getting ripped off.

 

[glock23]

Naga's got the best advice about India you're likely to find, especially if you're a stoner One thing to be prepared for is overwhelming heat. Heat like you've never experienced in your life. Take suntan lotion, and a lot of it. Also be prepared for bugs. You're gonna see bugs everywhere. A lot of Indian people refuse to kill bugs, and this will be immediately apparent when you see flies sitting on people's faces. Get some insect repellent with DEET. Nothing works better.

Another good piece of advice is to buy clothes there. Don't take too many pieces of clothing with you. I'm Indian, but I stick out like a sore thumb in India, and as a result, I get MOBBED by beggars. Next time I get out there, I'm gonna ensure I pick up some Indian-style flared jeans and tight shirts, as well as several sets of kurta-pajama (Indian outfit for guys...a long shirt and pants with a string in the waist, like sweats). I cannot get shoes in my size there though, so I really have no choice in that department.

I grew out some seeds I picked out of ganja from Andhra Pradesh that I purchased in Mumbai. Man, the smoke is realllly good. Surprisingly good for something that cost me 500 Rs. for 8 Puris, or about $10 US for over a QP. It took me forever to grow out. It would be a little difficult to do them in most of the continental US, but if you really wanted to, you could. Some Indian sativas really creep up on you. You can smoke a bunch and you'll be like WTF, this stuff isn't getting me high. It's not like Dutch skunk. 20 mins later and you'll be wishing you hadn't smoked so much




This is as sativa as it gets man. In '07, I'm going on a quest for cannabis genetics in India. Saduji, I'm going to try my best to get down to Kerala then.

 

[naga_sadu]

Personally, my best Cannabis experience from south India was in Mysore, in the next door Karnataka province. They're very proud of their Cannabis culture, and you can get just about everything, including Cannabis oil. All the weed I had there was first class, but since there are a lot of tourists (visiting the Maharadja's palace) and a lot of peddlers, I'm sure there's a fair chance getting ripped off.

The majority of quality greens I've had in Mysore were either from Thekkady or Palakkad. It is a tourist place as Rosy Cheeks correctly said, and to add onto that, the entire IT sector from Bangalore is spilling over to Mysore now. There's nothing wrong w/ the IT industry par se, but the problem is, with IT industry, you have a plethora of other industries that rush in such as the luxury hotelers, biotechnology , pharmaceutical , industries. The place urbanises and commercialises. And you start seeing more "mainstream" tourism, as a result. Which usually doesn't bode well for the mmj scene.

As far as my experience goes, in the long run, commercialisation and marijuana don't mix too well. Hey- I ain't no supporter of Pol Pot though. For example, just look at Goa of the 60s and Goa today. Mumbai of the 60s and Mumbai today. Non urban areas are free from this sort of bullcrap, which is why I always recommend them over citys.

Well hopefully A-Q will not attack anwhere.

That's my wish too man!!

One thing to be prepared for is overwhelming heat. Heat like you've never experienced in your life. Take suntan lotion, and a lot of it.

Yes heat is a whore. But the trick is to eat and drink things that cool ur system over things that heat it up. Ice cream, mango juice heats up your system. Lassi or lime juice cools it down. When making lime juice, drink it w/ salt, it cures thirst much better than sugar. In the full heat, you can eat lots of raw sugarcane. ALso, while eating, eat more mutton, buffalo meat and less chicken and beef dishes during heat. BTW- if u do insist on Chicken, in Tamil Nadu ask for "Nattu koli" (wild chicken) rather than "Broiler koli" (domesticated chicken). MUCH healthier.

But yes, do bring suntan lotion if ur lighter skinned. And if u do get red eyed, slice 2 pieces of cucumber up (non refrigrated) and rest them on your eyes for 10-15 minutes. Helps as well since u don't get shit like Viasine here.

Get some insect repellent with DEET. Nothing works better.

Sometimes, while you crash in lodges, insect repellents don't work out too well. You'll need a mosquito coil. It's cheap and Rs. 5. YOu set the coil in your feet and not a single mosquito will hover over u. PRob w/ insect repellents is that they keep mosquitoes away from ur skin whereas coils keep them away from the area. More than the bite, those mosquitoes make a fuckin annyoing noise when they hover near ur ear when u have lotion on. Not an issue w/ coils. In my exp., I prefer coils.

And u can buy repellent locally as well. Odomos is pretty good. But still not as good as coils. And also if you're camping on the open, don't camp near the shores of a lake or pond in the lowlands. Malaria mosquitoes breed there.

Another good piece of advice is to buy clothes there. Don't take too many pieces of clothing with you. I'm Indian, but I stick out like a sore thumb in India, and as a result, I get MOBBED by beggars

I HATE CITIES. I HATE THEM....!!

The diff. between cities and villages is that a villager never harasses another person for charity. That's demeaning one's own worth. And in reality tho, panhandling is a profession in India's citys. An alarmingly high number of "beggars" have enough money to engage in private money lending. I've caught some redhanded this way.

A poor villager is prolly a lot worse off than the "beggars" of the cities, yet a poor villager never begs. They even offer you food and hospitality, and in return, people would be very happy to reciprocate. There IS a diff. between giving something with a "Hey man, no probs, take this..." and a "Fucking hell, stop harassing me, here take this and leave me alone" attitude.

If you are intent on helping a beggar in the city, hook the guy up w/ some food from a nearby stall or give him a bundle of inexpensive things he can sell for profit. Try and make the guy help himself. A person who genuinely is a hapless one will accept happily whereas one who's a fraudster will scorn at you and constantly demand cash payment. You'd be surprised at the % of fraudsters doin' panhandling as a biz in the cities (versus genuine need).

 

[glock23]

The food thing sadu is talking about is also practiced in China, but the list of foods there is different. Certain foods are considered 'hot' and others 'cold.' Indian people are constantly trying to attain a balance by eating the right foods. When I had a recent bout of severe bronchitis, a Chinese herbalist told me to avoid beer and eggs (two of my favorite things). He prescribed me a blend of herbs, silk worms and scorpions, among other things. Three days later, I was much, much better. Chinese medicine is pretty darn amazing. Nothing Western docs were giving me was working, but the Chinese stuff fixed me right up!

The mosquito coils do work well, but when on the move, DEET's the stuff. I've heard of Odomos, and I believe it does contain DEET. If you're not worried about your karma and killing bugs, those electric tennis racket things that kill bugs work GREAT! I made it kind of a sport the last time I was in India. Killed like 8 mosquitoes in 2 mins. For some reason, I'm often the only person who gets bitten in a group of people. Kinda sucks. It's like they hone in on the big sweaty guy.

I totally agree w/ Sadu. Don't give beggars cash. Heroin use is rampant in the cities. We've been approached by addicts in traffic. I buy people food rather than give 'em cash. Did the same thing in NYC too. Sadu's idea of giving them a hustle is a really good idea. Never thought of that. Nothing makes me happier than helping my own people. Nothing hurts more than seeing 'em down or hurting each other.

 

[naga_sadu]

Nothing makes me happier than helping my own people. Nothing hurts more than seeing 'em down or hurting each other.

I second that bhai saab.

What i wanted to know is wether i can get arrested for not having a license or not?

I don't think the Indian Penal Code (IPC) permits police personnel to arrest folks for not driving w/o a license. For all practical purposes, you'll just have to pay a "fine." This can range anywhere from 50 Rupees to 500 Rupees, depending on how rich you look and what vehicle you're driving. Mostly, if you look like a backpacker riding around on a 2nd hand bike, nobody will even bother.

I'd hate to go that far to score then get the stuff taken away from me simply because of a roadside police checkpoint...

There are not too much police checkpoints in India and most of them bear a rather desserted look. Most often, you'll be driving past a checkpost and 90% of the time, the occupants are soundly asleep. The police aren't interested in motorbike traffic, they're more interested in commercial lorry traffic.

In the night hours, the checkpoints leading to the forest areas and hill stations become active. THese aren't police checkpoints but are forest department checkpoints. Though they are mainly after smuggled sandalwood and not pot smoking backpackers, be a bit careful (NOT paranoid) when negociating around @ night. Be wary that most sandalwood smugglers use Royal Enfield (Bullet) bikes, so it's best if you don't ride around in one of these. As stated before, the Jawa 250cc is an excellent bike for negociating crap roads and hills.

I don't recommend night travel in India, esp. in the hill stations and on forest areas, though, unless you absolutely know how to handle a bike. Nothing major, but when shit breaks down, it can be a bit of a scare. Once when I was descending down Munnar to go to Erenakulam on a bike, the headlight got fucked (wiring fault). And it was pitch dark. One of my comrads seated in the back had to shine his pocket torch and that was our only source of light. The entire route had not a single light source or even reflectors. It was raining as well, and the entire trip consisted of mud roads, w/ lotsa stones that made u slip alot, especially on turns. That's a tricky situation right there!! And something a first timer or an inexperienced dirt road biker would do well not to try. And that's not the only time the headlights have got fucked while climbing down a hill at night either.

 

[Flynnie]

Hi Aya, I spent 4 or 5 weeks travelling round TN back in late '89, just going from one small town to another, wasn't easy to score weed but I wasn't looking that hard. What I got was pretty poor stuff, unfortunately, perhaps it's changed since then.
Some great temples there, friendly people, coffee is drunk rather than tea, all you can eat veggie thali on a banana leaf for a few cents, my fave food was puri or deep fried chapatti. If you travel further afield, you could check out Coorg, a former princely state, lovely hilly scenery and much cooler than down on the plains.
Have fun
Flynnie

 

[naga_sadu]

Hi Aya, I spent 4 or 5 weeks travelling round TN back in late '89, just going from one small town to another, wasn't easy to score weed but I wasn't looking that hard. What I got was pretty poor stuff, unfortunately, perhaps it's changed since then.
Some great temples there, friendly people, coffee is drunk rather than tea, all you can eat veggie thali on a banana leaf for a few cents, my fave food was puri or deep fried chapatti. If you travel further afield, you could check out Coorg, a former princely state, lovely hilly scenery and much cooler than down on the plains.
Have fun
Flynnie

Don't forget that 1989 is the same year weed became illegal in India. It was hard then that's for sure. Even we in Kerela got a bit of a jolter that year and in the following few years. The situation sure has changed for the better, but still, Tamil Nadu is several leagues below Kerela and Andra in terms of the "mmj scene."

Where in Tamil Nadu did you travel to? Did you visit Thekkady? Not the overly advertised luxury resorts but the hillward areas where u can only get into w/ a motorbike...

But whatever said or done, out of the 4 southern states in India, states like Andhra and Kerela are far superior in terms of the mmj scene than is Tamil Nadu.

 

[Flynnie]

Hi there Naga, can't really remember where exactly I went, just got buses to small towns and stayed in the only hotel in town, it was November and wet, I didn't see another white person for 5 weeks, believe it or not! I found one really nice temple maybe 100kms from Madras, it was unique for being devoted to both Shiva and Krisna, or something like that. Used to go sit round the tank every day, fell in with a bunch of saddhus and young locals, and we'd smoke chillums, the local grass was pathetic but the saddhu in charge of chillum-packing was an expert, used to make his own chillums, short and fat, one "charge" would go round 10 people twice! Plus he always added a few drops of water.
Didn't get to smoke much in Kerala (there in '86), just scored weed off the hotel manager in Kovalam, then a little bit up in Udupi and Karwar, but rubbish again.

 

[naga_sadu]

Didn't get to smoke much in Kerala (there in '86), just scored weed off the hotel manager in Kovalam, then a little bit up in Udupi and Karwar, but rubbish again.

That's too bad man

You really need a motorbike on u to get the most out of your trip to India, if you know what I mean. You can't really expect the best to get door delivered to you in most of the South. This might be a possibility up north, in places like Old Manali, Orissa, etc.

Even in supposed "ganja towns" such as Idukki and Varkala, I've always found the quality to be a bit below par and not up to my expectations whenever I've scored thru hotel managers, bellboys, cafe shop owners etc.

But places like Palakkad and Munnar have never left me dissapointed...

Hi there Naga, can't really remember where exactly I went, just got buses to small towns and stayed in the only hotel in town, it was November and wet, I didn't see another white person for 5 weeks, believe it or not! I found one really nice temple maybe 100kms from Madras, it was unique for being devoted to both Shiva and Krisna, or something like that. Used to go sit round the tank every day, fell in with a bunch of saddhus and young locals, and we'd smoke chillums, the local grass was pathetic but the saddhu in charge of chillum-packing was an expert, used to make his own chillums, short and fat, one "charge" would go round 10 people twice! Plus he always added a few drops of water.
Didn't get to smoke much in Kerala (there in '86), just scored weed off the hotel manager in Kovalam, then a little bit up in Udupi and Karwar, but rubbish again.

In Tamil Nadu, if you don't want that commercial quality "Erandu chakkai", you really need to head out to the Ghats. The Ghats range is pretty freakin' huge, extending across states. Here, you will NEVER be dissapointed w/ what u get smokes wise. But again, you'll need a motorbike to access the Ghat sections fully.

You really shoulda hit Thekkady tho

 

[Flynnie]

Don't worry, would love to head back there one day (dream would be to retire somewhere like Coorg) but can't see that happening soon. I wonder what Kovalam looks like now, was there in '86 and it was pretty busy then.