From Chennai to Valathi. About 100 km in 4 hours. Pemy picked me up about 6:30 and off we went. Here is our track
Here are the projects: Schools and Churches. Projects are marked with way point symbols. Over of the symbol and the name is displayed
Driving to Valathi - we visited several churches along the way.
A view of the highway from the church
A nearby whisky factory
The bridge
Church from the bridge
Not much a river, but bathing is possible
The river bed
Faceoff with a tractor
Firewood
Dedication of a new church
Partial structure
Nearby another church beside the old one (with falling roof)
Dedication
Inside the new church.
Village folks across the street
Really neat - a solar powered street lamp
Interesting hat
Hotel for breakfast
An Indian dragonfly
After breakfast, back on the highway and following a truck transporting cattle
Fork in the road
This was fun - a train coming.
But not to be deterred - the motorcycle guys were sliding under the guard rail.
The crossing (I walked around the guard rail
Train is coming
Looking out from the luggage car
Sleeper class
Train passed and walking back to the car, a refreshment stall
Now track walkers abound
track walkers
And ladies bringing stuff for the waiting cars
Tractor traffic
And a cattle crossing
Colorful cow
Moving cattle up the highway
A cattle herd
Water buckets for sale
To Melmalaiyanur
The queens's castle
Herding goats
Hanging on
Riding with a card of sand
And finally - Valathi
Ironing
Getting water from the truck
Cooking paratha over a fire
10 years ago, this guy taught me how to make paratha
VOCM main church
VOCM pastors
VOCM pastors
A sawmill
Sawing
Planing
Sawing
Small thatched roof homes
Fresh chicken
Fresh vegetables
Valathi now has autos
C. Frank Starmer