Tiruvannamalai (don't ask me to pronounce it)

So after the bus run around on the way to Kanchipuram, I was determined to get it right this time. But seeing as I still have no idea how to pronounce this town's name, it was a bit difficult. As I got on the bus, I was so proud that it was so easy this time. Then as we pull out of the station and the ticket collector comes for my money, he tells me I'm on the wrong bus, but for the life of me, I can't tone down the American accent enough to be understood. Finally the people in the next rows start helping me. The ticket collector lets me know where to get off for the right bus. After I get off the bus and it's pulling away, everyone is hanging out the window telling the people on the street which bus to put me on. People are extremely helpful here. You know that expression, "do everything as if the whole world is watching"? Sometimes in India I feel like the whole world really is watching, staring, thinking what will this 28 year old American woman with no husband or kids do next?

Tiruvannamalai was pretty uneventful. I saw the huge temple there honoring Shiva, a Hindu god. Then I climbed half way up the holy mountain. Apparently you're supposed to start the trek at 6 a.m. and since I started at 10:30 it was too hot to make it all the way up. But I did make it to the cave where one of the famous gurus meditated for 17 years. The cave was nice and the surroundings were beautiful, but I don't think I could manage even 17 hours in there.