It was a dark, warm morning as I left Bangalore on the six-hour bus trip to Chennai. Crammed into the back of the bus with all the men (they separate men and women on buses), my backpack growing heavier with each city I visit, my was heart full of excitement as I journeyed back to where my family originated almost three generations ago.The scenes as we began to approach the city were dotted with agricultural land, painted in gold and green from the sugar cane and grass, illustrating an epic backdrop to what my past ancestors’ lives were. The smell of burning fields caught the back of my throat as I entered what is famed as the doorway to South India, the

Land of Tamil Nadu. Chennai is a city that truly embraces ‘unity in diversity’ and almost immediately you come face to face with a place with a rich cultural heritage.  The Tamil people are certainly some of the friendliest and helpful people I have ever met. With temples on every corner, I had a skip in my step as I strolled down the vibrant streets, sipping my Juma, a banana flavoured milkshake filled with almonds.