2023-02 - Chennai, India

Taj Connemara, Binny Road, Anna Salai, Chennai

India has changed so much in the last 10 years since my last visit.

The new Vande Bharat train from Chennai to Bangalore is as nice as any train in Europe, and the four-hour journey costs 1100 Rupees - about $13 - including a nice meal service.

The new UPI cashless payment system is amazing. Instant free bank transfers for every bank account in India, no fee, just by scanning a QR code. Everybody and every roadside vendor now has it, so it’s thoroughly practical even for little payments of 40 rupees (50¢).

The new Aadhaar government ID is impressive, and has enabled anyone to open a bank account, which created the ubiquity of UPI.

One downside is the current political climate which had my friends literally looking over their shoulders and speaking in hushed tones when the subject came up.