We had a leisurely breakfast because we were only riding 55k today. It took a while to get out of Mysore, but after some 90 minutes we were back in typical agricultural landscape, with oxen ploughing in the rice paddies.
Villages we have seen are stretched along the highway, with no real focal point other than the bus stop, where a little cluster of tea stalls and shops develops. There is no town square, like there are in Catholic countries. The villages are structured more like settlements adjacent to plantations in Central America.
As a result, a lot of the activity in the village is adjacent to -- or on -- the main road, which creates a little congestion. Trucks, buses, and all the through traffic tries to push through as fast as possible, making a lot of noise with their horns, creating a rather unpleasant atmosphere.
There are usually big speed bumps in villages, which slow the traffic, and in many villages the road surface is completely broken up, causing the traffic to zigzag around the worst holes. Villagers seem oblivious to the noise and commotion, as they walk on the pavement since it is the only smooth surface, but it must be tiresome.
Tonight we are staying in a "resort" by a river with basic cabins and a nice swimming pool. A change from the city, and a chance to relax. They took us on an evening ferry boat ride; it was nice to be out on the water in the breeze, especially when they cooked some French fries as a snack, given that I had skipped lunch!
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