SMS Update
Another 15 hour day on the road with progress disrupted by mechanical failures the most serious being a blown gasket late in the afternoon. Rickshaws are toiling in the heat which got up to 46 degrees C yesterday. Arrived into Jalgaon properly filthy and exhausted after over two hours of nightsdriving. The hot wind from the west is relentless. Off to see the Ellora Caves today after a wonderful 7 hour sleep. Douglas + Gerrard@
SMS Update
An eventful day yesterday driving south from Jabalpur including a skirmish with a moped. Nursed Shilling Farewell to Nagpur and had cylinder head gaskets replaced. Just when everything seemed fine we have problems today with slipping gears. Will update blog when not on the road all day. Regards from a hot and dusty road in Maharashtra. Douglas
Shillong At Last
Well only three flights and one death defying hellish cab journey later, Shillong At Last. To start with, I nearly blew my eardrums on the flight over from my inability to equalise due to the head cold i contracted two days prior. The pain on descent was so intense my eyes began to water and I almost passed out.
In Guwahati we met some other rickshaw enthusiasts and tied with the idea of taking a helicopter ride to Shillong. Put off by their poor safety record (4 deaths in 3 years) we chose to take a cab instead. This was our first experience of Indian roads and we soon realised that if there are any rules, no one abides by them. Certainly not our cabbie who insisted on overtaking everything in his path whatever the risk. I'm talking overtaking three a breast on blind bends, wrong way down a dual carriageway, apexing blind bends at speed etc. etc. All those near misses got too much for me and I found myself swapping the front seat with Stuart half way. There also seemed to be a lot of street furniture in the form of cows just lying about the road at random.
If we make it to Goa in one piece, it really will be an achievement. As for Shillong, nice location nice people but not much to do. Nightlife ends 2130 hours and even thats pretty sparse. The town itself is quite dirty and haphazard. Their building standards are very poor and you get the feeling a small earthquake would flatten everything.
Off to paint and decorate the rickshaw now and then on for some food and this evening the Launch Party. Until next time.........
SMS Update
Another long hot sweaty tiring day on the rd. Off to Varanasi early doors. Byeeeee
