Fort Cochin, India
3000kms from jaisalmer to fort cochin, no harm or hurt. Safe and sound. Done.
Munnar, India
Well, after 12 days on the road (not to mention 45 minutes on winding lanes, utterly lost) we have finally found paradise. 200 metres of private beach, palm trees everywhere and our accommodation perched on the cliff above from where we can see the sunset. And most importantly, hardly another soul in sight apart from the dolphins. Bliss. Such a shame we can't loiter but we are aiming to complete our adventure tomorrow and that requires an early start. Off this evening to observe a theyyam ritual where a local villager will embody a God and bless the village. Some concern amongst us that Lucas's beard may be seen as a rival deity (ginger fire god) and create a scene. Bye for now. Fraser
Karnataka, India
we have a new remix: tracy chapman fast car, speeded up with a techno mix. amazingly, quite good.
Karnataka, India
we have hit our 5th state! We are currently staying at the Paradise Isle resort on the coast of karnataka. This is something of a misnomer: it is not an island and oh-so-far from paradise. Imagine a butlins in an eastern bloc resort with delusions of grandeur and a surfeit of the russian middle class. Perhaps it is easier to imagine our circumstances when I explain we have just paid 30 pence for a half bottle of 'imperial lancer' whisky and apart from a team we have just joined are the only people in our 'seaview' restaurant listening to a dance remix of crazy in love by beyonce, very loud. Still, smiles all round and good to catch up with some others - have a feeling this odd place could prove to be memorable! 2 days til we finish. F
Goa, India
We skipped out of pure luxury and rolled onto the N17 for a couple of hours down to South Goa where we met up with Ros and Sam from home. Finally comfortable with the relationship we have forged together the Brothers in Naans checked themselves into the honeymoon suite, complete with its own swing and a loo hidden behind a book case. No free champagne or petals on the bed sadly. Slight disaster with my camera which got wet on an abortive kayaking trip despite use of a canoe bag. Thankfully the memory card looks ok but camera needs a repair. Also met lots of other rallyers down here so suspect we may be seeing more of each other to the finish line which is now 700kms away. Going to take it easy on the way in and see some more sites. F
Goa, India
Lucas, Fraser and Chris are sending a special hello to Molly Allen-Paris and her class at school. We hope you like learning about India, we have a question for you: India is the 7th largest country in the whole world, can you find the 6 biggest countries? Good luck! Lucas, Fraser and Chris. PS big means in terms of actual size/area, not people! @
Goa, India
Worried that there wouldn't be a party on a sunday we strolled down the beach towards a gathering of some sorts. Turned out to be Jade Jagger's opening party of her boutique on our goa beach. It was an opportunity we wouldn't pass up so we played to our strengths: Chris randomly met a work colleague, Lucas pilfered booze and I, well, I nearly took out JJ herself when I stumbled out of her shop laughing at the prices. You can't buy class. now drinking India's finest sauvignon blanc and planning our evening. More to follow I am sure... Ps ginger beard now close to Cpt. Birdseye. Nice.
Goa, India
We have hit our 4th state and it is Goa!! We arrived at 1130 this morning and have spent an hour seeking out the most expensive place of luxury we can find. And have succeeded. Marbella resort will do very nicely indeed, it even has a pizza oven which is welcome after over a dozen curries in the last week. Off to see Ros in Palalom beach in south goa tomorrow, 24 hours of hard-tanning here first though. And frisbee. And beer.
Maharashtra, India
I write this in the darkest corner of a dingy bar at a truckers' roadstop. It sounds worse than it is: we've just been accosted by a wizened cricket fanatic congratulating us on the ashes. Despite his handshake being closer to a fondle and not understanding a word Lucas said it was a charmingly warm welcome. We're in maharashtra but only just north of goa. Our 1st misjudgement of the tour saw us take the scenic coast road for a bit too long which slowed our progress and rattled the tuk somewhat necessitating the first of 4 mechanic visits for, in order: exhaust rebolted, chassis rewelded to frame, carb cleaned and HT lead fixed (total cost £2). We still covered 300kms on beautiful hilly roads but the half hour of darkness was sufficiently scary to force us into the aformentioned truck stop. Food coming, all fingers crossed. Ps lucas wants all to know he has a big ginger beard. F
Maharashtra, India
All hail the tuk-tuk yoda of Murud: Mountbatten is mended! Engine stripped, cylinder head removed, piston cleaned, sheared bolts welded to provide purchase for extraction, new manifold nuts and studs fitted, cylinder wall cleaned and oiled, then complete reassembly. Time taken: one hour, cost: less than a pint of lager in London (£3). Tremendous work. (Safe to assume that Lucas dictated most of this to me; I have no idea what happened). F
