Rohat (Blog TBC)

Ghatbusters

Having enjoyed a delightful night's sleep at Villa Anita, and thanks to Margaret the 1st proper breakfast in days, the team kicked Tatiana ‎into life (on the 3d attempt), whipped out the novelty compass (a drunken purchase the night before) and once again headed north.

Potential vistors to the Goa region should note that although there are plenty of bars and clubs - selling dangerously cheap beer at c. 80pence, the region is also domain by Western Ghats, for which the Tuk Tuk is a very unsuitable vehicle. Never the less team SR ploughed on and were rewarded with stunning views across Western India.

Predictably the stunning scenery and mountain roads were all to much for Tatiana, who finally broke down in a small montain town. The team did the basis engine checks (fuel), after which we thought we'd try the 'let the engine cool down a bit trick'- all to no sucess. Luckily a passing local hurried us to a back street mechanic who, whilst wearing a Mami Police Department Wife Beater, stripped and cleaned the carburetor and had us back on the road within the hour. As a result of the breakdown Thomson had to drive the last 40km of mountain roads in darkness, however we finally arrived at our over night stop to enjoy a late dinner with the Ship Rik Coves.

From ed

Ghatbusters

Having enjoyed a delightful night's sleep at Villa Anita, and thanks to Margaret the 1st proper breakfast in days, the team kicked Tatiana ‎into life (on the 3d attempt), whipped out the novelty compass (a drunken purchase the night before) and once again headed north.

Potential vistors to the Goa region should note that although there are plenty of bars and clubs - selling dangerously cheap beer at c. 80pence, the region is also domain by Western Ghats, for which the Tuk Tuk is a very unsuitable vehicle. Never the less team SR ploughed on and were rewarded with stunning views across Western India.

Predictably the stunning scenery and mountain roads were all to much for Tatiana, who finally broke down in a small montain town. The team did the basis engine checks (fuel), after which we thought we'd try the 'let the engine cool down a bit trick'- all to no sucess. Luckily a passing local hurried us to a back street mechanic who, whilst wearing a Mami Police Department Wife Beater, stripped and cleaned the carburetor and had us back on the road within the hour. As a result of the breakdown Thomson had to drive the last 40km of mountain roads in darkness, however we finally arrived at our over night stop to enjoy a late dinner with the Ship Rik Coves.

From ed

The road to MANCalore

Day 2, 2nd January 2015. Spirits were high as Team SR woke at 6am to commence day 2 of the adventure, this was partially due to the absence of a hangover (first time) and the fact everyone except Strong had enjoyed a good night's sleep.

Thomson had a successfully stint at the wheel pre-breakfast, making good ground towards Mangalore. After a delicious breakfast ( left over biscuits) Strong took the helm and steered Tatiana towards a delifgful beach resort. At the beach Strong and Thomson hit the Indian Ocean and Bremakumar went for a 'jog?'

Post beach Tatiana was ‎ragged further up the coast until the team came across the delightful resort of Bekal, south of Mangalore. We may have been beaten to Mangalore by the 'Ship'Rick Coves' but we're slowly building Tatinana up!

Le Grand Depart

To the start line we stumbled after a rather generous lie-in following the ritual consumption of beverages out of a boot the night before. Having checked ourselves into a hotel in close proximity to the finish line of the party and the start line of the Rickshaw Run, we should have been the most refreshed of the whole group. However, the Australians never cease to amaze, as we did our 20point turn in the parade square to get the rickshaw facing the right way, one Australian was badgering his teammates for a bottle of vodka. Standing next to our nemesis, the shipwricked coves, there was the a gladiatorial battle to start ahead of the other. Fortunately the shipwricked coves had a breakdown before the midday starting horn had even been sounded! However they got it restarted but not before The Savile Rovers stormed into the lead with me at the helm despite a few stalls even within the compound.

There were only two options to get off Fort Cochin - take the ferry (next to our hotel) or go through city of Cochin past the Dream Hotel. There was only one option for the seafaring Thomson. Rushing to the ferry 400m from the start line was an unbelievable anticlimax with the 45 minute wait for the typical chaos associated with loading and unloading the population of India onto any form of transport. Lorrys, motorcyclists and brightly pimped rickshaws driven by western nutters jockeying for position on the ferry.

On the island of vypin, we let the little tuk-tuk experience the joys of 4th gear for the length of the island. Definitely it's smoothest gear and probably the only gear that hadn't been destroyed by three bumbling surveyors. Having grumbled through 30km we arrived at a queue of pimped up rickshaws all inline for another ferry. One single ferry commanding the monopoly of the crossing at the north of the island. Again Thomson bundled his way through broken English to request a ticket for the crossing and succeeded in getting us onto the first ferry. Once on the ferry with a couple Brits in a rickshaw with St George regalia and two number 15 routemaster buses...seeing is believing; we embarked on another cruise north (far easier than driving) and saw the shipwricked coves poetically stuck on the mainland - having just missed the ferry. Cry me a river.

Thomson then blasted his way through Northern Cochin. With the only concern being his ability to get off the ferry (using a number 15 bus as a wedge to help him get into gear) and to get a three wheeled vehicle to drift.

Strong was handed the reins and keys of this monster of machine for the difficult village section where we were trying to get to the coastal road. Most roads had been washed away and so were absolutely torturous for both rickshaw and Strong to handle. Driving through the fishing village where streets were only the size of a rickshaw and the horn would not move the people from the street let alone the cows was difficult and stressful. Nevertheless the music selection by yours truly did get most people out the way and almost caused Strong and Thomson to abandon the vehicle. Since when has the early 90s music been out of fashion?

The final leg was handed back to me to take us into Calicut, the ambitious target for the day following the delayed start. With night descending on us we targeted the highway and trundled into Calicut, running out of fuel on a roundabout and then trying to get a room in a deserted hotel to no avail, before settling on a hotel currently undergoing a refurbishment and with workmen banging holes in the floor until 11pm. No rest for the wicked.

Hopefully tomorrow brings some welcomes solstice and now nighttime driving.