Mission accomplished
Well the last post had us just crossing into Nepal. Before that we had had a relaxing day in Varanassi with a massage at the gateway to the ganges hotel. When we arrived the valet parker looked a little uncomfortable and then admitted he had no idea how to drive a rickshaw, so phil had to drive it round the back with the valet parker sat in the back! In the evening we went down to the Ganges to check out the ghats (steps down to the river) here we saw hindu brahmins waving candles about and chanting and then we saw some cremations. Very dark. On the trip back up the river we bounced off a dead body that was floating in the water. Next morning after some ssilk shopping we got back on the road for the most epic day ever to Gorakhpur.
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The exhaust fell off, the roof rack broke, the battery mount broke and then the battery landed on the recently reattached exhaust. Our rickshaw was clearly on its last legs and we had 500km to go. Drank scotch with some indians while we waited for a mechanic and then back on our way.
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Gorakhpur was one of the less appealing places we stayed and we got up early to cross the border to nepal, which was a shambles! Having paid every spurious tax they threw our way we made it into nepal and what a refreshing difference, the country is beautiful, and the ladies are beautiful! Through the foothillls to Tanson, whilst giving the Com_for_T team a lesson in food/water fighting at 50kph!
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Woke up to watch the sun rise over the himilayas before racing on to Pokhara. On the way we had kids jumping onto the rickshaw (uphill with 3 big lads is pretty slow) holding out their hands and shouting "chocklit, money, chocklit, money," which me and phil started shouting back. Literally some of the most aweinspiring scenery I have ever seen as we climbed the foothills, to Pokhara. We crossed the line in 20th place, although the rickshaw had started to self destruct 10km outside the town with bits falling off left right and centre. The finish was a bit of an anticlimax after such an epic journey, but this was made up for the next day with the victory parade through town.
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The victory parade basically descended into wacky races as we scorched through town, and we seemed to pick up more damage in this last hour than in the rest of the trip. Not to mention Phil overcooking a corner and rolling the rickshaw onto his leg (Ange/Phils mum: he is fine, just a bruise) After the parade a quick football game against a local team, who amazingly we beat, before having a party and getting smashed up on rum and coke whilst requesting the local nepalese band did Pantera covers.
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Thanks to all who sponsored and supported us on the trip. Sorry the blog is like the ramblings of a drunken fool. Next week I will try to upload the photos from our most epic adventure, after a mammoth journey back to home in Barcelona. It was very tiring but very rewarding, and rumour says their is another race in South America next year.....
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