Well that’s Goa done and dusted. Many fond memories of the time I spent two months never going more than 100m from Arambol beach. Quite a special place. Although, I can dig the guys who “need to escape the tourists”, even though we’re all tourists, it was really nice to finally catch up with everyone after being alone for so long. Finding other runners randomly along the beach was a highlight of the trip. Same with the party - it was like being in a special little gang in amongst the normies.
I also enjoyed that in Goa, none of the Goans gave two shits about us - we’re just another group of weird (mostly) whiteys in a world full of weird whiteys. I’m sure they’ve seen a lot more bizarre. In Goa it was the other tourists who stopped and gave us slack jawed stares. I liked that - sometimes I feel a little guilty about spending all this money to do something mental without any productive purpose around people with so little, so it was a pleasant change to be able to bring that expression out of people who could do the trip if they had the right stuff.
I rode a rickshaw. Sitting like a horse was fun I could’ve done that the rest of the way to the beach if it weren’t for the poles up my clacka - standing was fun in a terrifying sort of way - I’m not 15 anymore and my thighs no longer handle a surfing crouch, not does my body bounce like it used to.
But the bloke whose field we were using seemed to think it was OK, so I named him chief safety officer and decided that checked off my OH&S requirements. But don’t try this at home kids - this stunt was filmed using untrained amateurs in uncontrolled conditions. Actually, that’s unfair to Phil, who actually is a professional when it comes to pictures but Marian and I have no previous stunt experience - unless you count crashing lots of things as a younger person as experience. And I do.
So we’ve left Goa and come back to India. Only a few days left now until the end - and the beginning of planning the next one. Monkey Run anyone?
Selfie with Chief Safety Officer and Location Manager - he is out standing in his field.
Riding a kookaburra off the bucket list.
Three hours sleep make Anthy something something. Stayed up late recording a podcast (white line wireless in your podcast apps if you’re interested in cricket history) with a Pune local.
Ran into The Fallen Sky Kings stopped just out of Pune so we stopped to check on them. I was just excited to see other runners for the first time in six days. Turns out they were having the same carburetor issues we’d spent the first two days on the side of the rode with. I think I’m nearly up to ten carb pulldowns across two ‘Shaws now.
If anyone is having carb issues and wants to try having a go at fixing it yourself, on top of the posters you took photos of at HQ before we started (you did take photos of those right?) here’s a couple of good websites to have a read of if you’ve not been inside a two stroke before:
https://jalopnik.com/cleaning-carburetors-for-the-first-time-what-the-manua-1717704345
http://dirtbikeblogger.blogspot.in/2008/10/carburetor-rebuilding.html?m=1
Anyone reading this in the future and trying to work out if you should do the event, the answer is yes. It’s unlike any other travel you’ll ever do.
I’d strongly recommend carrying carb internals as spares (can be tricky to find in a lot of places because I’m orerty sure rickshaw run vehicles are the last two strokes in India). A new carb cost R750 - definitely a worthwhile spare to carry.
Or don’t, and have the true rickshaw run experience and breakdown in front of the tobacco baron of Rajasthan’s warehouse and spend the night there!
Tonight’s bathroom is where you would take a non-English speaker to explain the word “dank”.
But after three weeks in india hot water came out of a fixture above my head for long enough to cover my body in soap and wash it off again - so officially greatest shower in india :P
Years spent motor racing and playing in bands means my ears are too ruined to be close to music as loud as last night, so here's the view of you all from the roof:
... obviously I can't work out how to add video...
No room left at the Hotel
It begins.. or does it? Something something black something and having a rave in a pool. Ask us in person, someone could be watching.
