Day 9 Another few km under our belt

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Day 9 Another few km under our belt

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Day 5 Day of detours, closed roads and diversions

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Day 8 Day of the ever changing landscapes

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Day 7 Agonda to Vengurla

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Day 6 We Rocked it to Goa

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Day 4 Sunset at Costa Malibari

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3rd day Trucking

The truck arrived albeit small and after having to wake Ray up (slightly hungover) still lots of bargaining, head wobbling, addresses and photocopying later (how could we give them an address when we don't know where we are going) The locals just picked Leo up placed it on the still very small truck well about 10 of them did. Tried to get more money from us but i wasnt that drunk last night to forget loading was included in the price...yeahh. The boys loaded bags and themselves in the rickshaw on the truck whilst I sat in with the driver for our 180km truck back to the West coast (Calicutt Kozhikode). Not the experience we were hoping for, we want to be tukking not trucking but at least not wasting a day and then we are back on track and back in Kerala state and hopefully be able to get our piston for our "old" rickshaw that they didn't have in Pollachi. Arriving in Calicutt we thought it would be simple but no no no mechanics open anywhere and the truck driver had no bloody idea where the Bajaj sevice centre was so we were still going around around in circles even when WE weren't driving..and the Indians are renowned for telling you they know where to go when they have no f##king idea and we found out today it's not just to tourists our truck driver was pulling his hair out too after constantly combing it throughout the journey..what was that all about? Luckily there was a security guard at the service centre which was closed because it's bloody Sunday arghhhh but we could keep our Leo (our rick) there and be safe for the night. Thinking all the chaos of the day was over..oh no more rigmoral getting it unloaded. Watching the Indians trying to manoeuvre

But not today because it's bloody Sunday arghhhhh frustrated hell yes..But we managed more KM today...always look on the bright side of life tee tum tee tumm

2nd day THE END

 Coming down from the twists and 40 hairpin turns of the mountains being asked to pull over for more selfies whilst on the hairpin turns (literally)we needed lunch (chicken biriyani on a leaf at a truck stop ...nice) and straight roads to get some didtance North cos thats where we are supposed to be heading isn't it???? Whilst it was a bit of a RIGHT turn plan yesterday ummm? We didn't expect to go over the border into Tamil Nadu but with a lot of questioning by the police and raised eyebrows regarding our choice of vehicle, we just wanted to gain some distance. After another refuel we were at last heading North, Leo didn't seem happy on the flat roads and starting chugging..so we pulled over decided d it might be the spark plugs, changed them and off we went...well 5mins before a big bang. Ahhh shit. Ray was straight into his technical role looked at the sparks..etc etc etc then he was under Leo taking the thing apart and trying to get Wendy to understand the mechanics of straight forward internal combustion engine workings...good luck Ray!!! Off came the cylinder head and lots of shits fu##s goddammits before I was told we had a big fu##ING hole in the piston. Decisions were made, off Ray went in a Rickshaw to find a new piston... Where we're all the crowds of Indians we were expecting to find us with their spoons and toothpicks to help fix it??? Back he came, hopes were high when he told us no such luck, no parts for Kerala Rickshaw available here. A truck eventually turned up and offered a tow Into town, then to the railway station,still not sure what we were supposed to do with it there,but asked him in hand jestures and head wobbles to take us to a hotel, two hotels later, a place to stay with a beer parlour, we were happyish. Guards to look after Leo for the night (don't know where he was supposed do to go cos he couldnt go anywhere,that was our problem!!!) A receptionist, come fixer (Abi) came to sort out our problems, he was our hero. First they took the Piston away (as it w as in pieces) to get new one, same problem don't have the old ones here, could fix it but will take 24hours with them boring holes into the engine to make one fix and then our next problem we would have to wait another day because its Sunday tomorrow everything closed. What to do? Let's go and have a well earned beer and think about it and whilst getting drunk decided to hire a truck and keep moving tomorrow don't want to sit around for two days doing nothing. We oranganised (well Abi did) and bargained hard for a truck to take us back over to Kerala where we hope to get our spare parts that might actually fit whilst still on the move. The boys got drunk.

2nd day A beautiful beginning

 Up at the crack of dawn to watch the sunrise over Athirappilly waterfall well at least Ray saw it..He decided to lock Woody and I in our room doh! We also found out the petrol station didn't open until 8am so our eager start to see the elephants was also out of the window but eventually we were on the road driving up the mountains with the wind in our hair the further up we went the colder it got (didn't quite expect that) but then again we didn't expect to be going up so far and now we understood why the police/rangers were not so happy for us to go up yesterday in a highly unsuitable vehicle with very little light. The forests were thick and the antication of the elephants made for a great journey..Instead of following the elephants we followed the road and their shit literally, so at least some evidence they were around. We came across a big dam which was stunning and knew this was an important wateringhole for the wildlife. Expecting to be jumped by wild elephants tigers or wild boar instead we were attacked by the Indian families wanting to take photos of us, or rather I should say selfies. Welcome to India we are now getting used to this. When we finally reached the peak we were speechless (makes a bloody change) as it opened out into the most dramatic views we have seen. Lush green peaks opening up into tea plantations and Rudyard Kipling scenerey. This is what our journey is all about let's hope this is just the beginning. Time for a chai we thinks in a very small remote village.