Finalmente

All the money's moved over and it is gigantic! 1,500 pounds!

Thank you all that donated, friends, family, friends of friends of family, it all adds up. We had an incredible time with stories that we will never ever forget and some impressive masculinity points (as I'm sure you'll all agree). We're all finally safe home in Sydney and caught up for the first time since Kochin the other day to fill each other in on the rest of our journeys and reenact the full adventure day by day. So so much happened, it was a wonderful experience, thank you all again for helping us to make it happen. FRANK Water I'm sure will be as appreciative as us!

 Jack, Tom and Angus 

Tiny Cobras, Peach Safari Suits, Sandy Chapatis

 

Little bit more in love with this country. Taking our time with the 'race' factor was the best idea since Tom decided to pack three VB stubby holders, so much has happened to us, too many smiling helpful people, accidental stumbles onto ancient beautiful places and now with the palm tree lined back waters of Kerala and perfect sunsets...

After leaving Ratnagiri (industrial fishy town) we had a long day of breaking down in the dry heat to let Thug Life settle her attitude problems. Spirits lifted as soon as we reached Malvan, a peaceful fishing village of clean streets and colourful houses with the loveliest of people. We set up camp on the palm lined beach with the aid of many small hands just as the sun set and feasted on takeaway curry. 

Another rough day, dragging ourselves away from Malvan, found Arambol over the border into Goa and settled our nerves listening to a hang drum player on the beach, until a terribly timed series of breakdowns that ended with a desperate highway-side camp near Palolem in southern Goa. Awoke at sunrise to a cow nibbling at our toes and set off to Gokarna.

Left the rickshaw on Om Beach with only walking paths around the rocks and through thick jungle to find Half-Moon beach where we dumped our things in a beach side hut to settle down in the perfect waters for the evening. Paradise beach in the morning and again dragged ourselves away to make up lost time. Slept in a truckstop and floored it to Bekal Fort, finally making it into Kerala. More beautiful rivers through palm jungles flowing into white sandy blue waters and we've made it by sunset to Pondicherry.

 

Gus just opened his email to find Matt's alerts that we in fact have to be in Cochin by tomorrow... not the 21st. Of only two teams still left on the road, its time to hit the road. Sorry we've not kept you so up to date and even this one misses a lot, but this happens when one one enjoys themselves, perhaps too much in our case. Just praying Thug Life keeps up

 

Thank you to all those who've donated. With the money in the Australian account waiting to be moved over, we've gone beyond our 1,000 pound target! 

 The internet is not handling the photos too well, check the gallery for some of the flavour...

Kerala, India

Breaking down frequently on a disgustingly hot day about 330k's north of Kochi. Stopped at a servo where an attendant confronted us with a very small, very rare and very deadly cobra he had caught. Hopefully make Kannur by 2:30. Proper update of the last few days coming soon.

Maharashtra, India

small army of local fishermen's children collecting our firewood while we set up camp on an amazing beach just north of goa with a portuguese fort island and fishing boats floating in the bay. Thug Life tested our patience not handling the heat of the south, even further behi ** some text is missing **

Beached as

So we're now beached about 40 k's inland without a grain of sand or wave in sight, waiting for a fuel filter that will (touch wood) allow us to travel more than 100m up a hill at a time without having to take a 5 minute break. But the last two days have made up for it. Beaches, chai, forgotten forts, chai, every person we pick up for a three or four kilometre journey has either a story, a stunned expression for the full 10 minutes or some pretty damn good bell bottoms and polyester shirts. Chai. Incredibly, when we've rolled away from a huge crumbling Portuguese fort strangled by Banyan trees and battered by waves, a run down and unused Ottoman palace comes at us, followed by massive lichen covered domes of Mohommedean tombs. We're only 150 k's from Mumbai but we're well off the the main trail, these things aren't sign posted and don't appear on the map. 

It is possible that we're coming last though. Our route has turned into a detour and the concept of a "race" only nags at our minds like the idea to wash our hair. Maybe when we reach the finish line we'll buy some shampoo. Not really sure when that'll be. 

Maharashtra, India

Yesterday after waking up bewildered by previous night's Bollywood experience, set out on coastal road for half an hour in wrong direction. On the way back south we stumbled across a huge 16th century abandoned Portugese fort right on the beach. Trying to make up lost time today on the highway with two hitch-hiking school students. Kochi by 15th starting 2 look unlikely.