Varanasi
Made it to Varanasi last night, another buisy city drive and an unhappy cyclist that was slightly driven into. But to be fair lots of locals came up to say how good a driver cat was. We got up early to watch the sun rise over the Ganges. A lovely sight contrasted with that of a child's body floating down the river. Back of the boat the experience was somewhat ruined by overly pushy salesmen and beggers. Just squeezing in a nap before we hit the road again.
Long roads
So another cuple days on the road and I've found wifi again... Kinda! Most of yesterday was spent the Taj Mahal which I have to say was actually quite impressive. Then by mistake we drove, right through central Agra which was to say the least quite stressful. Small lanes that get tighter and tighter and full of chaos cows and the usual piles of shit. Finally though we found our wey out the laberenth, back on the main roads which finally put us just the other side of Agra...70 kilometres wasn't the most predictive day.... But another early start after a somewhat unimpressive hotel that managed to run out of running water. We absolutely made up for lost time until an unexplained engine stall, that I managed to get going again at the road side after about 20 mins and end up in the town of Kanpur, were my bed was infested with bedbugs, after a freindly complaint and a head bobble we were upgraded to actual luxury with little fuss. Walking around the town was amazing, the closest l celebrity status I have vet been... One girl thought we must be on tv becouse we are white an a local street food murchent force fed a bounty as refused money. Off to bed for another early start!
The last few days
So cuple days on the road and I don't know where to start, we left the palace in jodhpurs early in the morning, after stopping in a few local villages we randomly bump into our friends naansense, returning from getting fresh moustaches shaved. As light was fading and we were looking for somewhere to sleep and then.... BANG I loose all gears, lucky after some very oily roadside repairs I managed to reattached the gear linkage and grease it with the only thing to hand... Vaseline. We came across a rather run down road side hotel where we spent the the night in the hottest room known to man! Another early start took us into Jaipur for mid morning. We revisited the monkey temple and were invited into a holy mans home on the side of a mountain to sit cross legged, drink tea and smoke hash.. (When in India I guess)... conpleatly surreal experienced. Further along we met some people who had a pet cobra and then stumbles across the filming of some sort of movie with the tangle as the backdrop. Back to the roads in central Jaipur was a ridiculously intense experience. All three in our convoy managed to hit someone or something, although cat remains a adamant it was the cyclists fault! Come night fall we find our self desperately searching out a hotel anywhere any price anything to get us of the main roads at night. We travel down some dark bumpy dirt tracks through villages where naturally we were the centre of attention and got mobbed by happy kids and adults alike. He points us in the direction the hotel and in this context I was expecting an open air room with a wooden bench to sleep on. To our surprise hiding behind a wall as a luxury 5 star resort complex ready and waiting to charge is a fortune.... But hey beggars can't be choosers. Looking forward to Agra and hopefully seeing this special white building everyone is talking about....
First day out there
So it was a great first day on the road. No huge problems but a few small ones... Made it to jodhpurs just after dark. Great hotel digging in or a good night sleep ready to hit the road early in the morning.
Desert nights
So we were taken off into the desert not far from the Pakistan border, surprisingly the camp sight was nicer than the hotel. A camel ride into the sand dunes was fun but thy gave me the biggest basest camel you've ever seen who didn't want I behave!
Test drive the shaw
So finally the have given me the keys to my baby, I think we have bonded on the test drive, this two stroke engine on the dirt track reminds me of my motocross days. Cat got out while I tried to go faster and faster to put it though it's pases, can't wait to get behind the wheel.... well bars again!
Jaisalmer dance party!
I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but after a few beers we performed the most perfectly exicuted Michael Jackson powered flash mob dance through that the streets of jaisalmer has ever seen!
JAISALMER
After a sleepless night on a actualy very comfortable but noisy sleeper bus we arrived at the palace. Haven't met any of the organisers yet but parked outside was a sea off rickshaws.. We were blown away by how well they were all painted. After a quick ley by the pool and a nap, we are off into town to find a camel to take us trecking into the desert tommorow.
Jaipur Picks
   
Jaipur
Last of two nights in Jaipur filled with monky tempals, Masive forts and more than a few rickshaw rides hear and there... Now that we know the road conditions we will face when we set off from jaisalmer, we are both.... Umm... Looking forward to the chalange shall we say. Also to whoever told me Tika Masala didn't exist over here you were wrong it's so god damn good! Just about to catch an overnight sleeper buss to Jaisalmer lets pray it has AC!...
