A final batch of photos


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jaisalmer, India

According to the odometer on the rickshaw, our total distance travelled since leaving Shillong two weeks ago is 3,003 kilometres.@

Jaisalmer, India

(Blog for 24/09/11). With just 110km to go to our final destination of Jaisalmer, loading up the rickshaw for the last time was an emotional experience. Drank tea with the Maharaja and then hit the road for our final day of driving. We changed drivers frequently as all three of us were eager to get as much time as possible behind the "handlebars". In the two weeks since we'd set off from Shillong, we had all become expert rickshaw drivers and mastered the art of Indian-style driving (a healthy disregard for road rules, excessive use of the horn and dispensing with such niceties as indicating and driving around roundabouts in the correct direction - woe betide anyone who encounters us next time we drive in the UK). But in spite of our newly honed driving skills, it wasn't long before we got ourselves into trouble. After turning off the main highway, having decided to complete our journey on minor desert roads, we promptly got our rickshaw stuck in the sand. We pushed it out with the assistance of a passing goat-herder, but our adventure was just beginning. In the course of the day we drove the rickshaw off-road to by-pass overturned trucks, found ourselves surrounded by large herds of cattle and goats and came perilously close to running out of petrol (yet again). Needless to say it was all good fun and a fantastic last day of driving. At around 3pm, the citadel of Jaisalmer appeared on the horizon and we drove our final few kilometres slowly, with lots of photo stops. Making our way to - and across - the finish line at the Jawahar Niwas Palace was a true team effort. James drove, Nick navigated and Julia sat on the roof adorned in a red top hat and draped in a giant Union Jack.@

Pokhran, India

(Blog for 23/09/11). After waking to the sound of peacocks and enjoying a lovely breakfast with the fort's owner in his private palace, we were back on the road. A bad road surface made for a bone-shaking ride, but the potholes weren't deep enough to slow us down and we made good time. A chance meeting with team Habibi Babes while we were pondering which turning to take at a junction, and then onwards in the direction of Pokharan, just 110km from our final destination, where we had booked ourselves into another fortress hotel. Our music system made a dramatic recovery from it's earlier soakings and we rocked the desert with a collection of Bollywood soundtracks and cheesy western tunes. Reached the fortress at dusk and enjoyed drinks in the courtyard while Nick walked down to the town for a shave in an Indian barber shop. Dined with the Habibi Babes in the splendour of the Maharaja's banquet hall.@

Rajasthan, India

(Blog for 22/09) Julia took an early morning stroll to Pushkar's holy lake while James and Nick slept in. A late 1pm start and we struck off across dusty arid landscape, always greeted by smiles and waves from the colourful Rajasthani people. The countryside here is sparsely populated but there's a lot of post-monsoon farming activity and it's easy to spot the bright turban of a goat-herder in the scrub. We stuck to small bone-rattling roads and edged our way to a remote fort hotel, about 40km out of Jodhpur. It was dark by the time we reached the village. James jumped out to ask directions and was promptly led by the hand down the last few metres of track with Rangeela following behind. And then there it was ... the imposing Chandelao Garh fort, which was built by Rajput warriors in 1744. We were adorned with garlands and served G&Ts in the central courtyard. Then, after quick showers and a meet-and-greet with the very interesting owner, dinner was served on roof of the gatehouse, which had been enlarged at the start of the 20th century to allow a bridegroom to enter the fort on top of an elephant for his wedding. Sitting beside the battlements we feasted on chicken curry, dal and chapattis, all washed down with more G&Ts. It was made all the more special by the fact that we were the only guests. A far cry from some of our earlier "hotel" experiences in Assam and Bihar.@

Uttar Pradesh, India

The Rangela Racers waved a sad farewell to Varanesi at dawn to begin a sprint up the Grand Trunk Road to Kanpur. However, it took less than 15 minutes for Nick to misjudge a giant puddle and plunge Rangeela into a deep (and suspicious smelling) muddy bog. With the help of 4 passers by, she was dragged out of the mud and soon back on the road. But she was filthy. The mud was deep and had oozed over the cabin floor so we took her to be washed and polished before embarking on the 320km stretch of highway ahead. Stopped for a wonderful subji lunch in a shack at the side of the road and ran out of petrol shortly afterwards (fortunately there was some in the reserve tank). Made it to Kanpur at 4pm (no night driving today for a change) and stumbled across a wedding party (complete with marching band, dancing and a huge sound system pulled by a donkey) on the street as we drove into town. James got out to take a photo and was immediately dragged into the crowd and 'forced' to dance. We're now enjoying the delights of a modern and very pleasant city. We ate delicious tikkis from a street stall and have found our first hotel bar that sells spirits (but Julia's pooped out and gone to bed). Fingers crossed we'll be fresh faced and ready for another session on the Grand Trunk Road tomorrow. We're aiming to get to Agra in time to see the Taj Mahal.

Varanasi, India

(Blog for 17/09) A 6.30am start; today we really were going to make it to Varanasi.  Roads improved and we stopped for a great breakfast of chola, squashed samosa covered in chana dhal...wow.  Made good progress all the way to Varanasi where the city traffic, whether motorised, human or animal, was sheer mayhem. There are no rules - just force your way forward (or backwards, or sideways or whichever way you want) and blast your horn as many times as you can.  Julia took this to extremes by running over a man's foot but he didn't seem too bothered - par for the course here.  James tried to entertain the other road users with some classic Bollywood moves in the middle of the street to music blaring from a nearby temple.  Mixed response – clapping from some and a perplexed glare from a lady on a cycle rickshaw! We checked in to a glorious hotel overlooking the Ganges, in a beautiful converted Maharajah's palace, built in 1866.  Hot showers and cold beers all round.  Headed off to explore the dense network of alleys and ghats and managed to buy a luminous green sticker of the elephant god Ganesh which should serve the dual purpose of bringing us luck whilst covering the white paint on Rangeela's sullied rear end. Caught up with team Habibi Babes and swapped stories of rickshaw mayhem.  Decided to have a day off tomorrow and enjoy some creature comforts and rest.

Bihar, India

Left Jalpaiguri thinking we had a clever shortcut, skirting around the Bangladeshi border, but turned out to be false information. After two hours of beautiful scenery - and one tyre blow-out due to driving over two rusty nails (we performed an admirable 7-second pit stop in front of a staring village crowd) - we ended up back only a few kilometres from where we started! After running out of petrol for the first time (there is no fuel gauge) and as Nick attended to drying Julia's washing by waving bras and shorts out of Rangeela's open sides, we motored forth to the bandit state of Bihar, bracing ourselves for kidnappings and robberies, only to be greeted by some of the best roads so far and another stretch of awesome night driving, care of James and Julia. Got to Araria at 8pm (two hours after dark) and spent an hour trying to find a half-decent hotel. Tomorrow aiming to cover 300km, our most ambitious target so far...@

West Bengal, India

(Blog for 13/11). James' room was an insect paradise so he opted to move hotels. Nick & Julia stuck it out in a windowless sweat box and awoke several pounds lighter! Covered 244km today and Rangeela is behaving beautifully despite being dragged over roads assembling moonscape. Bridges were a key feature, with several beautiful tiny wooden ones and one enormous wooden one which eventually got the better of us. One crater proved to daunting for Rangeela and she ended up having to be carried over the pothole to a chorus of angry lorry horns as traffic in both directions was brought to a complete standstill. If only Julia's drawing of a ferry had been any better than a five year olds scribble poor Rangeela might not have had to cross any bridges at all!! Highlights of the day include scattering a troop of monkeys, walking with an elephant and seeking the best directions from a Saddhu. Nick said he reached an important milestone in his life when he admitted he didn't give a f*** what he looked like anymore. The day ended with an interview with a journalist from a local West Bengali rag. A great nights sleep anticipated in a fabulous air con hotel in the bustling town of Jaipalguri. Illicit room service beers now in preparation of driving through bandit country tomorrow...

Assam, India

(Blog for 12/9, posted on 13/9). Left Jorabat at 7.30, passed Guwahati, then took a wrong turn and crossed a huge bridge over the Brahmaputra River. Plotted an alternative course north of the river and drove past amazing paddy fields and views of the Himalayas in Bhutan. Nick learned how to drive on a country lane with a crowd of school children watching his every move. James perfected the art of extreme potholing, rickshaw style, when he drove along what was possibly one of the worst roads in India. Finally reached Bongaigaon at 7.30pm after an hour of terrifying night driving (handled brilliantly by Nick). Bed bugs in hotel.