Day 12 (24.8.18) reluctantly left Goa, tired and with a very upset stomach, popped a few Imodium and hoped for the best.
Beautiful views as Berty (she has a name, not sure if anyone else knows it, Jamie nodded his approval a few days ago and had a slight enthusiastic raise of the eyebrows = he loves the name. I have 2 1/2 days left to make it stick!) Struggled up yet another mountain! Yeah I had no idea how mountainous India is, like not just north around the Himalayas, everywhere!
We passed a sign about being in a tiger area, and not feed them, well I certainly will try my best not to become dinner, but driving up a mountain at 10km, in a vehicle with no doors, I guess we're easy pickings, and of course 5 minutes in my stomach starts churning.
We continue and see no buildings at all, I suppose no one wants to share the area with tigers, and at the point I can not wait any longer, we pass a bear sign, great! So the choice was to shit myself or get out and possible be attacked by tigers and bears, so I got out and forgot my whistle, Jamie never brought a sword in the end. I stayed very close to the road, so much so a number of people saw me, and I'm pretty sure Jamie has photographic evidence, so I guess I'll wait for that to surface. Wouldn't generally be concerned, if he hadn't uploaded photos to Facebook yesterday, for the first time possibly ever, so now it's confirmed he does actually know how to.
Day 11 (23.8.18)
We all went out (minus Jamie and Paul who at the time were MIA, at a bar somewhere) hoped in a taxi to Panaji had a few drinks, and ended up in an Irish pub, that had karaoke on, the lads sung a few, we had a dance, and agreed to choreograph (aka copy) a dance routine for the closing party.
Day 10
Akhil jumped in with us and we went to go visit some of the kids from the charity, we're supporting. We played some games, put some music on and they showed us dance routines, the guys joined in. Was lovely to spend the day with them, they loved the Rickshaw so much I thought they were going to break it. My biggest work out of the trip getting hold of the kids and picking them up, from the roof, the sides and inside the Rickshaw, we'd finally get them all off and as soon as the engine started they would jump straight in. We managed to drive a bit with them on, before deciding it's probably not good if we are to make 600 more kms
Liz 'I never knew kids were so heavy
Jamie 'they are when there's 30 of them' hmm good point!
We left there and went to the new apartments, staying with; Oreos, the good ol boys and morteys.
I decided it best to have a nap and room service, before going out for a few cocktails.
Day 10 (22.08.18)
Turned 30 today yay!
So hungover! Was woken to check out of the apartment, still fully dressed with a face of slap on. I literally looked at all my stuff and nearly cried, I was not physically capable of it, if pushed I would of abandoned it. Luckily Jamie helped, ie he managed to shove it in and loaded the Rickshaw.
We went to the beach, to find breakfast, and was delighted to find beans on toast on the menu.
Until 1 hour later, when I'm wondering why and how it can take so long, it's a 60 second job literally wack the microwave on for 1 minute and pop the bread in the toaster. They weren't even busy.
After the long wait, I sent it back as it came with butter on and I also asked them to nicely not to be so stingy with the beans, that got ignored. I got 2 pieced of toast sandwiching about 20 beans.
Got a lovely FaceTime from Emmie and Hettie. Paul and Jamie walked on, cue me being lost, and the panic that ensued, all the walkways looked the same. Goa is not what I expected, it might be a holiday resort, it is still very much India, all the roads maze past houses, one road leads to another and none of them brought me to the Rickshaw! I got barked at a number of times, I even thought about asking bribing small local child to accompany me past the dogs, not sure if that's moral or not, my thinking is she is experienced with these dogs, also it's child labour
Another 30 mins of confusion, I see team Oreos Rickshaw! Yay and across the road is Paul and Jamie casually having a beer, if expected a search party!
Day 9 (21.8.18)
We arrived after dark and had booked an airbnb with the Oreos and the good ol boys. I was in need of a sit down and a beer, contemplated getting on the back of a motorbike at a few points.
We had a few drinks and headed out to the beach, went to curlies, which people had been talking about for some time on the big group chat, so many teams there.
Had a brilliant night, saw my birthday in with Jamie, and all my new friends!
Witness Jonnys bartering skills.
Seller " 400 rupees"
Jonny "no I'll give you 450 rupees"
Liz 'that's not how this works"
Jonny '10 rupees"
Seller '350 each
Liz ' ok 2 for 800... Oh no, no I mean 2 for 700'
We needed assistance, from someone either not so drunk or less clueless.
Also witnessed him do the worm, to techno music.
I made friends with the beach dogs. Some of the boys decided to beach wrestle, unfortunately the rules were not made clear.
Apparently how you play it, you basically push someone out of the square, like sumo. Jonny thought it was tap out wrestling, so when he had Akhil in a choak hold, and we wasn't tapping out he was confused, I have definitely learnt, explain the rules first is a necessity for safety.
I ended up injured on the way back after hitting the deck, trying to walk in the dark, grazes hurt even when your 30.
We got caught in a monsoon episode and finally made it back, where we all passed out in various places and states, oh only after Akhil broke in because Jamie and Paul were not waking up to open up.
Day 9 - (21.8.18)
The trauma of the Chai pits, also know as pot holes, filled with muddy water. To really get a sense of how bad the road was, and can be, as I'm trying to type this as going over some. My abs are sore, from trying to balance myself to A) keep inside the vehicle and B) remain in my seat, especially when being thrown in the air.
Feel like I'm in a washing machine.
Day 9 (21.8.18)
Mahalakshmi Temple, built in 7th century, is a Hindu temple, considered a place of goddess empowerment. Was a nice temple, no idea why there was a bank within the grounds though.
I went in with Jamie, and Akhil and none of knew what was going on, we walked round, gave some money and got a coconut and flower, then we continued to walk around looking for somewhere to put it, until we were told to take it. My thoughts are cork shrew a hole and use it as a drinking vessel.
Day 8 (20.8.18) Arrived in Kolhpur and went for a few drinks in a hotel, when it was closing time, I was pimped out to check out the function going on in the next room, to get us in!
Was the Indian banks work party, so we had a few free beers, the paid entertainers got Akhil & I, up for Karaoke, luckily it didn't last long, hopefully not long enough for anyone to notice, I'm tone deaf.
Got some of the men to do a little Bollywood dance with us, was invited to 'smoking party ' no idea what one of those is but I wasn't going to find out!
Day 8 (20.8.18)
Back in our originally teams, and convoying with the good ol boys, and the Oreos. Were waved down by police, and bought chai. I haven't had chai (tea) as it's made with water buffalo milk, which is premixed in the preparation process. They gave me a black tea, with lemon it was so tasty! Now to work out how to order myself
Day 8 - late start today, as we were all a little as the tiredness kicks in, hit the Pune Town roads, madness, so we get in line behind all the other traffic stopped, to realise that the train is passing, in India the trains are so long, cool when it goes the traffic will clear.
No that's not how it works in India, because that would be too simple. Everyone treats the road as if it's one way, so two lanes heading north and two lanes, heading south when the barriers are down becomes 6 lanes heading one direction, people do this route everyday, it's rush hour, how do they think this is a good idea. Barriers go up and 6 lanes of traffic are just looking at each other with no where to go. There's 2 men in the road with whistles, I have a whistle and was tempted to join in and try get the job done, everyone ignored them.
