Kerala, India
final blog, all Pat and myself want to say to our families, friends and especially all you people who donated to our charities, the Friends of the Special Nursery- Neonatal unit Aberdeen and Frank Water for India, is a huge thank you for supporting us during this daftest adventure. We both leave India on Tuesday, Pat for Chicago via Delhi and myself for Aberdeen via Mumbai (which is still Bombay to me - just to piss Pat off!!) Cheers Pat and Bill
Kerala, India
we are finished, crossed finish line at 12:28pm on Sunday 13th!!!! 8 place, took the ferry across to the fort. Will give more to our wonderful followers later once checked into hotel, yipeeeee!!!
Kerala, India
Bang up day! Only 145 kms to go. Stuck in Saturday traffic & a HUGE youth political rally march. Pat may or may not have had serious negotiations with the local police and magistrate (nothing of our doing, mind you.) Swell hotel. Up early into FORT COCHIN!!!!@
Thaikadappuram, India
longest and best run yet, think we are finally getting the hang of this!! Great views of the ocean and beaches all the way down. Found a look-a-like Starbucks for lunch a capucino and Indian bridie just great. Started looking for a better hotel than last night, Bill had little friends in his bed, we were having a bit of trouble until Pat spotted a hospital, a few words with the surgeon and was direct to the Nalanda resort, checked in and settled for the night. More our style of establishment. We are now in Kerala, woopee!! Pat and Bill
Karnataka, India
pulled in for the day, close to 100degs this pm. Time for Bill's afternoon rest time!! Age thing! Half way between Goa and Mangalore so on schedule, no rpt no tucking problems again today, maybe she is giving us a break?? Scenery down the Lakshadweep Sea coast really stunning, we have it all on video including the near scrapes!! Nice sea food dinner early bed and hitting road 6:30 tomorrow. Means a lot to us getting Facebook and emails from you all following the run, Cheers Pat and Bill
Goa, India
Back on the road early. Cooler weather helps us keep tukking along. Hoping to stay on or near the coast all day. We get a lot of odd stares with our dog/sled painted Tuk. Views of the Arabian Sea are like no other, well except maybe frozen Unalakleet, Alaska!
, Anjuna Beach, Goa
enjoying our break day in Goa. The road holes combined with shaking Tuk have claimed another victim, Bill's front tooth was gone this morning!! Gabby smiles from here on. Wednesday is flee market day so go visit and meet up with other Tuk'ers at Elephant beach bar tonight. Back on coast road tomorrow morning heading for Cochin, cheers Pat and Bill
, Anjuna Beach, Goa
arrived 2pm after a short hop from last night's not so wonderful hotel!! We met up with a few teams down at the beach bar and are now booked into a superb hotel my wonderful wife googled and txt addss to us. Booked in for couple nights, nice!! The Tuk, well ...... It wouldn't be a normal day if we didn't visit a workshop, today she? Needed a new electrical control box, on the upside we now have a horn. Going to enjoy the next 2 nights, afternoon Zzzzzsss coming up, Pat and Bill
Maharashtra, India
what a difference a day makes, great run through amazing scenery. Mountains, rivers, farms up in the hills, monkeys everywhere. Stopped at great place for lunch, Pat managed a game of cricket with a couple of youngsters, he promptly hit the first ball over the road and lost their ball!! Made up the ground lost yesterday with NO Tuk probs today. Looking forward to getting decent hotel in Goa tomorrow night, tonight's a bit ropey. Cheers from Pat and Bill
Maharashtra, India
finally got Tuk out of workshop at 4:30pm. New block cos bolts sheared at manifold, new seal on shaft cos oil was pissing everywhere, new brake pressure valve again cos oil pissing onto brake pad (not good for stopping), possible fix of horn just so we live a little longer, and just for you back in K O'Neil yep front bearing shaft replaced on front wheel just to stop the wheel from falling off! Not fixed were indicators and stop lights cos we don't need them?. Managed only about 50k before tiredness kicked in so here we are stopped for night. Ate at Pat's fav a veg restaurant!! LOL. Better report tomorrow, Pat and Bill@
For the past 35 years, I have strived everyday to come up with some new and amazing way to shake the cob webs of life off. Whether it be canoeing the Amazon River, flying aerobatic aircraft, or running a professional dog sled race team around the globe, I am always smiling and having fun. Due to some less than great genetics, most of these activities have taken place while coping with some serious health issues. I am honored to be competing with one of the best friends a guy could have, a pensioner from Scotland.
Well I am the "experienced" member of this team. Having travelled to the far corners of the world during a working life, I felt it was now time to travel for pure enjoyment!!
I'm looking forward to this jaunt down India accompanied by a great guy (even if he is American)! Having just finished working as a volunteer at the London Olympics where the catch phrase was "Inspiring a nation", Pat does exactly that he "Inspires the world"
