West Bengal, India
Before 8 am, we have already escaped from the brothel we were locked in, and gotten in and out of downtown Calcutta. Our self-confidence is SKY HIGH this morning.
West Bengal, India
The toilet in our hotel bathroom is The Blair Witch Project.
Odisha, India
Day 9 starts off swimmingly with a thunderstorm and Steve driving recklessly through various puddles. Reactions have evolved from "You're driving that to SHILLONG?!?" to "You drove that here from COCHI?!?" 295 km to Kolkata...
Odisha, India
After waking up with about 20 mosquito bites swelling his face and neck, Danny took Malarone AND Benadryl, which we now know is a concoction designed for hallucinations. Among other things, today he has seen: phantom trucks entering the highway, Steve levitating next to the rickshaw, Lindsey driving while sitting backwards, and a man on a billboard moving his head. Should we let him drive today?
Andhra Pradesh, India
Walked into a Telugu-speaking only restaurant. Nobody knew what to do with us. But we managed to convey the universal message "PLEASE GIVE US FOOD" in our favorite new language, Charades.
Andhra Pradesh, India
Excellent mechanic fixes up the shaw with new headlights, major clutch TLC, new muffler, oil change and full tuneup. She's never run better, and all this cost us 150 rupees - 3. Back on the road for us. 1800 km down, 2000 to go. @
Andhra Pradesh, India
Massive breakdown at sundown last night meant pushing Chewy 5 km through the hills in the pitch black, as a line of increasingly furious drivers honked behind us. If we had to break down, at least we did it in a beach town, where there were at least 15 other teams waiting at a resort with beer and water and food and familiar faces who know our pain. This morning the teams all took off, while we are left at a mechanic, anxiously waiting to see what can be done.@
Andhra Pradesh, India
Lesson learned: don't bungee your beer to your roof.
Andhra Pradesh, India
Man driving banana truck just passed us two mangos while driving. All the best things happen in this fashion.
Andhra Pradesh, India
Chai man outside our hotel made us repark our shaw 15 times over a matter of inches. English speaking local agrees that the whole debacle is "bullshit." Later, random man in hotel forces his way into our room in order to drink "cooling water" with us. Did this whole town agree beforehand to mess with the Americans?
