Tea gardens and cool running
Speedy kiwi became cruisy kiwi today as our rear wheels seize at anything over 40kms. Thank goodness as it slows us down to appreciate the most scenic day so far. And the freshest environs so far, nothing like this on the North to South run. After lunch it was 5.30 ...oops, no plan or place to stay another night drive. Right stops right people we were guided by serendipity arriving within 10mins of a few more teams as equally lost as us. An awesome night with a host who coped amazingly with enough rooms food and cold beer. The crash stories followed break down stories, before we all keeled over before the last two days.
Summit day
475 kms, 19 hours on the road and a blown piston. First night drive in two runs. Such fun. Epic adventure.
Panache in Patna
Bihar is brilliant when you roll up to the Panache hotel in Patna and the GM gets so excited he gives you a suite. Complete with a massage chair and spa bath. We also managed to get this far on bandit day off. Bonus prize!
Mechanics
Stayed put today in Varanasi got the cv joint fixed. Big nap. Bihar tomorrow.
Fuel Fountains and slow running
The first 50kms today took us 2 hours not because of the gangs growing on the roadside unfortunately but the unfit for purpose condition grade 5 surfaces in engineer speak. The mud run was exciting when our jerry can punctured and Fuel fountain was declared. Fortunately we had just come across james and Andrew in the tiger tuk and they gave us their 5l spare so we could move on from there. A great roadside lunch stop with visitors from a village somewhere in India. 9 hours total the last 5 into Kanpur Indias second most polluted city took nearly an hour with rush hour and no data. 265 total today, average 30kms an hour early night required!
Agra,Oberoi Taj Mahal
Need I say more
Tourist day
A dream run today, woke to the auto valet in action at The Farm Jaipur, what hospitality. Decided a detour via the Lake Palace and Amber Fort fits well with our Live More Awesome do more be more goal.found supporters from Mexico and Columbia. The local media chased us down, article in DNA tommorrow am we are world famous. Fun on the run with many locals and a reasonable finish at Bharatpur bird sanctuary for tonight leave us just 50kms til Agra tomorrow.
Catching up
335 kms yesterday running on viaducts still under construction called for cross country action. Trust me I'm an engineer Edward says... Playing bull rush with gangs of highway bandits keen to face palm our auto. Rewarded with a night at the chic hip upcycled sanctuary that is The Farm. We caught up on a lot..
Today we begin
Our thoughts are with those runners who blew up yesterday, after sand storms,thunder, rain. So many of them in "dark zones" with nowhere to stay near anywhere close as we passed them at 6pm. Slow running. Felt like our journey back to the start was getting us somewhere faster than many even though we have not yet begun.
Deportation from India
These notes are written as we are being deported from India due to me stuffing up our visa process, we are enroute to Singapore not knowing what is next
India is not the place to fight the system.
Unrouted and unsupported is a strong manifestation statement; as is ask for help. Sometimes as in paragliding one must go backwards to move forwards on your course.
Checks and counter checks sometimes fail as does failing to check at all.
Not knowing is only half ok and more than half not.
Never turn down a free bottle of scotch when it's on offer you may need it laterlater - actually take all three.
Pray
Do the work.
