Howdy Folks!
Another few days have gone by, but as Chris is currently at the helm I thought I’d take care of the update today!
Since we last spoke we’ve found some beautiful beaches in Goa and then an even more stunning beach called Kudle further south. After what’s been a pretty full on, hectic and tiring trip a little chill out on the beach with some food and a splash in the Arabian Sea was exactly what was needed!
All ahead of this however we very nearly didn’t make it as we had the slight issue of not being able to get out of 2nd Gear. Luckily the hotel we were staying in was run by an absolute hero who set up a chain of events that led to the man below fixing every single (ok well not quite every single...) dodgy part of the Beast.
What a man.
We’re now on our way to Mangaluri for another stop off and continuing our journey to Kochi where we hope to arrive on Friday (fingers crossed, touch wood, etc etc).
For both of us the beaches have been the best part so far but, it’s just because this is the best thing we’ve seen. This country is such a myriad of sights, sounds and sensory explosions that I don’t think we’ll really appreciate it till we’re back in london, where people obey the traffic lights.
What a day!?
Ferry rides, sticky gears and the road that will never ever be finished.
As I wrote this my bones are still rattling around inside me. Today we experienced Route 66 Indian Style.
We left Seaview early doors and on our way to the road noticed there was a ferry on the south side of the headland we could take. Desperate for some water action we turned up an hour early for the ferry and waited as patiently as we could. The ferry arrived, dropped off its passengers and then proceeded to have a deep clean of its deck for 25 minutes. Go figure.
Once safely onboard and moved to a position we set off without another hitch.
Our plan today had been to each Ratnigiri, no place booked, just turn up and see. We decided halfway down to not do that and instead find a place further south to stay. You see, the further south we are, the closer to Cochi (Science).
On we ploughed and it was as we ploughed through the dust, rocks and pot holed “tarmac” that we realised that the gearbox only really liked 3rd gear. Not the other 3 it had in its tiny repertoire. This was at 60km, we went on to do 400km today through mountain passes and valley floors. The Beast is serving us well, but tomorrow we’re taking her off to the Doctor.
What a day!?
Ferry rides, sticky gears and the road that will never ever be finished.
As I wrote this my bones are still rattling around inside me. Today we experienced Route 66 Indian Style.
We left Seaview early doors and on our way to the road noticed there was a ferry on the south side of the headland we could take. Desperate for some water action we turned up an hour early for the ferry and waited as patiently as we could. The ferry arrived, dropped off its passengers and then proceeded to have a deep clean of its deck for 25 minutes. Go figure.
Once safely onboard and moved to a position we set off without another hitch.
Our plan today had been to each Ratnigiri, no place booked, just turn up and see. We decided halfway down to not do that and instead find a place further south to stay. You see, the further south we are, the closer to Cochi (Science).
On we ploughed and it was as we ploughed through the dust, rocks and pot holed “tarmac” that we realised that the gearbox only really liked 3rd gear. Not the other 3 it had in its tiny repertoire. This was at 60km, we went on to do 400km today through mountain passes and valley floors. The Beast is serving us well, but tomorrow we’re taking her off to the Doctor.
Mumbai. Is. Busy.
That could pretty much cover the whole update, however, after our jolly over from Surat, I thought I’d give you a bit more! We got into Surat around lunchtime and decided to go check out the old (now being re-built) fort.
We learnt how Surat had originally been the first base of the EIC in India, before Bombay became the main hub. The rest of Surat was again a crazy mix of bat shot crazy traffic laws and shops, including some of the roguest looking malls we’ve ever seen. We also realised at 15:00 that everywhere stopped serving food till 19:00 and we hadn’t eaten since the afternoon before.
Enter the PANEER KING
Thanks for the save there BK. We thought we wouldn’t need you for a while, but needs must eh?
As we’d had to respite to this, we thought we better have some proper Gujarati tucker for supper, step up Samussa.
Wow. This was just wow. For 270 Rupees it was “you keep eating, we’ll keep bringing “. I need to find a Thali place in London when I’m back as I’m craving it and I didn’t even know what half of it was.
So that was Surat. Dodgy roads, good food, cool fort.
We then set off for the adventure that would be the drive to Thane. Thane is on the outskirts of Mumbai, as we knew a hotel there that had parking for the Beast and also, that driving into Mumbai was a ridiculous idea.
We made it to a Thane in record time and the food loves at Ginger Hotel welcomes us like the Bae’s they are. They also have the best showers known to man.
We then thought, hey let’s go to Mumbai in a cab so we can say we went and that’s exactly what we did. Hoping our around town and enjoying a well deserved beer after days in the dry state of Gujarat (we don’t need, just want...)
Oh we also went to the oldest licensed bar in Mumbai at the Taj Palace Hotel (which is bloody lovely) right next to:
That’s it for now, back out on the road now and off to the coast for some beach cruising for the rest of the trip. Get your budgies out boys!
Hello Hello!
A few days have gone by and we have updates!
We’ve travelled on from a great two days in Udaipur (where we finally got some sore parts) and caught up with some of the other runners.
Udaipur has been our favourite city so far and also our best drive yet. The Beast is feasting on Petrol, but that’s probably more our driving than anything else! We got to see the palace and enjoy a relaxed chill out by the lake with the company of Chipmunks. All pretty cool.
After Udaipur we had one aim. Head south as far as we could. We zigzagged down through some amazing back roads and crossed over into Gujarat from Rajast’han. That’s Dry Gujarat FYI.
We thought we found a place to stay, but as the room was going to cost the same as a stay at ace Hotel in London and we were in a place that didn’t exist on any map, we mumbled our goodbyes and thank you in Hindi and strolled back 5km to a place we’d earmarked before. Probably one of the most surreal experiences as it was very similar to “The Hills Have Eyes” but as I type this out after, you’ll know we survived.
We’re now enroute to Surat where we’ve planned ahead and have a place booked. It has tea and coffee making facilities, we’re ecstatic.
After today we’ll have clocked up over 1,000km. Not too shabby eh?
Well.
That was a first day.
Nearly 300km, one tyre change, a lot of dusty roads, some amazing Runners and ending the chaos of an 11 hour drive with the bustling back streets of Jodhpur.
We’re off to get a Beer.
Ok. So Visa's are nearly done... Still no idea how to change a (multiple) tyres..
