Day 12

We always attempt an early start, we just never actually get around to it. We all had some thick heads this morning, apparently Kingfisher put more sulphur in their beer which gives you a worse hangover from it.

My tummy was definitely feeling the toll of curry and I think working in that kitchen yesterday turned my stomach a little.

Scared to move about much, I started the three day course of antibiotics just in case. I tried to eat breakfast but it didn’t go down well so I left that and had a flat coke instead to ease the tummy.

We had 250km to do today to get to Jodphur. We left at 7.45am, luckily Udaipur hadn’t really woken up yet so we managed to get through the city fairly easy and quickly, the early morning stint takes extra time doing all the loop the loop bits.

We notice me that Udaipur was probably one of the cleanest cities we had come across, there was no rubbish anywhere to be seen. It was so nice! If every city in India took a leaf out of their book then the country wouldn’t be in such a s*** street with rubbish.

The drive was long, very hot and the roads were a little same same. The heat was takin its toll on us too, it was like we were in a huge oven with a fan on us, we couldn’t move in the rickshaw for shade the sun was burning our feet, arms and legs. Ross said uncle terry didn’t stop rolling around in the back of he rickshaw trying to find some shade from the sun or get comfortable so he wasn’t too hot, that never worked though. Haha.

We had a few obstacles along the way, first were monkeys. Sat everywhere alongside the road, I couldn’t stop the shaw they would have eaten us for lunch. Then a massive one starts running across the road towards the rickshaw, I absolutely s*** myself! I thought he was coming for me, dad got ready with the bag to hit him with incase he tried anything, I just put my hand to the throttle and raced through. I didn’t care if I’d knock him down even.
We probably passed about 50/60 monkeys, looked like a type of marquet but with a black face. Pretty but nasty.

The road continued for ages, everything was super baron now. We hadn’t seen a petrol garage or village for ages. But the roads were in good nick so we managed to make up good time.

We had to go through a toll gate, and I couldn’t make out where they were telling me to go and then I thought he wanted me to pay and so I followed a car out whilst they all started shouting at me again, as the barrier came down on my rickshaw. Whoops! Thinking that I had broken the barrier and I had a hefty fine coming my way we jumped out of the rickshaw, but it just clipped back into place and they just wanted to tell us one car at a time. Why they didn’t just calmly say that with charades I do not know. Bloody useless. Flustered and feeling s*** I got in the back, the first gear kept cutting out on me so I was done.

About 50km outside of Jodphur now, it’s not cooling down just getting hotter. We passed so many herds of sheep and goats walking down the main highway with their farmers dressed in perfect white gowns and their big fluorescent coloured turbans, all sorts of colours!

When we finally got into jodphur, the hotel mango where we staying was easy to find and we weren’t in the middle of everything so it was nice easy. We got showered and changed and attempted to go to the fort but it closed at 5pm so the hotel staff told us of a lovely restaurant right by the fort that overlooked the blue city, the place and the fort. Pal Havali hotel, indulge restaurant. We all got in one tuc tuc, I sat on uncle terry’s knees and we went through the main bazaar and market. Absolutely nuts! It’s so hard to describe because there is so much going on. Colours and the smell of spice everywhere, motorbikes and tuc tucs dodging each other, pedestrians and the sellers say on the floor. If it was in Britain there would have been a few accidents and the place would 100% be closed off to traffic. But anything goes here, it’s India.

The steps were hell to get there but we managed the vertical steps just about. It was worth it though, lovely restaurant overlooking the city. So peaceful and relaxing, a different world to what was downstairs.

I couldn’t stomach a curry, I joined uncle terry on the fish and chips. A few beers and some delicious food it was time for bed, I could not keep my eyes open!!

The decision was made, an early start tomorrow to get the last 283km in. We would arrive in Jaisalmer a day early for the finish line!!

250km covered today approx.