Day 2
Baltic weather this morning, there was cloud and because we were a little higher up I don’t think that helped temperatures.
This was it, D day! Kerela strike day. 24 hours everything is closed, so we have until midnight and then we can find a hotel! It’s fine....
We started off at 7.15am, it was quiet but then again they’re not particularly early risers here!
Rode for two hours nice and steady, the beauties are ticking over nicely at 40kmph. We were due for a break so we stopped at a coastal beach Kattad, what I thought was going to be a lovely beach stop, of course google isn’t that good at telling me “you are in India so expect the unexpected”.
We crossed the train tracks and as we got further off the beaten track we found more eyes on us, the locals don’t stray far and I doubt very many fancy rickshaws and a bunch of idiot westerners have been to their village before?
The beach was run down and had loads of little fishing canoes on the shore. Not a place uncle terry and dad could get in and freshen up!
At first it was quiet, but after one arrived... they all arrived! Mobbed by a load of local lads, “selfie” “selfie” the only word everyone understands is that. They have nothing, can barely afford a pair of slippers but they manage to grab themselves an iPhone or latest Samsung!
We could get away for selfies and kids coming to see us. Not one girl was there though, intrigued but I couldn’t get much sense out of them only a head wobble.
We managed to plot on down the beach road, all the locals catching flies as soon as we got there. We made a U turn the road was too bad and low and behold on our way back through we drove past three teams, thunderbirds 1+2 and the meaty gliders! What are the bloody chances in this little town! We stopped for some water and Ross needed to be fed (I swear everything he eats goes to his feet! He’s a never ending dustbin)
The pidepiper (dad) attracted the little kids and they wanted a game of badminton on the side of the road. Whilst uncle terry tried to sell me off into a marriage. Yeah, they may want a wife but I’m not fancying a husband right now thanks haha!
After Ross was fed and dad had made the kids day/week/year for playing badminton with him on his 5m x 5m court we headed off back onto the main road and ready to make some more ground.
The perk of this strike at the moment is that there are very small amount of lorries and buses on the roads. Meaning bigger chance of getting chucked off the road or imprinted into the back of one. It’s a positive, we have to take that!
The gps turn to drive (me) follow route 66 and we will get there - easy! It was easy but the uneasy feeling came when we realised everything was actually shut, everything. The further north we got we had to go inland a little, with towns far and few between I started to get a little panicky. You know if we break down there is not much help around, let alone a hotel to stop or places to feed the dustbin man.
I pulled over after 3 hours, the Beauties needed a rest and the tikka taffs needed to stretch their legs!
Filled the engine up. Attracted the locals and a few selfies
I’m start charging 50 rupees a selfie! I’ll have enough 20litres of petrol after 28 selfies. (Little maths equation there for you!)
We filled up on petrol, the last of what was in our Jerry cans so no spare petrol in case of running out. (Just to add to the panicking situation we are in)
I had a pee in an underground car park whilst dad watched guard at the entrance. Not that there could have been anyone hiding behind there cars in the darkness but as long as nobody comes down the ramp!
Tanks full, bladders emptied and our dose of selfies taken; we were ready to hit the road.
140km down today at 1.36pm, we have 92km to go if we want to get out of Kerela state and find somewhere to stay tonight in the state of Karnataka, if we get there we will have somewhere to stay and more importantly a beer in our hand!
It’s a toughy but we have to try and push these little shaws on!
Ross b******ing the speed and engine on tikka taff 2. We have to be careful because we won’t have anywhere to fix them if they break.
Nutter locals taking the day off because of the strike had more time to waste and drive stupid to try and get alongside us for a selfie on their motor bike whilst almost taking a head on collision with a vehicle a lot bigger than them. The tricky bit is fighting your ground to not get pushed off the tarmac that would be an epic crash and probably the end for our rickshaw making it to the finish line in Jaisalmer.
Tip: dont get to close to the white line on the side of the road, then you have more room to swerve.
Although dad likes to wave and shout at people on the side of the road and take the rickshaw with him instead of keeping it straight on the road.. ooo it makes my feet sweat!
We made it to he border at 4.55pm! 5km to the nearest town Ullal, now to find a hotel! God help.
Our only troubles is that these guys think hotel means food/restaurant so time to play charades again, “sleep” (worldwide symbol for that is easy - you would think.)
Some just laugh! Either because I’m stupid or they have no idea what’s going on. But... it worked because we found a place! Right on the beach, summer beach sands resort (this wasn’t gunna be a £10 a night job. (Double that! - but don’t tell mum and aunty lynne!)
It’s okay though, we found a pool and BEER! Our lives are complete!
No WiFi - cheeky smile and he hotspotted us from his thankfully!
We had a strole down the beach, uncle terry and dad almost got swept away in the tide. Sorry guys I’m off duty today! Your going to have to find tour own way out of the sea :)
Time for a dip in the pool, I never thought getting in a pool would be so relaxing ever again, but it hit the spot and the big cold beers took my headache away!
Fellow rickshawers found the same hotel as us! It was the meaty gliders! How could this be, I tell you... India isn’t as big as you think guys! One of their team mate had been bitten on his foot and it does not look good! He could barely walk but apparently 6 paracetamols will sort it out? Hmmm, I’m not so sure. Ouch!
We went for food, we were starved! It was amazing and we ordered so much, Terry even managed to have his plate of French fries! Beers went down a treat! Our waiter used to work on the cruiser liners and has been all around the world, so nice to see that they travel. He was super proud!
Anyways guys, time for bed we have had a long day but now a late one tonight, 10.30pm! Dirt stop outs.
272km covered today
We beat the Kerela Strike!!
Tikka Taffs 1 - India 0