Fwd: monday 10th february
From: Mo Scobbie <moirascobbie@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:10:03 +0000
Subject: monday 10th february
To: moirascobbie.mosepic@blogger.comofau
Today was the first real day out. We headed 155km south to Palolem,
firstly through busy towns and villages, then onto forestry roads,
covered in red earth,or red mud and boulders in some places.
Everywhere we stopped we attracted a crowd, or just got into chat with
the people round about. It is a cliche i know, but vitually everyone
we have come across, eitherat the side of the road or in the towns has
been smiling and friendly and wanting to know where are are from, but,
more often where we are going.
The presentations we got last night lived with me through today.
Particularly, i thought about Billy's comments about looking at how
many chapels we see and how many mosques or temples...undoubtedly the
chapels prevail. Only in the past twenty or thirty years have new
non-Christian places been buit, basically since Goa ceased to be a
colony of Portugal.
The riding was amazing. the gear boxes more so...how i longed for
dear old Sparky's gears when i found about the 5th neutral position on
the Enfield. And the last thing you want when you're overtaking a
truck and there's another one coming towards you is to be stuck in
neutral!
Tomorrow we head out of Goa. Each new province, we've been told, has
its own culture and food and people, so i'm excited about seeing how
that change presents itself.
Hopefully we'll keep the injury rate as low as it was today - a few
spills and a broken finger.
one of the amazing thiings about this trip is hearing the stories of
the other riders...evweryone has their own reason for being here -
some of the stories are tragic, others uplifting, particularly those
of the people from the various charities and the Indian people
involved in the trip.
The wonderful thing about the bikes is that you are totally in the
landscape, not seeing it through a window. your're touching it and
smelling it and it is leaving its mark on you....today i'm covered in
red dust and could smell hyacinths as we sat and ate lunch - an
amazingmeal prepared forus in a tiny hut which even the Enduro hard
core hadn't beeni in beofre, but which will probably now feature in
the itinerary.
ok...off for a briefing and dinner. Adios amigos.
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