Saturday 16th February
up at 6am every day that I can't sleep.We're in Mysore, a large city
in the south west, and we're about half way on our trip.
I couldn't get a signal where we were staying on Thursday night, but
given that my hands didn't stop shaking for about 12 hours it didn't
really matter. You knowhow I said Wednesday was the best day, well
Thursday was even better. Basically, we went to the top of a hill in
the Western Ghats, about 4500m, and then down the other side...on the
bikes. It was a bit like riding the bike up Ben Nevis and a
compketeand utter blast. Needless to say there were some spectacular
offs, but not me!
The scenery was breathtaking, but you didn't dare look around while
you were travelling....pot holes, thick red mud, gravel, the
occasional bus even, were a constant threat.
Distance wise it was only about 180k, but given that most of the time
we were only travelling at 20kph, it stiill took a good 8 hours of
riding.
We got rained on too, which is when I took the picture of thel ittle
girls sheltering under a piece of canvas. I always ask people first,
and it's fun to be able to show them the picture. The old man in the
other picture from that day became an instant star with his friends.
The food has continued to be one of the great featurs of the trip.
After a physically demanding 10 hour day, every day, I'm always ready
for dinner...we hardly eat during the day, just pickingup an endless
variety of snacks as we travel, or somee of the beautfiully sweet tiny
bananas. On Thursday I tried stuffed Baahn leaves. Not sure of the
spelling, and I wasn't entirely sure what i was letting myself in for,
but it had to be done. A couple of largisih leaves are spread with
some unidentifiable paste, then stuffed with a number of other
unidentifiable spices, dried fruits and goodness knows what else. The
result was quite weird...not unpleasant, but a bit like chewing
flowers sprinkled wtih spice.
We had great little huts to stay in that night...no hot water and a
frog inthe shower, but quite cute.
Yeterday, Friday, was a long day distance wise...over 300k. It
started out going over some of the route from Thursday, but in the
early morning dappled liight, with the raods still wet from the rain
the night before, it took a lot of concentration. A couple of folk
came off, but no bad injuries. After that first stretch it was on to
the main roads, including a stretch of the most beautiful tarmac with
wide sweeping curves. After 5 days of pot holes, it may have been
scenically less interesting, but it was very very welcome. It was a
day for just getting from A to B....no interesting stops, nobody at
the roadside wanting to chat...just powering on to Mysore. The last
10k were the scariest road conditions yet...you'd be riding along and
then suddenly the road would give out to rubble on one side and just
earth on the other, with no warning of having to move across. Then
the city centre traffic was just a nightmare, but, again, I got here
in one piece with no incidents. My riding is definitely getting
better...that day off road really tested my technical ability, and I
was very glad of my 3 days on the off road course down in Wales. They
definitely call it enduro for a reason...it is a punishing schedule,
not much sleep, roads and tracks that need constant concentration..
So we are all looking forward to a rest.
Today we go just 100k up to a jungle retreat. And tomorow....I don't
even have to look at the bike! My body will appreciate the
rest...it's bruised, aching, my fingers are like sausages and quite
painful, but it is also good to give our minds a rest. I thnk i'm not
sleeping well because there is so much going on during the day that
it's really hard to relax. I
'm trying though...last night a few of us went to get our outfits for
the dressup dinner on the last night then went to see the palace. We
went in a couple of tuk tuks and had a race on the way back, with a
promise of double fare to the winning driver. It was
terrifying...these guys stop for noone and seem to drive permantly
inches from the guy in front.
And we are in a hotel, with lots oflovely hot water, powerful showers,
and a laundry service! But tonight, it's back to our usual
accommodation.
This morning, i'm going to have a leisurely breakfast, maybe even with
a decent cupof coffee, not nescafe granules in lukewarm milk that we
usuallly get, then go to explore a bit.
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