Bluey looking glorious...
Bluey with engine on floor and mechanics in our hats!
Pulled in at amazing village with a picture perfect beach and some great locals - time for cricket!
Washing in rivers has become the norm - could be baywatch we know!
After a really bad week we have had two huge days and we are almost back on track - three more big days can put us on schedule!
Bluey is still causing us major problems - day 9 saw a 4 hour delay due to breakdowns, then we pulled away in the dark, got 10 miles and totally died. Pitch black, middle of nowhere! Luckily a very nice doctor (with a/c) took us to the local village. The next day we convin\ced a rickshaw driver to go to the car (10km) and push it all the way back - he literally drove his own with his left leg hanging out and pushed ours with his foot whilst James steered - this was through a major city as well! The mechanics eventually fixed Bluey but it took a full day which put us under huge pressure (although it did mean we got to spend a day playing street cricket with the lads and a tour of a local spice factory - brilliant day meeting great people but no progress! For the record the Bluey breakdown tally is up to 12 and we're on day 14!
We left for Mumbai at 6pm - driving in to the most crazy city in the world at night - great. A friend we met had arranged for us to meet his sister and stay in his flat in the city centre - another great act of kindness so we headed for the city centre. As if rickshaws are not allowed in to the centre of town? A 2km bridge and guards preventing us going in - we'd come too far so we begged and pleaded - they still said no and told us to pull forward and turn around... we reluctantly agreed but as Tim pulled forward I shouted be all you can be, James whacked his back "do it" and we floored it across the bridge - possibly the first rickshaw to do so. Not sure whether to laugh or cry at our stupidity a\our optimism was short lived as the police were sat waiting for us at the other side "step out the vehicle". 10 minutes and 200 rupees later we were the only rickshaw in a city of 20 million - get in! However we get a ridiculous amount of attention being white and having a rickshaw (we have still only seen 3 white people on our journey) - imaging if we are \white, and on the ONLY rickshaw! Anyway by the time we were in the flat had dinner and a wash it was 2am - we went to sleep with alw\rms set for the usual 04:30 to ensure we make up lost time!
Since then 2 days of 350km per day have taken their toll but given us a chance of completing this stupid task - it means starting at 5am and driving in the night until about 9pm which is tough - Bluey is tiny so with bags etc its areal tight squeeze.The heat as we have travelled north has killed us - about 47 degrees the past 2 days and from 12-5 you simply cannot get air in your lungs - the wind coming in as we drive feels like it will burn its so hot. This is making us tired and grumpy in the afternoons but we just don't talk so its fine!
Anyhow, time for a bite to eat (no cutlery of course) and bed - will check in soon - hopefully by which time we will be on schedule but that depends on Bluey!!!! By the way, James' birthday today - happy birthday from all in England I'm sure.
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