pedallingpete becomes pissedoffpete

2006………6wks-4th CYCLING TRIP-Gujarat & Southern Rajasthan, INDIA...........
I put my bike together at the train station with the idea that I would have a pleasant ride into town from the railway station but alas I find that putting FRAGILE on lugagge doesn't mean a lot.

Peddalingpete became pissedoffpete when I realised that the main gear sprocket had been bent badly. It was initially unrideable but about 45mins work by good bike mechanics who haven't seen such a bike before got it going but it is a bit cluncky. I'm pretty relieved actually as I thought I might have to go back to Mumbai and leave the bike there & head off without it. It will get me by even though it is only down to 8 gears. That's 8 more than an Indian cycle. I'm sure it can be fixed like new when I get back.

Getting the bike going again is an example of the quality of service common in India despite lack of tools or direct experience and difficult unsafe working conditions. I was offered a seat, provided free tea and watched their brains work in joint precision as they skillfully belted, bent and finely adjusted the cog & gearing. Any bike here with gears is to be admired. There was about 10 people working in the dirt and grease on the pavement on fixing various bikes with a great sense of comradery.

The level of service in the hotels is admirable and at $13 a night for a large room with own bathroom & TV is good value, although trying to find a TV channel in English is proving a challenge. Generally I have been surprised at the lack of English spoken which is OK but what is difficult is that the signs are almost all in Hindi which may as well be Chinese as the script is unreadible to my ignorant eyes and written backwards to boot.

Nasik is named after the tales of the Epic Ramayama. It was here that Lakshmana hacked off the nose (nasika) of Ravana's sister. It is seen as a place of pilgramage with holy bathing ghats along the river where much washing, offerings, laundry cleaning, and buying and selling goes on. It is not on a par with Varanasi for ambience but it does throw one into the religious life of India. There are some 2000 temples here.

By the way, you may have to scroll down further to see some of the photos (like on my previous post) if the blog is short on writing and bigger on photos. I'll try not to bore you with too much to read!

pedallingpete, your Indian Correspondent

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