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Published: December 2nd 2008
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Well we finally made it to Goa, arriving at Agonda yesterday. They say that travel in India is hard work but never boring. Travelling by bike is very hard work. I've been run off the road on numerous occasions mainly by buses coming head on, normally overtaking trucks, who themselves are overtaking motor bikes or cars. The buses refuse to pull in or fall back, instead they expect you to get out of the way. This is not a problem when there is a verge but sometimes all there isn't anywhere to go. To be fair the buses are not just picking on us they will do it to any vehicle smaller then themselves. However, this, along with the pollution and constant sounding of horns by every vehicle that passes you has caused us to question is it really all worth while. Then just as our spirits are low something will happen to raise them, like when a Great Hornbill flew over our heads - an incredible sight. Amonst all this chaos on the roads we have witnessed no accidents and in fact seen very little road kill - so these road antics must work.
Everybody we see on the
road wants us to stop to ask us questions. Unfortunately we normally push on, acknowledging them with a wave instead. When we do stop we are immediately surrounded by people wanting to know how much the bike cost etc. Motorbikes, rickshaws and even trucks will pull along side us when we are cycling and start up a conversation. It normally goes something like this:
'Where are you coming'
'Mangalore'
'No - where are you coming from'
'Manalore'
'No - where is your country'
'Ah - UK'
'Ah'
We still haven't got use to the way Indians wobble their heads either. Nodding their heads up and down means 'no', whilst shaking them sideways means 'yes'. Obviously they are just as confused when we do the opposite. A couple of times when looking at a menu the waiter has asked if we would like something or other. Shaking our heads and saying no often has resulted with the said item appearing on the table a few minutes later.
The route from Kerala north through the state of Karnataka was mainly flat except on the few occasions it deviated east into the foothills of the ghats. Here we climbed hills
as long and steep as anything we had encountered in Europe. One day to avoid one of these detours we took, what looked on the map, a short cut. However, within a few miles we hit a river which required us to wade in the water with the bikes to get onto an old ferry. When we disembarked (again having to wade off) we had to push the bikes for about 2km along a sand track and then cross a footbridge. As we had waded through salt water I was thinking to myself that we need to get the bike washed down pretty quick. 2 minutes later the heavens opened and we had a heavy tropical storm. As we sheltered under my umbrella the bikes got a good clean - problem solved.
The closer we got to the Goa state border the hillier the terrain became. Also the terrain became much more rural and the roads (thankfully) much quieter. Our daily mileage in India is much shorter than in Europe. We average about 35 miles a day. Our longest day has been about 50 miles but the distance we do is very much governed by the availability of decent
accommodation. In the main we have been quite lucky but on a few occasions we have stayed in some real dives.
Agonda is really nice. Not too developed but enough to make our stay here comfortable. Goa seems much more laid back from anywhere else we have been to so far in India - a nice change as India is normally full on in your face.
News flash:
Recently we have been deciding what to for xmas. Either to stay on here in Goa or push on North. In the end we have decided to fly back to the UK and spend xmas with our family before returning to Goa in the New Year and continuing with the trip. Some people might think we are mad but after nearly 6 months on the road we need a break to recharge our batteries ready for the next stage.
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Jo Woodworth & Co
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Christmas
Hi Joy! Just reading your latest blog and we were wondering when you were coming back for christmas? Will you be here long enough to catch up with any of us? Love the pics Love Jo, Rhian, Charlene, Natalie, Carol T and Lesley! XX