The Run For Home

Following the challenges of the mountains and the ongoing devastation in neighbouring Kerala, we moved East.  The transition in weather, terrain and people was quite marked.

A much dryer area, with expansive arable plains, dotted with rocky outcrops. The people generally pleasant but more reserved. Our first stopover was Vellore. A busy town,  somewhat dirty and unloved. A functional stay. However,  the following morning,  we visited a small factory for disabled women. Initially set up with funds raised by District 42 of the Round Table of India. It is now a self finding project.  The women make switches and control panels for the motor industry and are thus able to support themselves financially.

On the final run into Chennai, we took a detour via Kanchipuram, to buy some excellent silk. Then as we entered Chennai,  we visited another school that was built from and is being expanded by,  funds raised by Round Table India.  Their aim,  around the country,  is to build a 'proper' classroom a day,  every day.  You can see and if you wish,  support their work here.  http://www.roundtableindia.org/

There was also an awards ceremony and our team,  Yorkshire Spice,  won the Charity Award,  for both our fund raising efforts and  the spreading of the word via social media.

The final 20km Sprint through the heart of Chennai to the hotel and parking up both was surreal and emotional! After what we have seen,  enjoyed and endured, it was sad to say goodbye to our trusty,  tough little 3 wheeler!
But the memories and learning will last our lifetimes!

For those of you who have kindly sponsored my efforts,  a heartfelt Thank you! For those of you who would like to make a sponsorship donation,  you can do so in this link.
https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/karllavery1

I hope you found the blogs interesting, informative and worthy!

Thank You!  Karl

Joy and Heartache as Monsoon Rages Through!

We set off from Mangaluru in quite benign conditions.  That soon changed! Incredibly intense rains hit and did not ease all day.

Aqua planing was a constant threat and visibility, much less than desirable. 

We pulled over to conduct a live radio interview,  with Radio Leeds.  After which we drove 10km down the road, to be faced with the need to back track,  as the road was washed out due to a landslide that had just happened. 

An alternative route,  via a single track mountain road too Sambramnya was selected to get us to our intended destination of Mylore. The scenery was stunning but the road precarious! Made even more so due to the intensifying rain storm. Completely soaked, with a wiper that was purely decorative, we aqua planed around the bends, chuckling or way merrily along!

Upon reaching Sambramnya  we were informed or route out of town was deep under a raging, swollen river.  Furthermore almost all roads in the region were closed,  due to flooding or landslides. A group of us decided to keep to the high ground and head North, with a view to hitting the N75 but this too proved too challenging for some. So all groups agreed to re direct via Putter. So after 9.5 hours and nearly 180km on the road, we were back to within 55km of our start.

Next we moved North in the unrelenting rain and joined the chaos on the N75. Here we saw significant flooding of villages and fields. The highway was in in any event,  in very poor condition, in itself challenging enough.  Factor in blinding monsoon rains, driving in the dark with not street lights, road markings,  a headlight that was little more use than a candle in the wind, being soaked to the skin and almost every oncoming driver insisting on using main beam whilst the rain lashed through the open sides and we have the perfect ingredients for The Rickshaw Challenge.

However,  with our new destination of the night, Hassan  firmly in our sights,  we were yet to experience the full might of the monsoon,  which we were to later learn,  was far worse than had been expected, causing more death,  injuries and misery in the region.

Having stopped for a refuel, we almost immediately came across another team broken down and stopped to assist.  Only to find we could not fix the problem and we too had broken down.  Once the mechanics arrived and fixed both rickshaws,  in dire conditions, it was agreed that as the conditions were so bad and driving rickshaws at night is a dangerous pastime,  we would travel in convoy with the mechanics,  along with 2 other rickshaws that were struggling with the conditions on their own.

Progress was steady until we commenced the climb up Sakeshapuia mountain pass. The rain became more intense and cloud set in, as we thrashed our steeds up the twisting road.  We were puzzled that we had this main road to ourselves.  Then we came across 2 landslides, having to squeeze around the first and negotiate our way over the smaller second one.  Then we had 3 fallen trees and  be rock fall to avoid.  As we got to about 2,000 feet,  we discovered 2km of standing traffic.  It transpires,  2 large landslides had blocked the road ahead and one had pushed a bus over the edge into a ravine some 50 feet below.

As we had the advantage of compact vehicles, we steadily advanced,  where most couldn't. After waiting for more than 2 more hours, the diggers had cleared a single track passage through both landslides. As all others were gridlocked,  we managed to squeeze through,  with kind assistance from the locals. We got to the head,  a further 1,000 feet up and as we crested jubilant, we discovered the descent b was blocked for the same reasons.

The locals stepped in again.  They showed us a narrow, single track road,  that went via a forest over the top of the mountain,  rejoining the main highway after 10km. We were warned it was often impassable,  due to excess water running off, as well as being home to several dangerous species of animal. We took the track in convoy.  I drove lead,  whilst Wayne navigated, as visibility was so poor, I could not see the road ahead.

As we went up, leading as convoy of 12 Rickshaws,  ( as we found the others stuck on the mountain), we climbed yet another 1,000 feet in total darkness and in thick cloud,  whilst dealing with the consequences of the ongoing deluge.  We had to regroup due to several problems but all made it safely down the other side and to our hotel,  by 4am. This Rickshaw Challenge is certainly living up to its title??

The Pseudo River run to Bhatkal

The 7 hour run was,  for the most part,  subject to monsoon rains,  cross winds,  roads that were streams and the usual flagrant disregard for any form of prudence or circumspect by road users. Not to mention wandering cows! All compounded by the fact that this is the wettest monsoon season in 60 years!  It's all in the timing!

Sadly today, we again came across a serious, probably fatal accident.

 It is not sensible or safe to try to drive here in the manner one would at home. To do so would be more dangerous,  as it is completely contrary to how other road users expect you to drive and is likely to cause an accident.  The the best policy is to adapt,  go with the flow, adopt most of their ways,  but overlay it with prudent judgement and always leave yourself somewhere to go,  in the event of facing being forced off the road or a head on crash. (This we face almost daily).

When the weather did give us a brief reprieve, we had a good photo opportunity.

At lunchtime,  we pulled in at a muddy truck stop and aside of a very warm welcome, the 3 of us had curry,  rice,  2 Chipati's, chai, a whole spiced and barbequed fish, plus we had a litre of water.  All for £1.90 all in,  including the tip!!

The Sprint from Ratnagiri to Panaji

What a day that was! Quite surreal! Miles of lovely empty country roads, with dry stone walls, which could almost have passed for the Yorkshire Dales.  Crops in the fields, which were their truly startling in their iridesence!
Vast empty beaches, with crashing monsoon waves and black sand that would not look out of place on a volcanic island.

As we passed Rajapur, we discovered a truly eclectic town with a quite novel car wash!!

Moving further South, we found ourselves on a dual carriageway,  which bore a remarkable resemblance to the road from the M6 to the South Lakes in Cumbria!

As we were approaching Panaji at some 50 kph, a car pulled out immediately in front of us and I only managed to stop, less than a foot from the drivers door! He looked indignant and simply drive off! This is India,  after all! The country where the driving test,  (assuming of course,  you have not bribed the examiner to get a pass without taking it,  which is apparently,  quite prevalent), essentially consists of driving in a figure of 8, performing signals and doing a hill start!!

As the first team to complete the 240km Sprint,  we were able to get into the Crown Hotel,  before another burst of Monsoon rains,  which plagued the other teams on their way in,  making their last hour,  tortuous.

Down the mountain to Ratnagiri

Thursday's run had its own significant challenges. (Not least being the outside toilet facilities at the hotel,  [see below]).

Our journey started with a steep 6,000 foot descent, in visibility that varied constantly for the most part,  between 10 and 30 metres, in very damp conditions and avoiding the various rock falls in the road.  All this in a little 6hp 3 wheeler, that was designed as an urban taxi!! However, on occasion, the cloud would break,  revealing stunning views,  sheer drops and beautiful waterfalls.

When we reached the valley bottom,  we had to deal with the fact that almost every business was closed in the State,  due to a strike and political protest. As we repeatedly weaved our way through throngs of gathering protestor and political rallies,  we were hijacked 3 times by protestors for photo shoots.  The coincidences that the 3 of us were wearing orange T shirts and I was wearing a large stick on moustache,  stood us in good stead,  as they were all wearing orange caps and carrying orange flags,  plus a number wanted photo selfies,  to compare their moustaches to mine!!

Shortly after we arrived at the hotel,  tired and hungry,  a 15 minute monsoon storm hit. Driving inland and sadly killing over 30 people in Karmala.  Such events put often put our trials and tribulations into perspective!

The Amazing Journey from Pune to Godavali in the Mountains

Stunning,  humbling,  fun,  challenging!

Our first stop,  was a visit to a school funded by the Indian Round Table.  It teaches 1,400 pupils, in shifts,  in an area not much bigger than an executive home in the UK. The kids, staff were amazing and despite their difficult circumstances,  were full of joy! To stand before them all and give an impromptu chat, was quite daunting but was the very least they deserved.

Then we hit the road! Beautiful scenery,  lovely people with vibrant smiles,  all welcoming and all keen to talk,  have selfies and brighten our day.  We took on  3 mountain passes,  were subject to having Bindi' s on our heads,  having our Rickshaw blessed,  run out of fuel whilst overtaking on the highway  had a lovely roadside curry and Chai at £2 each.

All of the above was topped off with stunning vistas and the struggle of keeping a Rickshaw moving and weaving through the mountain traffic as we finally taking on the 1 mile goat track up to 7,000 feet,  to our hotel at the top of the mountain,  in the village of Godavali.

The best day so far! Really buzzing!

Alibag to Pune

Oh Dear! Had to go via Pen again,  complete with the most polluting steel works we have seen in many years and roads that resemble the aftermath of some great battle.

However,  once past Pen, the roads and scenery improved dramatically. Having been hijacked for selfies, pulled over by curious police,  soaked by flash rain, studiously avoided all contact with roaming cattle,  for fear of being imprisoned,  we chugged up at 1,000 foot ascent and inadvertently joined the mountain expressway, (from which Rickshaws are banned). We then climbed a further 1,000, weaving in and out of trucks, ( many of which had more than one shredded tyre), broken down vehicles and avoiding all the cars that speed past on both sides.  We were given a choice by a police officer to bribe him, for being in the wrong place.  I instead chose to exit the expressway.
This was fortunate as we had acquired a loud vibration.  After checking but seeing nothing wrong,  we limped on for 15km but stopped as it was getting worse.  When the. Mechanics arrived,  it transpired one brake disc had detached.
After an uneventful journey,  we arrived in Pune. A busy but clean,  proud and beautiful mountain city.

Time for a well deserved night on the town!