Ellora Caves

Posted at 02:00PM Jan 03, 2007 by D Bums Comments[0]

Serenade of the National Hotel Night Watchman

Posted at 05:00AM Jan 03, 2007 by D Bums Comments[0]

Pune

Pune, Maharastra’s economic powerhouse, is bustling as the chariot enters its city limits. We begin to the see the approach of Western modernism on the old city. Interspersed between simple shed-like storefronts seen in other parts of India are modern office buildings, complete with neon signs familiar to city dwellers in the West. We pass a Citigroup financial building, in front of which pass a herd of cows. We pass a Samsung showroom displaying the latest LCD televisions. We pass bars and restaurants overflowing with patrons. We also notice a great many female motorists and cyclists, who ride their motorbikes in the familiar manner, rather than side saddle behind their mates.

We have dinner at Prem’s, a restaurant recommended by a drunken local and head back to our room via rickshaw. The rickshaw driver takes us back to our hotel driving in the wrong direction, against opposing traffic. Between stops, he breaks out in song. We noticed this penchant to break out into spontaneous song in others we had met, but we thought it odd and drew no conclusions. Now we are beginning to suspect that we're the odd ones. Pondering this question, we settle in and retire for the night.

Posted at 09:00PM Jan 02, 2007 by D Bums Comments[0]

Be Good to Her and She Will Be Good to You

NH 4 from Kolhapur to Pune is a 4 lane super highway. The roads are smooth and there is a median dividing the opposing traffic. Vehicles hit real highway speeds and fly by at breakneck pace. An appropriate analogy for driving a rickshaw on this highway would be like throttling a moped on an interstate.

Vehicles of all kinds pass us. Some holding as many as twenty people in their passenger cabin and 6 more hanging off the roof racks. These people are the true extreme sportsmen. I spot one guy holding onto the passenger side hand grip with the rest of his body balancing tenuously on the runner; another has one foot on the tow hitch and two hands holding onto the roof rack, his body failing in the passing wind.

The chariot is humming along. At one point, I hit 75 km/hr on a flat stretch of highway at less than full throttle. We have been very careful about breaking in the engine. For the first 600 km, the chariot has been kept at bay traveling between 40-50 km/hr. It received a full service at 500 km in Mangalore.

Only after reaching Goa was the chariot put through its paces. I could feel the machine loosen up on the sharp turns of Goa and it responded well to various cycles of sudden acceleration/deceleration hitting the turns at high speeds. Poor Bennett! I know he was sitting white-knuckled in the back of the rickshaw as I pushed the chariot to its limits in the Goan night. Knowing he was sweating, I pushed the chariot even harder, venturing into the opposing lane to overtake trucks and vans.

Posted at 05:00PM Jan 02, 2007 by D Bums Comments[0]

Kolhapur and the Discovery of Chips

Reaching Kolhapur, we stop to get our bearings and seek directions to NH 4. We find a kiosk selling chips and water. Starving, we stock up. Oh the chips!!! The marvelous chips!! Kurkure, Masala, Spanish Tomater!!! Why don’t we have these flavors in America!!! Hey Frito-Lay, pull your head out of your ass!!! This stuff is dope!!

Unbeknownst to D Bums, these chips will become their staple diet for the remainder of the adventure.

Posted at 04:15PM Jan 02, 2007 by D Bums Comments[0]

Roads to Kolhapur

Planning to travel to Pune via NH 4, we need to cross the Konkan Hills via some side road off NH 17. The map shows three routes to Kolhapur and we attempt to correlate each passing side road with the map. After some distance, it is clear that we have no idea how to determine which route would lead over the Konkan Hills to Kolhapur. Finally, we venture a guess that MH 113 outside of Kharepatan is the last available route shown on the map to Kolhapur.

Just to be sure, we come across a rickshaw wallah sitting in a gazebo in the middle of nowhere and ask him if we are headed in the right direction. Kolhapur? Straight ahead. MH 113 turns into a mountain road with switchbacks winding its way towards the peak, which rises about a mile high from sea level. Halfway up, it occurs to us that we have starved the chariot yet again. It is unclear whether we will be able to reach the top with the fuel we have left. Furthermore, we are the only vehicle traveling up MH 113. We encounter a motorcyclist stopped along the road and ask if he has petrol. He, himself, is out of petrol and he is waiting for help.

We continue our ascent and we encounter some youthful shepherds leading their animals up the hill. A feeling of relief overcomes us, as now we could shack up with the shepherds if need be. Remarkably, we reach the peak and enter a small village. It is clear that they have not seen foreigners in some time, especially, not two bums driving a rickshaw. They point us to a petrol pump where we refuel and continue our journey to Kolhapur. Somewhere along the way, MH 113 turns into MH 114. We don't even blink and continue headlong into the unknown.

Posted at 02:00PM Jan 02, 2007 by D Bums Comments[0]