Road from Purnia

  

Another early morning start. We set off hoping that the roads are better out of Purnia than the roads into it. Surprisingly, it is. There are fewer potholes and actual continuous lengths of pavement. Our improvised weld is holding, but the tank is flapping around. We mobilize the “Bisleri Air Dampening System”. We shove a five gallon plastic water container between the gas tank and the rickshaw frame.

We are on the outskirts of Bagdogra when the tank springs a leak. We pull into a mechanics shop and wait for the epoxy to dry. We have a three hour lay over. We meet Chacko Sebastian who runs an English school in town and have tea with the men from the shop and other curious passers by who want to meet the kooks who have driven a rickshaw from Kerala.

It is a warm and very peaceful day. We watch the traffic go by relaxing in the shadows of swaying trees. I ask Chacko about dating rituals in India, English middle schools, and various other topics under the sun. Soon the epoxy has dried and we are off to tackle the hill to Darjeeling.

It has been nearly 60 years since a rickshaw has entered Darjeeling. Apparently, the road to Darjeeling to too steep for rickshaws. Or they thought. Over 15 rickshaws have already conquered the hill and we begin to make our way.

Posted at 10:00AM Jan 09, 2007 by D Bums Comments[1]