As the sun rose over Khandwa so did myself and the rickshaw team, with high ambitions to drive over 250km. Our wake up time was around 6am, arrrrgh….Yuck!
Much to my dismay I rolled out of bed and walked slowly into the shower. The cold shower, that again became a shower with a bucket and a jug, arrrghhh!
Today was completely exhausting with so much ground to cover before dark we were seriously wishful thinking. The little rickshaw certainly could not afford to have any minor dramas today, but unfortunately for us she did.
We managed to run out of fuel on the road twice today, had to sort out a new route to take after lunch, watched the rickshaw and my feet sink into sand, were faced with the threat of being ambushed by bandits in the jungle, transported the rickshawstar over a river with nothing but a few floating planks of wood, I was slapped across the face by a so-called Holy man and enjoyed a chai and a chat with some local Indian ladies.
Aside from these minor dramas our little rickshaw faced today, Shelley, Gordon and myself shared the driving equally.
Running out of fuel became more regular than the boys changing their socks and jocks on this trip today. Having to roll off onto the side of the roads twice today we were lucky the first time and not so fortunate the next, when we had to we had no spare petrol bottles in the rickshaw. We waited an hour and a half! All this and more pushed us behind schedule.
As well as the petrol running out we had to make changes to our original route to Bhopal, we now had to catch a so called ferry….aka a few planks of wood floating across a river. Faced with an off road path we managed to get the rickshaw down to the waters edge, with the helpful hands of the crew and some locals in the area. I was happy to help with the pushing but when it came to the rickshaw sinking and my Haviana flip flops sinking into the sticky sand also, I was sick of lending a hand.
It was bloody hard work!
After our little triumph we gathered at the riverbanks waiting for the next ferry to take us across, gawking at the ferry we wondered how on earth we will get the rickshaw to the other side safely….
As per usual we attracted a bit of a crowd while we waited and unfortunately for me, Shelley and I got chatting in broken English to a local holy dude who slapped me across the face!!!! – Apparently it was a slap that meant I was like his daughter or niece…. something special, by goodness I would hate to be his relation! I was completely gobsmacked!
The other side of the river however brought great joy, upon reaching the other side Shelley and I were desperate to find a ladies room. With nothing in sight a local lady grabbed our hands and took us under her wings to go to the local’s open air toilet. NOICE!! I will never complain about there not being any toilet roll again or the fact that the toilet seat is up. This was open air and on the riverbank.
Relieved the lady then invited us to her home for a chai tea, such a humbling experience with the entire community surrounding us also and just wanting to chat to us and find out where we are from, why I have blonde hair etc…. These local people have minimal amounts of wealth, yet they are rich with happiness. It is so brilliant!
All the crew finally landed onto our side of the river and it was time to set off to Bhopal for real this time, but not without another bloody drama. This time it was the bandits that were apparently hiding out in the jungle. Oh No!!! Be afraid! Be very afraid! We all arrived to Bhopal safely and in one piece though so all was not lost and I have to say it was an incredibly eventful day with memories and laughter that will stay in my mind forever!
Hotel was alright! Maybe just one mouse and a bug, Lal’s all the way!
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