Out of Jaipur at 7am - big temperature sign tells us it's already 26C. Hmm, and it's 2 hours before we start cycling today. We reach start point to be told we have to wait another hour before the police detail arrives. Don't remember that bit in the itinerary... Apparently not everyone has been totally friendly along this stretch recently, which sobers us a bit as to date all we've had is smiling faces, openness and warmth. A bit sobering - we wonder if we have been naive at all to date. But we set off with the rather bizarre sight of convoy of 11 cyclists led by a jeep full of rather portly policemen, we soon find out why as they proceed to snaffle all the snacks on board our vehicle, take chai with us, have lunch etc etc.
Around 5 miles out a red car comes past too fast and clips Avtar at the front who goes flying and takes down Gemma one of our group with him. Despite waving etc to stop, the car disappears, however little do they realise that we have our escorts.... The police people are of course delighted and leap into self-important mode. 20km down the track they are stopped by a roadblock and Gemma and Avtar disappear to the nearest police station where suitable apologies are exchanged for not pressing charges after a suitable amount of form filling.
Meanwhile for the remainder the road is hot, bumpy and the scenary not great, and by 1.30 lunch stop in the heat of the day we've only done about 20 of our 60 miles. We're all a bit miz. But gradually it picks up in the afternoon, the k's start to get done, Gemma and Avtar rejoin us and by early evening we're flying through great light and busy villages before a final 10k sprint down to Ranthambore Tiger Reserve.
Around 5 miles out a red car comes past too fast and clips Avtar at the front who goes flying and takes down Gemma one of our group with him. Despite waving etc to stop, the car disappears, however little do they realise that we have our escorts.... The police people are of course delighted and leap into self-important mode. 20km down the track they are stopped by a roadblock and Gemma and Avtar disappear to the nearest police station where suitable apologies are exchanged for not pressing charges after a suitable amount of form filling.
Meanwhile for the remainder the road is hot, bumpy and the scenary not great, and by 1.30 lunch stop in the heat of the day we've only done about 20 of our 60 miles. We're all a bit miz. But gradually it picks up in the afternoon, the k's start to get done, Gemma and Avtar rejoin us and by early evening we're flying through great light and busy villages before a final 10k sprint down to Ranthambore Tiger Reserve.
1 comment:
Hello dear man!
How lovely to get details of your trip. Apologies for not being in contact earlier: I've been off work with a wretched infection for the last week and a half, before which I was working like a mad woman.
But now am sitting here with a warm Jack Russell on my knee, feeling very excited for you. Wot larks! Hope today is better than yesterday which sounded a bit of a downer.
All well here (well, now I AM well!) Still loving Bertie and Dirk, the autumn is glorious, my new writing unit is spawning good business, despite not having been officially launched yet and the Archers is fairly riveting... A downer is my parents' health. Poor guys, bits are just packing down,
Anyway, matey, now I have registered with this new fangled Google Blog thang, I shall be in regular contact.
Big love
Rebecca
x
Post a Comment