Part 3, the Jaisalmer Extravaganza

Holy hell

It's been is a trip.

Let me regail you with one of what I imagine will be many stories.

So, on Tuesday the 28th we started our trek from Delhi to Jaisalmer. We got a good breakfast, packed our small bags, and walked whistfuly into our destination upon the crazy train.

Loading up.

The traffic here still is amazing to me.

Presidency Residency.

Parliament.

India Gate, framed nicely by the cabbie that knew exactly the fresh hell we were getting into.

Local infrastructure, clean coal?

If it works, right?

So, before I get into the next section, I need to explain a bit. Delhi is a city of a population of 25 million plus, and has highs and lows much like any large city. Most people hear of New Delhi. We took a train out of Old Delhi, which is to say, an area that is very Indian in it's operation. (And utterly bonkers if you're a foreigner).

Befuddled.

Starting to panic.

*Mild panic*

So, it was about at this point that we fully realized the weight of taking a train out of Old Delhi. A cornucopia of sensual experiences mostly revolving around dust and undefined feeces, with a pairing of general human smells to round out the meal.

We huddled up around our bags and stuck it out for the extra 2 hours we were early. In the interim there appeared 3 figures on the horizon, and my journeyman Bostonian senses tingled. The British were coming!

The Bristol Boys

Our fist contact with other Rickshaw Runners. 2 of these gents had even done the Mongol Rally (Racing across Eastern Europe in a POS sub compact), which made this their sophomore adventurist institution. You'll most likely see more of these mad lads later in the blog.

Getting comfortable

A little more comfortable.

Neat!

Anyways, we loaded onto our sleeper car and started our 18 hour journey to an oasis in the Thar Desert. With the wind at our backs (Read: AC, blessed) we starting rolling southward by westward. Thankfully the lower bunk on the isle had a window, and Morrie was kind enough to let me set and stare out of it.

Humanity was everywhere in Delhi.

As we rolled down the tracks it was an eye opening experience to the sheer difference from what I'd seen of India this far. Everything moved so quickly past, but it showcased so many different ways if being and I was allowed to see it as observer. Fortunately for us, one of the near bunks was occupied by an gentleman that was able to lend context to some of the sights we didn't understand. Most of the hovels along the tracks were occupied by Sri Lankan or Bangladeshi illegal immigrants, or by the large population of smack addicts within Delhi. But the encampments along the way were all homes, each painted and decorated to distinguish from it's neighbor.

As we got into our 3rd hour it started to get dark, and the day had put a suggestion in our head that we may want to rest. Out came the bedding and off to sleep we went, rocked less than gently by the uneven tracks beneath.

Queen of Shiba sleep system courtesy of Julie Pierce.

Bed time.

A halting 9 hours punctuated by the chai guy selling his wears late into the night later, we rose to a much dryer landscape around us.

Scrub-a-dub-dub

Yup, that's sand. And a camel.

We'd made it into the desert. And Jaisalmer came shortly after.

A little more dust, a lot less grime.

Celebrating ?

We were in the start city, and maybe a touch more prepared than before for what's in store.

More soon.

Until then, cheers!

Mac

Delhi in brief

Full sentences don't work. Smell of urine and flowers. Loving urgent drivers. Traffic flows like water in a river. Kind loving people. Sub cities of untouchables and beggars living near/ on train tracks. Beautiful women and men who spend quality time on their hair.  The stampede of humanity. These are just the beginning. So much more.

Jaisalmer

The WiFi here is kinda (read really) bad.

More photos up later.

Jimmy - day 4

My first post to the blog. Mac has been doing such a great job that I have been very lax in contributing. Let's just say he has been spot on. My perspective has mostly been trying to grasp the magnitude of the humanity and distance. We are now in the desert, 104 degrees F, sparse vegetation, water a premium. But in spite of the challenges people live and thrive. They have adapted to this environment and learned how to work with forces they can't change. That is my challenge. That is one of many. This group of six: two ski bums, two punsters, two ? are my travel mates .  Let's see how we go where we go. 

Getting there, Part 2 & Downtime before part 3

Howdy ya'll!

Its the morning of day 4 of this lil adventure, and I've got a whole bunch of photos and a couple stories already.

The flight from Amsterdam to New Delhi was again uneventful, however once we got off the plane it was go time. 2am my dad and I are rolling into customs and having to go through all that rigamarole. A process involving us going into a line, getting almost to the front, and being told we were in the wrong line. Dang it (x3 times no less). Takeaway lesson - read the signage. 

At least it was pretty to look at.

Finally, around 3 we made it out to the taxi area (After a long snafoo involving us not quite understanding how a SIM card works) with a grand total of 5 bags and our two weary selves. I think it was about this time that things set in just how far from Kansas we are.
Heavily armored men on steel pulpits.
80 degree heat with a high humidity.
Wandering dogs and no one to pet them. 🐕
At any rate, we secured a taxi and after a bit of tactful we-know-where-we're-going-I-have-google-maps-open-how-did-you-find-another-dead-end-to-go-down-please-just-take-us-to-our-hotel-ing, we made it to The Pride Plaza Hotel. Where we had to go through a metal detector and have our bags x-rayed again.

But finally we made it, and enjoyed a little gift we'd gotten while flying KLM (the airline) when we'd settled into the room.

Which is/was quite a nice place to do an express course in trying to fight jetlag.

Any which way, the next day we got to meet the groups that we'll be rolling with, which will compose the 2 other Tuk-Tuk teams that'll be our caravan.

Steve Sweeney, Sween

Morrie Trautman, More

Brian Churchill, Church

Kyle Andrews, Kyle

Sween, More, Church, and my dad (Jim) were all in the Lambda Chi Alpha house around the same time during their undergrad at Washington State University, and thus the fraternal connection. Kyle is a current member of LXA, and is part of the ski group Church is part of, and a brave volunteer to come on this route as his teammate.

The day after arrival, we all decided to pile in and see Delhi a bit before we have to take a train to Jaisalmer (leg 3 of our journey). We hired a van, loaded up, and got a small taste of what's to come.

These guys were pushing their cart in 40mph traffic.

A bit of the architecture.

I found an Indian restaurant.

My dad's face for most of the driving.

More or less, the road lines are points of offense to be vigorously ignored, other drivers are combattants, and 2 lanes doesn't mean a damn thing. We regularly saw motorbikes gun it through quickly closing gaps between vans/trucks, bicyclists going down the center of fast roads, and whole families loaded onto single mopeds. We're going to be riding the crazy train soon enough.
Our destination for the day was the Qutub Minar, a world heritage site and location to an incredible layout of ruins and non-ruin stone structures.

The Minar, at a distance.

The structure of what would have been the base of another Minar.

A detail of some of the construction techniques, with a rough foundation of stone/mortar covered with decorative carved sandstone.

The group, posing.

The group, posing with a few other happy tourists that wanted to take a photo with us.

Two towers, one slightly younger than the other it supports.

The Iron Pillar, set up around 400AD that features old Sanskrit inscription.

Part of the surrounding ruins, showing the care of carving and architecture.

Overall it was quite a sight, and it was good to get out in the sun for more than 20 minutes. We had lunch at our drivers recommend spot, and got to enjoy a good helping of curry and naan. And with that we wrapped up our day tour of Delhi and went back to rest.

After a couple naps, a few gin and tonics, a great dinner, and an even better night's sleep, I'm all caught up. We'll see what's​ in store for the next leg of the journey to Jaisalmer.

Until then, cheers!

Getting there, part 1 of 2(ish).

Bonjour!

... Wait.

Hello! Just touched down in Amsterdam and I'm waiting​ for my Dad's plane to touch down. We're fortuitous to have arrival times within 30 minutes of each other, so that we'll get to go explore the city in a spot.

Boston to Amsterdam was a breeze, with the security line taking less than 20 minutes to clear. Boarded, slept, took a few photos/videos. Bada-bing Bada-boom.

Blessed is the Netflix

My own metal sky tube.

For views, 4/10

Until I hit the Atlantic sunset.

And flew into dawn.

I have pity for any foolish soul in the same position as myself trying to use blogger on a mobile, but oh well.

Oh, found someone wandering around Schipol...

Look at these weirdos.

How European.

Anyways, both my dad and I are over caffeinated and under-slept. I'm probably going to nap until we jump back on this crazy train we've signed ourselves up for.

Until then, cheers!

The What?

The Rickshaw Run!

Basically....

My Dad and I are racing Tuk-Tuk down the western coast of India.

This way.

• Jaisalmer to Cochin (Kochi)
• 24 Days, of which 14 are on a cart.
• 1,615 Miles by cart (1,222 miles direct)

It's a long haul, but not too bad right? But wait, what's a Tuk-Tuk?

Yup.

• Engine: 2 stroke, single cylinder, forced air cooled
• Power: 7 HP at 5000 rpm  (equiv. 1 family dog)
• Transmission: 4 forward, 1 reverse
• Fuel Capacity: 8 ltr + 1.4 reserve
• Top Speed: 55kmph (downhill)
• Engine Size: 145.45cc
• System Voltage: 12V , DC

I fly out for the first leg of this ridiculous thing tomorrow, 2/25. Boston to Amsterdam.

I even packed a bag!

2 bags, one mostly has snacks.

I'm nowhere near ready. But that's half the fun.

Cheers!