Day 12: Catbus gets a temporary power up before kicking up a fuss, and Hello Mumbai!

Hello from Mumbai! Or rather Navi Mumbai, but close enough. After a bit of a struggle today, we've arrived safe and sound again! You wouldn't expect less from your fantastic trio here, would you?

Catbus worked really hard yesterday huffing and puffing up and down some really bad slopes and pothole lined roads. She was somewhat irate. The fuel was sloshing all over the tank and clutch was wonky. Needed some good pampering so we brought her in again.

And very well that we did. The nimble fingered Mechanic popped open the engine bay and disassembled the clutch. The clutch cable was 3/4 sawn through - literally hanging by a thread. Pretty glad we weren't left clutchless and stranded on the ulu-fied gravelly mountains of route 105. Engine oil was changed and clutch cable swapped in maybe 30mins, for a very reasonable price. Good man, good save!

Catbus loves the attention and pampering

The day started jacket-wearing chilly and Catbus was purring along nicely. Which makes sense as the engine oil when changed was the consistency of spaghetti sauce. New engine oil, meow! Our maximum speed is now a bone jarring 44km/h, which is a whopping 10 percent increase from the previous maximum of 40km/h! Definitely promising some good timings.

Now look at what we've done

No we didn't smash a truck. This was along a set of windy downhills, which would have been most enjoyable in a reasonably nimble vehicle. Our vehicle at the moment, however, handles somewhat like a rock with wheels. This is what could have happened though. Being good tourists, we could not resist the photo op.

One of the mechanics that tolerated our touristy presence so graciously told us that the vehicle is 42 something in Hindi, which provoked a hugely unnecessary and excessively long discussion on whether it was in tonnes or some other weight management / laden or unladen weight. The contents of the discussion will not be reproduced here.

Alternate form of transportation available

Somewhere along the way the traffic slowed to a crawl. Much crazy overtaking later, culprit identified! Seriously, India, an ox cart?

Wen was feeling ill so she was in full ninja mode the whole day. Adorbs much.

Mixing 2T oil with petrol

We kind of stick out as foreigners so somehow or another attract large crowds for no reason whatsoever. The above is a routine pit stop for fuel and, yes, indeed you're looking at 7 men observing one person do work. Remind you of a certain favourite organisation? We were a bit nonplussed about all the attention though.

Catbus was doing well and clocking up good distances today. The highways were merciful to her overworked suspension. Skies were clear, weather good, and bellies full. Cosmic karma needs balance, and indeed it came.

I've got some bad news for you guys

I announced to the backseat crew, who were then possibly busy navigating through food and drinks, as I pulled the gear selector completely free from the handbar. No, it's not supposed to do that. Vehicle is stalled in 4th gear right on the outskirts of the city and three scalps scratched furiously. So close yet so far.

A bit of a jiffy

Photo and videography IC leaps out of the vehicle and gets straight to work photodocumenting everything. She even takes a nice shot of a vehicle graveyard beside.

Nice scenery to break down to

Would give A+ for photos, but they don't really get us any much closer to civilisation.

Chief Mechanic finds no help anywhere around and is not pleased

Fortunately it was a quick fix. Some nice and exuberant guy stops by and confidently tells us all the wrong solutions but we fend him off, disassemble the steering assembly ("No, no, you won't find the problem here.") and shove in a pin that had dropped out. All is good and soon we're roaring off. We had to stop after a while to close off the engine door that he had also confidently opened up without telling us and forgot to close subsequently.

Photo IC really earns her keeps with such nifty photos

She even provides alternate views

Inner city traffic isn't to be trifled with. But here they were dealing with survivors of many a suicidal truck driver so we dodged and weaved and close-shaved ourselves into Navi Mumbai.

If you ever have a shitty day at work, remember that somewhere in the India there's a guy whose job is to transport chairs by holding them over his head, on the back of a scooter, for prolonged durations

Maybe to Surat tomorrow?

Another day, another destination. Hopefully Catbus will be a good girl tomorrow. Yes, Catbus is female. At least the Tuktuk version of it.

Yinghao

https://give.asia/movement/rickshaw_run_-_driving_for_charity