We plod on towards Jodhpur, and we're making pretty good time. I attribute this to our well-restedness at Udaipur as well as our general lack of adventure on the road, choosing to stick to fairly main roads all the way. For once we might actually be able to reach a major city before sunset and be able to look around.
A couple of teams pass us, some Swiss guys stop and offer help and tips regarding the carburetor, and eventually we fit everything back and head off again. We probably spent a good hour start-stalling and fixing, so much so that the sun has set while we were on the road, meaning the temperature also starts dropping rapidly.
As the saying goes, "don't count your chickens before they hatch."
That's right, just under 50km out of Jodhpur something in the engine gives way, and our vehicle rapidly loses power, eventually coming to a complete stop. That's no good. Yinghao fires it up again, but we have no 4th gear, and 3rd is barely getting there. After a little bit we putter to a stop again.
Our brave chief mechanic decides to have a look at the engine. We go at it, or rather, he goes at it while I watch from the sidelines and hold a tube here and there in an attempt to be helpful.
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| I'm learning the fine art of Eye Power |
The throttle cable seems loose, so the good doctor, like a good doctor, fashions a splint out of the nearest hard object he can find. In this case being our screwdriver. Yep, he duct tapes a screwdriver into the engine like a modern day MacGyver.
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| Impressive, isn't it? |
A couple of teams pass us, some Swiss guys stop and offer help and tips regarding the carburetor, and eventually we fit everything back and head off again. We probably spent a good hour start-stalling and fixing, so much so that the sun has set while we were on the road, meaning the temperature also starts dropping rapidly.
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| Today's sunset shot, taken in less-than-ideal circumstances |
Catbus still wasn't able to sustain 4th gear, so we half-limp, alternating from 3rd to 4th into Jodhpur. What should have taken us an hour eventually takes closer to two, and we try asking around for an auto mechanic and get about a half-size different answers. Exactly what we were briefed about on Day 1.
It eventually takes us maybe another half an hour and a lot of asking/blind driving before we pull up at a tuk-tuk parking area with a mechanic.
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| Lots of tuk-tuks |
Immediately the English-speaking drivers accost us and start trying to sell everything from rides to driving services to their grandmother's used glasses.
One particular taxi driver is really pushy and sets off all our scammer alarms, but we don't really have a choice. Also, the mechanic looks legit but he doesn't speak any English so the scamjob guy does the translation which I'm sure he's not doing well because we ask to check the carburetor but it never gets touched. At last the mechanic asks Yinghao to drive and he seems to diagnose the problem and gets us a new spark plug.
Meanwhile the taxi driver is trying to sell us gear cables, throttle cables, fuel and his first-born son.
The new spark plug seems to have fixed the problem so we ask how much it is. On behalf of his friend the taxi driver immediately shouts, "500 rupee!" And the mechanic just looks really stunned.
We bought a new spark plug for 70 rupees in Cochin, and labour isn't really that expensive around here.
I would have laughed and talked to the mechanic directly except he doesn't do any English, it's really late and there are a lot of them around which might put us at a disadvantage. We eventually settle on 400 which I press directly into the mechanic's hands. I hope the taxi driver doesn't wrangle any of it. May he always pick up passengers who let off farts of doom in his car.
Well. At least Catbus is running well again. Also, it wasn't that much in absolute terms. (400 rupee ~ $10) Still, left a bad taste in our mouths. One black sheep spoiling the reputation of everyone else.
Anyway. We manage to get a stay and check out Jodhpur Fort in the morning, which is pretty old and huge. Also had never been taken by force, which is quite impressive.
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| Catbus visits Jodhpur Fort |
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| Really ornate architecture |
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| Jodhpur, the Blue City |
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| One of us receiving divine inspiration |
We spend the better half of the day touring so we decide to make the drive short and stay in Pokaran instead of going straight to Jaisalmer. I find accommodation in an 18th century fort where the old king used as a palace and it sounds to good to pass up. I suspect it's still owned by the royal descendants and the retainers just run it for tourists.
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| Dining in the King's old dining room |
We are the only guests in the hotel. Which makes the royal treatment that much more amazing. They even pushed our tuk-tuk into the fort grounds and closed the door to keep it safe - we had just parked it outside in the public area.
Unfortunately, the huge downside of living like 18th century royalty quickly shows. There's no heater in the room, the hot water is extremely sporadic at best and there is hardly any insulation. It's freezing.
Side note about the weather: it's been progressively getting colder as we head north but usually only the nights are cold. It was quite chilly up in the mountains but nothing we couldn't handle thus far.
Eventually we settle into cold and fitful sleep, determined to wake up and cross the finish line in time tomorrow for the victory parade at 1pm.
Cheerios, Jik
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