This is it, folks. The final stretch. The home run. The last lego block that completes The Death Star. The last Jenga piece that collapses the tower.
Oh wait, maybe not the last one.
After yesterday's emergency repairs Catbus seems to be roaring to life again and we decide to wake up early to try to get to Jaisalmer in time. Plans are derailed swiftly by personal inability to wake up early, and also because it was raining.
Rain??? At this time of the year? I briefly considered that notion early on in the trip since my bag was strapped onto the top of Catbus and hence most susceptible to getting drenched. But we didn't really give it much thought afterwards as it seemed like rain would never come, this being the dry winter season and all.
Thankfully the rain cleared up quick. Also somewhat thankfully, we didn't make the full jump into Jaisalmer because it had been raining there the whole day and it was absolutely miserable.
Still, the rain meant that the sun wasn't out so it was a lot colder than we had bargained for. I was prepared for 12 degrees in cities not 9 degrees in an open air vehicle. It was disastrous. I don't think I've been so cold in my life, and I've been in the arctic circle. It was largely due to my poor clothing choices though. I only had two long-sleeved shirts, my gloves, two pairs of pants, and two scarves. Not nearly enough as the biting wind cut through my layers like a hot knife through butter.
I had about 4 pairs of shorts and 5 t-shirts laughing mockingly from my bag. Also, the metaphor involving a hot knife was terrible.
BUT. Three hours of absolute suffering later, we roll past the finish line in victory! In fact, it's safe to say that the last 3 hours were tougher than the rest of the trip put together, even considering the food poisoning, purely spicy/vegetarian meal options and terrible road conditions.
We were the first team to make it on 15th Jan (although not the first to deregister), putting us at 26th place out of 80 teams. Although I don't think it was really a competition against anyone other than ourselves, the forces of nature and maybe the unfortunate choice of vehicle.
We lined up for the victory parade around town, with a whole bunch of tuk-tuks blaring their horns and going like madmen. Of course someone decides to be an actual madman, doing bad overtaking stunts and mooning other drivers before slamming into a motorbike, flipping his tuk-tuk and sending his teammate (seated on the roof rack) arcing into the sky and slamming face first into the ground a good 20 metres away.
We got off to see if he was okay and he sagely said, "I'm not getting back into that vehicle." No shit. Wouldn't it be a real story if you made it all the way to the finish line, just to be killed by your teammate in a completely unnecessary blaze of glory? Yeah, I thought not.
Still, nobody died, everything was righted quickly and life seemed to go on as per normal. So quickly in fact, that in the time it took for me to get the camera to fire they had un-flipped the tuk-tuk. Fascinating. Such a stark contrast to the cameras, arguing, and 4D number-taking in Singapore.
Like the cool kids that we were we didn't stay on for the party festivities or anything else but instead went to a desert safari, complete with camel rides and campfire.
Things rapidly chilled once the sun started setting, thankfully there was a campfire which got a lot bigger because a Danish guy on the same tour was really good at making fires. Figures them Scandinavians would be good at fires.
Had dinner on a sand dunes, and I was faced with the unfortunate choice (again) of spicy beans or vegetables. Never thought I would ever hear myself utter this line...
"More veg please."
That's what happens when you're cold, hungry and desperate.
The other group slept in the desert for the night. Were we more well prepared and better rested we might have gone for it, but instead we opted for the jeep ride back to the warmth and safety of our hotel.
Side note: if you ever stay in Jaisalmer, I highly recommend The Hotel Gulaal. It has a whopping 9.5 review score on TripAdvisor over ~200 reviews and it really lives up to it. It even has a restaurant in it with pretty good breakfast and cooked meals too.
Next up, the 18-hour Indian Railway and the madness of Delhi.
Cheerios, Jik
https://give.asia/movement/rickshaw_run_-_driving_for_charity
Oh wait, maybe not the last one.
After yesterday's emergency repairs Catbus seems to be roaring to life again and we decide to wake up early to try to get to Jaisalmer in time. Plans are derailed swiftly by personal inability to wake up early, and also because it was raining.
Rain??? At this time of the year? I briefly considered that notion early on in the trip since my bag was strapped onto the top of Catbus and hence most susceptible to getting drenched. But we didn't really give it much thought afterwards as it seemed like rain would never come, this being the dry winter season and all.
Thankfully the rain cleared up quick. Also somewhat thankfully, we didn't make the full jump into Jaisalmer because it had been raining there the whole day and it was absolutely miserable.
Still, the rain meant that the sun wasn't out so it was a lot colder than we had bargained for. I was prepared for 12 degrees in cities not 9 degrees in an open air vehicle. It was disastrous. I don't think I've been so cold in my life, and I've been in the arctic circle. It was largely due to my poor clothing choices though. I only had two long-sleeved shirts, my gloves, two pairs of pants, and two scarves. Not nearly enough as the biting wind cut through my layers like a hot knife through butter.
I had about 4 pairs of shorts and 5 t-shirts laughing mockingly from my bag. Also, the metaphor involving a hot knife was terrible.
BUT. Three hours of absolute suffering later, we roll past the finish line in victory! In fact, it's safe to say that the last 3 hours were tougher than the rest of the trip put together, even considering the food poisoning, purely spicy/vegetarian meal options and terrible road conditions.
 |
| Oh yea. We made it. On time |
We lined up for the victory parade around town, with a whole bunch of tuk-tuks blaring their horns and going like madmen. Of course someone decides to be an actual madman, doing bad overtaking stunts and mooning other drivers before slamming into a motorbike, flipping his tuk-tuk and sending his teammate (seated on the roof rack) arcing into the sky and slamming face first into the ground a good 20 metres away.
We got off to see if he was okay and he sagely said, "I'm not getting back into that vehicle." No shit. Wouldn't it be a real story if you made it all the way to the finish line, just to be killed by your teammate in a completely unnecessary blaze of glory? Yeah, I thought not.
 |
| Note the distance between the green tuk-tuk (which crashed) and the person who did a poor Superman impression on Yinghao's right. I'm very impressed that he could stand up. |
Still, nobody died, everything was righted quickly and life seemed to go on as per normal. So quickly in fact, that in the time it took for me to get the camera to fire they had un-flipped the tuk-tuk. Fascinating. Such a stark contrast to the cameras, arguing, and 4D number-taking in Singapore.
Like the cool kids that we were we didn't stay on for the party festivities or anything else but instead went to a desert safari, complete with camel rides and campfire.
 |
| Veritable Arab princes, we are |
 |
| Wenwen is very happy with her camel |
 |
| So cute |
Things rapidly chilled once the sun started setting, thankfully there was a campfire which got a lot bigger because a Danish guy on the same tour was really good at making fires. Figures them Scandinavians would be good at fires.
 |
| Sweet warmth |
 |
| Sunset on the desert |
Had dinner on a sand dunes, and I was faced with the unfortunate choice (again) of spicy beans or vegetables. Never thought I would ever hear myself utter this line...
"More veg please."
That's what happens when you're cold, hungry and desperate.
The other group slept in the desert for the night. Were we more well prepared and better rested we might have gone for it, but instead we opted for the jeep ride back to the warmth and safety of our hotel.
Side note: if you ever stay in Jaisalmer, I highly recommend The Hotel Gulaal. It has a whopping 9.5 review score on TripAdvisor over ~200 reviews and it really lives up to it. It even has a restaurant in it with pretty good breakfast and cooked meals too.
Next up, the 18-hour Indian Railway and the madness of Delhi.
Cheerios, Jik
https://give.asia/movement/rickshaw_run_-_driving_for_charity
My name is Dr. Ashutosh Chauhan A Phrenologist in Kokilaben Hospital,We are urgently in need of kidney donors in Kokilaben Hospital India for the sum of $500,000,00 USD, (3 Crore INDIA RUPEES) All donors are to reply via Email only: hospitalcarecenter@gmail.com or Email: kokilabendhirubhaihospital@gmail.com
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