Day 10 to 14 of 100 Days in India

First of all Jeff, Jacky and I would like to thank  Brian Franzen and Betty and Darrel Branhagen for sponsoring a couple of the last few days.   We use the sponsorship usually to buy a nicer Indian dinner and a few beers.

Total kilometers to date is 983 in 10 days of riding.   We left Tonk and headed for Bundi.  Bundi is a tourist town and we could see that right away. There were many more hostel and guesthouse options and things were cheaper because of the competition to get tourists.   We found toilet paper and so we bought 10 rolls.
Just so everyone knows Jacky has something for animals.   She had a monkey jump on her chest.  She now has dogs barking her.  Camels talking to her and cows running into her.  I am not sure what it is, but it adds a new dimension to protecting her.

My comment about trash control has to be revised.  Jeff and I did find a dumpster.

Also in Bundi we took time to tour the palace and the lake area.    I did make contact with the Rotary Club of Bundi.  I exchanged club flags and we were showered in flowers.  I always like meeting with Rotarians  because they usually can tell me what all of the pictures mean.   I take a lot of photos and I can only conjecture to what I am really seeing. 

Bundi to Bhilwara was a very long day of 140 km.   We also got rained on.   We went through huge areas of mining.   It was primarily sandstone.  They use this for roofs, fences and walls all throughout the region.  We also met with the Rotary Club of Bhilwara.   Then we went from Bhilwara to Rajsamand.

Rajsamand to Udaipur was very hilly and beautiful.  We had many switch backs and some tremendous views.  At times it was hard climbing the steep grades with cows and goats crossing in front of you. 

Udaipur is a much wealthier area.  It is cleaner, has less traffic and  has nicer homes and businesses.  We even found a shopping mall just like the USA.   They had a Walmart!  Marlbe and more valuable stone is mined in the area.  We rode for over 6 miles and had constant marble wholesale establishments.   Even the hotels were nicer to accommodate the influx of foreign buyers.


Just a few photos that catch my interest.   Electrical systems and the combination of cows and cycles.

Thanks for following and encourage others as well.
Namaste

Day 5 - 9 of 100; Delhi to Rahajastan India

Day 5-9 of 100 (Agra to Tonk). KM to date: 571; Average mid day riding temp: 100 - 104 F.

(I apologize that the photo is not next to the paragraph describing it but right now I am just very happy to get this posted as we have been trying for 4 days.)


Before I forget, Marc Folkedahl sponsored our first beers at the O'Hare airport. $8.25/beer has been the most expensive so far but the easiest to get.

From Agra we headed southwest to Tonk, Rahajastan (current location). From here we will head to the coast, Porbandar on the Arabian Sea. After that we will see where the adventure takes us. The terrain is starting to change. It is getting more arid and mountainous. We are now seeing camels instead of oxen. Jacky and Jeff are now dodging not only scooters but also camels. The road quality has also deteriorated. Pot holes, washboards, dirt and sand are constants. Our average speed of 14-15mph drops to 6-10mph at times.

Malcolm Enterprises and Shimeks & Waste Management are badly needed here. In India the waste collection system is very poor, actually nonexistent. Even when asked for a trash can we were instructed to throw it on the ground.

Someone please tell Mike Haluska to put Freidhof back on full pay because he never stops teaching. Here he is teaching Indians about American multi-speed bicycles.

The trucks in India are overwhelming. The number of them on the road, their load size and how they are decorated is quite a sight. Its like a traveling circus. I don't think the Bruening Trucks will look like this anytime soon.

We have also found that the best food is at the truck stops. So, we pick a busy one to eat at. That way we know that the food is good and that there is turnover in food (less chance of us getting sick). You get a lot of great food at a reasonable price. This meal was 205 rupees. Notice Jeff and Jacky have lost their manners; sitting cross legged on the table and eating with their fingers.

Please, please someone email Freidhof and tell him that we don't have to work out all the time! Even when heading to the market we have to help push the vegetable cart loaded with potatoes, onions and garlic.

Jacky has taken the role as our linquistic expert (please, thankyou, food, sorry, good...and other key words that are used in our daily routine). I want to know what she said to the camel, because the camel is surely saying something back to her.

We were invited into a boys hostel and very amazed at the learning that was occurring. Their excitement was hard to control. We hope to visit more schools in the future.

Yesterday was our day off. Today we saddle up again. We will blog as often as we can. Internet access is not so easy to find.

Until next time...Namaste!

Ward and Jacky