Geoff & Beckys musings on India

Saturday 4th February.

Gordon's blown his bike up. Ivan thinks it's the piston; we think differently. Turns out to be a cam follower broken in half.
This enforced stop is one of our highlights of the trip so far. Whilst the spare bike was being extricated from the back of the van Geoff and I began talking to the family who lived in the house opposite. After talking for a short time they invited us in for a cup of chai. The litle girl was called Lateeka and she showed us her English homework. In the book was a translation of the Tamil National Anthem so a quick rendition of God Save The Queen by ourselves was given. The family looked quite startled, possibly by Geoff's singing. We then had a crash couse in Tamil numbers - one to ten. A wave goodbye, Gordon on his new mount and we were off.
That evening we met a man in Ooty selling chocolate and hair restorer. Geoff bought the chocolate but since the seller was partially bald declined the hair restorer. We were fascinated by the fact that he had a totally English name, Richard Charlesworth. Apparently his Grandad was given an English name whilst working for the tea plantation and this tradition had carried on.
Sunday 5th February.
A fairly uneventful 67 mile ride on some heavily potholed roads today. The last few miles through the massively populated and gridlocked city of Tiruppur taking us to the very modern Ginger Hotel. We reckon the thermometer has hit 34 degrees today.
Monday 6th February.
The first part of todays riding mostly on duel carriageways, the last part being a 5 mile speed hillclimb through 20 hairpin bends, taking us 1500 mtrs above sea level to the moutaintop Grand Palace Hotel. The bikes and riders get a rest now until Wednesday morning.