Sunday 28th December 2014
We woke up in our Train station hotel and got our skates on
before anyone could think twice about trying to charge us more (since we got
upgraded from the shite-hole we paid for to a fairly decent place in the middle
of the night after the first hotel stuffed up our paid for booking) we got a Rickshaw
to Fort Kochi
We arrived at our Homestay to be told Rachel’s flight was
delayed so we dumped our bags in the room and went to find food and have a
wander around town. At 2pm we headed back to the homestay and waited and waited
still no sign of her then the staff came back (they went to a wedding) and said
her flight was delayed again and wouldn’t land until 4pm so she wouldn’t arrive
until 6 or 7pm depending on traffic so we had to go have a look at our shaw!
At the parade ground we couldn’t register as we didn’t have
our insurance or Rachel but we could look at the captain planet mobile and
admire the many other glorious designs.
We walked back through town in search of food and met Harry
Potter a local Rickshaw driver and friend for life! In Fort Kochi if you visit
a government store with a local driver they get a 1l petrol voucher as commission
so we made a deal with him that we would do that if he took us somewhere good
for food.
In the store there was no chance I would by anything the
dude told me I looked like a fat guy and tried to sell me a silk scarf and jewellery
to look more like a woman. Just a wee tip for any of you sales people out there
while negging may work for some out and out insults will NOT get you a sale.
We came out of the store and Indian Harry Potter dropped us
off at a local place where we gorged for the low low price of $1.50 (NZD)
Back at the homestay Rachel arrived and after freshening up
and chilling out a bit we headed to hotel Cochin Fort for drinks
Monday 29th December 2014
This morning we got up and had breakfast on the roof terrace
before heading out into the world we had to get copies of our passports and
visas and get our insurance info for the admin staff.
Once that was done we got to the parade grounds and joined
the registration queue which took a while but was all good fun
.
Once sorted we were handed our keys and we went for a test
drive Maezee went first and was a natural, then it was Rachel who has never
driven a manual so took a bit longer to pick up but was all good then me who didn’t
even get a lesson it was just assumed I could still drive form last year and
Matt headed off to get our licences!
We headed out on the road and got some bits and pieces to
further pimp up our machine and just have a general cruise around town we
seemed to find everything we needed without too much drama which was good
About 4.30pm we handed back our keys for the day and went in
search of food we were all fading since we skipped lunch. Then we headed back
to the homestay and showered away the sweaty grime of the day (it’s much hotter
here than in Madurai!) then went out for Rickshaw Run drinks
Tuesday 30th December 2014
This morning I got up early and hit the roof terrace for
some yoga and meditation which was a grand start to the day.
Then the day was much the same as yesterday we picked up our
baby and drove around town sorting out various bits and pieces (stopping only
to eat waffles for lunch and to show Harry Potter our Rickshaw)
Rachel had her first go on the road and did grand then it
was back to the parade ground for a basic lesson in mechanics (three blank
faces here)
At 7.30pm we had a rickshaw run Q & A which was super useful
and fear inspiring then we spent the next million years waiting for dinner
which came out one dish at a time after which we all decided we wanted bed!
Wednesday 31st December 2014
NEW YEARS FREAKING EVE!!!!
This morning I wanted to yoga again but it was pouring with
rain so that put a damper on my plans, especially since I was awake at about
6.30am. But it gave me plenty of time to do some boring personal admin.
As soon as we got to the parade grounds we chatted to some
other teams and decided to gather a few more spares than we already had so off
we went to the auto spares shop but the dude was sold out of everything we
needed. He directed us to a town 4km away and none of us had any idea what he
was saying so we called Indian Harry Potter who took us where we needed to go.
Back at the parade grounds we gave our baby a good clean and
when I say good clean I mean the Rickshaw now looks vaguely shiner than it did
before. Our horn was only working intermittently so we had the mechanic take a
look, only for it to stop working almost immediately when we got back on the
road!
By this stage it was kicking on in the day and we had just
enough time to grab some food fill up our jerry can and then return our shaw in
by 4pm. On the way back to the accommodation we picked up some snacks and then
hit the shower to get party ready.
With costumes on we headed to the ferry across to the “island”
where the party was. There was all sorts of free food, a dance show and martial
arts demonstration, a huge dance floor and some hugely overpriced booze. By the
time we had rung in the new year got a boat back and aimless wandered through
town being hugged by almost everyman in sight it was about 3amand we were
knackered I had a head full of orange paint I needed to wash out and from there
we all fell into bed.
Thursday
1st January 2015
Happy New Year!
The aim had been to get up at 6am and get this sorted then
do some yoga and meditate before we had to be at the parade ground….but…I woke
up at 6am and that wasn’t happening but I did get up at 7am…I can’t say the
same for Rachel and Maezee who are still fast asleep despite my alarm going off
fairly regularly…
We head off in a few hours wish us luck and ill post how we
are getting on as soon as I can!
And then she died...
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