India - the Roads!

Namaste!

How good or bad are the roads in India.  Well they have something for everyone!

Yes, it's a snake - a COBRA that Morris found on the road and picked it up so it didn't get run over, it was alive and well, thank you very much! 

(Peeing in the great outdoors was never the same after that day....)

Mile markers along the way

The "ingredients" for the roads; mostly large and sharp!

Some days were sandy....

Goats on the broken pavement

 Bug collection for the day

"Broken" pavement

Typical community - people, bicycles, animals, big trucks, buses, tuk-tuks, motorbikes and cars

 Brand new 4 lane national highway

My attempt at "selfie" on the bike

These are an example of some of the roughest roads we encountered; we had a few days of this variety

Piling the rocks "just so"- at least he didn't lose any while I was following

Waiting for the train

 Night traffic

On the ferry crossings

Can you spot the Canadian flag?

Then I wondered who "TOD" was, it was nice to read the encouragement along the way to Goa that "TOD" received.....

(Finish 566 km "TOD" Lifecycles)
Tour of Devgad cycling race from Mumbai to Devgad

Back Online - Mumbai!

Namaste!

We had 2 rest days in Mumbai and they were busy so I didn't get out my computer and then our next nights we didn't have internet access. 

Mumbai was an experience (could have been New York)....

We stayed very centrally in the Colaba district near the Gate of India.  In fact we arrived at the Gate of India via a ferry and avoided any city traffic or riding!  Mumbai could be any big city except it's a crazy big city 20.7 MILLION people!   We saw only a very small area....

Maulise and I arriving at the Gate of India

Highlights -

• Vikas (our Dr.) took us to the hospital he works at (1.5 hour drive in traffic, one way) - it's a government hospital, therefore, sees anyone and the costs are covered by the government.  It was so interesting - the separate male & female wards have about 20 beds each (men's and women's, post-op, peds, OB-GYN, etc).  We also got to tour the ICU, where Vikas works - 12 beds, 2 patients on vents.  They have clinics, an ER, lab/x-ray/ ultrasound, but no MRI or CT.  If this is required, then the patient is sent out via hospital transfer for the test, likely to a private hospital.  
• You can also access Ayurvedic Medicine at the hospital.  It originated in India and is based on the balance of mind, body and spirit.
• India also has private hospitals and they are very much like in the USA.
• Since we have 4 Drs. + Vikas, he was able to get permission to have us tour the hospital.

ICU staff with Vikas on the left

ICU bed and a ventilator

Medical Records room

The traffic - this photo doesn't do it justice - and they are just in the process of building a metro!

• We completed a walking tour of the Colaba district which has some really beautiful buildings from when the British were here.

• We got to meet Vikas' wife - Shipra, who is lovely,  and gave the girls some shopping tips - "FabIndia" for beautiful cotton clothing.... We all did a little damage.  Funniest thing - asking if they have anything in black!  The salespeople scoffed at the thought of black when there are so many lovely colours in the rainbow!!  Another blonde customer in the store and I giggled as we both agreed we have a significant wardrobe in black at home.  India is filled with beautiful coloured sari's!  I bought a black pair of pants, but the other things I bought were coloured.

Vikus and Shipra

• We saw street cats!  There haven't been many in our travels.
• I had a drink & a snack at the Harbour Bar in the Taj Palace Hotel (where there was a terrorist attack in 2008); 5-Star hotel.

 All posh hotels have huge flower arrangements in their lobbies

• Had dinner at Leopold's Cafe which is around the corner from the Taj Palace Hotel and was also attacked in the same 2008 terrorist attack.  I became aware of it from the novel - Shantaran.

• Chai-wallahs at Churchgate Train station - these men pick up homemade lunches (in tiffin boxes) from homes all over Mumbai; bring them to a Churchgate station at 11:00 am; they're sorted and then distributed to office workers in the city.  It has 99% accuracy; many of the delivery people are illiterate and they use a series of numbers and letters to sort and deliver the tiffin boxes daily. 

• With great sadness - we said goodbye to Dennis as he finished the trip in Mumbai.  I feel so privileged to have met and ridden with him - he has a great sense of humour, is a great storyteller and we had many things in common (least of which was our speed on the uphills!!) We'll meet again friend!

What a whirlwind and we barely touched the surface!!

Thanks Mumbai

Massage!!

Namaste!

Cycling in India can take it's toll on the old body (not that I'm suffering this fate, being only *27*).....

I've taken advantage of a massage if it's been available at the places we stay.

1. Taj Vivanta Hotel Spa in Delhi - medical questionnaire reviewed by an Ayurvedic MD; Thai massage therapist (female); very similar to what I get at home when I go for a relaxation massage. So nice after 3 days of travel.
2. Dungarpur (Ubaid Lake Palace) - a massage under the stairs! The hotel has a massage therapist (male) on call.  It took place in a room under the stairs and was good - Ayurvedic trained.
3. Mandu - male massage therapist (Ayurvedic trained?) and multi-talented (massage therapist, hairdresser, tour guide, chai shop owner, petrol in a pinch).  This one was OK, but he didn't really get the idea of venous return, lymph drainage, but it was great after a long ride on a rest day.  ....And then he took Dennis and I on a tour of the ruins in town!
   
4. Ajanta Caves - this guy was a bit odd.... Ayurvedic trained? - social skills a little lacking.... He advised me I was too old to be having sex; I was too fat to have babies; but he was too aggressive with his massage!  He must have thought we "bonded", b/c he remembered my name and everytime he saw me on our rest day, called me by name to say hello.    
5. Ganpatipole - most interesting so far!!  Ayurvedic trained female. First there was a very nice massage, then a herbal steam bath and then a bucket bath to remove the gallon of oil I was subjected to.  The "sauna" was interesting.  If it hadn't had a plastic and wipeable stool to sit on, I don't think I could have done it.

 Selfie!

 The Sauna - homemade with a pressure cooker on the left filled with herbals and water, heated and a hose connected to the inside of the box to fill it with lovely scented steam.  You sit on the stool inside the box and they put it together...

Yup, that round circle on top would be where your head sticks out of the box.

Life on the Road

Namaste!

We're getting close to Mumbai - 2 days of riding to go.....
Thought I'd share some pics of the roadside life we see.

Sugar cane juice - we watched the process, then got on our bikes before they insisted we try some

 We ran into these 2 combines on 2-3 different days.  They were brand new and getting delivered to 

new owners.

 This woman came upon us and started blessing us and wishing us well - she was lovely

 Sanjar from Mandu - massage therapist, tour guide, owns a chai shop, barber shop (by appointment only for his services), and petrol when you need it!

 Sharing a "custard apple" with a new friend when I asked what it was - yummy

Nomadic sheep herders - on their way to Pushkar with a camel train that the woman were managing

 Garlic sorting - I thought I'd give it a try.  The box has a screen and it shakes off the outer leaves and the smaller cloves fall through the grate.

 Multiple groups of women we encounter - some are road workers, some carrying goods...

 Rich, Rick and Fritz at a coke stop