9th Nov 2016 Wednesday

Rajkot to Junagadh 115kms

After our day on the busy roads, and the totally off the scales ride into the heart of Rajkot, we really didn’t feel like venturing out, but if we wanted food, we had to. So I found us a restaurant, with good reviews, that had meat! Yes, folks, meat! Only 500 meters. We can do this, after all, we’ve got this far. It is totally, totally mad at night. Beeping, high beam, people just milling about in the street, and we have to cross a busy intersection…..oh fuck! Is the meat really that important, we have illegal beer?

The pictures don’t do it justice, you’ll just have to see for yourself one day.

It was totally worth it, the food was excellent, and the owner was super pleased to have us, and surprised we chose Punjabi over Chinese, and that “spicy was no problem” (so long as it had meat, we’d eat it!). He came and served us, silver service style, and explained the dishes were old Punjabi style recipes, not new ones. It was great, and it was less that $20. Back to the room for beer, but hell, we have hit the wall. One glass for me and I was out like a light. Will managed to finish the rest of that bottle. Bugger, better take it easy over the bumps tomorrow.

Oops, we may have broken a big rule……also, even with U they can’t spell success.

We should have got up early to leave the city, but didn’t, stupids! By the time we went next door for a weird breakfast, club sanger Indian style, ugh, (I am desperate for eggs) the traffic was building. Davo GPS couldn’t get himself set on Junagadh, so Madam Google took charge. Oh, poop, this means I’m in front! Shit, bum, poo, wee, dicky, fanny, fart…..I hate the front!

Turning right at a four way intersection, is a nightmare, but that is what we had to do. They don’t give way to the right, or follow any logic, it is just..if you want to go there, just go there slowish so everyone else can dodge you. Frustrating and scary, but we manage it somehow. We got on the big road heading out of town, and hit a mass of confused traffic. Buses, cars, and all sorts of vehicles converging, throw in some speed bumps, cows in Tuk Tuks, and cars randomly stopping, it is shit scary, fly by the seat of your pants stuff. You forget to breathe, you swear, toot, and ride like a criminal. Somehow we got through, with just Will having a minor collision with a crazy local who tried to duck in front of him, while he was right behind me.

Will had a bloody close encounter, and the Nevermind bus was so much better, but this’ll do.

Out of town about 18kms, we turned off the direct route, to take our much preferred, back roads. Now we breathe and relax a bit. Davo has got himself together, so Madam was turned off, and we enjoyed a great windy ride through the farms and small villages. Both of us needed a toilet, but that wasn’t available, so we stopped for fuel, had a chat with some fans (I think they wanted to test their English, and thought that Will was Ewan McGregor), took some selfies and carried on.

Spot me out there showing you how to take a right turn, Indian style? Just do it!

These roads were quiet, for Indian standards, and really quite enjoyable. The farms were mainly cotton, which is one of the three main industries in Gujarat. The other two are wheat and livestock. I’m not sure what they do with the livestock, not eat it? Make cheese and burn poop? Eventually, we both needed a break, and a pee, and just stopped on the side of the road. A penis would be handy for me right now (no, I’m not using a She-wee), but nevermind, a girls gotta do, what a girls gotta do, and I did!

This is what is really enjoyable. The real India. 

The rest of the way, it gradually got busier, as we entered the outskirts of Junagadh. Another crazy city, with crazy people, doing crazy things. I wouldn’t say it is a pretty place, but the hills nearby are quite interesting, and this place is situated on several tectonic plates, and does experience earthquakes. We had planned to stay two nights, but it isn’t that nice, and we are feeling like we need a bit less action. Quiet, I think, would be impossible, but less noisy would be good. We also went in search of an ATM, only to discover the government, overnight, have cancelled the 500 and 1000IR notes, because of all the black money, so all banks and ATM’s are closed for two days. Oh poop, the other issue we have, is that our credit cards are not accepted (so far) in this state! Why? We think it is because of the banks they use. So, we need to use our big money, hoping the hotels and businesses will take them, as they can exchange them through their Indian bank accounts, until December some time. India, you are a constant challenge, and although I am not loving you much today, I believe it to be due to my Man flu….it just won’t piss off.

It was a pretty short ride, but we are pretty buggered. Looking for a nice spot to take a rest.