Now, lets see what happened during the last couple of days.
Yesterday, Saturday that is, we had an early morning. Like around 9-10. Had a great Indian breakfast that is more or less like a lunch with the same dishes. But good. Coffe is still really bad. After breakfast we went to registration. Of course in a Rickshaw with drover, but not our Rickshaw.
We meet Pringley, the boss of the race. Nice Indian gentleman.
After lots of signing and getting stuff we went back to hotel. In the afternoon it was time for the big lesson in Rickshaw driving! Scary.
Went to an enclosed area, Institute of Transport, and did meet hour fellow competitors. Nice bunch of people. One team of 2 Germans, one team with 3 Singaporians with different origins and one team with a Swede and a Norweigan. And us of course. A bit disappointed about the few teams, but nothing we can do.
First Pringley talked about the sportcars ten it was of around the training area. The have built different typical Indian situaions and roads, of course complete with tons of rubbish, really smelly ditches and tons of pot holes. The only thing missing is another 200 000 Indians, a couple of cows, dogs and some dead bodies.
Driving a Rickshaw is like riving a scooter with three wheels, no braking, no steering, no engine and really wobbley.
After some driving around we got an assignment. Go find a gas station and fill it up. Really scary to know that you are about to enter an Indian road. We took of and somehow managed to both fid a station and fill our Rickshaw with 5 litres of petrol and 250 ml of oil. Two-stroke engine.
And then it was back and u-turns on a crowded way.
We made it and everyone was smiling like kids at a playground.
More talks about the race and then a new assignment. Drive back to the hotel. It took about 30 minutes to get to the test area with an experienced driver. Now we had 2 hours of daylight left and that didn't feel enough. We took of and somehow everyone followed us. Team One it's us.
Made it all the way to Marina Beach her we missed a turn. OK take next left instead and then we should be OK. After about an hour of driving, braking, honking, turning, and slmost wetting hour pants. We finallym like real guys, asked for directions. No problem. Everyone is very helpful. Got some decent direction and then we took of.
Driving so far had been eventless, but scary. It was just the beginning!!!!!
Driving on a street with cars , bikes, rickshaws, people, mopeds, motorcycles and other stuff, we came to a crossing. Everyone is ignoring lanes, signs and ligths. Follow the one in front.
Doing good speed, around 30km/h we suddenly experienced a familiar problem: NO BRAKES!!!
I do not know why I keep on driving stuff when this always happens. Coming closer and closer and no way to stop, we tried to avoid hitting any one and turned left quickly. Which of course meant that he Rickshaw turned over! Bang on the side and siding against the corner. When we stopped tons of people gathered and helped us out. Checking that no other person was hurt we looked at ourselves. Conny got some really bad bruisers and cuts and I got some on my back. One guy helped Conny to the hospital and I stayed behind and waited for Pringley. The Rickshaw was lifted up by the Indians and I looked at it. Can you guess! The rod from the pedal to the brake cylinder came loose. Exactly as at Pikes Peak 2012. Walking is my new thing.
Conny came back with tons of band aid. The Rickshaw was fixed by some Indian and then Pringley came and pucked us up.
The side of the Rickshaw was bent, scraped and lights and mirrors gone.
Back at the hotel we just washed and then of to the welcome party. Turned out that one Rickshaw broke the gearbox, one groke the engine and the last one lost the clutch!
As we say, What can go wrong.
We had a great party with tons of drinks and food. Ended up at Hilton nightclub where we didn't get in because of shorts and sandals. A good night sleep came after that.
Yesterday, Saturday that is, we had an early morning. Like around 9-10. Had a great Indian breakfast that is more or less like a lunch with the same dishes. But good. Coffe is still really bad. After breakfast we went to registration. Of course in a Rickshaw with drover, but not our Rickshaw.
We meet Pringley, the boss of the race. Nice Indian gentleman.
After lots of signing and getting stuff we went back to hotel. In the afternoon it was time for the big lesson in Rickshaw driving! Scary.
Went to an enclosed area, Institute of Transport, and did meet hour fellow competitors. Nice bunch of people. One team of 2 Germans, one team with 3 Singaporians with different origins and one team with a Swede and a Norweigan. And us of course. A bit disappointed about the few teams, but nothing we can do.
First Pringley talked about the sportcars ten it was of around the training area. The have built different typical Indian situaions and roads, of course complete with tons of rubbish, really smelly ditches and tons of pot holes. The only thing missing is another 200 000 Indians, a couple of cows, dogs and some dead bodies.
Driving a Rickshaw is like riving a scooter with three wheels, no braking, no steering, no engine and really wobbley.
After some driving around we got an assignment. Go find a gas station and fill it up. Really scary to know that you are about to enter an Indian road. We took of and somehow managed to both fid a station and fill our Rickshaw with 5 litres of petrol and 250 ml of oil. Two-stroke engine.
And then it was back and u-turns on a crowded way.
We made it and everyone was smiling like kids at a playground.
More talks about the race and then a new assignment. Drive back to the hotel. It took about 30 minutes to get to the test area with an experienced driver. Now we had 2 hours of daylight left and that didn't feel enough. We took of and somehow everyone followed us. Team One it's us.
Made it all the way to Marina Beach her we missed a turn. OK take next left instead and then we should be OK. After about an hour of driving, braking, honking, turning, and slmost wetting hour pants. We finallym like real guys, asked for directions. No problem. Everyone is very helpful. Got some decent direction and then we took of.
Driving so far had been eventless, but scary. It was just the beginning!!!!!
Driving on a street with cars , bikes, rickshaws, people, mopeds, motorcycles and other stuff, we came to a crossing. Everyone is ignoring lanes, signs and ligths. Follow the one in front.
Doing good speed, around 30km/h we suddenly experienced a familiar problem: NO BRAKES!!!
I do not know why I keep on driving stuff when this always happens. Coming closer and closer and no way to stop, we tried to avoid hitting any one and turned left quickly. Which of course meant that he Rickshaw turned over! Bang on the side and siding against the corner. When we stopped tons of people gathered and helped us out. Checking that no other person was hurt we looked at ourselves. Conny got some really bad bruisers and cuts and I got some on my back. One guy helped Conny to the hospital and I stayed behind and waited for Pringley. The Rickshaw was lifted up by the Indians and I looked at it. Can you guess! The rod from the pedal to the brake cylinder came loose. Exactly as at Pikes Peak 2012. Walking is my new thing.
Conny came back with tons of band aid. The Rickshaw was fixed by some Indian and then Pringley came and pucked us up.
The side of the Rickshaw was bent, scraped and lights and mirrors gone.
Back at the hotel we just washed and then of to the welcome party. Turned out that one Rickshaw broke the gearbox, one groke the engine and the last one lost the clutch!
As we say, What can go wrong.
We had a great party with tons of drinks and food. Ended up at Hilton nightclub where we didn't get in because of shorts and sandals. A good night sleep came after that.
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