8 May, 2007
Ryan and I got pulled over today at a “random” stop location at an intersection in Pune. First the officer asked for our licence, and when I gladly pulled out my International Drivers Licence from AAA, he asked for the bikes’ papers. When we produced these with no problem, he finally asked for something that we didn’t have (or need, so we later found out), so he told us it would be a Rs. 1000 fine. I told him I would pay him Rs. 100, but nothing more. He was a bit shocked to have someone talk back like that, and I think it threw him. I knew there was something wrong though. He again told me 1000, but I told him I wasn’t going to give him anything more than 100. He finally accepted 500 and went on his way. When I asked for a receipt of the ticket he had just written, he told me that I didn’t get one, and that the copy (he had a piece of carbon paper under the top sheet) was for court. Yeah, right…
Shortly after that Ryan and I took the bikes down to the train station to pack them up for the train. It took about 4 hours and a little more greasing of the palms to get that done. We had to pay a policeman there to sign a paper stating that we have insurance on the bikes – again, a first for us…
Overnight on a hot second-class sleeper train to Goa, and we are here. We rode the bikes with the others in a taxi (we are going to buy bikes for the other guys here in Goa) for an hour from the train station in Vaso Da Gaya to Palolem, a sleepy little comunity on a lonely crescent of beach in Southern Goa. Goa is notable for it’s distinct flavor of architecture and food. The Portuguese only recently submitted Goa back to Indian rule. It was originally taken in hopes of controlling some of the spice trade through India. There are many cathedrals and buildings that are typically Portuguese, and many of the locals speak Portuguese better than Hindi!
We have made it to paradise, and are enjoying it already. We have already dunked our heads in the Arabian Sea and body-surfed the waves. We even think we saw some dolphins a little further out, but we didn’t swim out to investigate.
More to come as we trek further down India’s western coast…
Pune to Goa
May 9, 2007 by gjutzy
Hey Ryan, Geoff, Maia and Jeremy,
I am extremely jealous of this latest adventure. However, I am working my butt off down here in Chile so I can make a future trip and maybe be reunited with the Red Rocket, if it still exists.
As you may or may not know, I am working with my business partner’s tourism company here in Santiago. If you guys get this whole tour thing down, I not only know how to market such a tour, but may even be able to assist you in finding clients! Have fun! I wish I could be with you there right now. Next time!!!
BTW, I noticed a glaring hole in your stories of past experiences in India. Number one is the bull that took offense to sharing the road with you two. It’s a good story and should be told as often as possible. I nearly died laughing!
Then comes getting bad directions and being lost in the middle of a lion reserve! That was pretty funny…
I was also run off the road, with Ben Poh as my rider, at high speed (high speed on a Royal Enfield is anything above 40 mph!) by a truck and a bus that were both playing chicken with us! They won!
Ah, man, I miss India! Let me know when the next tour is planned! I definitely want to go.
Heads up, wheels down,
John