Day 6 - Rickshaw Challenge - Madurai to Tuticorin

Before we set off for Tuticorin, a journey of about 140km we have a short walking tour in Madurai.  We assemble at the temple which looks lovely in the early morning light.

I notice a guitarist who might be able to give Carlos Santana a run for his money.

 The narrow streets contain relics of the former palace and small temples are dotted around.

The streets are getting busier and we watch the men loading chili into sacks - they are scantily clad and I hope they they don't scratch their bits before washing their hands

We end our tour at the Naicker Palace which provides John with an opportunity

On the road, our little convoy keeps up its record of breaking down within 10km after we have a fill of dodgy fuel.  Team 3 splutters to a halt but manages to get itself sorted.  Team 4 pulls in behind and can't get restarted.  In trying to help, Phil over revs the bees throttle, there's a big twang and Be gives Phil a stern glare.

We retire to the local chai stall to await the arrival of the mechanics, who as usual work wonders and have us back on the road with the minimum of fuss.  Turns out the over revving broke the fan, it shattered and knackered the electrics.

Once we're sorted, the road to Tuticorin is relatively straight forward and we make good time although as usual, we're amongst the final teams arriving at our hotel.

Another shredded wheat needed

As usual, team 6 brings up the rear

but unusually, we get a following wind and briefly we storm into the lead

and we have the rare shot of team 6 from behind

The lead is short-lived and we are soon back in our normal station - any hill takes all our momentum and we crawl along at a noisy 50km/hour. But we chug along and

We've another day off tomorrow, in Tuticorin where we're playing the locals at cricket - our mixed team including Germans and Norwegians promises to be a bit special!  We'll catch up soon.

Day 5 - Rickshaw Rally - Bullocks & Another Challenge

New Year's Day - Supposedly a rest day but not for us.  We did get a lie in but then there's a surprise in store and at the morning's team briefing we're told we're swapping rickshaws for bullocks - my thoughts exactly.  Before we head off for the challenge we eat Thali of banana leaves at a local restaurant.  The food's good but in line with tradition, as soon as you're finished you're supposed to get up and go.  Teams 3,4 and 6 linger so the waiters turn the fans above our table onto full blast scattering the leaves an remnants of the meal.  We head off.

We arrive for the afternoon's challenge which is driving your own ox cart.  The smelly beasts are all lined up as we arrive and the team names are in posters down the sides.  Our bullocks look uncontrollable and even before we are introduced they try to set off.

We climb aboard our cart which is old and splintered  with sticks at the side to hold onto.  I am not impressed as I don't like heights and I definitely don't like cows.  The bullock crew manning our cart are not too friendly and don't appear to trust us in charge of their bullocks.

We set off being driven by the driver but we soon realise we do have to get in the hot seat.  I try but I'm not confident and soon beg John to take over.

The bullock driving is jarring on the butt and the back.  It's a reasonably enjoyable hour but the idea of doing a five day bullock challenge does not float my boat.  John gets the hang of things but he has a lot of help from the hanger ons

Team Doggy Style look at home

In the evening we visit the Meenakshi Amman temple.  It's a festival night and access is difficult.  Cameras are not allowed and we queue to get in

It's worth the wait.  Although we haven't got photos I can assure you that this is the most spectacular temple that we've seen on our travels.  The colours are dazzling and the scale is massive.  The worshippers are oblivious to us and watching them in their devotions is interesting.

The sculptured towers within are extremely detailed and vibrant in colour.  Inside, we meet the sellers of garlands and have to step aside as an elephant walks through.

Outside, and with our shoes and cameras back we watch a small parade passing.

Even now, the cow is eyeballing me

Are you looking at me?

Tomorrow - back on the road again

Day 4 - Rickshaw Rally - Thanjavur - Madurai

Day 4 and our little convoy has a long way to go - just over 200km.

MS T-shirts today plus the nuclear pants

  We are 3 km from the start when the Bumbling Bees have a problem - their clutch has gone.

Tiger to the rescue - clutch replacement in less than 30 minutes

Maybe, but John says it doesn't appear to work with women

Roadside cashew nuts - unfortunately the other teams have been through before us and the price has rocketed

Indian road etiquette demands constant horn, but otherwise there don't appear to be any restrictions on what and where you can park.  Stopping in the middle of the road is positively encouraged.

Bumbling Bees nip past

Other rickshaw drivers like to put us to the test

We're flagged down by a passing TV crew and asked to do some soundbites for a New Year show - we've no idea whether or not we made it to air but we gave it our best shot - 'GR TV - Super TV'

Now we're on the telly - GR TV - Super TV

Fort in the middle of nowhere - described by locals as mountain stronghold

We came across this fort in the middle of nowhere and stopped for a quick look.  The locals were somewhat surprised by our appearance as we stepped out from the rickshaws.

In the shadow of the mountain stronghold

Filling up - we make frequent stops to fill up the thirsty 7l tank

The last 26km into Madurai is on the equivalent of the M1 - our slow speed rickshaws spin in the backdraft of the trucks and buses that tear past us.  Our rickshaw is the thirstiest of our group and at times we get no more than 80km on a tank.  We're getting expert at buying the oil and petrol mix.

We make Madurai by the appointed time.  We did however have a small cheat - Phil asked a guy for directions and the chap jumped in and drove team 3 to the hotel - Bees and ourselves had to pursuit drive through the rush hour traffic dodging buses and scattering bikes so as not to lose him!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE or as they say in Tamil Nadu புத்தாண்டு

- and a day off for us tomorrow.

DAY 3 - Rickshaw Rally - Ponducherry - Thanjavur

Day 3 and Team 6 is back in the race - our mechanics have worked wonders and our rickshaw is ready and waiting having safely negotiated the night drive from Chennai.  Today we set off on the 177km trip to Thanjavur and I'm driving

Early morning and quiet road heading to Ponducherry beach and task 1

Our first task is to find the Gandhi statue at the beach - it's two minutes from the hotel and after a minor domestic, we arrive with all the others

All the rickshaws shining in the sun

The only people with clothes that outshine John's orange gear.

Back on the road, the Bumbling Bees and Team Slap (007) are on our tail

It's a fantastic sight as we drive serenely along, I say serenely but the noise generated in the rickshaw from the busy engine is loud especially if you are in the wrong gear (which we usually are).  All the locals are surprised to see a small blond driving past and the children get very excited as we pass by.

Our next stop is a refuge for street children who have been abandoned by their parents.  They look after boys up to the age of 20, giving them an education and helping them to find a job.  It's funded completely by donations and the Indian Round Table does a superb job, including funding the new kitchen.

Team Slap (Real name Rupert but he's a Royal Marine so ....) makes the boys' day by giving them a collection of cricket gear including bat, ball, pads, helmet etc - the lads are so excited I think they would like to take us on in a match right now.

They'll soon be ready to give England a game!

Lollipops, balloons and Scotland stickers work equally well with the youngsters

Back on the road we face up to a recurrent hazard.  At every town there's usually a group of traffic police watching proceedings.  We're travelling through the checkpoint when we get the 'pull over' sign - 'Us?' - 'You'  I jump out and ask if they want a photo with the rickshaw, and despite their superior telling the cops to check us out, they pose for a snap and then wave us on.

The Police have been extremely helpful and understanding

As previously reported we have to tackle many hazards but the number one no no is to avoid at all costs hitting a cow.  This is not always easy as the roads are narrow and some of these cows are very big

Mooooooove Over

We've formed a little convoy and together with team 3, Between Dreams and team 4, the Bumbling Bees we navigate our way.  Team 3 has Phil and Lorraine who are experienced drivers in foreign lands, team 4 with Be as driver and Ed the navigator (she's got satnav) cling to the tail of team 3 as if there lives depend on it and we bring up the rear as our rickshaw barely gets past 50km/hour

Lorraine, Be, Ed (her mum thinks she's on a beach holiday), and Me

With a straight downhill road and a tail wind we can coax almost 60 out of this little beauty but she drinks petrol like an alcoholic tramp drinks meths

We hit the magic 60!

We had to find this big temple as part of the challenge

We found the temple but the best bit was the roadside food and the chai - I bought lunch for six people for less than £1

Tasty nibbles at about 6p a piece

Team 6 arrive safe and sound in Thanjavur

Day 2 - Rickshaw Rally - Chennai to er Chennai

Things started well for team Adventure before Dementia who hit the starting line in Kilts and Glen Garries, grouse feathers wafting in the breeze.  Many of the other teams have also adopted this dressing up approach with one thing in common - we're all going to melt in the heat today as Chennai hits 29 degrees.

The Spam Fritters are dressed as monks, complete with bald pate wigs, Doggy Style and Dancing Tiger are all furred up but the prize for least appropriate costume goes to Monocom for their homage to Saville in a shiny bacofoil suit with matching rubber horse head masks.

Team Dancing Tiger and a H&S conscious John

Bumbling Bees and Mrs Doggy Style

We're waved off at 9:30 from Chennai and head for Puducherry - it's about 140km and should take about 4-5 hours.  Navigating Chennai's streets is a little difficult and we soon have a small convoy of four rickshaws - all heading the wrong way.

A recurring theme - stopping to share directions

We quickly realise our error and attempt a u turn at a busy junction.  We think we're in trouble when a traffic cop appears from nowhere and points out that this is an illegal manoeuvre.  We smile and he holds up the traffic whilst we all negotiate the turn

From here it should be plain sailing as it's a long straight road but trouble strikes us when our rickshaw loses all power and refuses to restart.  We push the vehicle to the kerb and check the fuel - there's none.

We attract a beggar's attention and he tries to help by offering to push - he doesn't speak English and we don't speak Hindu, but we quickly realise he has no idea where the next petrol station is.  Instead we flag down a rickshaw and the driver agrees to take me, and the beggar to a garage to get fuel whilst John guards the gear.  It's a long drive and I worry what I've let myself in for but the driver does a great job and after about 30 minutes we're back at the rickshaw filling her up from a lemonade bottle.

Helpful rickshaw driver and hapless beggar

We're gladdened when two of our fellow team mates appear in the form of the Bumbling Bees and Between Dreams with a further supply of fuel.  Unfortunately, fuel is the least of our worries and the rickshaw refuses to restart despite the best endeavours of our lovely rickshaw driver.  He even calls a couple of his mechanics but they tell us that it's more serious muttering 'the head gasket'

We're clearly going nowhere and with only 10km done we tell our team mates to press on whilst we call International Rescue.  It's 11am, it's hot, our phone stops working and we're in a pickle.

But our luck changes because we've broken down outside of a cheap hotel / restaurant which pulls out all the stops to help us, including providing refreshments, calling their own mechanics and letting us use their mobile phones to summon aid.

The scene of our breakdown - lucky for us the staff here were on hand to help

Guys - thanks for all your help

To cut a long story short without their help we'd have been stranded - as it was we wait until 3pm before our mechanics arrive and strip down the engine in the street.  Mechanic 'Tiger' is an absolute whizz

Tiger to the rescue

Unfortunately, by the time repairs are completed we won't be able to finish this leg of our journey in daylight so whilst an experienced driver takes our rickshaw, we complete the journey in an air con taxi.  We hope for a better performance tomorrow.