Chris and Kris in India 40

This Month. And WOW what a month.

Comment

Road Trip

An addition to the family

Wheels at last

Comments from Kris

I was going to write something completely different to this, until last night.

It was dark; the moon was just rising full and bright. I looked up at the stars in wonder. The constellations were in the wrong place, and then I remembered I was a quarter of the way around the world looking at our sky here in India. At that moment all the things God has done for Kris and I just came into focus. Why then I don’t know, maybe God was reminding me.

I grieve inside for all the hate and prejudice in this world, when you look at even a small part of God’s creation as I did you see some of the wonder of it. Why must man hate man for his colour, his beliefs, and his ancestry? God made us all. He is the creator and maintainer of all things, and we as the human race dishonour ourselves and God by this hateful behaviour. To kill another because his beliefs are different to yours is simply put a sin against man and God. But when whole groups attack each other over faith it sickens me. Jesus said: “Love thy neighbour as yourself” where is that love from man to man? Society in some countries has degenerated to the point where if you are of a different faith to the perceived true faith it is not safe to go into some towns at night for fear of assault or worse.

People starve while others grow fat. Adulterers walk freely among us, rapists, paedophiles, killers all are allowed to prey on society because society doesn’t care enough to end it. Or maybe the political will isn’t there? Whatever the reason this isn’t a world to be proud of and honour God with as it should be.

Why should man’s law supersede God’s law? “Hey God we can do just about anything now, it’s legal!” (Or ignored).

There is only one right way in this world and it is through God’s love that we exist.

Kris and I could live very well here on our pension, instead we choose to use all we can to help our fellow man, we may not be rich but we are happy to be His servants.

We are not special, we are just two ordinary people who fervently believe in the Love of God and try to live by his commandments, and the truth Jesus gave us.

One final word: You and this world don’t have to be like this. We, all of us, make it this way by choice, by inaction, by turning a blind eye to what is happening, how we act and how we treat our neighbour, one day we will all answer for our choices.

Give yourself the chance to feel His love before it is too late. You are never too old to be forgiven, I know, I was 54 before His love and my baptism in the name Of Jesus changed me forever. As I said we are not rich, but we are very happy in His love. So why not join us in our joy? You have nothing to lose and everything to gain, His love is like nothing you have ever felt before, it fills that empty space you feel inside yourself with light.  It changes you in ways I cannot describe. You truly do become ‘Born again’ as a new person, sins forgiven and have a whole new life ahead of you.

Think about it.

God Bless you all.

Road trip 2015

This the first holiday Kris and I have had since we came to India (we don't count our return to UK for renewal of visas). A total of 14 days that included :buses, planes, cars and of course the Bullet. It was too far in the time we had to ride from Udaipur to Bangalore so I shipped it to Bangalore and then back home again from there.  

This was to go to the Bulletiapa the annual meet of all chapters of the IBRMC (our motor cycle club). This is held in different chapters region each year and is becoming a huge event. It started with our chapter when we hosted the ‘Desert Meet’ here in Udaipur, the year after Mumbai and now Bangalore. Kris and I have so far been to all of them. Next year it is Delhi's turn.

Members of the Delhi chapter get ‘Iron Butt of the year award’ from me and huge respect. They rode 2,286Km in three days to get there, calling in for breakfast with the Udaipur chapter at the resort where Desert Meet was first held.  Please remember when you read this. No three lane highways here, cows on the road, pot holes and mad lorry drivers, huge achievement guys.

Ahmedabad airport, after our journey
from Udaipur on a sleeper coach

Getting excited, were off to a party then
an adventurous holiday on the bullet

A really nice Family Ashish, Ekta and their two boys, we stayed with them before the party weekend Hosted by Bangalore chapter of IBRMC of which we are Udaipur Chapter members. Again when we returned to Bangalore 2000 Kilometres later. Ashish, even received my bike from the shippers going and then watched over it, then he helped with shipping it back home. Nice one Bro. We had a really good time with them, they treated us like friends from the moment we got there. As you may have already guessed they have a room here anytime.

Exta in a rare moment of relaxation
she worked very hard with the other
ladies to make the event a family affair.

Ashish did lots of work behind the scenes for
the event, looked after us and also took
mega amounts of photos and videos.

Ekta, Ashish and their youngest boy

Such a warm welcoming family full of fun

Exta, Ashish and their oldest boy, he wants
to be a doctor.

Bangalore chapter getting together to ride
to the venue at Elim Resort.

After the party weekend that included silly games, off road time trial, kids fashion show and the best band IBRMC has, oh, and Kingfisher Blue at Rs40 a can. A very good time was had by all at what now is becoming a ‘family’ event. We stayed an extra night to visit Mysore.

Just a glimpse of the party and rock band,
Chris and I even danced at the front
it was huge fun, adults, kids joined in too

Rocking away the night fabulous

the photos don't show the energy, fun
and excitement had by all but not a lot of sleep

These guys in the Rock band practiced
together for many weeks to get it right.
They were very very good, should be on
You Tube at the least

One of the activities held throughout the event
Time trials

Riders take this very seriously and are
very competitive but all encourage each other

A brief moment between events, Yes Chris
has a smart phone at last, it came in very
useful for navigating the South of India

Just a few of the guys enjoying the events

Slow race with a difference, they had to use
their bikes to move the water container
in a straight line to the finish, not as easy as
it sounds.

Here and below are just a few shots of the
kids doing their fashion show even the
youngest took part, they all got a gift at the end

I got a gift too a beautiful Bangalore shawl 
and a handbag as a  prize from one of the silly
games. The guys had to beautify there wives
hair with coloured straws. 

Here and below just a few photos to give a
flavour of the event

Yes we made it, just
waiting for the other
chapters to arrive so
we could ride into
resort in style

Sad to be leaving 

Elim resort Bangalore, nice venue, pleasant
helpful staff, I would visit again

Felt sorry for other guests when they saw a few
hundred bikers and their families arrive, but
they soon realised we were friendly and fun
to be around, met some nice people.

Mysore

We decided to stay one more day at Elim Resort before touring the South of India, and rode to Mysore and back, amazing ride and beautiful city, but not enough time to explore fully. Mysore also produces really good coffee "Mysore Royale". We visited the Palace and have a few photos to share with you of our experience.

We were late returning and as we went over a speed breaker (sleeping policeman, hump in road) we caught a lose bit of rubble very slowly. The front wheel washed out (slid sideways) and we ended up in a roadside bush! Kris was fine; we both ride with full body armour so no worries. One snag however, my foot got trapped as the bike fell and I ended up with a Broken bone in my foot and a twisted knee….oops. Local villagers all came to lift the bike off me and get me to my feet. I’m on my back in a bit of pain and suddenly the bike was gone and a forest of hands appeared and literally lifted me up. Ironically we were just about 50 metres from Elim Resort when it happened.

We both thought ‘that’s it’ I couldn’t walk on it so I was quite worried about if we had to cancel the trip.

Kris did her nurse mode and confirmed one broken bone and a twisted knee; she strapped both and got me some pain killers from the bar (several times). Needless to say after several of these supply runs I slept like a log!

By morning I could hardly walk but I could walk! If I can walk I can ride…..yeeehaw. Luckily I always ride in high ankle boots so they were as good as any cast. For the bikers out there…….heal on the rear brake and a good dive of the forks on the front brake was the usual stopping method. Holding the bike complete with Kris and fully laden was a bit difficult when we stopped but I managed. At least we didn’t fall off again Ha Ha Ha.

So suitable bandaged we set off. Before going though we had one more call to pay. We rode just down the road to the local village to thank them for the help last night. 
In India it is the duty of everyone to help another if they can so we knew it would be wrong to offer anything as thanks to the adults, but children are a different matter. 
As is common in villages there was a small shop selling a little of what was needed for daily life and a few luxuries. So we bought a jar full of sweets (shop man happy) and gave it to an obvious grandmother of standing in the village, through Hindi, body language and a bit of translation we got across to her that the sweets were for the village children, two a day each. 
She was adamant that she would dole out the sweets daily herself and thanked us for our gift to the children and our appreciation of their help. With waves and shouts we left and began the next stage across to Mangalore.

Then from Mangalore and up the coast. The coast road is a joy to ride, a good surface and with the sea on one side and forests on the other, at times it was simply stunning. This was an easy first day but a long one and we were looking forward to stopping. 

Just some of the spectacular scenery most of
these were taken by me (Kris) as I was
riding pillion. Have you ever tried taking
photos whilst riding its not so easy.

Its a selfie of us just having a breather before
setting off on the road again.

Sea  for as far as you can see!

Red Rock Residency Resort 

We found a resort (Hotel with pool, gardens and restaurant best describe what are known here as resorts) called Red Rock Residency, fantastic little resort. It had all you could want: great rooms, air con, a pool and a most excellent restaurant serving cold beer and the best fish we have had since Albania on our Honeymoon. 50 yards (convert if you must to metric!)Down a small road we saw the beach………it went forever in both directions and only the locals use it.

Such a clean beach and magnificent waves

Oops getting a little wetter than
anticipated

Just couldn't resist the sea

Our faithful Bullet, got us there and back safely

I had to go plodging in the sea too
This is me just coming out of the sea
I went in and out several times

Beach for miles in each direction, so clean with
amazing waves

That night after an awesome dinner of local fish we sat on the beach watching the sun go down. Waves crashing ashore glowing in the setting sun, drinking cold beer, alone in that entire beach, dead romantic.

Inside view of one of the rooms at Red Rock
Residency, this is the living area, and out of
site is a small kitchen area and fridge

attached to living room is the bedroom with
en suite facilities, very clean and comfortable
Would recommend this place to everyone

The next morning up and away to Goa.

Again a really good ride, lots of road works where the road is being widened into a highway so it future years it will really be a beautiful coastal ride.

We arrived at a resort in Southern Goa a friend had recommended in the evening. Lovely resort but overpriced with very touristy food, served in limited portions from a buffet. And poorer quality rooms than Red Rock Residency.

It also felt claustrophobic with all the security cameras, and guards walking about day and night. Good I suppose for families to know they are watched but we didn’t feel comfortable, and as I said the food was for tourists. There were even signs warning visitors that eating outside of the resort was not advised due to poor hyena of the local food vendors!!! Oh and if you happen to be a smoker the whole site including the beach is no smoking! Given the choice for a romantic weekend Red Rock is a clear winner for us.

Views from our balcony access to the beach and
resort facilities, a little more secluded inlet
 than Red Rock beach but lacked the magic for us.Mind you
it is great if you are into water sports.

The next morning we turned South to retrace our path on the coast road until we turned off onto highway 63 to ride through one of the biggest forests in the South 37Km, and bend after bend after hairpin after bend going up and then coming down. In all nearly 8oKm then across until we cut of onto little tiny dirt roads through villages that maybe had 20 houses. 

Below is a selection of photos taken mainly by Kris from the pillion seat of the Bullet, you really had to be there to appreciate all the twists and turns in the road.

We stopped for chai along the
road and Chris gave the local
kids a day never to forget, sitting
on a Royal Enfield Bullet, many
dream of one day owning one, but
few of them will ever achieve
their dream. Their smiles were
worth more than money any day

Saw some of the most beautiful scenery we have ever seen, different crops, in fact a completely different life style to our desert Rajasthan. On the forest run day we did 440Km to reach the NH4 where we stayed overnight in Haveri at a local hotel a flea pit, no shower, no nothing but a big bolt on the door. As it was it was ok, dirty but after 440Km and most of it hard work I especially with my foot and knee paining would have slept on the road! A long days ride.

Then off down the NH4 to Bangalore on the main highway cruising at 100Kph and back to our friends Ashish and Ekta “2230Km in eight days and one of the best rides I have had here. We stayed for another day my bike was shipped back home and Ashish and Ekta took us to the airport to catch our 5am flight to Amedabad.

At this point I have to say a huge thanks Bro,s to Bangalore IBRMC who not only put on a great event but added us to their whatsapp group with the promise of help if we needed it while we were in their area. That’s like having the best recovery group and the best on the road aid put together !

Gandhi Ashram Museum

The plan was then to catch a bus (Coach) across to Udaipur. Our flight from Bangalore arrived in Ahmedabad  9am, our bus didn’t leave until 3pm so we had a day to go and see a museum The Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad about Ghandi and the fight for independence. Gandhi actually lived at Ashram. We found it fascinating; we have never before been exposed to the Indian point of view at the time. To read about it is one thing but to be on the spot where Gandhi stayed before his famous walk to the sea to make salt, 
To see original the press cuttings both Indian and British was enlightening. It is a place of contemplation, education and in a way a shrine to one of this country’s greatest men. We walked around the grounds (slowly!) until we reached the river that runs behind it, so calm with a sense of quiet peace that pervades the whole place.

Many groups of schoolchildren on their visit
to Gandhi Ashram Museum 

Their knowledge and understanding even at
this young age was astounding. Well done to
the teachers for inspiring the new generation to
embrace their history and culture.

Chris in a moment of quiet
contemplation

After getting some lunch at a local eatery (small café) Daal and Roties, really good, we hopped (Ha Ha ) onto our bus, it had sleeping compartments and a/c so an restful five hours later we were home. The bus dropped us off at the road to our colony, we thought we would give a friend a call to come and get us. At that very moment a rickshaw turned into the road with one of our neighbours in, lift sorted.
Next year the meet will be in Delhi's chapter area so we are already planning for a road trip North from there, taking our holiday for two weeks at the same time. Desert and the Himalayas! What a wonderful country this is for bike touring.

As you can see we have a new addition to the family.

‘Butch’ a rescued street pup.  Breed, ‘Roadation’ (according to Jatin it’s a new breed Hee Hee) Jatin found him and brought him to us as a surprise because he knew we were looking for a dog to rescue from street life.

Very dehydrated and thin when we got him two weeks ago. Now putting on weight and is very playful and happy. However he had a really nasty bite on the end of the tail going infected. Kris stopped the infection with antibiotic cream so that the tail began to heal all except the very tip which dried out and dropped off.

Yes you can chew this

Very lively and full of fun

The bent white tail is where something bit her,
possibly a reptile or another dog. It was infected
Kris treated it with antibiotic cream, the tip died
and fell off leaving a nice clean wound which
is healing nicely. If we had not rescued her she
would have died from this infection.

She is such a happy contented dog, lovely nature
and very affectionate, also a quick learner.

One small mistake however Butch is a girl! It’s hard to tell at 4 weeks but it is now obvious.

So ‘Butch has become ‘Bleu’ from the French phrase ‘sacre bleu’ meaning a surprise. We pronounce it ‘Blue’.

We are training her, she already knows: no, sit, stay, but come tends to be optional at the moment, Jatin has also taught her to shake hands.  She is a very clean dog, only a very few accidents in the house, now she mostly does her business in the garden.

We have netted off the back garden and chickens also our front gates so she can have full freedom to explore her new home. She is almost house trained and has had her first inoculations. So, hello Bleu, welcome home.

Below are just a few of the security fences we have had to put in place to keep Bleu in the garden safe. A lot of hard work in such a short space of time, we thought we would have time to plan it but Bleu came literally out of the Blue (pun intended)

 Wheels

We are buying a Mahindra Major; it is similar to a long wheelbase land rover. It’s an old one but in good condition. The guy we are buying it from is a personal friend of one of my best friends in India. He has a garage motor repair business and the Major used to be his until he got a newer one. Judging by the equipment he has and the workshop he knows what he’s about. We will have some work to do on it but hard work has never scared either of us. Any major jobs or mods in the future and we already have a place where we know it will get good work.

This will be so useful to us and our work here. It can carry six in the back and two in the front across any terrain! It’s also built like a tank. If you kick a body panel all you do is hurt your foot!

More on this in the next blog.

Comments from Kris

Well I am going to keep this short this month as we have already shared so much.

I have to start by saying what a fabulous holiday it was, and that I admire Chris's determination not to let his broken foot and twisted knee stop us before it had really begun. I know this will embarrass him but I have to say that through all his pain and discomfort he did a brilliant job of getting us around the South of India and he is and always will be my Hero.

We travelled on one of the longest road works I have ever seen from Bangalore in Karnataka State which went on most of the way to  Goa. What an amazing road it will be when it is finished and will be heaven to ride and drive on. There will of course remain the usual obstacles of cattle wandering and motorists coming at you from all directions but then if it didn't happen it wouldn't be India, and one thing India has is character.

We had taken with us a small first aid kit with two small bandages in it amongst the other essentials, but I never thought for one second that Bandages would be the main thing I needed and something I would have to buy regularly to bandage Chris foot and knee during our journey.

As Chris says this was a memorable holiday, one I will treasure for many years to come, thank you Chris for making it possible. Chris is still in some pain but it is getting better, he just can’t jump up and down or climb too many stairs at the moment. He still managed the stairs at work though but by the end of the day his foot and knee were really quite sore.

I did get bitten by insects on my chin, so by the time we got back I looked like I had a terrible facial skin disease, simply it was an allergic reaction that took time to heal. a bit embarrassing but nothing compared to what Chris suffered.

Our main concern of holidaying in Bangalore and the South is the amount of Mosquitoes, they were everywhere, we took a mosquito net with us just to be safe. We also used mosquito cream, and sprays to eliminate the risk. We definitely did not want to get Malaria again. 

For the first time in months I have just had to buy a tray of eggs, our chickens are moulting as its coming up to winter and they are off laying for the moment. A shame as our own eggs are much tastier, but they will lay again soon.

Sorry for the late publishing but we have had one crazy and busy month.

Well thats all for this blog, hope you enjoy

God Bless you all

Chris and Kris in India