day 2, updates via mobile!

It was great to join the team for the first day - I was there at the start to see them off and get some video/photos of the event. My brother Mike and girlfriend Aliya had to leave before the teams were ready to go, they had a train booked to hyderabad already - I decided to take a bus on my own to chennai and see the karma kab off!

In good auto-rickshaw spirit the karma kab offered me a ride, we were all headed north the same direction! It was fun and K. has accounted for most of the experience in her "Day 1" post, she did fail to mention Paul's struggle with first gear and getting the little miracle machine ....going! K. and I were enjoying a flaky croissant in the back seat as Paul was restarting the auto, K. and I were chatting/eating and just as we try to take bites or our buttery treats we break into fits of whiplash causing jerks - Paul is learning, irish lad...less clutch, more gas and let OFF the brake! ha!!

After our 30 seconds of awkward dance moves in the back, K. and I bust out in chest pain causing laughter - paul did get it going and may not like me sharing this story - he did get much better as the day worn on (ok, at the toll booth it did take a few jerky turns to get us going and the autos behind were all honking - and laughing! as you can only do to enjoy a crazy adventure such as this!) .

I am in Bangalore now, waiting for an overnight bus - I get my cast off on Monday in mumbai, after re evaluating my finances I may join up with the team in Varanasi. I got a phone call from K. with a status report on today's rickshaw adventure - they had already broken down once and were mid flat tire repair with the Auto leaning against a tree she said! Some nice man had stopped to help : )

Even with a 6 am take off from mallalpuram (or did she say 5?) they had only made it 40 or 50 kms in 3 hours! The engine just needs some wearing in I think, at the moment it was not going well over 40kms/hr for long durations - especially cold early morning starts. I will try to upload some photos when back in mumbai from the starting and beautiful paint job - Team Member Janikka's design (well guess we all worked on it, but majority was her design) turned out fabulous.