The Shit Show Wonderful Launch Day

I’m sitting here in our hotel room in Barmer, India. We drove more than 200 kilometers today (Americans, figure it out, I’m too tired to translate into miles) in the baking tin with wheels. Joe is currently passed out on the bed, likely exhausted from all of the post-adrenaline rush and the gin and tonic(s) we needed to drink after that incredible experience.

OK, where to start?

The launch send off. Everyone had to be packed and ready to go by the group photo at 7:45 AM, and the subsequent “send off” with drums and exaltation at 8 AM. We were both awake long before the 6 AM alarm went off, and spent an hour or so packing our gear, having some chai and cheese sandwiches in our hotel room, and heading to the Palace to get the rickshaw packed up.

The energy was palpable. Everyone was so nervous and excited and ready for whatever. One group had installed kids’ instruments in their rickshaw (a xylophone, drum set and guitar) and was driving around the training circle entertaining everyone with Teletubbies music. There were some people showing off their costumes - leopard onesies, pirate outfits, our Norwegian friends with Viking baseball hats, firefighters, etc. We were in our Rajasthani garb and not feeling terribly out of place.

A drumming band and Rajasthani dancers started playing the exit music and everyone lined up to drive out into the great expanse. Three people’s rickshaw’s broke down before the first main intersection. We headed with our Viking Norwegian friends to the nearest gas station to fill up our gas canisters. That attracted the entire gas station staff to gather around and watch Joe and Glen the Viking fill up our canisters.

Our Viking friends broke down once due to their gas cap being on too tight and causing a weird suction phenomenon that completely shut down their rickshaw for lack of gas. All Joe and I suffered from was sore butts from the hundreds and hundreds of bumps on the dusty side road we all thought would be a brilliant idea to explore rather than being on the main highway.

What we learned on Day 1 was that as soon as you stop for whatever reason - broken down, need to go to the bathroom (take toilet paper with you), just want a rest, need some food - you will immediately attract a crowd of curious onlookers. And the best way to engage them and stop the staring party is to ask them if you can take a selfie with them. Which always works. The smiles of these people are so wonderful. All it takes is to smile first.

The road less travelled is always the best one.Leggi altro