Waking up bright and early at 9 am we grabbed breakfast from the hotel and went to the rickshaw field to decorate. Seemed like we were the only ones to bring a tarp to cover up from the rain. We were one of the most popular rickshaws in the entire place. People kept coming up to ask asking where we got the tarp and calling us organized and prepared. All we really did was put up the tarp and use the fabric to cover most surfaces of the rickshaw.
After many hours of decorating, we decided to go out and buy more stuff for our rickshaw. The camera guy decided that he wanted to follow us and join us in our mini-adventure. I drove first and stalled right away. Eventually, with a lot of help, we made it out of the field and into the main streets. There were so many cars and buses and rickshaws in the streets. We’ve been almost hit so many times that it’s too hard to count. At least now we know what to expect during our two-week big adventure. We even managed to stall in the middle of a large intersection, that was when I decided to stop driving. We did so bad that I think we scared the camera guy away. He got off the rickshaw so fast when we got back.
We decided to walk back into town, since it was easier, to find a rickshaw store that everyone kept telling us about. We found it and bought cup holders, a funnel, and a bunch of other car stuff. We got back to the hotel and ate nuts for dinner, but turned out the rickshaw party served food, thank the Indian gods.
At the party, the food was so spicy, but we stuck it out by swallowing the food with French fries and water. It was so good but so spicy at the same time. We grabbed a beer each and watched a lady dance with her face and a group of boys dance with knives, swords, and fire. We mingled and met another couple from Austalia and spent the rest of the evening talking to them. Some other people joined in without little group but no one else made too much of an impression. One guy was from Nashville. People drank, people got pants, people got into fights, it was a night to remember. We walked I the dark, with our new friends, back to our hotels, parting ways right before everyone needed to go to their respective hotels. We were accompanied by a group of stray, but friendly, dogs. Maybe we will see these people again, maybe we won’t, but we do hope that everyone gets to the finish line safely.
-Jamie