We left Daman on 22nd November to continue our journey to Goa. It would take a few days and, as there was no-where between Daman and Goa that we planned on stopping for a few days, we would just ride each day until we had enough and then find a room for the night. Our main priority was to get off the main highways and onto the much nicer coastal route. First though we had to navigate the dreaded by-pass around Mumbai. The road turned out to be as bad as we thought - very busy, dirty, polluted, noisy and certainly full of unpleasant odours. Finally we got to the end of it and headed onto the coastal road.
It was getting late when we finally pulled into a town called Alibag. It was also getting dark and we don't like to ride at night, especially as none of the electrics on the bike had been working since we left Vashisht - no lights, brake light or indicators but the horn worked and that is really the only thing that is essential in India. Here people don'y pay attention to brake lights or indicators and using them often causes confusion. But it's not a good idea to drive at night without lights even though many people here do it. We were really filthy and knackered after the bypass drive, Colin especially, as you literally need eyes at the side and back of your head and 100%+ concentration on many Indian roads,
It was 7pm before we managed to find somewhere. While the guy was off getting a key for the room his elderly mother came out and stared spouting off the guest house rules, two of which made me apoplectic. One was that the cost had suddenly increased over the last minute and the other was that we couldn't have any water for a shower until morning. I couldn't stop the temper tantrum that erupted from me. We marched out of the place and were back to square one - nowhere to stay. Finally we found somewhere and all we could do was have a wash and fall into bed. The following morning we carried on our way.
It was getting late when we finally pulled into a town called Alibag. It was also getting dark and we don't like to ride at night, especially as none of the electrics on the bike had been working since we left Vashisht - no lights, brake light or indicators but the horn worked and that is really the only thing that is essential in India. Here people don'y pay attention to brake lights or indicators and using them often causes confusion. But it's not a good idea to drive at night without lights even though many people here do it. We were really filthy and knackered after the bypass drive, Colin especially, as you literally need eyes at the side and back of your head and 100%+ concentration on many Indian roads,
It was 7pm before we managed to find somewhere. While the guy was off getting a key for the room his elderly mother came out and stared spouting off the guest house rules, two of which made me apoplectic. One was that the cost had suddenly increased over the last minute and the other was that we couldn't have any water for a shower until morning. I couldn't stop the temper tantrum that erupted from me. We marched out of the place and were back to square one - nowhere to stay. Finally we found somewhere and all we could do was have a wash and fall into bed. The following morning we carried on our way.
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