The Motorcycle Diaries ...
I arrived in Panjim yesterday, and spent the night at the delightful Panjim Inn.
I set out this morning to rent a motorcycle and head up to Arambol, (where I had the rustic, beach front bamboo hut, before I left.
Unfortuantly the place only had one rather sad looking bike available ... leaking front forks, no mirrors and as it turned out, dismal brakes ...
I was promised however that if I brought it back tomorrow they could exchange it for a happier one.
So, after attaching my bag on the back with the bungee cords I'd bought last night, I set off.
The Indian traffic was actually less daunting that I anticipated, and I made good progress. What had taken me an hour on the bus last time I did in 15 mins, whew! Then, about 30 kims up the road the bike quits.
Oh no ... been here before.
I pulled over, and after checking all the obvious things pushed about 20 metres to a little snack bar.
Now this is what I love about India. Anything you need is close by. Small business rules!
Within 5 minutes a mechanic had been summoned, who quickly determined the engine had seized on account of no engine oil in the sump. I got my cell phone out, but no coverage.
The snack bar had one of those STD phones that you see everywhere, so I plonked my rupee in and called the rental place and tried to explain my problem. Seeing I was having diffilcuty understanding the guy at the rental place, the cafe owner took the phone and spoke to the guy in Hindi to explain exactly what the problem was and where I was. He relayed the message to me that they would have someone there in an hour.
I had lunch, read the paper and sure enough a guy arrives. He gives me his bike (a gearless Honda Kinetic) and transfers the full tank of gas I'd bought into the bike he'd come on using a 2 litre water bottle. And off I go again.
All went well for the next 10 km until this bike suddenly stops working. I start fiddling and a guy stops on a bike and heads off to get a mechanic. I try wiggling the foot crank and lo and behold it works! I turn round to try and intercept the guy who went to get help but can't find him.
I feel a bit guilty that some helpful guy is going to come back to where I'd broken down and find me gone .. but what to do? So off I go ... The bike stops twice again on the way to Arambol, but the same fix works each time.
It's great to be back in Arambol. I headed to Sweet Water Beach where I was in December, get a warm welcome, and get the same hut as last time. This afternoon and evening I've been bumping into all sorts of locals who remember me from last time - I must have one of those faces that is hard to forget!
It's good to feel at home and known when you're halfway around the planet!
Anyways, tomorrow it's back to Panjim in the morning with any luck) in the hopes of getting a GOOD motorcycle.
I set out this morning to rent a motorcycle and head up to Arambol, (where I had the rustic, beach front bamboo hut, before I left.
Unfortuantly the place only had one rather sad looking bike available ... leaking front forks, no mirrors and as it turned out, dismal brakes ...
I was promised however that if I brought it back tomorrow they could exchange it for a happier one.
So, after attaching my bag on the back with the bungee cords I'd bought last night, I set off.
The Indian traffic was actually less daunting that I anticipated, and I made good progress. What had taken me an hour on the bus last time I did in 15 mins, whew! Then, about 30 kims up the road the bike quits.
Oh no ... been here before.
I pulled over, and after checking all the obvious things pushed about 20 metres to a little snack bar.
Now this is what I love about India. Anything you need is close by. Small business rules!
Within 5 minutes a mechanic had been summoned, who quickly determined the engine had seized on account of no engine oil in the sump. I got my cell phone out, but no coverage.
The snack bar had one of those STD phones that you see everywhere, so I plonked my rupee in and called the rental place and tried to explain my problem. Seeing I was having diffilcuty understanding the guy at the rental place, the cafe owner took the phone and spoke to the guy in Hindi to explain exactly what the problem was and where I was. He relayed the message to me that they would have someone there in an hour.
I had lunch, read the paper and sure enough a guy arrives. He gives me his bike (a gearless Honda Kinetic) and transfers the full tank of gas I'd bought into the bike he'd come on using a 2 litre water bottle. And off I go again.
All went well for the next 10 km until this bike suddenly stops working. I start fiddling and a guy stops on a bike and heads off to get a mechanic. I try wiggling the foot crank and lo and behold it works! I turn round to try and intercept the guy who went to get help but can't find him.
I feel a bit guilty that some helpful guy is going to come back to where I'd broken down and find me gone .. but what to do? So off I go ... The bike stops twice again on the way to Arambol, but the same fix works each time.
It's great to be back in Arambol. I headed to Sweet Water Beach where I was in December, get a warm welcome, and get the same hut as last time. This afternoon and evening I've been bumping into all sorts of locals who remember me from last time - I must have one of those faces that is hard to forget!
It's good to feel at home and known when you're halfway around the planet!
Anyways, tomorrow it's back to Panjim in the morning with any luck) in the hopes of getting a GOOD motorcycle.
posted by Andrew Smith at 3:35 AM
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