12.31.12 - Jaisalmer

It's official - I am bat shit crazy.  But maybe you already knew that.  

I have mentioned the Rickshaw Run before, a sponsored 2 week journey from North India to the South.  This has inspired me to do it on my own.  What I mean is, I am buying my own rickshaw and taking my time to get down to Kerala.  Maybe it will take me 2 weeks.  Maybe it will take me two months. Maybe I will break down enough times that I say "Fuck it," and leave it on the side of the road and take trains for the rest of my journey.  I don't know what's in store, other than adventure, craziness, breakdowns, good times and bad. 

When originally contemplating this journey, I was leaning towards not going.  I didn't necessarily come to India to be wild.  I kind of came for the opposite.  And I don't really feel the need to prove to myself or to anyone else that I can do something like this.  And I told myself "Yeah, it will be a great adventure.  But for what?"  Then I realized that was the fear talking and that maybe I do have something to prove to myself.  But sorry friends, I'm not trying to prove it to you.  I also spoke with my mom today and she surprisingly encouraged it to some degree.  I think in the back of my mind I was hoping she would tell me it is too crazy and dangerous.  But she didn't.  So with the blessing of her, I trek on. Am I scared?  Oh hell yes.  Will I make it?  I have no idea.  And even as of right now, I have time to back out.  I haven't technically bought my rickshaw yet.  But when I do, I will take a day or so to do all of the preparations.  I want to paint it, put a bumping stereo in it, and make sure the brakes, gears and lights work (AND THE HORN!!!!!).  

Somehow I also talked Martha, a new friend from NY, into joining me on this adventure.  I don't want to do it alone, and I think she will be a great partner.  It may take her some time to learn to drive this wobbly and powerless 3-wheeled bugger of a taxi, but I am sure she will get the hang of it.  And of course I need practice myself.  As of now, I have only driven it around town a bit, and to Bada Bagh, the village about 5 miles from here.  And these are relatively good roads.  Learning the hierarchy of the roads is one of the first steps to driving in India.  I learned this while driving a scooter around.  The bigger the vehicle, the higher they are on the list.  So that means buses and large trucks can do whatever they want, and they do.  Then jeeps, then cars, then rickshaws (tuk tuks), then scooters and motorbikes.  Oh yeah, did I mention that these things only go about 40 kilometers per hour at top speed?  And I have around 3000 KM to go?  Please tell me you aren't dying to join me!!!!!

If this doesn't give me enough content to write a book, I don't know what would.