Our Bicycle Tour of South India is two months in.

Hi Guys, Just a quick note to update you on life on the road in India so far.

Twice reporters have stopped us on the road and interviewed us. The most recent is above but all written in Tamil of course but the 58 means 58 years old which amuses them.

This time there is a short 9 minute movie called South India by Bike (Part One) and yes it has sound which makes it much better to watch, so for those in the office get some headphones at least. (Links to and Thumbnails are at the bottom of this newsletter)

We are not exactly racing it as we stay for a day or two in a place which we like, and to date the tourist beaches are really the only user friendly places to hang around for any period of time (a total of five including here in Pondicherry)

We do not like it when after a long days slog, the hotels in non tourist towns which are most of them of course, always say they are full because they do not want to do all the paperwork associated with foreigners staying. There are times when at the end of the day we hit a small town that has no where to stay so out with the tent after negotiating a place to put it up. It must be done with someones approval otherwise big troubles await us. Even with the local cafe owners suggestion we are only on the spot for one minute before a group of Indians surround us mostly curious but some adults play the officialdom thing but with gentle body language and big smiles and the perpetual endless handshake they come around to the idea that these weird looking foreigners are pretty harmless. (See below the photos of camping)

The days are still extremely hot with the added bonus of a strong head wind all the way from the southern tip of India to Pondicherry which is where we are now. We thought it might be windy when we turned a corner one day and there in front of us were hundreds of massive wind turbines (see the photo below) and for the next 30 kms they were all the way to the horizon. Funny because you don't really think of India having the high tech stuff. We also passed a nuclear power plant on the coast. It is amazing how there are always power cuts but here in civilised Pondicherry where there is rubbish collection services there have not been any.

So far it is fair to say that Goa and Pondicherry are the easiest places to stay and are much easier to get around and also to buy some food that is remotely western. The reason is that Goa which was Portugease and Pondicherry region was French but both are run directly from central Government and for some reason almost duty free. State run Governments have heavy taxes and the infrastructure is poor or not as good should I say.

We have now booked to fly to Colombo, Sri Lanka on the 21st of Feb and flying was never part of the plan but when we arrived at the port of Tutucorin (Toothukudi) they advised us that the lovely new ferry service had stopped and the ship was berthed in Colombo because they had not paid their Indian caterers but also they were only getting 20% occupancy rates. Anyway Visas have been done and a weeks' accommodation in Colombo is booked (time to put the bikes together yet again and discover Colombo) Now onward to Chennai (Madras), pack the bikes and off for two months in what should be yet another fantastic adventure.

We have placed a montage of large Newsletter photos of our adventure here
Our location at the 12th of February is here.
If you cannot read this
The Video South India By Bike is Here
The On The Road - Bikecam here and Fast Moving slideshow here

Description of the Photos below (Clockwise from Top Left)
1. The endless Wind Turbines in the extreme south west of India.
2. There are many towns like this which one must negotiate through.
3. The kids around our tent when all I want is peace and a cup of coffee.
4. Mary tries to explain the technology as the kids crowd her as usual.
5. These are the Bikies of Bangalore (The new middle class you all hear about).
6. Fantastic agriculture (Apparently alot of Indians no longer want to farm).
7. Pondicherry High Street. A bustling modern setting in a World Heritage Town.
8. Here we arrive in Pondicherry, a World Heritage French town. 150kms south of Chennai