This should be it the last morning about 90km to go, 1 city to get out of and a mountain pass to navigate and then there will be shillong, a shining light and the finishing point. We fuel up. Sounds easy but you have to mix oil and petrol and then use our cut off bottle to fill the thing as our petrol tank is in the most awkward bloody spot. Every fill up involves bathing in petrol and is a two man (or woman) job. We siphon the tank off the team we are towing and in theory we have enough in the tank to make it to the finish. Off we go, the traffic isn't as horrendous as the night before and although it does raise the blood pressure a couple of notches, I'm not praying for the death of everyone around us. Turns out India gives me road rage.... The first hill, we crawl up it and half way up 1st gear is needed and even though I'm trying to revving the shit out the engine we are getting no where fast. But we make it up. At the top Jason and Lisa (from the towed team) are kicked out to take some weight out. In theory this should make the rest of the journey easier for poor old korma. The French team take our castaways and follow us up. I'm not gonna lie, the next 70km both me and Jason are on pins. It was like climbing over every mountain pass in the lakes back to back and you dont get any of the fun of the downhills. I kept thinking surely this is the last hill, pockets of delight when you went down for maybe 100meters then straigh back up. I have never prayed to so many deities, talked to an inanimate object so much, promising that this hill is the last hill or kissed a vehicle as much as I did over that journey. Although we could carry on in 2nd gear it was over revving but in third I would lose all power. Gears slipping, because korma has a few quirks by now, would lead to a torrent of expletives, first gear and on the odd occasion Jason having to jump out the french rickshaw and giving us a push to get us going. He was a bloody trooper that lad. That 70km was also the most beautiful part of India and our least documented. The stress, concentration and willingness to finish was all that mattered at this point. However I do remember looking up from the steering wheel and just thinking wow! The adventurists have one last little joke to play on us and that is finding the finish line in shillong. Now shillong is all hills, all hills and massive traffic jams. So you are on a massive incline, towing another rickshaw, having to have a push everything you stop, gears slipping so you stall and then someone decides to cut you up. Trust me it's a good thing that we didn't speak the same language, I would have been arrested. A couple of wrong turns, some dodgy directions and a lovely old man decides to get in and direct us for a bit. Follow this road for 2kms and I am dancing inside. The roads get narrow and steeper, who knew that was even possible, korma is really struggling and then she cuts out. On the busiest, narrowest and steepest hill. I think it's petrol but pray it's not a piston. Instantly we cause a massive traffic jam but some amazing locals push us up the hill. Faith in humanity restored. Actually the vast majority of people we have met have tried to help and are so friendly. One last fill up and we trudge to the line. That line was like a shining mecca. getting there the feeling was incredible, intense and amazing. Shaking, on the verge of tears (Jason as well) we hug everyone in sight;organisers, other teams and anyone that's near. The feeling goes way too quickly and you go flat with a sense of what now. No stress, no plans and no place to be. Hand back the rickshaw and be back for the party. We eat and everyone is quite, sharing that same not sure how we feel, feeling. The party is awesome. Jason bails early whilst they are still playing country music before the holi paint and it turns to mayhem. But that's it the race is over... and I still don't know how I feel about it. Least I don't have to worry about shitting myself on the side of a road anymore.
blakekathryn
titsay
annaxmalina
areudirty
2087
jbbartram-illu
kianamaiart
tangentwithtanner