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Finally!!!! Repeated attempts to update my Blog proved futile as the connection at the cyber cafes around is so slow!!!! I still have to work out how to get my photos on but one step at a time!!!!
Made it to Delhi on 27/12/08 and met the C4C group at the airport. After lunch we made our way to Agra by coaches. The journey took approx 8 hrs and once we got to the hotel we were allocated our rooms and headed straight for dinner.
The next day was an optional visit to the Taj Mahal. It was a chilly morning, we were at the gates of the Taj Mahal by half 6 but they now open at 7, when we finally made it thru the security checks, I was eagerly awating my WOW moment, the scene that is shown in movies, postcards, etc however I was pleasantly surprised as we could just make out the silhouette of the Taj behind the clouds of fog. As the sun came up, the splendour of the Taj was revealed bit by bit. It was amazing. Walked around taking lots of pics....
Went back to the hotel and had breakfast after which was a jam packed afternoon with registration, briefings, bike fitting, press conference followed by a cultural program 'Mohabattein at the Taj', dinner and fireworks.
The following day was another early start, we had breakfast and got onto the coaches which took us to Bharatpur where we were flagged off by Acharya Chandanaji and Sadhvi Shilapiji and that was the start of the Cycling For Charity in beautiful Rajasthan event.
A brief synopsis:
- 155 cyclists and 35 support vehicles.
- Cycling logistics - 5 cluster leaders, 15 motor cyclists, 5 tempo travellers to pick up drop outs, 5 cycle trucks with spare cycles and mechanics, 3 ambulances with doctors and male and female nurses.
- Cyclists were split into 5 groups according to fitness levels and each group had approximately 30 riders.
- 300 km of mixed terrain- rough roads, highways, back roads, muddy roads, sandy roads, mountains, lakes and valleys.
- Each day's cycling was preceded by prayers and warm up exercises led by Laxmiben.
- First two days was mostly long distance cycling on highways and fairly good roads.
- Third day involved steep gradients, which were overcome with the groups support and encouragement , looking after each other and making sure no one was left behind.
- The fourth day (01/01/09) was the toughest with some steep gradients, we were constantly climbing higher and higher. This day proved to be a logistics nightmare as the distances between the groups became very stretched and as darkness fell, there were a significant proportion of cyclists still on the road. But we persisted refusing to get onto the vans to be driven back to the camps, so security arrangements were tightened allowing everyone to complete the ride. It was a great sense of achievement!!
- Huge camping sites were set up along the way in fields just for a day. The camps consisted of ensuite tents, reception area, dining area, running hot water!!!, electricity and hot water bottles as the temps over night plummeted to lower single digits, totally deceptive as daytime temps reached mid 20s!!! achieving all this in rural India was no mean feat!!!!
- Every evening consisted of different cultural items and everyone danced the night away on 31/12/08 full of energy despite the tough ride enthusiastically welcoming the New Year amongst a new group of friends!!!!
On the final day, the route was correctly described as a rollercoater rides, making it a pleasurable ride with slight inclines and long stretches downhill. At the lunch point all the 155 cyclists converged to ride together to the finishing post.
We rode through Jaipur passing the elephant farms where they keep and groom the elephants used in the processions to finish at the splendid Amber fort which towers above Jaipur. This was the only private event ever to be held at the Amber Fort in India's history!!!!
We arrived amidst great aplomb to the Amber Fort cheered by the spectators present and blessed by Acharya Chadanaji and Sadhvi Shilapiji. The sense of achievement and elation was immense for all those involved in this massive event. There were a few culural items held here and then we headed back to the hotel with enough time to freshen up and get ready for the evening's Gala Dinner.
The Gala dinner was held in the hotel gardens, it was massive and really well done but the extreme cold drove everyone indoors. we made the most of the opportunity to cement the friendships made over the 5 days.
The next day we were invited to the City Palace to watch Elephant Polo in the Maharaja's gardens. Everyone was in high spirits, busy rifling thru the newspapers as the C4C event had made it in all the press - even my picture made it in one of the papers, took me 15mins to work out it was me!!!!!
After the first game we were allowed to have a go at playing elephant polo but we slipped out to make the most of the opportunity to explore Jaipur. We wandered the streets of Jaipur and had a look at the Hawa Mahal, unfortunately we missed the coaches back and had to rush back in rickshaws. We had delayed the departure back to Delhi, and had some explaining to do!!!!
Finally made it to Delhi, the road was so busy and foggy with minimum visibility. We finally made it back to the hotel.
the next morning most of the contingent departed and I headed on to Mumbai my next destination!!!!
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