Monday 3rd December:

Monday 3rd December:

Start:                24,663

Finish:    24,804

Distance:             141 (Bikes Delivered)

Route:     Alibag – Dolghar – Vindhane – Navi Mumbai – Old Vashi Bridge Govandi East – Vikhroli East – Andheri East

Hotel:     Waterstones

Today:

Well, the day didn’t start too well, when it was confirmed the LaLit was overbooked for the night. Not the end of the world, but just means a bit more running around and organizing to get the bikes back.

As we only have a projected 110km to Mumbai, we can afford a leisurely start. An unusual feeling in a way….the last ride and something of an anti-climax.

Come 10.00 we were packed up and ready to check-out. It was a little sad, as these were the staff that greeted us on the first day and saying, when will you come back and stay with us !!

It was the intention to head straight back to Mumbai, using a very different route and arriving at the Waterstones Hotel (adjacent to the LaLit and the airport) around 13.00. This would give time to run over the bikes, before returning late afternoon, somewhere in Mumbai,

It was noticeable how much warmer it was in these parts. Even at 10am there was a bit of heat in the air and certainly plenty of pollution. It was Monday, so the traffic was back to its manic self as we made our way back towards the first main intersection at the Dolvi Steel Works, located on the Amber River (amber by name and amber by colour)

There has been much reference to roads, driving and traffic and shortly after joining the main 166A Highway, we saw our first accident. It was obviously a biggie, as the car was on its nose buried in the shrubs on the roadside, but looking very flat. This has occurred in the last 12 hours, since we rode down this way to get to Alibag. Almost 4 weeks of road combat and this was the ‘actual’ evidence of an accident. It says a lot about the driving proficiency of the local drivers.

Onward past the steel works and the now normal, tired and impoverished roadside dwellings and businesses. However, I know we are missing something, as throughout our travels, we come across in the most unlikely places, lush and colourful garden centres…why would these be located away from towns and in places that would appear to have no requirement for garden design or house plants. Is there another demographic of people who live away and behind the facades of the roadside dwellings?

This is also supported by the continual stream of advertising bill-boards promoting property development, mortgages, life and health insurance, premium luxury items and investments. Surely, these are not there just to create a name awareness?

We had no desire to enter the contest back into Mumbai, by following the same route we used to come down. So at Kasar Bhat we turned west off the N66 onto a minor road that will take us cross country and into Mumbai, using a coastal road.

There was a relaxed feeling about the journey. We had come through the month unscathed and this was the final gentle leg …. We had accomplished our objective……... when bang……..the bikes front-end shook it’s head violently in protest, the back end gave a kick (that I believe would be similar to that of a mule – if I had ever ridden one!) the panniers (normally) attached behind the riders seat gave (according to TB) a visual that is similar to the ears of a golden retriever, flapping when on the run, which was very quickly followed by the rider (yours truly) being elevated to height that until that moment, he had not visited !

Yup, it was the bikers favourite and constant companion……the speed hump.

The camouflage of this one was ‘top shelf’, the location without any obvious rationale, the road surface on the approach was good, road colour consistent and the comfortable conditions for a cruising speed of around 80km/h.

In one moment, whilst enjoying the thoughts that we were ‘home & dry’, the odyssey completed. There was a healthy reminder that could so easily have finished in tears…...concentrate, you are not finished until you are finished ! This is Indian conditions.

Apparently, all quite entertaining for TB !!  

Further on, close to the village of Punade, we stopped to check the turning to go north. A few hundred metres further up the road, a large crowd had gathered, there were drums and loud Indian music with commentary, so we had to take a look. It was surprising, revealing another example of the Indian culture of people ‘just getting on with it’

Now imagine a scene akin to an English county cricket game…..well this was nothing like it, other than it was cricket. There were several hundred spectators around the ground, with a large gazebo at one end, holding the musicians, commentary team, speakers and two huge gold trophies sitting resplendent on display.

The ‘cricket oval’ contained as much grass as a ‘chook pen’, but there was a prepared batting surface.

The stumps were brightly painted and mostly upright and approximately the same height, which suggests there were no bails.

Some of the players wore shoes, otherwise there appeared to be no other item of sports clothing or apparel being worn….no pads, no gloves, no helmets, but passion and support in spades.

Whilst there, one of the batsmen had been taking on the medium fast bowling and obviously reached a milestone. The crowd erupted, the commentator was in danger of a break-down and the fielding team to a man, applauded the batsman’s achievement.

Only half a kilometer away, we passed the local brickworks, that mirrored many we had seen during our travels. Mounds of clay rich earth, men and women mixing this with water and guys spreading this mix into ground based moulds, where they would be naturally cured in the sun.

These were then neatly stacked with each brick displaying the prominent makers mark of RGM. Some earlier stacks would have been a respectable size of a temple. Every brick, made and stacked by hand

.

Shortly after the prudence of choice of road was brought home. The surface became a mere track of rocks and dirt, with the trucks sending out clouds of dust and ‘stuff’ as we overtook or they passed coming from the other direction.

However, we are sure it will eventually be ok, as a 100metres was being relaid with another team of men and women on their hands & knees placing little rocks and stones into a partially flattened surface, whist a heavy duty industrial roller worked uncomfortably close to the rock placers.

It was unfortunate this section of new road surface had no connection to any other prepared road….it just started and then stopped !

As we approached the extremity of the city, road conditions improved and the traffic increased, until we were back to the normal congestion.

Blimey, it was warm and there was some relief to arrive at Waterstones, a stone’s throw from the LaLit (probably 150meters) but a 10 minute walk and several minute drive !

It was around 13.30, so a good result for our target of 13.00

With the Lalit so close, I took a quick (well it wasn’t actually) ride to collect the bags being stored at the LaLit, as I got lost. A wrong turning gave me a very grim reminder of the ‘other side’ of India, where narrow, noisy and messy streets filled with pedestrians, bikes, vans and tuc-tucs, that all competed to get to wherever they were going. There was no sense of direction, limited light an overbearing heat, strong smells of (well you know what) and I must admit, an uncomfortable environment for a guailo in western riding gear, picking his way through their place, in an effort to find a direction point.

There was nothing racial and I was not there to be inquisitive, but that is where I found myself. What should have been a 20 minute return ride, finished up as over an hour.

Bags (and rider) back at the Waterstone, the bikes panniers were emptied ready for the return of all our equipment to Sanjeev. Then it was ‘back out there’ to find the garage where the bike needed to be delivered. It was a slow process and eventually….we were there.

Delightful people, working in a small and cluttered workshop in a busy street, an immediate welcome with a cup of tea, served in the street as both bikes were taken for a quick ride. Then Sanjeev arrived, some discussion about the general standard of the bikes, the costs of the servicing and repairs and a relatively quick resolution to the finances.

It was a great feeling to get back, shower, change and have the first bike-free beer. Now it was finished and unless we were run over crossing the road (a distinct possibility), then it was time to relax.

Riding over 4,000 kilometers, we have navigated through many varied and different environments. Seen some extraordinary sites and experienced an India that one has previously, only read about. We are very fortunate to have this opportunity.

It is time to digest all these experiences and compile a summary of thoughts and impressions as a postscript to an amazing journey, with a great mate. It has been such an education for a couple of ageing ‘rockers’ !! .

Sunday 2nd December:

Sunday 2^nd December:

Start:                24,405

Finish:    24,663

Distance:             258

Route:     Satara – Wai – Panchgani – Mahabeleshwar – Poladpur – Kolad – Albaug

Hotel:     Radisson

Today

This was a revelation. An early start and we had 35km ticked-off before 08.00. The highway we had left the previous day, continued to hold few surprises and enabled us to make good progress until reaching Wai.

However, partly due to leaving early and the fact the early morning pollution had not been burnt-off, it was at ‘brass monkey’ temperature, so there was an enforced pause to get the sweaters out.

So, having reached Wai and confirmation we were on the correct (without any backtracks) cross-country road to connect us back onto the N17 (or N66), we decided to treat ourselves to a coffee & cake.

Wai was a typical example of a non-urban village. There appeared little organization, lots of contradirectional traffic conflicting with various animals, pedestrians and the general melee of the morning.

My hands were already beginning to feel the chill and with the climb into the hills, this was unlikely to improve.

The local baker couldn’t provide coffee, so he took us down the road to the guy who did do the best in town. So, the usual 5 way explanation about ‘black coffee’ produced a very passable cup. A share of some very ordinary packet biscuits and ready for the off….but not before the original baker engaged TB in conversation and gave us each one of his favourites cakes and wished us a safe journey….another example of their disposition…..they are just great.

The early start brought us into play with various mornings activities. The usual assortment of freight vehicles, only empty, as they made their way to the cane fields…various other loaded trucks, tractors and trailers with all sorts of equipment and people….stacks of people perched in, on or amongst whatever was being carried. I think health & safety departments are redundant in these environments.

On this topic, the same applies with the police…every now and again we pass a ‘check-point’ on the roadside. Sometimes they are having a conversation with a driver (almost always a biker), but as previous experience has shown, only 10% respond to police directions.

Even with moving police vehicles, they are also required to ‘get out of the way’ if an oncoming vehicle is ‘double banking’. One assumes, they do become involved with law enforcement when there is actual contact between vehicles…..yet to be proven !

There is plenty of activity. The women and some youngsters have carts full of multi-coloured water bottles or heads precariously balancing one or two of these on their head. It has been a constant as we have travelled through many villages, the women walking with such grace, balancing bundles of wood, water, baskets of food. They are always impeccably dressed with brightly coloured sari’s…..and always busy.

They have obviously been out much earlier, as they make their way home with large bundles of wood.

Front yards are also full of activity, as individuals are milking or feeding cattle, loading carts, cutting wood. It’s all hussle & bussle.

It is still cold, as we start the 1400m climb. The roads are not too bad for a rural location and then as if out of nowhere, there is a significant change to the surroundings….the road surface improves and there is a hint of European roads, with tree lined verges.

As we pass Parsi Point, the signage changes. There is a spa resort, a theme park and the character of the place takes on a completely different feel.

There are substantial properties set back from the road. Restaurants and cafes have lost their impoverished facades. Lads are riding scooters that have plastic chairs (as many as 20) stacked and straddling each side of their bikes. The verges are clean of rubbish and as we climb, it continues to improve.

We start seeing tourist buses and vans and people are moving as though they all have a purpose. A young man crosses the road in front of us, leading a beautifully groomed horse….what’s happening here. This area is like a haven and like nothing we have been through before.

This is personified as we pass a sari clad woman in the middle of the road, sweeping the limited amount of dust into the sides. This is remarkable. There is advertising for fresh strawberries and roadside stalls begin to appear.

After several kilometres, the road begins to plateau and we come to a check point, where there is a line of vehicles waiting, tickets being purchased and drivers being directed to parking areas. We are waived through and just around the corner, all is revealed……we pass a large flat sports area with white tents and gazebos, with a number of well-dressed men with immaculate looking horses…..this was polo ground and we were obviously passing through before the start of the tournament.

This was a side of India that we had not encountered. It was like a well-kept secret, we could certainly have spent time here and even used it as a stop-over.

It would have been only a couple of km’s further on, that we were treated to another spectacle. A drum group were pounding out a loud and rhythmic beat, coloured smoke filled the air and hundreds of boys and girls were running through the smoke and up the hill, covered in different coloured chalk. There were parents taking photo’s and a great sense of enjoyment, as the procession of kids continued coming.

One can only assume, it was a festival or the end of term.

The road now began descending from Mahabaleshwar. It was steep with tight hairpins, providing memories of a long distant past when TB and I were riding the annual competition of the ‘Circuit de Pyrennes’ from Pau across the Pyrenese into San Sebastian and back. The roads, the views, the challenge was equal to anything we had experienced all those years ago. It was too good to miss and there were several pauses to take in the views and photo’s.

Plus, it was still pretty cold and yours truly was uncertain as to whether he still had all his fingers, so photo stops were a welcome relief to do some counting !

It was not long before the enjoyment from this unique part of our journey gave way to a return of the pot holes and variable road surfaces. However, it was so good whilst it lasted.

Down from the Purandhah Hills and the pristine forested hills of the Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary and through to Delvi, Kolad and our return to the congestion of the 166A leading to Alibaug.

The call of our first ‘pit-stop’ over three weeks ago was waiting. So, it was a welcome sight to see a familiar establishment and know that a great shower and a cool beer was in reach. This was complemented by a very pleasant ‘hello sir, welcome back’ !

‘My apologies, but do you have a booking reference’ ? ….there was no record of last nights on-line booking….not even under the recently acquired membership number….then the conundrum was solved…you are booked for the 2^nd January, not December and we are heavily booked for tonight !

The Duty Manager not comfortable with seeing a grown man cry, asked us to take a seat and after a long wait he rewarded us with a room. It was not our preferred, but what the hell….it was a room and it is still the same beer……joy !

The rest is as you would expect. Robin was still looking after the outside pool area, he remembered the beer we liked and plied us with continual replenishments of the crisps bowl.

    Little things made it all feel worthwhile

statistics

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Saturday 1st December:

Saturday 1^st December:

Start:               24,054

Finish:   24,405

Distance:         351

Route:    Hubli – Dharward – Belgaum – Bailhongal – Kolhapu – Karad - Satara

Hotel:               Pride (non-executive) Hotel !

Today:

The day started well, with TB’s alarm & down for an early breakfast at 07.00am we packed and off at 08.15am. It was a tad disappointing though, as we had to leave without any requests for photo’s…..we are obviously becoming ‘yesterdays news’ !

It was another glorious sunny morning accompanied by the ‘not so heavy’ pollution. The area looked heavily industrialised, but maybe the agricultural focus takes precedence.

Our exit from the town was the best to date. It set a new high to be away from the city and have 45km (in the right direction) under our belt in the first hour.

However, we have to own-up and divulge that after the first 10k’s of the usual ‘thrust & parry’ of traffic, animals, pot holes and ball-breakers, the road opened up into a 3 lane carriageway, with a significant central island that would have tested ‘Evil Knieval’ and which gave us a new experience…..as at least 85% of the traffic was driving in the same direction as us…….it was bliss !

And so it continued, on and on and on….the sun was behind the right shoulder and you could count the number of pot-holes on one hand.

However, this did introduce a new ‘adversary’ on the roads, in addition to the impatient driver….this was the ‘exceedingly impatient driver’ who could have been described as mildly aggressive if you were driving slower than them.

After a couple of hours and feeling pretty happy with ourselves, as we had 100km under our belt, so we paused and found a traditional corner coffee house in Belgaum. The Owner was a delight as two black coffees without sugar was described in 5 different ways, before he understood, we wanted 2 black coffees, with no milk and no sugar ! But fair-do’s, he made them specially, as I do not think anyone else drinks it this way in India.

By 12.25 we felt even more smug as we pulled into Kolhapur. We were expecting this to be our overnight stop, had the National Highway lived up to it’s usual standard. This was just cause for a celebration and we treated ourselves to a ‘traditional’ McDonalds (but without beef) We reckoned there was a combined 7 or 8 years since we had had a McDonalds in our respective home countries.

Onward & upward, suitably chastened by having succumbed to the evil influences of western cuisine ! Our next target was Karad, which only took an hour and so onto Satara, where after the usual recce around town, we found our current exclusive accommodation, but this is a small price to pay for knocking off an extra 100+ km to reach Mumbai.

After catching up with some notes, we needed to celebrate our progress and found one of the most dismal establishments that served a cool beer. But you know, it provided limited ambience and niceties, but the staff were still sensitive to the ‘gwailo’s’ and brought out a lighted mossie repellent to put under the table. Just a small gesture in a very ordinary and downbeat establishment and another example of the nature of the Indian people

We then walked into another ordinary restaurant, where they provided a simple but really tasty meal and great service. A very satisfying low key evening.

We need an early start on Sunday, as combined with today, this could have us saving a day. But the roads tomorrow, will see a return to the usual challenges, if we are to maintain a suitable average to reach Ailbag by the evening. We are looking at around 240km to Ailbag and climbing over the Purandhah Hills and from our earlier experiences of these roads at an average of 25km/hr = a journey of 9.5 hrs.

It will require a very early start and ‘a wriggle-on’ to get there in time for dinner.

Friday 30th November:

Friday 30th November:

Start:                23,864

Finish:    24,045

Distance:             181

Route:     Hampi – Hospet – Koppal – Gadag – Hubli

Hotel:               Naveen Lakeside Hotel

Today:

It had been a pretty arduous night, as Johnny English and his partner shared the same bed, yet again. It was a basic (very basic) establishment, but very hospitable people who have organized themselves to service the budget traveler needs.

However, if the cooling fan was on, then it was too noisy (but defused the dogs barking & the goats bleating) or it was was off and it therefore reversed the previous comment and became a bit steamy !!  So the ‘restful’ night alternated between the preference of whoever was getting up and requiring a pee !

We started the day with breakfast at the Mango Tree, a well organized family business run by Ranji, who was very ‘switched on’ to the visitor market and also spoke excellent English. Although, even he was lamenting at the fall in visitor numbers this year

A gentle ride around some of the accessible locations within the complex and some pics from this extraordinary site. It was huge and must have been such an imposing centre for the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire dating to the 14^th century.

Then the ride back through Hospete and on towards Hubli, some 160km to the west and back towards Goa.

There were long stretches of well laid road, regularly interspersed with the ‘dreaded diversions’. Driver impatience was at a new level……. (was it POETS Day …. Piss off early, because tomorrows Friday ?)( I think you mean, tomorrows Saturday, unless amonst all the other things the indians are dyslexis GJK) 

Amongst all this were some great innovations in Indian distribution. We were obviously in a grain producing region and this was harvest time. Heavily laden trucks were disgorging loads of grain onto large tarpaulins on the roadside. These loads (and there were kilometres of them) were being spread out at one end, presumably to dry and smaller trucks, trailers and carts were loading grain that had been delivered earlier….again presumably to take back to stores or villages in outer areas. It is genius, using public roads to co-ordinate the collection and distribution, with unfettered access.

Much of the transportation within this region is still provided by two bullocks and cart…..anything that needs shifting on the cart !

Unusually, there were several water points to be traversed. The ground had been churned up by the incessant truck movements, creating water filled trenches and potholes that could be a few inches to a few feet deep, plus all the mud and slime that goes with it.  At least it settled the dust.

On several occasions, one saw lone men and women walking kilometers from the nearest town alongside new road constructions…. some were collecting discarded iron bars whilst others looked as though were searching for remnant wood for cooking-fires, that had uprooted during the construction process….that is tough work !

We also had the experience of seeing poultry rearing and distribution at work. There was a large multi-story shed running parallel to the road, holding what must have been thousands of chickens in metal racks and guys with multi-tiered wicker baskets strapped to their scooters, one assumes to deliver to outer lying destinations.

This type of experience did not stop on reaching Hubli. This is a sprawling city with a population of around 1million people where in the main street (which is part of the National Highway) the traffic was forced to navigate round at least a dozen water buffalo being herded to somewhere….who knows where.

By the time we arrived at Hubli, to be greeted by the now common place congestion (even without the buffalo), I think TB and I were both admitting the gloss of the challenges provided by Indian roads and Indian drivers, was beginning to lose it’s shine !! It was a welcome site to be able to drive straight to the hotel and freshen up.

Even the idea of forgoing a bite to eat so as to browse around the city, had appeal for less than half an hour. It was back to the hotel, a beer, some catch-up notes and an early dinner.

We now have some 750km to complete by Monday. Not a big ask, but we do not want to leave ourselves with too much to do next week, ‘just in case’ !!

Thursday 29th November:

Thursday 29th November:

Start:               23,671

Finish:    23,864

Distance:             193

Route:     Davengere – Hariha – Harpanahalli – Itiki – Hospet – Hampi

Hotel:               Sudha Home Stay

Today:

Another relatively relaxed start, departing at 10.45 with what should have been a comfortable 3.5hour drive, until I persuaded Tony the first turn-off to Harihar was too early….in fact, it wasn’t, so a quick 20k detour to blow out the cobwebs was ‘an unfortunate start’ !!

It was also a funny sort of day, as neither of us felt particularly motivated.

The roads started-off as good as anywhere we have experienced to date. This accompanied by drivers who were also as impatient as anywhere we have experienced.

A new situation was a couple of pigs munching on some fallen edible matter in the middle of the ‘national highway’…..no-one seemed to think it was unusual

Beautiful lush countryside in the early stages Morphed into scrub

Preposterous amount of hay and sugar cane being transported

The contrast in the middle of nowhere with a dozen stand wind farm & isolated solar panels

Villages quite organized, but then starting to become more disorganised and poor appearance

Roads gradually deteriorated. We were obviously on a main connecting highway, with an increase in the trucks. We're back to being very vigilant as the competition for ‘road space’ increased. One example was a convoy of 5 trucks all wanting to overtake a slower vehicle and as we were clear of any following vehicles, they just pulled out forcing us into the roadside dirt & rock gutter….in itself is not an unusual occurrence, but being presented with this overt scenario at 80km/h ‘we are coming through’ is……heyho !!

Finally made Hampi and this huge expanse of ruins, historical buildings and temples

Like other locations we have visited, there was little to indicate this was a site of interest. There was even less to indicate where the town community was located amongst the formidable spread of ruins, temples and historic buildings. In fact the way to the residential area was in between market stalls with a pedestrian track which then led into dirt laneways and a variety of shops, café premises and guest houses

It seems bizarre, this significant UNESCO world listed heritage site, has such limited infrastructure and directional signage. Is it because we are ‘free-styling’ and not part of an organized tour, or are we missing something ?

We were immediately jumped on as likely candidates by a lad on a pushbike, as it was obvious we did not know where we were going who offered to take us to accommodation. We were able to side-step this approach and pottered around the laneways.

We came across a likely place at the end of one lane where a guy popped out to offer us a bed. He (apparently) had wifi and at Rp900 we knew we were in for a treat. He showed us the firstfloor room, which was very basic, but had a bed, a shower and a toilet.

There was no pretence as to how he presented it and as it was 2ish we went for the deal.

Although very basic, the community had something appealing about it…what you see is what you get and like almost everywhere we have been, the people were gently promoting their businesses and appeared to genuinely want to help.

The owner called his son and in ‘the shake of a ……’ our bags were up the metal stairway and into our ‘suite’. Unlike other days, there was no beer, but the incentive was to grab some water, a quick bite and have a look around.

So we found Hampi’s ‘Very Secret Café’ (it’s actual name) climbed another metal stairway into a small café area with no chairs, cushions and low level tables, no shoes, no alcohol and no meat. It was a great uncomplicated place with young guys who were just very happy to make us feel comfortable

After refreshing chilled water, fresh liquidized fruit juice (I had a carrot & ginger & Tony an Pineapple) a spinach pagoda & banana Nutella pancake for the old boy, we were suitably refreshed to take a wander.

Located a mere 2-300 metres from the main and most important temple, I paid the Rp2 (approx. $0.04) to have my shoes racked and a further Rp25 to enter the Temple complex whilst TB had a wander outside.

Without wishing to appear judgmental, this is a world heritage site. Although obviously, the community is quite impoverished and probably little governmental support, it would be in everyone’s interests to keep the place clear of rubbish.

There is nothing historical about bottles and plastic and broken modern day crap!

The intricate stone carvings are exceptional (but what do they represent), the ornately hand-painted board showing the Kings of the bygone era and their lineage, that is partially obscured, propped up against a wall behind some pillars. How difficult would it be to present it as a feature to be viewed and provide some education of the historical evolution of this 32sq/km site?

It was a confusing area inside….cattle free to roam in partnership with large numbers of monkeys….a live painted elephant, squeezed into a raised annex with a mahout sitting on a chair engrossed with his smart-phone….occasionally giving the elephant a command as visitors came in to look..…the elephant would raise its trunk, visitors would then offer money, (another command) which the elephant took in its trunk, (another command) it then passed the money to the mahout. 

This is immediately ‘trousered’, (another command) and the trunk was then gently placed for a few moments on the head of the payer…..absolutely no interaction from the mahout……then the process repeated for the next contributor.

The scenario was quite disturbing, was it the complete disinterest of the mahout in the proceedings, his lack of interaction with either his elephant or the contributor, or the sadness one felt in the eyes of the elephant as it gently swayed from side to side (the repetitive motions often displayed by humans when enduring long-term boredom, trauma or psychological issues and the like.

Then there are the other small anti-rooms leading off from the main area for worship, blessings, and offerings, where you are invited in by a monk and with an automated and unemotional procedure places his finger in a red power and with no eye contact, duly makes a red dot on your forehead and mutters 

‘donation’ pointing to the empty brass dish with a burnt-out candle in the middle.

Taking into account all the probable shortfalls in financial support, the maintenance and upkeep (is there any ?) one feels the community does not display any ‘connection’ with this treasure, this significant religious site, there is no passion….it is a business, a revenue source, when it could be a powerful and spiritual experience, even for non-believers !

But as I say…one does not wish to be judgmental without understanding the background. However, the absence of ‘connection’ to their environment, does seem to be a common theme.

The consistency of the inconsistency!

After my tour of the ‘inner sanctum’, I found TB on the steps adjacent reflecting on world events, so we took a stroll back to the laneways, a bite and a reasonably early night

We couldn’t wait, this was another opportunity to share a double bed…….yeeha

!