Fluking Around India Fluk has made it! We have made it! 2,962 kilometres, 70 rickshaws, 5 states, 15 towns, 3 wheels, 2 of us. At 4:01pm on Jan 14 2013, day 14 of Fluk Fluk Run, we rolled over the finish line into the paddock at Fort Cochin. We can scarcely believe it, and it’s surreal as we sign all the papers, write down our arrival time and best tale on the arrivals board, and toast with celebratory chai. It’s been quite the trip; not the usual restful holiday but rather one which has truly taught us the essence of travel, where it’s the journey and not the destination that counts. The unpredictability of everyday navigation and steady whirr of Fluk for hours at a time combine to create a unique environment for road meditation. We have practiced patience, spontaneity, belief in serendipity, compassion, civility, discipline, stamina and that life-saving ingredient, humour. Some tussling between us occurred, of course, and one of the biggest lessons taught was this journeys metaphor for life. It’s a grand adventure, but it’s not all going to be so exciting. There will be flat and even boring times, but also moments of great splendour that make it all worth it too. We tread a balance in our partnership – I push him out of his comfort zone and he keeps me in line for the big picture. We have learnt not to expect each other to be the same as ourselves, and it’s the appreciation of our differences that makes us better people. riving in this mad, gloriously chaotic land has also taught us a bundle about road wisdom. Here are few lessons we will pack home with us for the rest of our journeys together. 9 INDIAN ROAD RULES FOR LIFE RULE #1 Make yourself heard. It’s better to say something than nothing. The art of horning is exquisite. Every horn is different depending on when it’s being used and who is using it. We quickly lost our shyness and started using it when overtaking, when something was crossing our path, when oncoming traffic looked like it hadnt seen you yet. Expressing yourself is essential for survival. RULE #2 Disregard the straight and (sometimes) the narrow. Lane use is not delineated by the white lines on the road. Sometimes two lanes become four, sometimes the shoulder is used for overtaking or for going against traffic. A smaller vehicle has the advantage of being able to squeeze out of tight spots, but follow Rule #1 at the same time. RULE #3 Theres no such thing as a stupid question, but stick to your own advice. Even when the way forward looks straightforward, it is imperative to keep asking for directions. Cross-checking references is important, with different types of sources between maps and people. In general, taxi and truck drivers are most reliable, followed by men drinking tea at crossroads, followed by young guys on motorbikes, and last, groups of children. In the end, though, use your gut instinct to decide. RULE #4 The road ahead is never flat, often in the most unexpected places. Humps appear everywhere in the most unlikely of places, they never come singly and look exactly like the road, so being prepared is essential. The parts you expect to be easy or in good condition might be pot-holed to the extreme, and hills take forever to climb. It always takes longer than you think and what looks like a straight road on paper can be anything but in reality. RULE #5 Trust your other roadies but stand your ground, too. It may look like other vehicles are coming within a hairs breadth of you, like the cow is not going to make it across the road in time, but the key is to trust that they know what they’re doing. Never hesitate, be constant in your own path, and make it known where youre going. The worst is to waver in indecision. RULE #6 Actions speak louder than words, so look closely. Sometimes the hand signal for straight looks like go back, right is said when left is indicated, a head waggle for yes can mean no. When there is no other intersection for miles around, it’s imperative that you get this right. If youre not sure, remember Rule #3 and keep asking. RULE #7 Give yourself a break before you really need it. It’s easy to run on adrenaline only and keep going, but this can cause overheating and your engine to make funny noises. Taking regular breaks ensures no breakdowns in the long run, something we avoided with pride. A general servicing every 1,000km also helps to keep gears running smoothly. Stick to your cruising speed of 48km/h or 52km/h depending on whos driving, and also take turns at the steering wheel to ensure constant alertness. This ensures that despite Rule #4, youll still make good time. RULE #8 Life passes you by when youre counting kilometres, so look around. Stop whenever something catches your eye and get into the heart of it, whether it’s a passing festival, a game of cricket or a serene padi field shrouded in morning mist. It’s tempting to let everything pass you by, thinking that moment will come again, especially when it takes considerable effort to get the gears going again. But most times special moments are special because they do not repeat themselves. Remember the little things. RULE #9 Never become complacent, and stick to your own rules. You could be cruising and have everything going well, but when you start letting your guard down and bending your own rules – like finding a place to bed down before dark – you could be stuck and lost in the woods. Literally. Follow your own rules and stick to them, and dont slack just because things have been going well so far. We drove over someones foot on the last day because we had become so comfortable with proximity on the roads. Luckily, hes fine. _____ So that concludes our great big adventure. Travelling daily within such uncertainty and chaos has been a refreshing change to the reliable stability of life on the red dot, but going home is a wonderful feeling, too. Thank you all for supporting us along the way. We could not have done it without you!
Posted on: Sun, 19 Oct 2014 03:59:40 +0000
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