To Khargone: nice ride

March 1, 2016

"This would be really pretty country when it rains, but then it would be hot and humid" Patrick says as we are crossing yet another almost dry river bed. The past few days we've been cycling through dry landscape yet there are also green irrigated agricultural fields.

We had a good night sleep, not bothered by the trains. After our cornflakes and banana breakfast, we weave our way out of the city. The nice thing about starting out early, there is less traffic. The first 15kms is a slow climb. When we stop for our break we discover the potato vada is still back! Same, same but different...instead of a bread roll for the potato patty, now there is a light coating on the filling itself. After the high point at 20kms, the trend is gently downhill with undulations and at the end a tailwind.

On the outskirts of Khargone, there is a new hotel but we decide to continue onto city center where there are two hotels pretty close to one another. We go past the first one on the corner of the main road and it looks a bit dodgey so we go to the second one that is full. The reception guy explains to Patrick there is another hotel around the corner.

We see a huge bill board for Hotel Shakti Avenue. Then the asking for directions begin. First one man, then another joins in and soon 5 or 6 are around Patrick pointing in the direction back. We cycle back and at the bus station, Rachel remembers that was on the sign, the hotel was near the bus station. Patrick asks a tuk-tuk driver who wobbles his head and looks around, another man joins in, then another points who motions back and to the right. We go in that direction, and Patrick thinks he spots the hotel at the far end of the street.

Whew! We finally make it, only the reception isn't all that great or friendly and it's pricey, but we are tired and tired of looking. There's a restaurant on the rooftop. It's a new hotel, some items in the room still have stickers on them, and there are 22 light switches!

Clouds build up in the afternoon and by evening there is a light sprinkle. First rain we've seen in a long time and hoping that it freshens everything up.

The security guys at Castle Inn Hotel help us get loaded this morning.

Guy frying up peanuts. We tried some yesterday, but did not like them.

Women doing laundry in an otherwise dry riverbed. Just outside this frame a guy is watering his buffalo.

Guy is having trouble with his oxen, they want to keep turning left off the road. He whacks them pretty hard with his stick but it doesn't seem to have much effect.

Today's ride: 88 km (55 miles)
Total: 13,724 km (8,523 miles)

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