Leaving
India.
I
have spent the last few days of my tour in Delhi buying a few bits and pieces.
I am still amazed by India with such beautiful temples and architecture along
with craftsmen that produce such intricate work in metal, stone and wood. There
are still British influences with Connaught Place and the curved verandas and
pillars that look so Victorian. In contrast to the squalor of local markets in
the back streets where the life of the masses is a struggle to eek out an existence
and every Rupee is hard earned. Cattle wander everywhere and somehow survive. I
have seen minor collisions and been involved in one or two and in the market
the other day I witnessed a 4X4 push a vendors cart out of the way with the
vendor pinned between his cart and the next. He didn’t seem too hurt, but the
4X4 just drove off after he had made his space. Such inconsiderate driving
would not be tolerated in the UK but it seems the norm here. The everyday
markets are incredible where you can get almost anything or anything made.
There are little businesses everywhere with little machine shops to do more
sophisticated stuff in metal or wood. I have seen temples so lavish and well
kept to those that are just holding together. I recall a comment from a museum
curator he said “It is only the tourists that are making the Indian people
preserve what they have”. In Assam I see the old colonial post office buildings
falling down. These are beautiful buildings but now the postal system has got
up to date they are no longer used which is a great shame. The beaches are long
and sandy with softer waves on the west coast, Arabian Sea, to the more wild
waves of the Bay of Bengal. In-land I have found my place to motorcycle and that
is Rajasthan with its peaceful outlook and good tarmaced roads I will have to
try them out perhaps on an Enfield or a Triumph or even on one of the
lightweights that most people ride, In all of my travels I encountered only one
day of rain and that was in Delhi. I have not been able to see all I wanted as
President Obama has just arrived followed by Independence Day and many of the
public areas and roads have been closed because of this. I hope this paves the
way to better things. Just home and Guy Martin is doing his bit to show some of
what India is like. I can empathise with him about riding in Delhi.
The Mural.
I have seen
posts on Facebook while I was away about Jack Lilley’s new piece of art work
and took advantage of their open evening that was the launch if the new Tiger
800 models to see it. I am always welcomed there and they let me talk Museum
stuff and hand out and fliers. Many thanks to them for a pleasant evening.
New Tiger.
At
some point I will try out the new Tiger and also have a look at the Explorer as
it seems to have a lower seat height. I do like the size of the 675
street triple and with a few mods could be a nice small alternative to the Tigers.
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