9th October 2013 Jaipur India to Ahmedabad, India

9th October 2013 Jaipur India to Ahmedabad, India

A little bit of a struggle to leave Jaipur, satnav doing it usual thing and taking me through backstreets and bazaars. The roads from Jaipur, southbound, are state highways. They are superior to the national highways. Today’s riding was a great deal more comfortable, far fewer roadworks and the diversions that go with them.

At one point a huge troop of monkeys spilled out of the jungle onto the road in front of me. Although I couldn’t capture the size of the group in my photos there were 50 or more animals. They had congregated because there was a fruit seller and cart by the side of the road…. The seller and monkeys seemed to have an understanding!

I reached the outskirts of Ahmedabad at 5.30 and on local advice headed for the airport and the decent hotels that are always in the vicinity…… I checked into the Airport Residency 2200Rs. Good wifi.

I called up a friend who lives in Ahmedabad. He picked me up from the hotel and we spent a pleasant evening eating and drinking at his apartment. Ahmedabad is the capital of Gujarat state. It is home to more than 6,000,000. Its recent history is a sad stain on modern India. In communal violence between Hindus and Muslims, 1000’s of Muslims were murdered. Ahmedabad was the birthplace of Ghandi, founding father of Independent India. He abstained from alcohol and so does the state. That being so, I have to admit we drank beer and whisky, sorry Ghandi, sorry Gujarat.

Ahmedabad mileometer 22563, 412 miles ridden