Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with great pleasure that we can announce that we are now the proud owners of "Jai Shanker Di', known more commonly as 'Hank the tuk tuk'. He was bought at Aram Autos in Amritsar for the princely sum of 75,000 INR, about £900. He's 400CC, quite worn around the edges but a beautifully smooth ride.
We started the day at 11am, visiting the Golden Temple. A really beautiful and serene temple in the middle of a bustling city. Thousands of Sikhs come here on pilrimage and volunteer their services so you get to the situation where almost too many people are helping clean the floors and direct you around. They also provide a delicious free lunch for all visitors - cooked by the thousands in the volunteer run kitchen!
The acquiring of the tuk tuk was phenomenally difficult. Starting at Vijay Autos, we gave the first candidate a test drive. She wasnt the best of vehicles, hardly had any working electircal components and ran very roughly - that said, she was only 55,00INR. After much umming and ahhing, we went ahead, 'shook hands' and the deal was done. Beginning the paperwork, he asked for our passports which, for John, brought an unexpected shock. He had lost his passport. Much fretting later, we thought of one place where it may be...otherwise we were done for. No passport - no visas - no holiday. We trekked back into town to the internet cafe where we thought it may be and, much to our great relief, the owner of the cafe had stored it safe and sound. After filling out paperwork to reclaim it (everything involves paperwork here), we were headed back out to Vijay to finish up the deal (photo below).
Before we arrived however, things began to take another twist. Vijay phoned through several times asking where we were (It was approaching 5pm, the end of the working day) and getting increasingly tetchy. When we finally arrived, we began processing the deal until at the last moment were informed that the owner of the vehicle could no longer make it round that evening and "we would have to wait untill some time tomorrow" (indian speak for a few weeks). A few exasperated Hindi phone calls later, the dealer confirmed that the deal could no longer go through. SHIT.
Quite angered by this, we started walking along the dusty road back to Amritsar, wondering what to do. Suggestions were made to call it all off, just go on the trains. Royal enfield motorbikes were put forward. A quiet beach holiday was dismissed. That was until we found the Aram Autos, 500m east of Vijays. He had a selection of 2 vehicles, one of which sort of fitted the bill so we bought it. Forget all the Indian Red tape, this was done in under an hour and the papers were ours. After a hair-raising journey back to the city centre at dusk, we can confirm that we are now safely back in the guest house with a tuk tuk waiting to go in the courtyard!
Tomorrow sees us head off East on the start of the epic voyage - Chandigarh. Shall keep you posted!
Freddie and John x
It is with great pleasure that we can announce that we are now the proud owners of "Jai Shanker Di', known more commonly as 'Hank the tuk tuk'. He was bought at Aram Autos in Amritsar for the princely sum of 75,000 INR, about £900. He's 400CC, quite worn around the edges but a beautifully smooth ride.
We started the day at 11am, visiting the Golden Temple. A really beautiful and serene temple in the middle of a bustling city. Thousands of Sikhs come here on pilrimage and volunteer their services so you get to the situation where almost too many people are helping clean the floors and direct you around. They also provide a delicious free lunch for all visitors - cooked by the thousands in the volunteer run kitchen!
The acquiring of the tuk tuk was phenomenally difficult. Starting at Vijay Autos, we gave the first candidate a test drive. She wasnt the best of vehicles, hardly had any working electircal components and ran very roughly - that said, she was only 55,00INR. After much umming and ahhing, we went ahead, 'shook hands' and the deal was done. Beginning the paperwork, he asked for our passports which, for John, brought an unexpected shock. He had lost his passport. Much fretting later, we thought of one place where it may be...otherwise we were done for. No passport - no visas - no holiday. We trekked back into town to the internet cafe where we thought it may be and, much to our great relief, the owner of the cafe had stored it safe and sound. After filling out paperwork to reclaim it (everything involves paperwork here), we were headed back out to Vijay to finish up the deal (photo below).
John at Vijay Autos
John filling out the paperwork to claim back his passport
Before we arrived however, things began to take another twist. Vijay phoned through several times asking where we were (It was approaching 5pm, the end of the working day) and getting increasingly tetchy. When we finally arrived, we began processing the deal until at the last moment were informed that the owner of the vehicle could no longer make it round that evening and "we would have to wait untill some time tomorrow" (indian speak for a few weeks). A few exasperated Hindi phone calls later, the dealer confirmed that the deal could no longer go through. SHIT.
Quite angered by this, we started walking along the dusty road back to Amritsar, wondering what to do. Suggestions were made to call it all off, just go on the trains. Royal enfield motorbikes were put forward. A quiet beach holiday was dismissed. That was until we found the Aram Autos, 500m east of Vijays. He had a selection of 2 vehicles, one of which sort of fitted the bill so we bought it. Forget all the Indian Red tape, this was done in under an hour and the papers were ours. After a hair-raising journey back to the city centre at dusk, we can confirm that we are now safely back in the guest house with a tuk tuk waiting to go in the courtyard!
Tomorrow sees us head off East on the start of the epic voyage - Chandigarh. Shall keep you posted!
Freddie and John x
Jai Shanker Di is born!
