We left Palomen Beach in Goa at around 1pm yesterday. Rumors from other RR teams indicated that a bridge was out about 30km south of where we started out in the morning. But we’d also heard that they’d been ferrying boats across the river.
Ferry is a strong term.
We got there and proceeded to wait what would become 3 hours and the majority of our day. The ferry was two big wooden fishing boats tied together with rope and planks strewn across them. They were meant to carry four cars across the river at a time. We were about 12 cars back when the ordeal began.
The “ramp” started as being dug out of mud and rocks and was nearly impossible to try to drive down, even for a car. Then you were meant to cross harrowing wooden planks to get onto the makeshift ferry.
All four of the teams in our convoy looked at each other as we started to think of other options. But we knew this would be the only way. We mentally prepared ourselves.
During the wait, cars attempted to cut to the front of the line. The passiveness of the locals here allowed them to get through, but we, as the Westerners, and knowing we had a strict schedule to adhere to, started to confront those who thought they were above the common courtesy of queuing. Before long we staged a protest by standing in front of the cars that had attempted to cut in line and even went as far as having verbal confrontations with the culprits.
Before long, the locals themselves, in charge of the river crossing were playing an active role in regulating the perpetrators.
Our work here’s done. Pictures forthcoming. You will be amazed.
PS – It’s been far tougher than anticipated to update the blog, use GPS, upload pictures, etc. So bear with us. We’ll be coming up with a full recap of our trip here when we get back to our respective locations.
