January 8, 2015
Puri to Bhubaneswar by taxi (60km), then
Bhubaneswar to Chennai by train - 9:30 pm - 6 pm, 1224 km (760 mi) in 20.5 hours
Hotel Pearl International 2075Rs ($33) AC double, including tax & breakfast
 

Lucky Taxi

Our Bhubaneswar/Chennai train was scheduled to leave at 9:30 pm so we had most of the day to kick back and read at the hotel. 

At around 5 pm, we followed Pooja's recommendation and got a rickshaw to the crossroad area. (Our driver seemed to know the spot.) That is where taxis that have carried passengers from Bhubaneswar wait for return passengers so they don't have to go home empty. And instead of 1200 to 1500Rs, one can nab a ride with them for half (or less) than the going rate for Puri taxis depending on your negotiation skills. We figured we had nothing to lose. We had allowed plenty of time and have buses or regular taxis to fall back on. But we were advised to get started before it became dark.
 
But we had good karma that day. At first we didn't see any taxis on that corner. Perhaps we were too late. Dave went to one guy standing next to a van and asked about the taxis to Bhubaneswar. The guy appeared not to understand and shrugged. Dave came back and we stood there undecidedly. Should we stay and wait or should we go to the bus? A friendly looking guy then approached us from the direction Dave had just come. Bhubaneswar, he asked? We nodded in unison. He motioned for us to follow him. He opened the trunk of a nice looking private car. Dave said, 500 Rs okay? The guy nodded and that was that. We couldn't believe our luck, how smooth was that. We suspect the guy was not a taxi, but that didn't matter. 


Porter in the Know
    
An hour later, we were dropped off perfectly in front of the train station in Bhubaneswar. We still had a wait of three hours before our train departure (on time). We did not know which platform we needed and it wasn't posted. A helpful porter took a look at our ticket and said that the train would arrive at platform #4. The porters are the ones to ask. They're in the know. And just before the train arrived, he came over to tell us that we have only 5 minutes when the train arrives to get in the train. That was a little white lie he used to get the job of carrying our bags. We swiftly followed the guy who had not only my pack, but Dave's as well as the hefty food bag. He delivered us and our packs to the right compartment and appeared elated with the 50 Rs (80 cents) Dave handed him.
 

Babu the Baba
   
Shortly after we departed, a 30ish guy visited our compartment who wanted to chat. He had been to America and hated it. "Too many homosexuals" he said and proceeded to tell us that he hates homosexuals. "I am Baba", he announced. Dave snickered and the guy became agitated and asked aggressively, "Why do you laugh?" Dave said, I know what a Baba is. The guy emphatically said, "I am a sadhu, a holy man. Normally I don't wear any clothes but my aunt bought these clothes for me because I am going to my uncle's funeral". Our visiting Baba just didn't seem to be a self-denial kind of guy. I opened the curtain that separated our compartment from the hall and told him we would like to rest now... "Good night".
 

Sleeper Class

For several days, I had been feeling with congestion in my head and lungs and it appeared to have come to a head on this 19 hour trip. Normally I am glued to the window. Now all I wanted was sleep. Eventually we were handed a paper bag with clean linens. The small table was covered in dirty cups. The bedding supply staff reluctantly removed it when I asked but said that the cleaning of the table top was not their job. All we could do is shake our heads as we cleaned it off with some wet ones. 

Breakfast on the train was spicy and over priced. We should have skipped. The scenery out the window was of wet rice fields and palm trees. We had arrived in balmy southern India. It was nearing 6 PM when we finally arrived at Chennai Central Station, a little late. 
 
We had booked the hotel near the station in Chennai that Pooja had recommended and it should have been just a 10 minute walk. We made a few false turns and were turned back where we tried to take a short cut through a government parking lot. We lugged our packs though construction projects and congested streets for close to a half hour before plopping down in the air conditioned lobby of Hotel Pearl International. Pooja's recommendation turned out to be a good choice


 
January 10-14, 2014 CHENNAI
Hotel Pearl Intl. 2075Rs 

Getting Organized in Chennai

Having slept most of the 19 hour train trip, and having slept a solid night in comfortable hotel bed, I felt much improved this morning. 

Chennai is merely a way-point for us. A transport hub and the entry point for our south India tour. Our plan is to continue down the east coast from here, round the horn, then head up the west coast through Kerala, eventually ending in Goa.

 
Let's Check Out Motorcycles

We really miss not having our own wheels and decided to dive right in and check out motorcycle rentals for the remainder of our stay in India. Our motorcycle trips around Puri had made us totally enthused again.  

Our first notion was to check out getting a motorcycle in Pondicherry, a travelers hub. Dave had spent a fair amount of time going over route options making us both excited about the prospect of doing it on our own wheels. He found a rental place on line, right here in Chennai, that had good reviews. And after emailing back and forth and finally talking on the phone with Vicky (a guy) we took the local train (15 minutes) and were met at the station then put in a rickshaw to the rental office. We would have had a heck of a time finding on our own. 

We spent several hours with Vicky, looking at different models he had available. Everything looked good until we went over the figures. A most conservative bike would put us back $8 per day times 80-plus days, would bring us to $500 to $600. We soon realized that it would be a lot cheaper to buy. Vicki was very nice about it and even suggested an area for us to check out. Off to "Bells Road" clear across town. 

There we found ourselves in shop after shop after shop with used bikes. Dave was in his element. He spoke with several salesmen. Sure they would be able to have a custom rack built. That would take only 4 hours. Insurance, no problem, several bikes still had insurance and, if not, it is easy to get covered. We'll be back!
  
Exhausted, we went back to the hotel. 


January 12, 2015 - Chennai Medical Hub
 
I had suddenly noticed a dark spot on my arm the size of a pencil eraser. It worried me to no end. My mom had had melanoma and I didn't want to take a chance. To me, it looked asymmetrical and it had an uneven color. So after doing some internet research, and looking for places with JCI accreditation, we opted for the Ramachandra Research Hospital waaay on the other side of town. Of course, it took all day to get there and back. 

I decided to fast so they could do a cholesterol test and check my electrolytes. The hospital was located in large park-like campus setting. Not as hectic or depressing as some Indian hospitals. We registered and were directed up to dermatology and were seen after a brief wait.
 
 
Ecchymosis
 
The doctor glanced at the spot from behind his desk and immediately said it was an ecchymosis. Nothing to worry about. I pleaded for him to take a closer look and be sure. He came around from behind his desk and looked closer. He explained that ecchymosis is a type of bruise which I may have gotten from my backpack strap. It will be gone in two or three days, he promised. Okay, I'll give it a few days, I said, unconvinced. (Sure enough, It did disappear after a few days.) He wrote a prescription for a cream for the ecchymosis as well as an order for the electrolyte test I requested. I went to the lab and gave blood and they agreed to send the result by e-mail. How is that for service?

For a late lunch, we settled for a mediocre Chinese place. Afterwards, Dave went to check out the motorcycles again. I decided to hop on auto rickshaw and go back to the hotel. Rickshaw taxis are quite cheap if you can get them to use the meter. It took me a few tries but I found a driver who would agree to use the meter. A dollar later, I was at the hotel.  


January 13, 2015 - Bought a Bike 
 
150cc is Enough

Dave focused on, and test drove, Hondas and Pulsars in the 15 to 30k rupee range ($235 - $470.) We did not consider a hip 350ccRoyal Enfield because that would have set us back over $1200 for one in reasonable shape. We had choices galore on Bell's Road here in Chennai. In the end, we opted for the conservative choice, nothing flashy, but a solid older (2006) bike at a good price ($285).Mr. Balajee at Sri Balajee Auto Consultants even promised to buy it back minus 10000 Rs when we return in 3 months.
 

Pongal, a Hindu 3-Day Festival
 . 
Balajee had his assistant drive with us to get an extra key made, a new battery and a new mirror. Check. Check. Check. We were making progress.

He took us to a metal workshop. Almost any kind of metal item can be custom made by these guys who are called "tinkerers." They can make the luggage carrier we need to carry bags on our motorcycle. Tinkerer #1 looked at Dave's drawing and said he couldn't do it. The design has curved pieces and he didn't have the pipe bending equipment. Making it with butt-joints instead of curves would be a weaker solution. Tinkerer #2 had a team of guys welding and working away. They had a big order in process which needed to be done before the Pongal festival. He said he could make our design but he could not start our project until after the 3-day holiday period was over.
 
It was a nail biter to keep up with the guy through traffic as we weaved our way to one shop after the next. We ended up at Balajee's office without a solution for the rack. Balajee suggested if we did not want to wait for the rack until after the holiday, we could just hang our luggage on the sides and go. He hasn't seen our luggage. That wouldn't work. Balajee made a few calls and came up with one more tinkerer to talk too. I went home while Dave went to find this 3rd tinkerer on his own.
 

Lucky to Find a Real Engineer 

Dave went to the new address and discovered it was in a neighborhood where they refurbish and rejuvenate auto rickshaws - body repairs, new paint, new upholstery, anything and everything. Now this was the place. A guy who didn't speak English was expecting Dave and told him to wait. He went back inside a shop where they were modifying a frame from a Royal Enfield. Dave was optimistic. 

When the guy returned, he and Dave walked 6 minutes to a 4th tinker on Washerman street. Dave was turned over to Mani, who spoke English well. Dave showed his drawing and Mani pulled out his smartphone and showed pictures of a dozen similar jobs he had done. Dave was in good hands but the price was 4500 Rs for a rush that would be done by the next morning afternoon. Dave expected to pay half that amount and they settled on 4000rs ($63) Ouch.

 
Ready for Approval
 
Dave, who had walked home from the place earlier, took me on a "scenic" walk over the railroad tracks and through slummy area where we skirted human feces along with cow pies. Dusty kids played ball with plastic bottles. And when they saw us pass, they held out their hands, mothers watching from a distance.

We turned into the rickshaw repair neighborhood. Now I got to see where the cute little three-wheelers get their engines worked on or totally revamped, new-paint cushions etc. We zigzagged through the small backstreets and I wondered how Dave remembered the way. They all look the same. "There it is" Dave said, the rack tacked together and ready for Dave's final approval. It looked great and Dave was happy. He gave them the thumbs up for final welding and installation on our new motorcycle. Mani said we can pick it up in two hours. 
   
We hopped on a rickshaw and drove to the EA (Express Avenue) shopping mall for some late lunch. It is a modern mall with a big Bazaar Hypermarket in the basement and a KFC, Pizza Hut and Subway Sandwich up on the food court level. Afterward , we walked down the road to the helmet shop and picked up two motorcycle helmets.

We walked back to pick up the bike. Those guys had worked hard to get the job done in such a short order. They did a great job. We were ecstatic.The tinkerers welded a piece on the kickstand, which we had not noticed it needed a repair. No extra charge.  
   
All the male staff at the hotel approved of our purchases. And Nayad, a hotel employee, wants to buy the bike when we return. "Don't sell it to anyone else", he told Dave. We have to admit, the bike looks pretty good. Boy, we were bushed again, It had been another long day.

 
Stupid All Your Life
  
Later that night. Dave went out to pick up some water. He returned with a dire look on his face. " bad news " he said...."It's leaking oil. It has no oil left in the reservoir". It was 10:30 pm by now, he was tempted to call Balajee but texted him instead. He replied swiftly: "Come by the shop at 10am, we'll take a look".
 

Motorcycle Spend Summary
₹18,000  $285.10  2006 Pulsar 150 cc Motorcycle
  ₹100    $1.58  Mirror 
 ₹1,450   $22.97  Battery 
   ₹50    $0.79  Spare key
   ₹750   $11.88  Michelle's Helmet 
   ₹850   $13.46  Dave's Helmet
 ₹4,000    $63.35  Luggage Carrier 
         $399.13  GRAND TOTAL

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==  Letter to a friend - Chennar January 2015 ==
======================================= 
First off - Happy New Year. Was your surprise visit home a great surprise for your parents? Hope so. You should be on your Iran trip by now. 

We spent the holiday in Kolkata and now are in south India. After renting a few times, we got to Chennai and decided it would be a good place to buy motorcycle because we could do a 3500 kilometer loop to the south, up to Goa and across to Chennai, sell it, then fly off to Sri Lanka. Plus, they have a real competitive market of re-sale and consignment all on one street (Bells Road). Perhaps Mumbai or Delhi have similar set ups.We think you might be interested in our latest shopping saga,
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Target Motorcycles: Honda Unicorn 150cc, 180cc Pulsar or 150cc Pulsar
(Enfields nice road vehicle but too heavy and beefy for city traffic for my level of ability. Too pricey. Plus much small maintenance will be needed on the way.)

Target Price: <25,000Rs (or up to 30,000Rs if we really have to)

Use: 3500km tour of south India, Chennai Pondicherry, the horn, Kerala, south Goa, and back to Chennai. Registration in NP means next owner should be from NP……

• 36,000Rs - 2011 Unicorn, Black, One owner, insurance to June 2015 (Chennai Motors) Good appearance, Did not test drive.
  
• 35,000Rs - 2012 Pulsar, Red, One owner. Good appearance. Drove very nice (Sri Balajee Automotive)
  
• 17,000Rs – 2004 Pulsar, One owner, looked and drove very nice, but still quite old (ML Motors)
  
• 18,000Rs – 2006 Pulsar, Two owners, looks great for age and drove nice but had work done to prep for resale; (head gasket, clutch, brakes) need to buy mirror and battery to make road ready (100Rs plus 1430Rs) (Sri Balajee Automotive)
  
• 20,000Rs – 2007 Pulsar, One owner, idled nice and looked nice but did not test ride (Sree Raamalingam Sons)
  
• 22,000Rs – 2008 Unicorn, grey, looked nice but test ride showed loose handling and engine a bit rough (Mano Bikes)
  

Hundred plus motorcycles at dozens of shops along Bells Road, in Chennai – Hondas, Yamahas, Enflelds, Pulars, Scooters. 180cc and 220cc were around too but fewer.

Sellers first pushed the 2012 or newer models at over 40,000Rs

Re-Registration would take 8 business days but since we'd be reselling in a few months meant it would be easier to not get around to it and just pass on the papers to the next buyer and let him do it. Out of state re-registration would be problematic.

Have insurance certificate (cheap but needs to be done in registered owners name) - With out registration, would be 'third party’, which means the prior owner’s insurance is still valid and any claims would have to be through him with his cooperation. But you’d have something to show the police and make song and dance about your friend.

Chassis and Engine numbers matched documents.

I discovered one helpful tactic by accident. After talking to a number of shops first, I finally picked one to test drive. I drove it up and down the street past all the shops. I told the guy I had other bikes to look at before I decided. As I walked up the street again, several shop keepers, who had seen me drive, offered bikes similar to the one I rode in front of them, at more competitive prices. I ended up picking the 2006 Pulsar for 18000. 

I was told that they do not price based on number of kilometers on the odometer. Nobody relies on that. They go primarily by model year and overall condition. A new 85000Rs bike would be 65000 one year old if like new. 45000Rs at two years old. 35000 at 3, if still excellent.

All said they would buy mine back when I get back to Chennai - assume about 100Rs per day depreciation. I actually had two shops try to stop me to make an offer on one bike I was test driving - they thought I owned it and not just testing. Today, two people expressed interest in buying the one I bought. One, from my hotel, seems very credible and said to show it only to him when I get back.

Two years ago in Ahmadabad, we bought a 2005 Pulsar for 21000Rs (when rupee was 50/$1 vs 62/1$). It wasn't in as good as the one we got this time but worked great for that 4000km trip. Resold it for 14000 with out of State registration. Ahmadabad resale market was not very competitive and I mostly found private parties selling questionable bikes, even with the help from local people.
 
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Well amigo, give us an update when your get back to India. We'd like to hear from you.
Happy Travels!
Dave and Michelle