Curry on Rickshaw

Went to the Indian High Commission in London last week and got my Indian Visa.  I read this before going: Queue info and the info was pretty accurate and helpful.  I turned up at 7:50am ready for the opening at 8:30am.  I was 83rd in the queue and got into the building by about 8:45am.  Another 5-10 mins to get my application in and then an hour for the application to be processed.  I was out by 9:50am so was about two hour wait.  Even though I asked for a 3 week single entry visa they have given me a six month multiple entry visa.  The waiting area was pretty busy by 9am but the experience was fairly efficient.  There were a few people moaning but I think it helped reading about the process before going as there were few instructions inside the building.

Thanks to all the very generous people out there. We have gone over the £1,000 mark now. But no stopping there as all donations are going to charity. So yet again, we have upped the target to £1300 for those that still want to donate. There is a link for you to donate to that charity at the top right of this page or click here. In addition, any organisations who wish to sponsor the rickshaw on its Indian travels are welcome to contact us.

Thanks for the shout from Nirali Magazine!  The buzz is really starting!

Turns out someone dug up a poem about some character called Jim Rook…..thanks Jarvis for appending the last line. Have no idea who this author was. Well i’m still alive so it’s not specifically about me thankfully. Maybe we should get some decent fireproofing for the rickshaw or aspestos suits though!

JIM ROOK ( Mr. C. N. Jolliffe 1894 -1989)

Jim Rook, Jim Rook
is fast asleep
amongst old friends
near Cudnell Brook

Jim Rook, Jim Rook
he has no need
of worldly things
in Andrew`s Mead

Jim Rook, Jim Rook
will tell no more
his village tales
of the rich and the poor

Jim Rook, Jim Rook
here lies he
he made his mark
now he is history!
(underneath a burning rickshaw)

Flights are booked which was not as easy as we expected as India appears to be a popular destination for Xmas.  We are flying out of London Heathrow on the 25th December Air India at 21:30 arriving into Mumbia/Bombay at 11:40 on the 26th.  We then get a flight from Mumbai to Cochin Air India at 14:45 arriving at Cochin at 18:40 also on the 26th after a mystery stop somewhere probably Bangalore.

Our bags will be sent to Hong Kong and finally make it to Cochin shortly after we set off on the rickshaw to Darjeeling.  They will never be seen again.

We are flying out of Delhi on Sat 13th January at 11:55 getting into Heathrow at 16:05 which gives us just over two weeks for the adventure.  Note to self: Have to work out how to get from Darjeeling back to Delhi for the flight.  Jim has booked a flight on the Sunday to get him back to Dublin.

We’re overwhelmed with the generosity out there. We obviously set our target amount way too low. The bar has now been raised to a cool grand. So keep the donations coming in. Don’t forget that all of the money that is donated at the Just Giving site is going to charity and not to us. Oh yes, you will need a credit card to donate at the Just Giving site. But if there is anyone without a credit card who wish to donate too, or are a bit wary of putting their credit card info on a web site (It is safe!), please contact us at mailto:rickshaw@higham.co.uk or indeed on the other email addreses that you have for us. We can pledge the cash via the charity site using our credit cards and you can get the cash/cheque to us directly one way or another. The Just Giving charity site will still reflect your name so everyone can see what a philanthropic person you have been! Keep up the good work people!