You're gonna need a bigger boat

There I was, just innocently frolicking in the surf at Goa, when I stepped down and something moved beneath my foot. And then bit it. Hard. It damn well hurt. Having got back to shore there was a reasonably steady flow of blood spouting forth from the wound, so after a splendid spot of bandaging administered by Nina, one of my fellow truck riders, we decided to sample the Indian healthcare system. Apart from waiting for a ridiculously long time at Casualty check-in desk (well, there was one other patient), it was a thoroughly impressive performance. A couple of nurses cleaned it up then in came a doctor in flip-flops, anaesthetized it, cleaned it up and put a stitch in, then the nurse bandaged it up and we were on our way. With a bill for 15 quid. Bargain. Although it was agony when the anaesthetic wore off – I was writhing around on my bed wimpering like a baby. Anyway, all well now.

The same can’t be said of the truck sadly. Needless to say the part being flown from the UK still hasn’t arrived and the Indian mechanics working on it in Goa made such a mess of putting the rear suspension back together that after 180 kms to Jog Falls a couple of bolts had popped out and one strut was hanging considerably lower than the other. According to driver Dan it was putting a lot of pressure on the rear axle and it could have snapped which would have caused the truck to roll. So that’s good!

You're gonna need a bigger boat

Goa, India