Well, it certainly has been an emotional last couple days. As you may have guessed from the lack of a blog entry on thursday I wasn't in much of a state to write anything. Unfortunately I got hit by the cursed Dehli Belly. It started after we sat at the back of the open top truck for the tiger safari (which was shit by the way as we didn't see any tigers) and got shook around so much on the bumby ground that my stomach didn't know whether it was coming or going! We then had to jump on the coach for a couple of hours toi reach our starting point for the day. That's when it started to get worse, and I threw up twice, thankfully in to plastic bags! The doctor gave me all sorts of drugs, including an injection of I don't know what.

So I was in no state to ride that afternoon, but fortunately we were only riding about 30km, so I didn't mind missing it too much. When we arrived at the hotwl that evening it all started coming out the other end of me - through the eye of a needle if you get me drift - and I went straight to bed. I had a really high temperature too so the doc gave me some antibiotics (yet more drugs!) and I tried to sleep it off. The diorreaha (sp) was still bad in the morning and I could only manage a couple of pieces of toast. A few people said I looked that bad that I shouldn't ride and I am sure most thought that if I did start I wouldn't finish the day - we had about 65km to do. I was determined to give it a go though, and if truth be told I was sceptical myself about my chances of finishing.

I have to say that that days riding was one of the hardest things I have ever done! I was so drained of energy it was like riding with the brakes clamped on. As the day wore on and it got hotter it got more and more difficult. One of the girls in the goup, Hannah, had also been ill and was doing really well to still be out there. The one thing that kept me going as I was riding was the thought of how proud my parents would be of me, and of how my mom battled through her breast cancer, so I knew I could do it.

When we did reach the end it was one of the most emotional experiences of my life. A mixture of relief and pride and exhaustion. I have to say how well Simon did too, I am sure that there were many people that may have doubted whether he could do this or not, but his training and perserverence paid off!!!

We drove the last part in to Jaipur as the traffic is too mad, and got to thhe hotel last night. Again I went straight to bed, I think I used up my last ounce of energy to finish the ride. Unfortunately I missed the award ceremony in which Simon won the 'Rosy Cheeks' award - I am presuming for the facial ones and we all had fairly rosy butt cheeks! I won the award for 'Perservering In The Face Of Adversity', which I am very proud of!

So we have a free day in Jaipur today. It feels very strange to be not getting on a bike, not that I am complaining! Of to see the Fort and hopefully the elephant festival! Back to Dehli tonight and fly down to Goa tomorrow for a week of relaxation, can't wait!!!!

Ian and Simon