From Nepal, we moved to a more developed cricket nation for some more Twenty20 matches.
India – home of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the late Mother Teresa and more than one billion people in less than half Australia’s land mass.
Crowded you think, that’s an understatement, and a Delhi train station, our 13-hour train ride or a wander through the streets of Jodhpur (located in India’s north), rammed that point home and managed to hit every single bodily sense along the way.
From the beggars, to the kashmir rug shops and dodging motorcycles, bicycles, camels and tuk-tuks in between, was all simply part of a normal day’s existence.
So was a journey on a rick shaw but it had the adrenalin pumping more than a ride on the Bush Beast at Sydney’s Wonderland and brought me closer to the outside of a moving bus than I had ever been before.
But as Tim Robbins famously said as Andy Dufrense in the 1994 movie Shawshank Redemption, "get busy living, or get busy dying".
From the Jodhpur street scene to the Indian state’s highest point – the Mehrangharh fort – and dinner under the stars, in full view of the stunning speckled city and semi-desert, complete with traditional Indian music, dancing and food, with none other than the Maharaja (the King of Rajasthan).
And no, the King of Rajasthan was not Shane Warne, despite the fact he lead the Royals to victory in the 2008 IPL and the Victorians tried to vote him into power.
But in all seriousness, no words will do the magic of that star lit night any justice, however, it was a fitting way to spend our final meal together after almost seven weeks on the road.
In between the geographical highs and lows in India we experienced three Twenty20 matches (won two and lost one) at the Railways Stadium (a ground former Australian test player and Invincible Lindsay Hassett played on during WWII).
All matches were complete with music and commentators, some Rajasthan cricket representatives, on a deck that struggled to reach above Mini-Me’s knees, and an infield that would have been more at home on the dusty confides of the playground behind the Manse at St Peter’s in 1999.
Beyond the boundary and while still in the sub-continent there was also a safari-like trek in a jeep to remote villages and an opium farm all owned by a mysterious, yet friendly man named the Colonel; a tour of the Royal Palace; cricket bat hunting; an overabundance of cultural dances, music and traditional welcomes; and more curries than this chicken schnitzel loving boy from Bolwarra had ever come into contact with before.
And just like that, it was over.
One more hand of euchre in Jodhpur airport when our aircraft was delayed for an hour or so but we had done it.
Around the world in 50 days.
Nine countries, four continents and 24 matches.
A cricket experience, actually an experience, none of the tourists will ever forget, and for me, at 22-years of age, bloody lucky.
A couple of runs, a couple of wickets and a couple of beers with good people sharing good times all around the world.
Part of me did not want it to end but when the big kangaroo hopped into Mumbai I was one happy little Vegemite.
The freedom flight had arrived, people understood when I said, “G’day, how ya’ going”, Angus and Julia Stone were playing on the radio and I was homeward bound to 44 Kensington Road: Julie’s baked meals, Will’s beer out of the back fridge, Aimee’s laugh, Dan’s guitar and a much needed hug from Al.
Thankyou for sharing this unforgettable journey with me and I hope you enjoyed reading about it as much as I enjoyed doing it.
Until next time…
Josh Callinan
India – home of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the late Mother Teresa and more than one billion people in less than half Australia’s land mass.
Crowded you think, that’s an understatement, and a Delhi train station, our 13-hour train ride or a wander through the streets of Jodhpur (located in India’s north), rammed that point home and managed to hit every single bodily sense along the way.
From the beggars, to the kashmir rug shops and dodging motorcycles, bicycles, camels and tuk-tuks in between, was all simply part of a normal day’s existence.
So was a journey on a rick shaw but it had the adrenalin pumping more than a ride on the Bush Beast at Sydney’s Wonderland and brought me closer to the outside of a moving bus than I had ever been before.
But as Tim Robbins famously said as Andy Dufrense in the 1994 movie Shawshank Redemption, "get busy living, or get busy dying".
From the Jodhpur street scene to the Indian state’s highest point – the Mehrangharh fort – and dinner under the stars, in full view of the stunning speckled city and semi-desert, complete with traditional Indian music, dancing and food, with none other than the Maharaja (the King of Rajasthan).
And no, the King of Rajasthan was not Shane Warne, despite the fact he lead the Royals to victory in the 2008 IPL and the Victorians tried to vote him into power.
But in all seriousness, no words will do the magic of that star lit night any justice, however, it was a fitting way to spend our final meal together after almost seven weeks on the road.
In between the geographical highs and lows in India we experienced three Twenty20 matches (won two and lost one) at the Railways Stadium (a ground former Australian test player and Invincible Lindsay Hassett played on during WWII).
All matches were complete with music and commentators, some Rajasthan cricket representatives, on a deck that struggled to reach above Mini-Me’s knees, and an infield that would have been more at home on the dusty confides of the playground behind the Manse at St Peter’s in 1999.
Beyond the boundary and while still in the sub-continent there was also a safari-like trek in a jeep to remote villages and an opium farm all owned by a mysterious, yet friendly man named the Colonel; a tour of the Royal Palace; cricket bat hunting; an overabundance of cultural dances, music and traditional welcomes; and more curries than this chicken schnitzel loving boy from Bolwarra had ever come into contact with before.
And just like that, it was over.
One more hand of euchre in Jodhpur airport when our aircraft was delayed for an hour or so but we had done it.
Around the world in 50 days.
Nine countries, four continents and 24 matches.
A cricket experience, actually an experience, none of the tourists will ever forget, and for me, at 22-years of age, bloody lucky.
A couple of runs, a couple of wickets and a couple of beers with good people sharing good times all around the world.
Part of me did not want it to end but when the big kangaroo hopped into Mumbai I was one happy little Vegemite.
The freedom flight had arrived, people understood when I said, “G’day, how ya’ going”, Angus and Julia Stone were playing on the radio and I was homeward bound to 44 Kensington Road: Julie’s baked meals, Will’s beer out of the back fridge, Aimee’s laugh, Dan’s guitar and a much needed hug from Al.
Thankyou for sharing this unforgettable journey with me and I hope you enjoyed reading about it as much as I enjoyed doing it.
Until next time…
Josh Callinan
Pic: Two boys from country NSW and the King of Jodhpur. Wingham's Ben Cole (left) and me with the Maharaja in between.
