What am I thinking? How on earth did I manage to get talked into returning to India so soon, AND to pretty much the same places as last time?  Am I weak? (probably) Was I drunk? (almost certainly) Am I excited? (you betcha!).

The suggestion was floated at a recent Nam/Cam reunion that the next challenge could be to cycle Rajasthan.  Now, I did try and dissuade the group from this folly, ‘What about the prospect of cycling with Delhi Belly?!’ the reply was we’ll take daily preventative Imodium. ‘What about the crazy traffic and wild tuk tuk drivers?!’ the reply was that we cycled Ho Chi Minh so we can cycle anything India can throw at us. ‘What about random sacred cows in the middle of the road?!’ well, that’s what brakes and steering are for apparently. ‘What about the wild tigers in the Ranthambore National Park?!’  A moment’s silence. Well we will be jabbed against rabies so we’ll be OK.

I was out numbered and out gunned. It was a case of sign up, or be the green eyed monster in 6 months time when my cycling comrades jet off on their adventure leaving me behind. Like that was ever going to happen.

So it was as easy as that!  Deposit paid, commitment made, and husband placated (don’t even ask what I had to do for that).

The journey will take us on the Delhi-Agra-Jaipur route like the first part of our trip in September 2011. This time though I will be navigating the bottom of the triangle by pedal power which means the bits I have already seen before through the train carriage window will be entirely different; a bikes-eye-view if you will. Closer to nature, closer to India, and probably closer than I would like to a few sacred cows.

Yes, on reflection I can say I was both weak and drunk. I’m off now to start some cycle training… just in the hope of converting apprehension into excitement.