The road to Badrinath.

Blending in flawlessly with the pilgrims.

7256metres high, how many Carantuhals can you fit in that?

there is no comas on this keyboard!

I have come to the conclusion that I am a gluton for punishment. Like most conclusions of this sort it did not hit me all at once but dawned on me gradually over the last 10 days. having so much time alone with my thoughts with only Rocanate to affer an opinion which although he is a very astute bicycle a bicycle he remains. conclusions are slow in coming if at all so it was with some relief that I concluded at least one in the past fortnight.

It was while I was returning to over 3000m and 7km away from the Tibetan border that this notion first announced itself to my cerebrium. The last 10 days contained a demoralising amount of descents and when you are ascending to 3400m from about sealevel it equates to a horrific amount of climbing . Even yesterday as the road followed a youthful Ganga down to Rishikesh (my current abode) Indian engineers deemed it fit to stick in a 20km climb. at km 70 of my 120km day I was needless to say unimpressed. As I was struggling through 10.20.30 and even 40km straight climbs over mostly diabolical roads while novilty airhorns were continually trying to make me deaf from the passing trucks for the first time an evil voice in the back of my mind spoke up "get a bus" it whispered maliciously. of course refusal was my reply but he persisted and it took all my bike-ho attitude to get me here without using a four wheeled beast. The resulting conclusion was easier to come across. I need a break!

But the last 10 days despite the almost relentless climbs. bad roads. heat and ear piercing horns have been glorious. A pilgramage route in India must be the gretest path to follow on a bicycle. I shared meals and conversations with babas who dotted the route with brilliant orange and recounted Kim-esque tales of their nomadic lives. On two occasions truck loads of sikhs pilgramiging from the Punjab hailed me over to enjoy a delicious roadside Thali prepared in their truck. to interrogate me in the blunt Indian manner ( by the end I was starting to believe that 24 is very old not to be married and went through a list in my head of possible wives!) and posing (always helmeted) for their latest in camera phone technology. It is hard to get used to see a fully garbed long bearded Sikh looking the same as his fore-fathers did remove a trendy nokia phone from his cotton folds. Being on a bicycle and struggling I believe promotes a better relationship with the pilgrims and not once did I have a babas tiffin box dangled my way in hope of a few ruppees contribution. they all just seemed to want to share.

The scenery as I hope the photos will somewhat portray was astounding and for the first time on my trip 7000m plus mountains were deshrouded of their clouded masks an revealled their full splendour to me. Badrinath. the furthest I reached was in easy hiking distance to the view of three such peaks. this coupled with the towns huge religios importance with hot springs flowing in to the white watered Ganga beside a splendidly colourful and ornate temple made it a great place to pass a few days and converse with pilgrims of all castes and heritage.

Rishikesh so far seems the perfect place for a weeks rest and with yoga couses a plenty. a weeks top up course maybe in order. If my feet get itchy in the next few days. rather then packing my bags as usual I may resort to just a good scratch.

The charming man from the internet cafe has just removed my camera usb form the computer and told me its not allowed so photos will be uploaded at a later time.

Nainintal is called the Switzerland of India, infact alot of places claim such a title with pride in these parts that surely Switzerland is the Himalayan India of Europe, hardly important but the atmosphere of thriving to be European to be found in these parts is starting to get to me. It truely is a beautiful place and resembles the Alpine slopes of the Portes du soliel so much I was starting to get a little nostalgic on my 35km climb up here from the sweltering plains, that was until a troop of monkeys sauntered across the road which promptly reminded me I am very much in India. The road up here was great and passed large Colonial mountain resort hotels which reminded me of Kiplings India when the Raj did as I have just done and escaped the horrible heat of the plains to a more civil climate.

The road from Pokara took me 9 days and just over 800km mostly in heat that a pasty Irish lad has no right to be doing anything but sitting in an air con bar sipping on a guinness, but one has to do what one has to do and it was very enjoyable to be riding flat well paved roads again through national parks and remote vilages. It also provided me with a few mini adventures, the above swollen river barred the way of modern transport, but there is no obstacle too big or gushing for my Rocanante, laughing off the protests of the stranded passengers I removed my socks and shoes and ventured forth, having done so so many times in Tibet, this though was the deepest yet with water flowing to my waist and a couple of times I nearly had to wave goodbye to my trusty steed as the current was a little stronger then expected, despite a signal from a pesky Nepali that there was a crocodile behind me and having seen alot at past bridge crossings I managed to make it without adding extra soilage to my bicycle shorts. This animal fright was not reserved to river crossings, an illegal night camping in the national park renowned for its large bengali tiger presence proved I am not as brave as I thought and the things that go bump in the night contrived to me not having a single wink of sleep and being nothing short of petrified for most of it, will not be doing that again in a hurry. The rest of the trip was relatively uneventful, visited the birthplace of buddha, met two Nepalese on the last pass in Nepal and ended up staying in their house for a couple of days and been invited to countless meals and houses, only accepting a few. Travelling alone does have its drawbacks but its advantages far outweigh these.

It really is great to be back in India and being on a bike gives it other dimensions, for one people think you are so crazy and poor they tend not to try to rip you off which is a welcome change. There are a few downsides aswell, deafness, I fear is just around the corner for me with the Indians love of the airhorn, the heat and dust has given me an eye infection and the meandering cow is an obstacle not to be taken lightly! After here I shall be going further North in to the Himalyas to the source of the Ganga with the rest of the pilgrims and then follow it down to Rishikesh where I hope to meet some friends.

Christianity has a long way to go to make a serious impact on the plains of Nepal.

Leaving the Himalyas in Nepal.