Indian and Nepali craziness

Going to India and Nepal was a very big change in my trip. I didn’t have the visa for China, so I had to take a flight to get there, I took my flight from Almaty in the south of Kazakhstan. These last meters cycling along the big Almaty Chanel, were also my last meters on Central-Asian ground.

following the big Almaty channel for almost 200km! Perfect way to get to the big city by bicycle. 

Some locals trying to drive on a closed road... 

I had become very comfortable in Central Asia, I got familiar with the local habits, the similar languages and typical food. Leaving this area so abruptly made me feel unsure again, as if I was going on a totally different holiday. I wasn’t sure if it was going to like India, and I was especially not looking forward to an overcrowded country, after the central asian emptiness; but at the same time I was curious, and in the end my curiosity took over and I felt ready again for new impressions.

Charyn canyon in Kazakhstan 

Arriving in Delhi was exactly as you would expect; it made me think back to the one time I was in a big African City. So many people and animals everywhere – it was absolute chaos! It made me laugh. I saw the chaos as an adventure in itself; therefore on day one, I was wandering around in the old city of Delhi, amazed by crazy situations on every street corner.

Good luck, electrician man! 

Being in India, maybe a once in a lifetime experience, therefore I wanted to use the opportunity to be a real tourist. So I took a few days to visit Delhi, Taj Mahal and Jaipur - the pink city.

The red fort in Delhi

Water Castle in Jaipur

Wind Castle in Jaipur

Jantar Mantar, astrological place in Jaipur

After, I took my bike on the train to Rishikesh, where I met a few old cycling friends and from there I launched myself into the big unknown: cycling in India.

Reunion with some cycling friends I met earlier in Central Asia.
Dave from Süd-Tirol, Rita from Austria and Ignace - Nacho from Belgium.

Enjoying good food in India 

So happy to be back on the bike!

At the least, I can call cycling in India 'a special experience'. It was hot, but hot in a sticky way. There is a constant noise of honking.

You can compare the honking over there, with our 'looking-in-the-back-mirror-reflex' - you do it maybe every 10 seconds, even if there are no other cars around.

They honk, just in case… well... you never know!

All the motorcyclists almost have an accident, because they can’t take their eyes off you. First they drive next to you for a few minutes, then they just look at you (without saying a word), sometimes taking photos (Usually I hide my face behind my scarf) and then they drive away, still watching you over their shoulder.

new country, different things you see along the road.. 

Cyclists?...Oh yes, there are cyclists!

Many, many cyclists.

Students who go to school, people who go to work, guys transporting big piles of stuff on their old rusty bikes.

Sometimes it went like this:

you keep your own average, but steady speed and you overtake a local cyclist,

the local cyclist is surprised, but wants to impress you or something,

so the local cyclist overtakes you again at double speed, s

so you turn with your eyes and make a deep sigh 'not again!'

because, 5 to 10 minutes later you overtake the same local, who is out of breath, but doesn't want to show it!

Thank god- you never see him again!

BUT BEWARE!!! Don’t try any varients on this routine! I tried once and I almost broke my foot.

On Indian roads there is no space for varients.

It's too busy.

Too many trucks, cars and motorbikes, giving you no space for any manoeuvres.

Cycling in India feels like skiing on a busy slope. You only take into account what's ahead of you and the people behind you will do the same.

Coming into Nepal was a little different compared to everything before: The people now also talked to me. There was actual interaction now, from 'Welcome to Nepal', to a guy on a bike who stuck with me for around 20km. The country felt more friendly and welcoming to strangers. I didn't have to bargain every cent here and if people wanted to help you, it felt more genuine and not just because they wanted money from a white tourist. Coming into Nepal from India, you have to let your suspicions float away again.

Not very reassuring to see this...

Spotting big and small animals in Bardia National Park. Unfortunately no tigers around..

I had been doubting for a long time whether it was a good idea to 'bike travel' in these countries. Now, in hindsight, it is not what I would recommend doing, except if you really have loads of time and you don't mind spending some of it on busy roads.

What I call: busy roads..

Kathmandu-smog

bus ride with the locals, because I thought the road was too dangerous for cycling

Don't misunderstand me: it was not all doom and gloom, some parts were really worth it: For example the road from Buthwal to Pukhara was just incredible. Although on other parts, I was sincerely scared for my life.

To reflect, I definitely would come back to Nepal or Northern India to bike, but on a full-suspension mountain bike and to explore the many trails it has to offer, in the more isolated areas. I'm convinced that there is so much more to do and the mountain bike scene in Nepal is very alive and popular.

students waiting for schoolbus

Students in school..

First view on Pokhara and the big mountains behind!! 

Well-deserved Belgian(!!!) french fries in Pokhara. The best I had on this trip. 

However as I didn't have my very nice rocky mountain slayer with me, I chose to discover the mountains by walking. Out of all the famous hikes around, I decided to do the trek to Everest Base Camp. Ultimately the main idea of my biking trip was to travel from Mont Blanc to Mount Everest, so I should at least see a glimpse of the big famous mountain. I prepared for the hike from Kathmandu, where i had a last chance to stuff myself up with delicious food and drink. I decided to hike on my own, without a guide, so just rented a pair of walking sticks. I had a little 30L backpack that would do and I hoped that my scarpa -mojitos would be sufficient to make it to basecamp.

visiting the old centre of Kathmandu

But first: LUKLA AIRPORT! One of the most dangerous airports in the world. And NO, I didn't feel comfortable with this, especially as the weather wasn't that good. I heard that people had been stuck for 10 days in Lukla, unable to fly out because of the bad weather conditions.

However it was not so bad as expected and I reached my destination with a safe and smooth landing.

3 stripes on the shoulder. That is good! 

The first few days on the EBC-trek were strange for me.

I had to adapt.

I was very fit from cycling, but I wasn't adapted to altitude any more.

So I couldn't hike up too far in one day.

By lunchtime I had finished my hiking day, and that was that.

I now had half days of not knowing what to do with myself, because I was so used to filling up my days on the bicycle, I’d hardly been taking any breaks.

And now, I was sitting there, with no book in my little backpack and not wanting to use my phone, in order to save the battery. (Everything is very expensive on this trek: including using the internet and charging your phone).

So, on the first day I watched the cows and horses walking by.

Second day I watched the birds and the clouds.

Third day I started to get really annoyed. I couldn't even admire the big mountains around me, because it was so cloudy.

First glimpse of Everest... behind the clouds!

Namche Bazaar

Eventually by the 4th day, I had made friends, enough friends to spend the other afternoons and evenings with.

A local mountain guide wearing our old Neige-Aventure jackets! Completely coincidence I found this guy!

In the end you see the same groups all the time because everyone goes to EBC.

Although, almost everyone else is doing this trek with local guides. I was kind of seen as a weirdo doing it all by myself and even worse, walking it in sandals. Even the local guides were intrigued by me. 'Who are you?, what are you doing here?' 'You came by bicycle????' And that is the moment they think you are even weirder, or are in full admiration, so much so, that they don't mind you hiking without 'paying for local guides.'

Even more: they are prepared to help you!

sherpa style... crazy guys those sherpas!

cooking water Nepali style. Electricity is very limited on this trek.

I got ill on the way up, I was vomiting all over the place. Not because of the altitude, but beacause of the bad food. Nonetheless, I never felt alone, because so many people were there to help me. By the last day walking up to basecamp, I was really not OK any more. The altitude had now got to me and I was at breaking point. Again one of the girls I had spent some time with helped me, giving me a big bottle electrolytes to drink. This saved me!

Denis on the left and his Nepali guide Kamal. We celebrated Denis' 82nd birthday (!!!) on the way to EBC. Impressive.

meet the goldfish team: Ingrid (sweden) Bikas and Raju, the nepali guides, Evelyse and Esteban (USA) and Tim (dutch)

The next morning I woke up at 3am to get to the top of Kalai Patar and see the sunrise from this 5600 summit.
I just adore walking in the darkness of the night, with only the stars above and a few headlights leading the way.
As the light was slowly sneaking in, I was more and more impressed and, ok, I admit it, being surrounded by these big mountains; Everest, Ama Dablam, Lothse, Nuptse, Makalu, and seeing the first sun-rays hit their immense faces, I was feeling quite emotional...
It was just mind blowing! I had finally made it to this place...and almost all the way by bicycle.

Moreover, I was touched by the spirit of the people around me.
On my way down I heard several times people shouting my name: “Liesbeth, how are you??” Sometimes I didn't even recognise them, their faces all covered with sun-protecting clothing.
But all these people I had met earlier on the trek.
I shared beers with, I played cards with, I walked together with them and they remembered me; this random girl, walking by herself. Some even hugged me! All this kindness, whilst surrounded by the unlimited beauty of the place... it felt overwhelming.

It was also here, in this little moment, that I felt proud of myself; not just because what I had achieved, but for how I had developed all these relationships, with so many different people along the way. Then by and by ,that moment of self pride disappeared, as quickly as it had begun, as I had to vomit again...

Flying out of Lukla went as smooth as the landing. Lucky me... I had survived the flight and twice without an accident! After which I had to make it through the 5 hours bus ride back to Kathmandu! Actually, I am having doubts about which is more dangerous: the flying or the Nepali bus rides. Bus drivers here, are just crazy people. Some of them should be locked up in prison!

So all this could have been the end of my cycling adventures. But is not, as some time ago I decided to fly back to where I started my trip: In Georgia. And from there, I would be cycling home. Direction home. Finally.

To be continued.