India 2017 - The Last Village

 

The trip started with a rush as I rode back from Wales (Horizons HUBB event) the day before. I hastily packed after unpacking. Took the train to London and tube to Heathrow. Flew from London to Oman with Oman Air (very good no complaints and loads of leg room). Getting off the plane in Oman was a surprise just how hot it was. Very quickly changed planes and we're back in the air to Delhi. On arrival took the Metro into the city and then a rickshaw to the hotel.

Exhausted by the time arrived. Spent the next day getting new glasses from a local optician as they are so cheap in India. Went to see Lalli Singh at Inder Motors and got the bike sorted. I was due to have a Royal Enfield Himalayan but his has had some major mechanical problems and was at the dealer. I had to settle for a Royal Enfield Classic Bullet but this one was brand new. Opted for soft panniers. Had lunch with Lalli at his office and chatted about adventure riding.

Disappeared off with one of his mechanics ‘Pinky’ for a test ride into central Delhi. All set for the lift off in the morning. Early start and rode out of Delhi east towards Meerut and the final destination was Rishikesh. Had to stop at a Royal Enfield Dealer in Roorkee to ask what the orange light on the dash was but was assured it was ok. They say everything works out in India. I was sitting in a coffee shop when I looked up and saw a sign for a RE dealer which was behind the next door building.

I made it to Rishikesh and found a great little hotel away from the madness of India with wifi and a good restaurant. £10 per night. I stayed for three days to explore the city and the River Ganges. Went to an Ashram and sat in their gardens before going to a ceremony to worship the river.

A bit of R&R. I then moved on north and headed for a place called Mana which is the last Indian Village before China. The pass is about 20 miles between village and border.

The journey up was twisty roads generally tarmac it was hot and lots of trucks and coaches all of whom appeared to wanted to get to wherever first. Wacky races. Lots of Sikh boys and men on motorcycles heading in my direction and many times I joined in with the group riding. I stopped the first night about 100km short of Mana. A motel quite expensive at £15 but I had HBO television and watched 3 blockbuster films including Suicide Squad. Good food. Had the most horrendous thunderstorm overnight which has appeared as common feature so far.

The next I headed north again the roads very similar but much more desolate. I made it to Mana but it was cold, snow in large drifts were still present and I knew I was at altitude (3200 m or 10,500 feet) I could feel the onset of the effects of altitude sickness.

I headed down 3km to a village called Badrinath which I later learned is a Hindu pilgrimage site. I had also passed road signs to the ‘Valley of the Flowers’ which is Sikh pilgrimage site and where all those guys were going.

I headed back South and just chugged my way along minding my own business. Stayed in a hotel and managed to watch the MotoGP from Assen on television and the Confederates Cup from Russia. Great set of guys and they all posed with the Ride-the-Planet flag. 

My plan was always to camp by the Ganges overnight but there are warning signs along the river about the dangers of camping due to the rapid rise and fall of the water level coming out of the mountains. Monkeys are also an issue. I thought I might be able to pitch up at a proper camp facility who provide tents, but do you think I could find them. I went down every little path on the bike but to no avail eventually I had made it back to Rishikesh so opted for the hotel again. Lucky, I did as the next day it absolutely poured it down and the forecast looks to stay that way for the next few days. I think a rest and read a book and take in the local sights by the Ganges. I had by now experienced rain every night and my soft panniers and kit were soaked. So glad I stayed in Rishikesh as it rained more than ever day and night, so much it was pouring down the walls of the hotel, on the inside.

I spent time exploring, reading, finding coffee and generally trying to rest my mind and body. After 3 days, enough was enough. I packed up and left. Again everything was wet. I rode out to Rishikesh south towards Haridwar and I planned to meet up another rider from Roorkee and have coffee. That didn't happen as I don't have WiFi to contact him and couldn't find any. Sorry Ajai. The ride was quite easy although in parts the road was very busy. Passed through a elephant crossing area and tried in vain to spot one in the wild. Found a tiger sanctuary all things for future trips.

As I left Roorkee the rain came, I sheltered for a while but gave up and I was soaked to the skin and everything I had was also wet and damp. Even the bandages in my first aid kit had to be chucked because they were so wet.

The plan was now to go to Meerut. Meerut was the scene of the Indian mutiny against the British Raj in 1847, the birthplace of the British withdrawal and independence.

So why was I going there…. A very good friend of mine is doing her family history and she found her Great Great Grandmother died in Meerut and was buried there in 1865. As I was so close I offered to find the church and get some snaps for her. Well I found the church only by its spire and a quick off-roading trip, however it was quite simple by road but why do the easy thing. 

St John's Church Meerut is part of the Indian Army Garrison in the city, the same garrison the British had in their time. The church is only open on a Sunday and has a small congregation of Indian Christians. Nobody was around so I hopped over the wall and had a wander around taking pictures of the church and overgrown gardens. The churchyard is overgrown with cannabis plants, like we have nettles the Indians have cannabis.

A man arrived on in an auto and wanted to know who I was? and why I was there? and could he help? The kindness of strangers. He also hopped over the wall and went in search of the caretaker. Then a lady on a motorbike arrived with her daughter. Where are you from? And 20+ questions, she was the main source of information about the church. Then another group of lads turned up on motorbikes, similar questions and then the selfies and gangster handshakes. Started to feel like some kind of film star here with all the questions and photos. Bless if the Indian army then arrived, I thought I might be in trouble for being on the garrison. Now you expect the army to arrive in a tank, or armoured car or even a Landrover….no they arrived on a pushbike. Again the questions but not in an official manner just the Indian curiosity. Anyway I explained the whole story again….friend...grandmother...buried. He said but why are you here the graveyard is 500m up the road. ”Graveyard” I said. He then took me and I followed him on his bike.

There 500m up the road was St John's Church graveyard, it's massive and been in use since the late 1700’s. Between us we spoke to the caretaker and his assistant, his wife, his daughter, the caretakers assistants friend.

I explained the story….but I was referred to the big sign next to the gate. No unexpected foreigners can visit, permission must be sought from the priest and must show my passport. Now interestingly enough as soon as the soldier left I was invited in through the locked gate and given tea and all the hospitality one could ask for. They got the local priest on the phone...yes you guessed it I explained the story again.She gave me permission as long as I gave the caretaker a copy of my passport and signed the visitors book. I agreed to come back the following day to visit officially.

I went off into Meerut and found a hotel. Quite expensive but 24/7 security, restaurant, WiFi, satellite television. All the things I could wish for. Except they kept coming to my room, bought coffee (not ordered), water then collected coffee cup, food order confusion, then the food. At 11pm the night clerk wanted the bike keys to put in the basement, then brought the keys back. Grrr. The security guard outside was a nice chap probably earn't pennies for being there, he escorted me to the local shop to buy a cold drink, so I bought him a 40p bottle of lemonade. He was so taken that overnight he washed and cleaned my bike - no charge and I certainly didn't ask him. When I thanked him he said ‘You are our guest and we should treat you like god’. A BIG thank you and a ride-the-planet sticker.

Back to the graveyard but I was an hour early. So I went to the church thought I might find the caretaker and get a sneaky look inside. I had only been parked outside for minutes when a motorcycle pulled up with Jasvinder and his son. I explained the story...but he said you have an hour to wait please come to my house and have tea and wait. So I did, he lived a few minutes ride away. His wife looking slightly shocked at seeing a fully clad British motorcyclist entering her house. We sat in house which was a small government appointed house for Jasvinder's local government job (Translator). We talked and had water, tea, nibbles and tried to speak some English with his son. Ride-the-plant sticker proudly mounted on his laptop. A very enjoyable time and Jaswinder has invited me to say in the future and even visit his home village, meet his parents and see how the real rural India lives. Facebook friends now.

Then I went to the graveyard and it was like meeting my oldest and best friends. I was welcomed in the home of the caretaker and his wife, met the children and the assistant caretaker and his friend were even there. Tea, nibbles, food, water hospitality, love and respect. The kindness of the Indian people blows me away especially this trip as I travel solo. We eventually went out into the graveyard looking for stone from 1865 as they explained they were buried in year groups but around the graveyard in different place. So eventually we tracked down 1865 and we didn't find the gravestone we were looking for but did find a infant stone from the same day. Many stones have been destroyed by the weather, been stolen or smashed over the last 150+ years so it was a long shot. The bigger and more impressive stones made of marble have survived quite well. Many commonwealth war graves in one corner. Only afterwards did they tell me the graveyard has cobras but they don't really attack humans. Oh great! I was hot and very thirsty walking around for 90 minutes hunting that grave and it quite a while for me to cool down, rehydrate and feel good enough to leave. I completed the visitors book and had the obligatory selfies and left but it was just like leaving relatives you had seen in many years. Awesome time.

I left and went the hard route through Meerut city to find the Delhi road. Busy busy busy but fun. My plan was to stay in a hotel outside Delhi and then travel back in the next morning, but every hotel I stopped at was uber expensive and I was only 20 miles from central Delhi when I made the decision to run for Karol Bagh and my last hotel which I trust and like staying in (Amrit Villa). I had been told about an app called ‘map.me’ which could navigate offline with no data. It was awesome took me from my position through Delhi to my hotel with no issues or wrong turns, this was going to make city surfing much easier. I arrived at the hotel they had a room, within 5 minutes the heavens opened and it rained for the next few hours like cats and dogs.

The next day I didn't actually feel my best tired and exhausted maybe a knock on from my Thyroid condition. So apart from going out for a short walk and getting food I pretty much hibernated for 24 hours.

Next day was 100% again. I messaged the Delhi Bikers Adventure Tour Group (DABTG) to see if they wanted to meet as I was a UK follower and had been for years. A very useful Facebook page if you want to travel in India. Not only advice of where to go lots of current advice about permits and weather etc. Message them and they can help you plan a trip or you can even join them on an organised trip.

I went on a sightseeing trip around the city taking in the sights including Connaught Place, India Gate, Embassy district. I went Khan Market to the Royal Enfield dealer, had a French breakfast and a walk around the shops. I then made my way across the city to a district called Saket and I was trying to find the Hard Rock Cafe for a friend and buy him a T-shirt. Google maps has the HRC at the wrong shopping mall but eventually I found it had a drink and bought a t-shirt. I then crossed the city again to RK Purham and went to ASHA the volunteer organisation I worked with 2014. I went for coffee with Freddie the Associate Director to catch up on things.

That night I was exhausted and after food an early night was had. The awesome app had taken me all over the city all day.

The next morning the plan was to return the bike but DABTG messaged me and we arranged to meet at Starbucks in Connaught Place and have a chat and swap stickers. Anyway Prakhar arrived and we started chatting. We both have a passion for motorcycles and travel and we could have talked for many hours but at 2 I had to make a move. We swapped stickers and advice. He told me to come back and no hotels to stay with him and we would go motorcycling. The kindness of strangers…..

I even had a ride around on his motorbike before we had photos and we left together.

I took the bike back to Lalli Singh we sorted out the fees, I lost both foot rubbers and water damage to the spare brake shoes was unrecoverable. It cost about £8 to sort that out. The rest of the afternoon was wandering around the bike spares shops in Karol Bagh to see what was for sale. Managed to pick up some great Royal Enfield stickers.

Last full day in India I had to pack, that took 10 minutes. So went wandering again. Outside a Hindu temple I was approached by Ravi who wanted to explain it was ok to go in. We started chatting he was a tourism student and auto driver, he was interested in practising his English and we ended up standing outside the temple chatting for well over an hour.

I had arranged to a taxi for the airport the next morning and struggled to sleep mainly fearing that I would miss my flight !!!! At one point another guest was sat outside my room with his phone on speaker, a female voice screeched right through me. After 10 minutes of his I went out and had words….I am not a rude person but sorry I was rude to him. He crept off and I went to sleep. I got up on time made it to the airport and caught my flight to Oman and then onto London. Although the flight was cheap I feel it is worth a little more to go direct. Tube across London and the train back to Kent. Mrs G and to my surprise Andy one of my best friends was waiting at the station for me. I was glad to be home especially on my daughter's birthday but very glad to see Mrs G who I had missed an awful lot.

Final Thoughts:

Looking back the first week was a struggle travelling alone but mainly not being able to share such wonderful sights that India has. Once I was past Rishikesh and on the road it all came together. I didn't plan on this trip to do millions of miles I wanted to go at my pace and see some interesting things and calm my body and mind in a spiritual place. I think I achieved this. I met some wonderful people and the country always amazes me. Although I am now home my mind always drifts back to India and I do miss the beep beep of the cars. Thank you India for another wonderful experience. I will see you soon.