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When Sepp departed on Sa, 18.02. I was quite frustrated. At that moment I also would have preferred to come with him back to Germany and not staying in that chaotic and dirty country. It was really fun with Sepp but suddenly being alone I was not going for anymore. Especially Chennai, which is maybe the most chaotic and dirtiest and stinkiest town I have seen in India, didnt improve my mood. There were also many,many mosquitos the last days in Chennai. The last time when we were there, there were very few of them. Maybe the mosquito time starts now. So I had to get out of the town as fast as possible. However, that was not as easy as I would like it to be. I decided spontaneously to go to the west to Tirumali where a very famous golden temple is. It took very long time until I found the right road. One reason was that nobody understood my pronounciation of the next town. I often made the experience that towns that begin with Tiru I obviously pronounce wrong. Then I always have to show the map. Some towns like Chennai are easy, there you even do not
have to get off your bike and just shout the name and the people show in the right direction. When I found the right road and the traffic was getting more quiet and I switched on some music it was OK again. Nevertheless I decided to go back soon.
The first days I caught up with my diary. I was alread about 3 weeks late. So I looked in the morning for a shadowy place to write some diary, rode some kilometres and looked early for a place to stay to write again. It was quite relaxing and I had luck that I wasnt disturbed much by locals. I was soon in Andra Pradesh, my sixth state and the sixth language in India and I think the 5th writing system. In India I was asked very often about my aim, my purpose of this trip. Here in Andra Pradesh I was asked this question even more often. I think they often dont understand my answer "No aim. Just for fun!" I think they often assume some religious reasons. Then probably they would understand such a trip better 😊 Near the temple there were again many pilgrims. Many with bald
heads, even the women. The hairs are sacrificial offerings. I think that is a better idea for offering, because that is the same for everybody, no matter if rich or poor. A few km before the temple I was surrounded by many kids. There was also a saxophone player. I said that I also used to play saxophone. That was a mistake. Of course, they all wanted me to play something. The musician was not a happy bunny about that but he was convinced to give me his instrument. And his scepticism was right, because I hardly got any note out of it. Shame! First I got many squeakings out of the instrument. The saxophone player was getting more and more afraid about his instrument. But with much squeaking I managed at least to play "Es war einmal ein Hamster" (what else 😊). I mumbled something that it is long time ago that I used to play. And additionally I used to play tenor sax and not alto sax... I was told that I couldnt go to the temple on my bike, that I have to walk (which I was too lazy for) or take the bus which was out
of question, so I returned. I was going back to the coast and following the Highway in direction to Calcutta.
One morning I was interviewed by a reporter. I was not really in a mood of giving an interview, since I always had to answer these questions. However, a few days later a guy on a moped told me that he has seen me in a newspaper. A shame that I didnt see the article...
My old camera that Sepp brought me also broke. Maybe it's due to the many,many viruses on my memory cards... At first I thought of not buying a new camera, I had the feeling that I had made pictures from everything, that I won't see very special new things at the end of my trip. However, I did decide to buy a new one after a few days. You can decide, whether it was worth or not 😊 So this was my 4th camera on the trip!
A truck driver spent me some water. Then he showed in direction of my dick and then he put his index finger to his mouth. I think this gesture was quite sure but I didn't
get it for a long time. But how could I expect such a chatting up in the middle of a day on a highway?
I was on a really good Highway, I think it is one of the few very good highways that connect the most important cities with each other. I decided to make much distance the last few days and break some records of my trip. Since the road was very good I could also ride in the night. However, the first hours in the night are quite challenging. The traffic is getting even more crazy than in the daylight. The people are coming from their work at home. Many ox wagons with huge loads. And of course, nobody with any lights. Even trucks sometimes without lights. And as you know, the direction of any traffic member is not always clear... But after a few hours it is getting really nice. The first day after this decision I made 176 km. And that just because I got some diarrhoea and a puncture. Without that I were going for much more! I was angry that I havent done my new day record. The next morning I was recognizing
that I slept in a garden of a family. The father was laying in front of me with a little picnic and was watching me while I was working at my bike. The two sons and a friend came also outside watching me. And as a reward of my sleeping in their garden without asking (I even made a big smelly heap last night in the corner, that I preferred not to mention) I was invited to have breakfast with them... With a fixed tube and a fixed diarrhoea I made this day my new day record of 206 km! Maybe it was also my record of total riding time with exactly 11 hours. And the series of breaking records held on. I was breaking all the distance records for one day to 25 days. I made in this 25 days more than 2500km. My ass was really hurting these days... I threw my cycle undertrousers away, I had not the feeling that they have some advantage.
In Andra Pradesh I saw unbelievable many people shitting at the border of the road. They even dont make the effort to hide in a bush. Before Andra Pradesh I havent seen
this in the daylight.
One evening I was invited by Anand who I met on the street. I could sleep in an empty house which was not finished yet. It was built for his brother who was marrying a few days later. The next day he showed me his little hometown. I was invited by a temple worker to have lunch there in the temple. But I was in the riding mode and wanted to do many km and refused the invitation. I think the guy was a bit offended and asked me where I would have lunch. "Somewhere at the road." - "You favour eating somewhere at the road over eating in the holy place??" - "Erm, yes..."
I was often annoyed by always the same questions. I think I was often quite unfriendly and annoyed by people who tried to talk to me. They often wanted me to stop to talk to each other or make pictures of or with me but I said they can do it while I ride. It was sometimes funny to see them trying to make pictures of me while riding on the street 😊
As you know, my bord
computer is broken, so that I have to estimate the ridden distance by the signs at the street. Mostly the signs at the highway were quite regular, every 2 km or so. But often there were no signs for a few hours or even two days. Or they were contradicting each other. For example one sign says 800km to Colcatta and after 2 hours it is saying 850km... By the way, Colcatta resp. Calcutta is again a name that I can't pronounce obviously. When I left the highway to get to a town or so and came back and did not know exactly in which direction I had to go, it was often not possible to ask for the direction because the Indians couldn't understand my pronounciation. I could not understand it because there are only two possible directions and "Calcutta" and "Chennai" are completely different names, I think. I often resignated and asked for Chennai which they had no problems to understand. Of course funny to see their confused faces when I rode the opposite side of their handsign... The Indian even often did not understand Calcutta when they asked me on the highway in direction to it where
I wanted to go.
When I arrived in West Bengal I made a shortcut to the NH2 leading to New Delhi, so I was not going to Calcutta. The quotient of traffic and street quality was surely in the top 5 of all streets I have seen on my trip. So the few days I regretted having done the "shortcut". In Bishnupur I was again in an internet cafe. I haven't made much before the usual power break down in the middle of the day for about 2hours. So I decided to stay there a night in a hotel. That was a very good decision because I heard then that the next day was the famous holi festival. I wanted to look for a book shop. One great conversation: "Do you know a book shop here in the near?" - "I am poor, I don't have a motor bike!" Ah, good to know...
I washed all my clothes in the hotel which was quite senseless with the colour festival the next day. I just wandered along the streets and looked what will happen. All children had a water gun filled with some colour and where shooting to everybody.
At first they were too shy also to shoot to me foreigner but when the first child started they all came and coloured me. I met a couple of young students on cycles who had enough colour munition for everybody. They asked me to join them. It was very funny with the guys. As you can see at the photos, we were really coloured 😊 While besmearing ourselves they showed me the famous temples of Bishnupur. I was a little surprised that everything was over about noon. We were in a lake to wash ourselves. I first thought that this makes no sense because we will get coloured again after a few minutes. But it was really over. I had problems to recognize all of them with (almost) no colours on their faces. I asked them what we will do now and they just say, dont know, go back to home... I convinced them to have some beer but first they wanted to have a lunchbreak. I was invited by one guy to have lunch with his family. He asked me if I have some clothes to change, but I had not. He felt pity about me and gave me
Photo 12
Anand and friends in the new house for his brother
a shirt. I invited the guys to a beer and after that I continued. Great day!
The next morning I awoke from noises of brushing the forest in which I was sleeping. At first, I haven't understood why they are brushing the forest. Did not seem to make sense to me. It took some time until I understood that they collect the leaves maybe for heating or cooking.
There are often people on cycles who want to show that they are faster than me. When I overtake them they get faster and overtake me again. If they would go away then it would be OK, but no, they have to get so slow, that I have to overtake them again and so on. If little kids are doing that it is sometimes funny but with the grown-up men it is getting annoying. The game is normally not during very long since they get to their destination or I ride a few minutes fast enough to get rid of them. But there was one guy who made this game probably one hour with me. I tried again twice to get rid of him by riding fast, but I had
no luck, he was faster.
The last days I was finally in Hindi spoken regions. I learned some Hindi in Berlin before I started the trip and I had vocabulary cards and a Hindi book with me and had very little chance to practise it so far. And now, when I could speak some Hindi I was not going for it anymore. I was getting used to communicate with hands, feet and some English words. For my Hindi practise it probably would have been better to do the trip the other way - first the North and then the South...
I went to Varanasi, the holy city at the Ganges. The Rough Guide warned that Varanasi is one of the most exhaustive cities in India concerning people that want to sell something or do unwanted services to tourists. And it was right. As soon as I went off my bike many touts that wanted to show me "cheap, very cheap" hotels came to me. I was lucky that I already had some recommendations of the guide. But one tout stayed at me and tried hard to lead me somewhere. I had to go through a really narrow alley.
Photo 14
temple in his hometown Additionally there was a very lifely bazaar in it. It was a challenge to come through there with my full packed bike, but I got it! In the night the alleys were occupied by many cows. Every few metres I was asked if I want to have some drugs. Only alcohol was not available there. Crazy! I was wandering along the Ganges and saw the many Ghats, where the people are meditating, doing yoga, praying, washing clothes or themselves, buying a chai or little snacks and so on. And between all of it many, many cows and also monkeys trying to steel some food or so. And at least the same interesting are the crazy, super alternative tourists making pictures or smoking joints. I was wondering if the Indians think that all Europeans or Americans and so on are so crazy as the people they see in their country. Of course, I look not better 😉
In the Rough Guide is written about the water of the Ganges that you should not mind the chemicals and human body parts, but the really severe things are the heavy metals that are led a few metres above into the river. Unbelievable
that all those people are having baths there. The problem of the pollution is known, but nevertheless they are doing it because it is believed to be holy water. It is even discussed if the water is still holy if it is cleaned. I think it is said, that the holyness is vanishing by cleaning it, but it is allowed to cook it. I think that this won't have much effect...
In Varanasi I found the last Harry Potter volume. Since Istanbul I was looking for it and I was so curious how it ends. In 4 days I have finished it. Then again nothing to do in the night. I still have the "Ridders" in Dutch that Meint gave me. Although I can understand it, it is very tiring to read it.
One night I slept in a potato field. The next morning I was awaked by the yielder. There was a tractor bringing the potatoes out of the earth followed by excited children running after it, followed by not so excited seeming grownups collecting the potatoes. I was at the border of the field and first thought I dont disturb but after a while the tractor
Photo 16
getting some food in the temple of the priest was waiting just before my tent that I go away. He didnt say anything just waited until I was ready. Embarrassing!
I went to Agra where the famous Taj Mahal is. Unluckily, the Taj was closed on that day I arrived there. And I didnt feel for staying in the big town one day longer. I was told how I can have a good view to the Taj for free so I went there. So I have seen the most famous building of India at least from outside. The Rough Guide also warned that in Agra the people are very exhausting but I had not made this experience. All people were kindly, helped me much and I had some nice conversations without having the feeling that everybody just wants to sell me something or lead me to cheap hotels or want to get me in their rikshaws. Maybe it is just because I am on the bike, don't need a rikshaw and no hotel and I am not a "normal" tourist (which in India is not so easy, I think).
My last destination in India was New Delhi. I was really surprised of Delhi. I thought the capital
Photo 17
good bye of the kids of the town... in front of me... of such a "chaotic" country must be especially chaotic. But the streets were big, not so much traffic as I was used to, many signs that say were you are, very little horning and quite clean. However, the next day I also have seen the chaotic parts...
I was staying in Paharganj, a quarter with many budget hotels. I got a room were no handle was at the door. I always had to say at the reception when I wanted to go into my room. I also could not open the door from inside. That was in one moment quite uncomfortable. One guy from my neighbour room had to vomit all the night. I awoke in the middle of the night and had to pi and couldnt open the door (the toilet was in the floor). I shouted for the reception but they slept well. But I managed to open the door with my knife. That was close!
The last weeks I tried to reach Air India to ask them how I can take my bike with the flight and how much it will cost. But I couldnt reach them per email and by phone not either. Even
Photo 18
...left side... locals that wanted to help me phoned the numbers and didn't understand what the electric voices had said. So I had to go to the office. I was first at the wrong address because they moved to another place but then finally found them. I found out that I have to pay about 20 € per extra kg. That is much!
Esther, a friend from Berlin, was also in India for a few weeks and had the flight back to Germany one day before me. So we met one day. She was staying in Majnu ka tilla, the New Tibetan Camp. I was moving to her hotel for the last two days. It took some hours for me to find it because there is also a Tibetan Camp (not new) and did not know that there is a difference. It was a pity that there was nothing to see at the moment because there were two Tibetan killed in Delhi I think a few days ago and for commemoration everything was closed. But Delhi has a metro (I think the only city in India with a metro) and we could easily go to the centrum. We went to the
Photo 19
... behind me national museum but it was closing soon so we did not go inside. We were at the Gate of India where a demonstration of Sikhs was. One Sikh explained us about the Sikh and the discrimination of them in India. We tried to go to the Lotus temple - already closed. We were at the Red Fort - too late. So we had a perfect timing, but it was nevertheless very funny. Back in the hotel I gave her all of my luggage that I don't need the last days in Germany. The next day Esthers flight was going. Although she had a few kg more than officially allowed she had not to pay any extra charge. I was going alone to the National museum, but I was really bored of it. I organised a box to put my bike in and took my bike apart. It was taking much time. Maybe it was also due that I watched TV and drank some beer in the meantime...
On 30.3. my flight was going to Germany. It took much time to check in with my bicycle. I was happy that I ordered the taxi early enough. Thanks to Esther I
Photo 20
sometimes there were so huge queues of trucks. Maybe because it was close to the border of Bangladesh? only had to pay for 5 extra kg. With very mixed feelings I flew to Frankfurt...
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You inspired a forum topic. :)
http://www.travelblog.org/Topics/31659-1.html