Easy Rider??? I think you have never tried to cycle around Sikkim "Yeti" or you would not call us Easy Riders......
And the sweeping statement was made by a Sikkimese person, not us, we just reported it. I think we also wrote that Sikkim was very developed compared to other areas of India we visited. I understand you may disagree with the views of the person we quoted but they are the views of at least some people in Sikkim.
Slaves ???? Wish you " Easy Rider" types would do a little more research before making sweeping statements like India treating Sikkimese like slaves.... Sikkim is a state with a lot of concessions for its inhabitants and poverty is unknown (compared to India).
Hey, I'd like to to go to Quetta, but I'm a white American male. How much of a problem do you think this is? By the time I reach Pakistan I will have been in the Middle East for four months including Palestine. So at the very least I will be more acquainted with the Third World. But...I want to keep myself safe. What do you think?
coffee ?? oh well .. amigos .. once you are back ... we will make a you a coffee :-) but for now .. keep going ... there is nothing to miss here .. oh well ... us .. but it's not enough .. :-)))))
kisses from robb and ania
Going to Thailand? Hiya Pals
Are you going over the Friendship Bridge to Thailand? We were up on the Mekong, at Phu Kradung, a few years back. They also seem to eat anything that can't run fast enough, but in larger quantities! Festival season starts here in a few weeks with Knochengorroch, we'll have a boogie and think of you. Happy Trails. Love, Shirl and Dave
Very many thanks! This blog is another great one for which I am grateful for your efforts to write it and to load the photos. Also, I am always so happy to read that you are well even if tired.
Your travel log in Baluchistan brought back hundreds of vivid memories when I travelled there in 1988, even the trucks looked the same.
You may be interested in my new books on Pakistan. One Way to Pakistan and An oath of Vengeance. Authorhouse Press, or google my name harold bergsma for my web site and places to access these novels. The third of the trilogy, The Opium Eaters is due for release in NOv. Love to hear from you. I speak Urdu. Harold
Another great entry Yes, once again inspiring! And sitting here in a Guwahati internet cafe I appreciate the effort that goes into getting te most basic blog written and uploaded!! Happy roads!!!!
Hello again We were beginning to wonder if you had disappeared in the misty mountains never to be seen again! Great to hear from you and lots of good photos this time. It's hard to believe you have been gone for 3 years. Keep on truckin'! Love, Shirl and Dave
Love your blogs! So where is the end of the road?!? I love this entry, the mountains are spectacular as is the culture. The "giant aloe" is actually an Agave though, native to the Americas. In fact it looks like Agave americana: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Agave_americana4.jpg
looking froward to the next post, Cheers!
A gorjussssss, lovly, country, its so peacefull Albania, is sucha a peacefull, lovly country, n yes its beaches are the best, trust me, so relaxing, its such an adventrues country, thers much more to it then gangsters, the people in it are such hard working people, they work for ther money, and the work for their Mercedes Benz, i guess u need 2 have longer visit to c the true meaning of Albaina, cuz if u really visited Albaina, there would not be a need for sarcasm. :)
theman how can you refer to anybody as racist when you say "hi response to a stupid un educated person who only like any other jew highlights the here and now "
pretty ironic to me:]
Hey. I have just read your adventures and they make my mtn biking seem pretty lame - I prefer to take the lift to the top of the mountain before I dive off. Really glad to see you are doing so well and not locked up in a cubicle somewhere being nerdy! It looks like you made an awsome choice.
Christians In India As an American I spent almost a year in Assam with my wife teaching prior to 2000. Although Christanity has been in India for many years many problems begin in Assam in the 50's with fundementialist like the Baptist that spread fear of Hell and could not accept anyone who was different especially the tribal cultures.
Good was done as they brought in schools and helped in many ways but the divisions created by there attempt to make everybody think and believe the same thing was a disaster.
This region was first a matriarchal society that had been stable for hundreds of years. Christanity being matriarchal upset the whole society and the violence from this inability to coexist continues distroying families and communities to this day.
It is true there there have been Christains in india for 2000 years. The buddists in Tibet have records of Jesus's years there prior to the short three year 'biblical" time. Many like me beleve Jesus survived the cross and lived the remainer of his days as a holy man in the Kashmir region. There is old Jewish community there and even a tomb there still venerated by many. Many records still are in existance that make this belief credible.
Thanks for your positive comments on my home city Kashgar.
But the reality is very different from what you understood. The modern Kashgar cannot benifit much to indegenous Uyghurs. In actuality, Kashgar's water, air and soil are polluted severely. I give you an example. Just 20 years ago, the Tuman River was very clean and we we used to drink its water. It was very wide and there were plenty of trees and other plants on bothsides, there were birds singing... Then, the two sides were filled with rubbish given to built houses and buildings. Just 20 years ago, there were clean water used to flow in small streams, there were big orchids. Fruits were abundant, no chemicals, not many deseases.
Since the last 20 years, Ughur lands were taken and the city modernized for Han Chinese immigrant. The envoronment has been destroyed. Many types animals and pants were exticted.
Indigenous Uyghurs, native animals, native plants have been suffering. The Uyghurs' life expectency dropped significantly. Uyghurs have lost a lot in this Modern Xinjiang.
Hundred thousands of Uyghur were killed, imprisoned and even tortured to death just for political reasons.
Big waters were diverted for immigrant Han Chinese, Uyghur houses, orchids, pastures, forests... are destroyed to build good roads, big buidings for those immigrants.
Atomic bomb test: 46 times the result?
Forceful Aborted Uyghurs: 3 million
Executed Uyghur for Political Reasons:
Forfully occupied land and water:
Uyghur life expectency dropped:
exticted animal and plant species:
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
all need to be researched!
Awesome! Yes, I am in awe of your journey...what an incredible trip....and nice to know that there a few "holes" in the bureaucracy that let you cycle through. Maybe it indicates a slightly more relaxed attitude?...which if true, could lead in the future to a more welcoming official attitude to adventurous tourists. Maybe some high level officials should read blogs like this and realise that they actually inspire people like me (who are too old/busy/unfit etc to do such a bike-ride) to think about visiting such wonderful lands.
What an awesome journey Great photos and such a wonderful experience for you. I look forward to reading about your next adventure ... keep them coming!
I stumbled across your blog a few days ago and read it non-stop from start to your most recent blog, it took me 4 days! It all looks completely amazing and i'm getting a serious case of itchy feet! Hope you're both still enjoying in all. Liz x
thanks for an honest insight into Palestine thanks for a very interesting and informative insight into the situation in occupied Palestine. While the Palestinian people seem to bear up with fortitude to the daily humiliation and oppression of the colonisers, it's ultimately depressing to think that the lives of generations of these innocent people have been blighted and sacrificed as the west's 'payment' for the crimes of the Nazi's.
For israeli's who object to this article, please remember that in colonising Palestine you are gulity of theft.
amazing hello there robin and erika
i met you last year first in jerusalem and then in dahab in sinai.
i am in sinai again now and it is amazing to think that i met you here 18 months ago and now you have just witnessed the roof of the world and looked at everest from your bicyles, amazing. so it took you 18 months to get there, how long will you keep going i wonder.
i managed to get here to sinai this time without flying, by bus train and boat. I'll try by bicycle next time!
now i am wondering what your route is?
if you will be making it back to the UK by going round the world, will you be going via China, Russia and Alaska, and then who knows, by boat back to UK or what? happy xmas guys!
Hey guys, thanks for another amazing update. I have been touting your journal to friends of mine and encouraging them to read it too. Sounds like you have seen some of the most amazing things on your entire journey in Tibet, you sound like you are having a much, much better time here than you were in India. I'm so pleased that your reason and love for the travelling has been rediscovered.
Most recent news from the Trust is that Kerry has left and Joe has got her job, so we are currently leaderless in Wider Countryside. All a bit of a shock! Anyway, hope things continue to be as breathtaking for you in your continuing adventures. xxxKate
look forward to reading each new installment I subscribe to your blog and look forward to reading each new installment. Sitting here in my cubicle im filled with so much envy and wish I was out doing the same as you. Hopefully i will be in the position to find the courage to break away form the monotony of going to work everyday to truly live life. You really should publish this as a book since the writing still and imagery is excellent. I guess eventually you will have to change your name to Banchory to the Singapore River. Look forward to more great stories .. best of luck on your future travels.
We are Erika and Robin from Scotland and in April 2005 we quit our jobs and set off to cycle from Scotland to İstanbul.
We reached İstanbul in October 2005 having discovered that cycling truly is the best way to travel and so decided to keep going beyond the Bosphorous......
We had never cycled any long distance before but had been wanting to travel for a long time and had finally saved enough and realised ıf we didn't set off now we never would. We decided cycling would be the best form of transport as we wanted to learn more about the countries and people we passed through at a s... full info
Banchory to the Bosphorous by Bike
Erika Bird and Robin Searle
Easy Rider???
I think you have never tried to cycle around Sikkim "Yeti" or you would not call us Easy Riders...... And the sweeping statement was made by a Sikkimese person, not us, we just reported it. I think we also wrote that Sikkim was very developed compared to other areas of India we visited. I understand you may disagree with the views of the person we quoted but they are the views of at least some people in Sikkim.