Happy New Year!
Lars
Omkareshwar
Sent from Samsung Mobile
Sent from Samsung Mobile
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 30, 2011
Omkareshwar
Omkareshwar, Dec 29, 2011.
81 km
My old guidebook talks about the road between Indore and Omkareshwar as "atrocious". Fortunately it is no longer so. It is in fact a terrific road, parts of it winding downhill serpentine style. It passes through several villages and at least one good size town. I stop for lunch at a roadside restaurant were I get fine Dal Fry and superb Roti. Again several guys on motorbikes slow down alongside me to hear where I am from etc. I really like Madhya Pradesh.
Coming closer to Omkareshwar I stop to check again what the guidebook says about accomodation. It says that there is only one real hotel and otherwise a few squalid guest houses. When I am overtaken by several automobiles packed with Indians I start to worry a bit about not finding a decent place to stay. From what I have heard many Indians these days have two weeks holiday around X-mas and New Years. With more money and more people having their own wheels there is in many places a shortage of accomodation.
But not to worry. I cycle into town and down to the main bazaar. There I am accosted by two different guys offering me room. I go with one of them and get a good room for 600 Rs. He had a card with the guest house name in Roman script that I immediately forgot. And the sign outside is in Hindi only. So I can not give you any name. But it is in a narrow alley leading up to Krishna (something) Resort. There is a balcony where I can have my bike and sit reading. Very soon I feel that Omkareshwar has a good vibe and decide that I will stay here for a few days.
It is right by The Narmada River, and there is an island where the main temples are. There are also bathing ghats and it is reminiscent of Varanasi, albeit much smaller. Some Indians I talk to say they are here on a pilgrimage. And there are many Babas and Sadhus around.
Omkareshwar
Possible Muslim goat?
81 km
My old guidebook talks about the road between Indore and Omkareshwar as "atrocious". Fortunately it is no longer so. It is in fact a terrific road, parts of it winding downhill serpentine style. It passes through several villages and at least one good size town. I stop for lunch at a roadside restaurant were I get fine Dal Fry and superb Roti. Again several guys on motorbikes slow down alongside me to hear where I am from etc. I really like Madhya Pradesh.
Coming closer to Omkareshwar I stop to check again what the guidebook says about accomodation. It says that there is only one real hotel and otherwise a few squalid guest houses. When I am overtaken by several automobiles packed with Indians I start to worry a bit about not finding a decent place to stay. From what I have heard many Indians these days have two weeks holiday around X-mas and New Years. With more money and more people having their own wheels there is in many places a shortage of accomodation.
But not to worry. I cycle into town and down to the main bazaar. There I am accosted by two different guys offering me room. I go with one of them and get a good room for 600 Rs. He had a card with the guest house name in Roman script that I immediately forgot. And the sign outside is in Hindi only. So I can not give you any name. But it is in a narrow alley leading up to Krishna (something) Resort. There is a balcony where I can have my bike and sit reading. Very soon I feel that Omkareshwar has a good vibe and decide that I will stay here for a few days.
It is right by The Narmada River, and there is an island where the main temples are. There are also bathing ghats and it is reminiscent of Varanasi, albeit much smaller. Some Indians I talk to say they are here on a pilgrimage. And there are many Babas and Sadhus around.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Indore
Indore, Dec 28, 2011.
40 km
It is a very good road from Dewas. Only the last few kms, after I have left the highway, does it turn worse. There is road construction going on so it will soon be better there too. Cycling is easy and I think I have a slight tail wind as well.
I stop only once for chai, and then have lunch when I am riding through the city proper. Indore is Indias Motown. Several big companies have plants here building automobiles and trucks. Once I enter the central city I am surprised to see how modern it is.
I have with me a smart phone, a Samsung Galaxy SII. Since I got an Indian data card for it it has been extremely useful. I can set it up as a Wifi Hotspot and thus have wifi connection for my laptop in any room I stay.
It is also very good to be able to use Google Maps with driving directions, and sometimes Google Earth to check out upcoming terrain. I also have since long a Garmin GPS with India maps. But they are not nearly as good as Google Maps.
40 km
It is a very good road from Dewas. Only the last few kms, after I have left the highway, does it turn worse. There is road construction going on so it will soon be better there too. Cycling is easy and I think I have a slight tail wind as well.
I stop only once for chai, and then have lunch when I am riding through the city proper. Indore is Indias Motown. Several big companies have plants here building automobiles and trucks. Once I enter the central city I am surprised to see how modern it is.
I have with me a smart phone, a Samsung Galaxy SII. Since I got an Indian data card for it it has been extremely useful. I can set it up as a Wifi Hotspot and thus have wifi connection for my laptop in any room I stay.
It is also very good to be able to use Google Maps with driving directions, and sometimes Google Earth to check out upcoming terrain. I also have since long a Garmin GPS with India maps. But they are not nearly as good as Google Maps.
A celebrity now, but where are the groupies?
Dewas, Dec 27, 2011.
121 km
So I stayed at this fancy Crescent Resort which set me back $80, making it the most expensive hotel I have ever paid for out of my own pocket. It was way fancier and larger than I needed. And I slept better there than in a long while, because it was quiet and the bed was great. But I could never get any hot water out of the shower. And I never even bothered trying out the Jacuzzi.
Before leaving the Crescent Resort I stuffed myself silly at the "free breakfast". Since I overslept more than an hour I did not leave until ten o'clock. Being in for a long day that was obviously not ideal. But it did have the advantage of me not needing to break for lunch.
Soon three young guys on a motorbike rode up next to me asking if I was the Swedish cyclist they had read about in the newspaper. They wanted me to stop so they could have pictures with me for their Facebook. I did not want to stop early in the day with so much left to go. Told them they could take pictures while I was cycling.
Later during the day others had similar comments. They had seen me in the paper. It seems now I am a bit of a celebrity in the Sehore region. Even one guy working in a road toll booth ran across lanes of traffic so that he could take a picture with his cell phone.
At Dewas I did my usual trick of cycling to the bus station, and then quite easily found a decent hotel room. I have made up my mind not to always go for the absolute cheapest places any more. 1000 Rs I think is good to pay for a room. It is after all less than $20. In Khajuraho I stayed at a very good place for only 200 Rs, but I have also stayed in some rather grimy places for 300, when I may have gotten much better for only a few dollars more.
121 km
So I stayed at this fancy Crescent Resort which set me back $80, making it the most expensive hotel I have ever paid for out of my own pocket. It was way fancier and larger than I needed. And I slept better there than in a long while, because it was quiet and the bed was great. But I could never get any hot water out of the shower. And I never even bothered trying out the Jacuzzi.
Before leaving the Crescent Resort I stuffed myself silly at the "free breakfast". Since I overslept more than an hour I did not leave until ten o'clock. Being in for a long day that was obviously not ideal. But it did have the advantage of me not needing to break for lunch.
Soon three young guys on a motorbike rode up next to me asking if I was the Swedish cyclist they had read about in the newspaper. They wanted me to stop so they could have pictures with me for their Facebook. I did not want to stop early in the day with so much left to go. Told them they could take pictures while I was cycling.
Later during the day others had similar comments. They had seen me in the paper. It seems now I am a bit of a celebrity in the Sehore region. Even one guy working in a road toll booth ran across lanes of traffic so that he could take a picture with his cell phone.
At Dewas I did my usual trick of cycling to the bus station, and then quite easily found a decent hotel room. I have made up my mind not to always go for the absolute cheapest places any more. 1000 Rs I think is good to pay for a room. It is after all less than $20. In Khajuraho I stayed at a very good place for only 200 Rs, but I have also stayed in some rather grimy places for 300, when I may have gotten much better for only a few dollars more.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Crime of the century, and then a luxury suite
Sehore, Dec 26, 2011.
46 km
The owner of Sonali in Bhopal is a very nice older gentleman. He was really interested in my bike and told me that his main business is actually selling bikes. He also speaks very good English. He told me I could find a good hotel in Sehore, only some 45 kms from Bhopal. I do think he also talked about a road bypassing Sehore but I did not pay much attention to that.
It felt great be on the road again after so many rest days in Orchha and Bhopal. Within not too long I came to a split where one headed to Sehore and the other towards Dewas, bypassing Sehore. I took the one leading to town.
Every so often Indians ride up next to me on a motorbike asking the ususal questions. It traffic is not too busy I talk to them. Today there were several such. One bike had two guys on it. One with a tatoo on the side of his neck. Where I come from the only guys with neck tatoos are criminals, probably so in India as well. I was not too talkative but said Sehore when he asked where I was going. I think those guys gathered that I did not really want their company. Eventually they started laughing as if they thought I was real fool, and then sped off.
A bit later two policemen on a motorbike rode up next to me and asked where I was going. I told them too I was going to Sehore, and they waived me on as if they meant I should go faster. I needed lunch and did not want to go fast, keeping an eye out for retaurants, and hotels. The cops followed just after me for a long while. Eventually they rode up next to me again and told me to stop. We were just outside a police station. They said they needed me to come in so that they could run a check on me.
There were lots of policemen there, and two journalists from a local paper. The police checked my passport and visa. They asked where I had stayed in Bhopal etc. More and more police arrived. The journalists took pictures of me and asked many questions. I was there for about an hour and a half. The police told me that some guy in a black jacket had tipped them off about me. I think it was the dude with the neck tatoo. Eventually though they seemed to realise that maybe I was not a terrorist after all. I was served a cup of tea and asked if I wanted water. Over all I must say they treated me fine and I was not in a big hurry. But I was getting more and more hungry. And I thought the whole excersice was quite useless. Eventually I told them so. I said I am a tourist, from The European Union, I have my passport with visa etc. And I asked them if they really did not have more important things to do. They said I could go.
The two journalists seemed a bit embarrased about the whole thing, and offered to guide me to a good hotel. They took me back onto the main road, the highway that bypasses Sehore. After 3-4 kms we came to The Crescent Resort. I could see already from the outside that this would not come cheap. But it did not feel prudent to ride back to town and maybe again attract the coppers attention.
'Tis the holiday season now and this place was quite full, big as it is. The only thing available was a luxury suite for 4200 Rs and another even more luxurious suite for 12000. I went for the cheaper one and now have a fabulous suite that is a good bit larger than my apartment at home. Actually wish I had a place like this. I would decorate it differently of course but would love to have a bathroom the size of an ordinary living room.
Living room
Bedroom
Bathroom w Jacuzzi
46 km
The owner of Sonali in Bhopal is a very nice older gentleman. He was really interested in my bike and told me that his main business is actually selling bikes. He also speaks very good English. He told me I could find a good hotel in Sehore, only some 45 kms from Bhopal. I do think he also talked about a road bypassing Sehore but I did not pay much attention to that.
It felt great be on the road again after so many rest days in Orchha and Bhopal. Within not too long I came to a split where one headed to Sehore and the other towards Dewas, bypassing Sehore. I took the one leading to town.
Every so often Indians ride up next to me on a motorbike asking the ususal questions. It traffic is not too busy I talk to them. Today there were several such. One bike had two guys on it. One with a tatoo on the side of his neck. Where I come from the only guys with neck tatoos are criminals, probably so in India as well. I was not too talkative but said Sehore when he asked where I was going. I think those guys gathered that I did not really want their company. Eventually they started laughing as if they thought I was real fool, and then sped off.
A bit later two policemen on a motorbike rode up next to me and asked where I was going. I told them too I was going to Sehore, and they waived me on as if they meant I should go faster. I needed lunch and did not want to go fast, keeping an eye out for retaurants, and hotels. The cops followed just after me for a long while. Eventually they rode up next to me again and told me to stop. We were just outside a police station. They said they needed me to come in so that they could run a check on me.
There were lots of policemen there, and two journalists from a local paper. The police checked my passport and visa. They asked where I had stayed in Bhopal etc. More and more police arrived. The journalists took pictures of me and asked many questions. I was there for about an hour and a half. The police told me that some guy in a black jacket had tipped them off about me. I think it was the dude with the neck tatoo. Eventually though they seemed to realise that maybe I was not a terrorist after all. I was served a cup of tea and asked if I wanted water. Over all I must say they treated me fine and I was not in a big hurry. But I was getting more and more hungry. And I thought the whole excersice was quite useless. Eventually I told them so. I said I am a tourist, from The European Union, I have my passport with visa etc. And I asked them if they really did not have more important things to do. They said I could go.
The two journalists seemed a bit embarrased about the whole thing, and offered to guide me to a good hotel. They took me back onto the main road, the highway that bypasses Sehore. After 3-4 kms we came to The Crescent Resort. I could see already from the outside that this would not come cheap. But it did not feel prudent to ride back to town and maybe again attract the coppers attention.
'Tis the holiday season now and this place was quite full, big as it is. The only thing available was a luxury suite for 4200 Rs and another even more luxurious suite for 12000. I went for the cheaper one and now have a fabulous suite that is a good bit larger than my apartment at home. Actually wish I had a place like this. I would decorate it differently of course but would love to have a bathroom the size of an ordinary living room.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Christmas
Merry X-mas everybody.
Sent from Samsung Mobile
I am in Bhopal and quite hope not to hear any jingle bells.
Sent from Samsung Mobile
Friday, December 23, 2011
Bhopal
Bhopal, Dec 23, 2011.
21 km
It got rather cold in Orchha at nights. One day it was foggy and cold up to almost noon. And I was not sure at all if and where I could find accomodation on the way to Bhopal. So started thinking about taking a train to skip a bit South. I logged in to Cleartrip and made a train reservation from Jhansi. Trains were fully booked though and even when choosing a more expensive A/C car I was waitlisted as #8.
Frankly I did not have much hope of getting a reservation, particularly since people on Thorntree said that there are rarely any cancellations in A/C class. So I asked around in Orchha about hotels along the way. Eventually a man in a restaurant told me that there would indeed be some hotel etc. So I decided to cycle. Then on the morning of my leaving, when I checked the mail, I had a positive reply from Cleartrip. I was on.
So I just cycled in to Jhansi, found the train station and went for the Parcel Office, which is where you must go to send luggage. I knew from before that I would have to be there at least one hour before the train left. No problem. I was there by 11 and the train should leave at 1:20 PM.
The actual cost of sending the bike was only 51 Rs. But it must be "packed". In this case that was done by one guy covering my saddle with a piece of jute stitched all around the saddle. And it must have a name tag. The dude found an old name tag made from a tin can. He cleaned away the old name and I got to write mine with a magic marker. That procedure cost me 50 Rs. Then I was told by the man in charge to "Don't Vorry!", as the Indians say. I actually did not worry, having sent my bike twice, another one, on a previous trip, and it had arrived at the other end safe and sound. I did take off the pedals and open the screws to the handle bar. You are supposed to do that when taking a bike on a bus. Maybe less necessary on a train. But it does have the advantage that the bike becomes unridable.
Then the train was delayed three hours on arrival, I think from Delhi. And then at the last minute they changed the platform so I nearly missed getting onboard at all. But eventually I did arrive Bhopal, at 9:30 in the evening. It was of course dark, and I had never been to Bhopal. I had no wish to cycle there in the dark. And I was also concerned about finding a room at such a late hour. So I grabbed a scooter rickshaw and went to Hotel Sonali, a place listed as a step up in the guide book. They gave me a fairly decent room for 500 Rs and were in general very nice to deal with.
Next day I went to collect my bike. It was there, in fine condition. And there was a charge for storing it. The man wanted 240 Rs, saying it was 10 Rs an hour. I objected and said the train had actually arrived only 12 hours before. After some debate behind the counter the fee was amended to 100 Rs. I paid and rode home.
21 km
It got rather cold in Orchha at nights. One day it was foggy and cold up to almost noon. And I was not sure at all if and where I could find accomodation on the way to Bhopal. So started thinking about taking a train to skip a bit South. I logged in to Cleartrip and made a train reservation from Jhansi. Trains were fully booked though and even when choosing a more expensive A/C car I was waitlisted as #8.
Frankly I did not have much hope of getting a reservation, particularly since people on Thorntree said that there are rarely any cancellations in A/C class. So I asked around in Orchha about hotels along the way. Eventually a man in a restaurant told me that there would indeed be some hotel etc. So I decided to cycle. Then on the morning of my leaving, when I checked the mail, I had a positive reply from Cleartrip. I was on.
So I just cycled in to Jhansi, found the train station and went for the Parcel Office, which is where you must go to send luggage. I knew from before that I would have to be there at least one hour before the train left. No problem. I was there by 11 and the train should leave at 1:20 PM.
The actual cost of sending the bike was only 51 Rs. But it must be "packed". In this case that was done by one guy covering my saddle with a piece of jute stitched all around the saddle. And it must have a name tag. The dude found an old name tag made from a tin can. He cleaned away the old name and I got to write mine with a magic marker. That procedure cost me 50 Rs. Then I was told by the man in charge to "Don't Vorry!", as the Indians say. I actually did not worry, having sent my bike twice, another one, on a previous trip, and it had arrived at the other end safe and sound. I did take off the pedals and open the screws to the handle bar. You are supposed to do that when taking a bike on a bus. Maybe less necessary on a train. But it does have the advantage that the bike becomes unridable.
Then the train was delayed three hours on arrival, I think from Delhi. And then at the last minute they changed the platform so I nearly missed getting onboard at all. But eventually I did arrive Bhopal, at 9:30 in the evening. It was of course dark, and I had never been to Bhopal. I had no wish to cycle there in the dark. And I was also concerned about finding a room at such a late hour. So I grabbed a scooter rickshaw and went to Hotel Sonali, a place listed as a step up in the guide book. They gave me a fairly decent room for 500 Rs and were in general very nice to deal with.
Next day I went to collect my bike. It was there, in fine condition. And there was a charge for storing it. The man wanted 240 Rs, saying it was 10 Rs an hour. I objected and said the train had actually arrived only 12 hours before. After some debate behind the counter the fee was amended to 100 Rs. I paid and rode home.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Orchha
Orchha, Dec 18, 2011.
95 km
The Palace Hotel at Alipura was definitely a beautiful place, and very comfortable. This morning the manager told me that the palace is about 300 years old. It opened as a Heritage Hotel in 2004, with only two rooms ready. By now it has ten rooms and plans are to make ready an additional ten, plus building a swimming pool.
I am sorry to say though that the restaurant food may be a bit iffy. I was in great shape when I arrived there around lunch time yesterday. I had my regular Dal Fry with two chapatis for lunch, which tasted fine. Then for dinner I had Paneer Butter Masala w rice. Unusually for me I did not finish my dinner. It did have some foul taste. Then I woke up at 0430 this morning with a pretty bad diarrhea. Spent the next three hours running to the toilet. Then I ate a couple of bananas and took an Imodium pill. I did have breakfast there, a fine cheese omelet, chai and toast butter jam. Breakfast was after all included in the price. I hung around for a bit longer than I really wanted and did not leave until 0930, when I felt I had emptied myself out well, and that the Imodium had kicked in.
I knew I was in for a rather long cycling day, and would have wanted to be on the road much earlier. Todays cycling was fine. Good road and nice weather. But I did not arrive Orchha until 0430 PM. Here I stay at the guest house recommended in Lonely Planet as the Best Budget Option. It is not bad for 300 rupees but the bed is hard. Now I have had a hot bucket shower and been out for dinner. Tomorrow I will check out the town.
There are quite a lot of tourists in town. Mostly Indians but I have also seen well over a dozen foreigners.
It is quite cold outside. Not surprisingly since I am still quite far North, and winter is coming. I have started thinking of catching a train to get a bit further South.
Orchha Palace
Same Orchha Palace
95 km
The Palace Hotel at Alipura was definitely a beautiful place, and very comfortable. This morning the manager told me that the palace is about 300 years old. It opened as a Heritage Hotel in 2004, with only two rooms ready. By now it has ten rooms and plans are to make ready an additional ten, plus building a swimming pool.
I am sorry to say though that the restaurant food may be a bit iffy. I was in great shape when I arrived there around lunch time yesterday. I had my regular Dal Fry with two chapatis for lunch, which tasted fine. Then for dinner I had Paneer Butter Masala w rice. Unusually for me I did not finish my dinner. It did have some foul taste. Then I woke up at 0430 this morning with a pretty bad diarrhea. Spent the next three hours running to the toilet. Then I ate a couple of bananas and took an Imodium pill. I did have breakfast there, a fine cheese omelet, chai and toast butter jam. Breakfast was after all included in the price. I hung around for a bit longer than I really wanted and did not leave until 0930, when I felt I had emptied myself out well, and that the Imodium had kicked in.
I knew I was in for a rather long cycling day, and would have wanted to be on the road much earlier. Todays cycling was fine. Good road and nice weather. But I did not arrive Orchha until 0430 PM. Here I stay at the guest house recommended in Lonely Planet as the Best Budget Option. It is not bad for 300 rupees but the bed is hard. Now I have had a hot bucket shower and been out for dinner. Tomorrow I will check out the town.
There are quite a lot of tourists in town. Mostly Indians but I have also seen well over a dozen foreigners.
It is quite cold outside. Not surprisingly since I am still quite far North, and winter is coming. I have started thinking of catching a train to get a bit further South.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Alipura
Alipura, Dec 17, 2011.
45 km
It is some 148 kms from Chattarpur to Orchha, my next actual destination. That is more than I really want to do in one day, particularly since the road in places is rather bad. So when I heard that there is a Palace Hotel in Alipura I decided to break the long ride in two.
Somehow I missed the sign where to turn off for the Palace and had to turn back a couple of kms. But boy was it worth it!
Half of the suite
At 2200 Rs this is the most expensive hotel I have ever stayed at in India. But it is worth every paise. I have a huge suite with all the trimmings one can expect from a palace hotel. It is spotlessly clean, has comfy beds, real art on the walls and there is a massive balcony. Since it a bit off the main road it is very quiet, apart from birds singing. Anyone cycling between Chattarpur and Orchha is very much recommended to stay here.
When I saw how fancy it is I was not at all sure they would accept me here, arriving on a mountainbike with dusty feet and a well worn daypack. But they did and here I am, as happy as the cream coloured Labrador puppy I just met up on the rooftop.
The other half
45 km
It is some 148 kms from Chattarpur to Orchha, my next actual destination. That is more than I really want to do in one day, particularly since the road in places is rather bad. So when I heard that there is a Palace Hotel in Alipura I decided to break the long ride in two.
Somehow I missed the sign where to turn off for the Palace and had to turn back a couple of kms. But boy was it worth it!
At 2200 Rs this is the most expensive hotel I have ever stayed at in India. But it is worth every paise. I have a huge suite with all the trimmings one can expect from a palace hotel. It is spotlessly clean, has comfy beds, real art on the walls and there is a massive balcony. Since it a bit off the main road it is very quiet, apart from birds singing. Anyone cycling between Chattarpur and Orchha is very much recommended to stay here.
When I saw how fancy it is I was not at all sure they would accept me here, arriving on a mountainbike with dusty feet and a well worn daypack. But they did and here I am, as happy as the cream coloured Labrador puppy I just met up on the rooftop.
Chattarpur again
Chattarpur, Dec 16, 2011.
50 km
I took the same road back to Chattarpur. Stayed in a different hotel this time. 600 Rs vs 1000 at the Princess. I actually regretted saving that money since this place was a lot dirtier than the Princess, and noisier too.
50 km
I took the same road back to Chattarpur. Stayed in a different hotel this time. 600 Rs vs 1000 at the Princess. I actually regretted saving that money since this place was a lot dirtier than the Princess, and noisier too.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Khajuraho
Khajuraho, Dec 14, 2011.
49 km
It is only 3 hours cycling between Chattarpur and Khajuraho, mostly on a good flat road. I arrive here already at noon sharp. It is a relief to have my own transport. There are many stories of the bad rickshaw wallahs here, how they try to take you to a hotel of their own choosing rather than were you would want to go, all for a commision from the hotelier of course. I have practically none of that and go to Yogi Lodge. Now in the evening of my arrival day I must say this is a good place to stay. At 200 Rs for a room it is of course nothing fancy but absolutely worth it. The shower has very hot water, the management is pleasant and so is the rooftop café. I am allowed to take my bike inside in the evening with the words "Of course, this is your home!"
I had a walk around town this afternoon and tomorrow I will se the temples with its World Heritage classed erotic sandstone sculptures.
Erotic sculpture at Khajuraho
Another one at Khajuraho
49 km
It is only 3 hours cycling between Chattarpur and Khajuraho, mostly on a good flat road. I arrive here already at noon sharp. It is a relief to have my own transport. There are many stories of the bad rickshaw wallahs here, how they try to take you to a hotel of their own choosing rather than were you would want to go, all for a commision from the hotelier of course. I have practically none of that and go to Yogi Lodge. Now in the evening of my arrival day I must say this is a good place to stay. At 200 Rs for a room it is of course nothing fancy but absolutely worth it. The shower has very hot water, the management is pleasant and so is the rooftop café. I am allowed to take my bike inside in the evening with the words "Of course, this is your home!"
I had a walk around town this afternoon and tomorrow I will se the temples with its World Heritage classed erotic sandstone sculptures.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Amazing India
Chattarpur, Dec 13, 2011.
59 km
It is quite straight from Mahoba to Chattarpur. Mostly good road, and quite flat.
Once again I crossed the state border into Madhya Pradesh, and when I did the road became narrower and not quite as good. This state does indeed appear poorer and less populated than UP.
Chattarpur does not seem to have that many hotels. I consciously passed the noisy bus station hoping to find a hotel in a quieter area. But when I asked aorund for a hotel people suggested I should go back to the bus station. Eventually two young boys offered to guide me to a good hotel on their bicycle. First place we asked was full, even though it was only just after one o'clock. But then right nearby there was this Hotel Princess that had vacancies. Here I pay a thousand rupees for a finer room than I actually need. It has television and AC, none of which I want.
By chance I have seen that Khajuraho is quite near from here. I had not planned to go there but will now that it is only 50 kms from where I am and I do indeed have the time. I am actually looking forward to spending several days in Orchha. I need to do some larger laundry and generally packing up all my things and settle in for a while.
Until here have had mostly good phone and Internet connection with my Airtel Sim card. But for some reason Airtel has no coverage in Chattarpur. So I went out and bought me an "!DEA" card, and am now online again. As with so many other things in India this was not entirely straightforward, but eventually worked out, as it always seems to do in this land of wonders.
I found a sales shop for cellphones and tried to explain to the guy that it seemed there was no coverage here and asked if any other provider would be better. His only suggestion was that I must go back to where I have bought the Sim card etc. That was 400 kms away and of course out of the question. Plus it was not the kind of solution I had in mind anyway. I had had no connection in Chitrakoot as well and was thinking that maybe Airtel just is not that good in Madhya Pradesh at all.
So I walked on and found an appliance shop and asked there. They did not sell cellphones or anything related. Nevertheless a sales guy there, who spoke good english, said 'come this way'. And he took me to one cell phone shop after another until we came to a place selling this !DEA stuff. There a whole bunch of customers got involved in my problem, including one extremely helpful young man. After spending another 150 Rs, about two dollars, I was equipped with a new Sim and have 1 fresh GB of data access on it.
This is how I solve most problems in India. It is rare, to say the least, to find the right solution immediately. But then I just start by asking someone who takes me to the next and the next, and eventually things work out. That is the real "Amazing India". The Indian government has a tourist campaign with "Amazing India" as its slogan. But they fail to capture the true meaning of that phrase.
59 km
It is quite straight from Mahoba to Chattarpur. Mostly good road, and quite flat.
Once again I crossed the state border into Madhya Pradesh, and when I did the road became narrower and not quite as good. This state does indeed appear poorer and less populated than UP.
Chattarpur does not seem to have that many hotels. I consciously passed the noisy bus station hoping to find a hotel in a quieter area. But when I asked aorund for a hotel people suggested I should go back to the bus station. Eventually two young boys offered to guide me to a good hotel on their bicycle. First place we asked was full, even though it was only just after one o'clock. But then right nearby there was this Hotel Princess that had vacancies. Here I pay a thousand rupees for a finer room than I actually need. It has television and AC, none of which I want.
By chance I have seen that Khajuraho is quite near from here. I had not planned to go there but will now that it is only 50 kms from where I am and I do indeed have the time. I am actually looking forward to spending several days in Orchha. I need to do some larger laundry and generally packing up all my things and settle in for a while.
Until here have had mostly good phone and Internet connection with my Airtel Sim card. But for some reason Airtel has no coverage in Chattarpur. So I went out and bought me an "!DEA" card, and am now online again. As with so many other things in India this was not entirely straightforward, but eventually worked out, as it always seems to do in this land of wonders.
I found a sales shop for cellphones and tried to explain to the guy that it seemed there was no coverage here and asked if any other provider would be better. His only suggestion was that I must go back to where I have bought the Sim card etc. That was 400 kms away and of course out of the question. Plus it was not the kind of solution I had in mind anyway. I had had no connection in Chitrakoot as well and was thinking that maybe Airtel just is not that good in Madhya Pradesh at all.
So I walked on and found an appliance shop and asked there. They did not sell cellphones or anything related. Nevertheless a sales guy there, who spoke good english, said 'come this way'. And he took me to one cell phone shop after another until we came to a place selling this !DEA stuff. There a whole bunch of customers got involved in my problem, including one extremely helpful young man. After spending another 150 Rs, about two dollars, I was equipped with a new Sim and have 1 fresh GB of data access on it.
This is how I solve most problems in India. It is rare, to say the least, to find the right solution immediately. But then I just start by asking someone who takes me to the next and the next, and eventually things work out. That is the real "Amazing India". The Indian government has a tourist campaign with "Amazing India" as its slogan. But they fail to capture the true meaning of that phrase.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Mahoba
Mahoba, Dec 12, 2011.
52 km
My stomach was a bit upset this morning. So I hung about at the hotel in Banda till around 1030. According to my map it should only be some 54 kms to Mahoba and I felt no hurry.
It was easy getting out from town and the road was fine for the first 25-30 kms. But then became absolutely awful. For 10-15 kms it was the worst I have had so far. Still traffic was quite intense adding a lot of dust to the constant bumping and jolting. Eventually though I was through the rubble and arrived at Mahoba around 3 PM.
I had decided to move in to the first somewhat decent place I could find since I was again feeling my stomach grumbling. The very first place with a guest house sign was a "marriage hotel" only and would not take me. Soon after though there was a Tourist Bungalow, a rather grotty one. But I moved in nevertheless and was given an almost decent room for 300 Rs.
Now I have been to town for a good dinner at the Shiva Hotel garden restaurant.
Today I passed 1000 km on this cycle trip!
Bike instrumentation
Only looking
I stopped at a small bus station along the way for chai and Samosas. These guys were very curious about my bike. But also a bit shy and did not really go near it.
When I was about to leave I asked them closer and gave them an explanation of all different gadgets and gears etc. Don't know much they understood, but it made me feel like a nice guy. I know how curious the Indians are of all foreign things. And I really don't think there is anything wrong with that. I also know how respectful they are and how they won't touch anything unless I signal that it is OK.
52 km
My stomach was a bit upset this morning. So I hung about at the hotel in Banda till around 1030. According to my map it should only be some 54 kms to Mahoba and I felt no hurry.
It was easy getting out from town and the road was fine for the first 25-30 kms. But then became absolutely awful. For 10-15 kms it was the worst I have had so far. Still traffic was quite intense adding a lot of dust to the constant bumping and jolting. Eventually though I was through the rubble and arrived at Mahoba around 3 PM.
I had decided to move in to the first somewhat decent place I could find since I was again feeling my stomach grumbling. The very first place with a guest house sign was a "marriage hotel" only and would not take me. Soon after though there was a Tourist Bungalow, a rather grotty one. But I moved in nevertheless and was given an almost decent room for 300 Rs.
Now I have been to town for a good dinner at the Shiva Hotel garden restaurant.
Today I passed 1000 km on this cycle trip!
I stopped at a small bus station along the way for chai and Samosas. These guys were very curious about my bike. But also a bit shy and did not really go near it.
When I was about to leave I asked them closer and gave them an explanation of all different gadgets and gears etc. Don't know much they understood, but it made me feel like a nice guy. I know how curious the Indians are of all foreign things. And I really don't think there is anything wrong with that. I also know how respectful they are and how they won't touch anything unless I signal that it is OK.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Banda
Banda, Dec 11, 2011.
76 km
Chitrakoot proves to be a very nice town. It is a bit of Varanasi light, with a river through town and bathing ghats, but I see no sign of cremations.
There are three other foreigners staying at this MP Tourist Bungalow. One American woman who has an impressive camera and shoots a lot of pictures, and a charming young couple from Portugal. I get an opportunity to drop some words of my very limited knowledge of Portuguese, which surprises them. And as always with native Portuguese speakers they are polite enough to say that I seem practically fluent. I know all too well that this is an exaggeration but enjoy the praise nevertheless.
While cycling I mostly enjoy being the only foreigner in towns where I stop, but realise now that I have also missed the company of people from my own cultural sphere. I decide to have yet one more rest day here. Next day we walk to the ghats and rent a boat for a tour up and down the river. Later I take a very pleasant walk in the poorer parts of Chitrakoot. There are simple and beautiful houses and the poor people as always are very nice. Many kids and teenagers take the chance to practise their English. Even girls come running up behind me to ask what is my name and where I come from.
Next day again I continue my trip. Except for some ten kms in the middle, the road is fine, even though again not particularly wide. It is somewhat rolling landscape but no major hills at all. I stop for excellent dhal and chapatis around lunch. Quite a group of Indians gather around me to ask the usual questions. I am quite overwhelmed with how kind and polite people are. Several times during the day I am asked how I like India. It is so obvious that Indians want to be part of the western world, want to be accepted, and counted.
When I ride in to Banda I just cycle along to see what I will come across, to get some grip of town before I decide on where to stay. Eventually though I have to stop and take out my smartphone with its Google maps. Before I can even get it out people come and ask what I am looking for. When I say 'hotel' a young woman who speaks good English suggest I go to the Sarang Intercontinental. She explains how to get there and then adds that she and her friend are just about to go in that direction on a scooter and that I can just follow them. They take me all the way to a fine looking hotel, where I get a room and a very friendly reception. I can lock up my bike on the hotel grounds which is fenced in and has a uniformed guard. Several Indian guests come to have a look at my bike and ask about it and my trip.
Once again I feel this strong wish to one day have a chance to stand up and take a bullet for these lovely Indians.
76 km
Chitrakoot proves to be a very nice town. It is a bit of Varanasi light, with a river through town and bathing ghats, but I see no sign of cremations.
There are three other foreigners staying at this MP Tourist Bungalow. One American woman who has an impressive camera and shoots a lot of pictures, and a charming young couple from Portugal. I get an opportunity to drop some words of my very limited knowledge of Portuguese, which surprises them. And as always with native Portuguese speakers they are polite enough to say that I seem practically fluent. I know all too well that this is an exaggeration but enjoy the praise nevertheless.
While cycling I mostly enjoy being the only foreigner in towns where I stop, but realise now that I have also missed the company of people from my own cultural sphere. I decide to have yet one more rest day here. Next day we walk to the ghats and rent a boat for a tour up and down the river. Later I take a very pleasant walk in the poorer parts of Chitrakoot. There are simple and beautiful houses and the poor people as always are very nice. Many kids and teenagers take the chance to practise their English. Even girls come running up behind me to ask what is my name and where I come from.
Next day again I continue my trip. Except for some ten kms in the middle, the road is fine, even though again not particularly wide. It is somewhat rolling landscape but no major hills at all. I stop for excellent dhal and chapatis around lunch. Quite a group of Indians gather around me to ask the usual questions. I am quite overwhelmed with how kind and polite people are. Several times during the day I am asked how I like India. It is so obvious that Indians want to be part of the western world, want to be accepted, and counted.
When I ride in to Banda I just cycle along to see what I will come across, to get some grip of town before I decide on where to stay. Eventually though I have to stop and take out my smartphone with its Google maps. Before I can even get it out people come and ask what I am looking for. When I say 'hotel' a young woman who speaks good English suggest I go to the Sarang Intercontinental. She explains how to get there and then adds that she and her friend are just about to go in that direction on a scooter and that I can just follow them. They take me all the way to a fine looking hotel, where I get a room and a very friendly reception. I can lock up my bike on the hotel grounds which is fenced in and has a uniformed guard. Several Indian guests come to have a look at my bike and ask about it and my trip.
Once again I feel this strong wish to one day have a chance to stand up and take a bullet for these lovely Indians.
Chitrakoot
Chitrakoot, Dec 8, 2011.
142 km.
Should I have taken the train?
It was awfully foggy when I left Allahabad this morning. Dense fog is very common in North India in the winter. I have had several flights cancelled or delayed out of Delhi between December and February due to fog. This morning it did not lift until the sun managed to burn a hole through around 11 o'clock.
The road was fine until the National Highways split some 25 kms South of Allahabad. There I left #27 and shifted over to #76 heading due West. Very soon the road surface became much worse. For more than an hour I questioned whether it may have been a huge mistake taking this road in the first place. But then it became better and better. This road seems to have been an ordinary State Highway that has simply been renamed a National one. It is not particularly wide or anything, and passes straight through tiny villages, of which there were not many. Traffic soon petered out to rather light.
I am now in the far South of Uttar Pradesh, still a bit East of the Indian centre line. It is very rural here, mostly farming landscape, slightly rolling, and very beautiful. Once the fog is gone the temperature is pleasant for cycling, about 25 Centrigrades, like Scandinavian summer.
When I stop by the roadside to rest my butt for a few minutes, a couple of policemen on a motorcycle stop and ask where I am going and if I need any help. They tell me that Karwi is still about 100 km away. I can see on my map that there are no towns this side of Karwi and I know I am in for a long day. In the small villages I can often get tea and Samosas but there are certainly no hotels or guest houses.
Some 20 km before Karwi a young couple on a motorcycle ride up next to me to ask the ususal questions. They speak very good English, a rarity out here. They tell me that Karwi, were they live, has several hotels, and that Chitrakoot has many more.
Only a few km before Karwi I am held up for almost half an hour at a railway crossing. When I finally ride in to Karwi it is already after 5 PM and the sun sets. I ask for a room at several different hotels, but they are all full. People tell me that I should ride on to Chitrakoot. I don't like it since it is really getting dark, but have no choice.
As soon as I enter Chitrakoot I spot a sign for the UP Tourist Bungalow, and pull in. Since many years now I rarely bother with the Tourist Bungalows anymore in India. They are generally overpriced for what you get, and have that socialist atmosphere of lifetime employees who do not try very hard. It seems to be the same here. There is no one at the reception and it takes quite a while, involving other guests, to find the man who should have been at the reception. He tells me that they are fully booked. He suggests I should go on and will find other hotels within a km.
There are a few, but they too are all full. Several suggest I must go to the MP Tourist Bungalow further on. Chitrakoot sits right on the border between Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, the town being half in each state. Along the way I spot other hotels that are also full. It is really dark now, and that menacing fog is again descending over the area. My ass is very sore and it is far from comfortable still being out here on a bicycle.
Eventually though I find the MP Tourist Bungalow. And they have rooms! The reception is a model of efficiency and friendliness. I can have my bike inside the reception, and get a large and very nice room for a decent price. The entire place is the cleanest I have seen so far on this trip. If this is any indication of Madhya Pradesh overall then my plan to cycle through this state is off to a good start. I'll have another rest day here.
It is in Chitrakoot that the Hindu Gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are believed to have been "born" and taken on their incarnations, which makes this town a very popular Hindu pilgrimage place. There are loads of Sadhus and Babas in town.
Bathing ghats in Chitrakoot
Portuguese Rute showing camera to local kids
Perfectly lookalike statues
View from a lunch place
142 km.
Should I have taken the train?
It was awfully foggy when I left Allahabad this morning. Dense fog is very common in North India in the winter. I have had several flights cancelled or delayed out of Delhi between December and February due to fog. This morning it did not lift until the sun managed to burn a hole through around 11 o'clock.
The road was fine until the National Highways split some 25 kms South of Allahabad. There I left #27 and shifted over to #76 heading due West. Very soon the road surface became much worse. For more than an hour I questioned whether it may have been a huge mistake taking this road in the first place. But then it became better and better. This road seems to have been an ordinary State Highway that has simply been renamed a National one. It is not particularly wide or anything, and passes straight through tiny villages, of which there were not many. Traffic soon petered out to rather light.
I am now in the far South of Uttar Pradesh, still a bit East of the Indian centre line. It is very rural here, mostly farming landscape, slightly rolling, and very beautiful. Once the fog is gone the temperature is pleasant for cycling, about 25 Centrigrades, like Scandinavian summer.
When I stop by the roadside to rest my butt for a few minutes, a couple of policemen on a motorcycle stop and ask where I am going and if I need any help. They tell me that Karwi is still about 100 km away. I can see on my map that there are no towns this side of Karwi and I know I am in for a long day. In the small villages I can often get tea and Samosas but there are certainly no hotels or guest houses.
Some 20 km before Karwi a young couple on a motorcycle ride up next to me to ask the ususal questions. They speak very good English, a rarity out here. They tell me that Karwi, were they live, has several hotels, and that Chitrakoot has many more.
Only a few km before Karwi I am held up for almost half an hour at a railway crossing. When I finally ride in to Karwi it is already after 5 PM and the sun sets. I ask for a room at several different hotels, but they are all full. People tell me that I should ride on to Chitrakoot. I don't like it since it is really getting dark, but have no choice.
As soon as I enter Chitrakoot I spot a sign for the UP Tourist Bungalow, and pull in. Since many years now I rarely bother with the Tourist Bungalows anymore in India. They are generally overpriced for what you get, and have that socialist atmosphere of lifetime employees who do not try very hard. It seems to be the same here. There is no one at the reception and it takes quite a while, involving other guests, to find the man who should have been at the reception. He tells me that they are fully booked. He suggests I should go on and will find other hotels within a km.
There are a few, but they too are all full. Several suggest I must go to the MP Tourist Bungalow further on. Chitrakoot sits right on the border between Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, the town being half in each state. Along the way I spot other hotels that are also full. It is really dark now, and that menacing fog is again descending over the area. My ass is very sore and it is far from comfortable still being out here on a bicycle.
Eventually though I find the MP Tourist Bungalow. And they have rooms! The reception is a model of efficiency and friendliness. I can have my bike inside the reception, and get a large and very nice room for a decent price. The entire place is the cleanest I have seen so far on this trip. If this is any indication of Madhya Pradesh overall then my plan to cycle through this state is off to a good start. I'll have another rest day here.
It is in Chitrakoot that the Hindu Gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are believed to have been "born" and taken on their incarnations, which makes this town a very popular Hindu pilgrimage place. There are loads of Sadhus and Babas in town.
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Allahabad, Dec 6 and 7
Allahabad, Dec 6, 2011.
113 km.
It seems I actually have quite a lot of time for my ride to Bombay, and I don't really want to ride long distances every day. But out in rural Uttar Pradesh accomodation is not so easy to find. The vast majoriity of shops and restaurants etc have signs only in Hindi.
It is mostly my bum that suffers from long days in the saddle, and I have to stand up more and more the later in the afternoon it gets. After 80-90 kms cycling is more pain than pleasure. To make up for that I took another rest day in Allahabad.
Yesterday there was some klicking noise in my bike, that seemed to come from the crankshaft. I posted a Q on Bikezone, an Indian cycling forum, for possible repair shops in this area. One fellow suggested a place only a few blocks from where I stay. I rode over and seems to have been helped by just some oil on the chain. No charge.
This bike has 27 gears and to squeeze all those in the chain is very narrow. Maybe a tiny pebble had lodget itself in there somewhere. Anyway, the clicking is gone now, and I hope it stays away.
Tomorrow I will probably be in for another long day. I have realised from studying the map that I need to head more over to the west to hit a string of towns that looks to be large enough to have guest houses.
113 km.
It seems I actually have quite a lot of time for my ride to Bombay, and I don't really want to ride long distances every day. But out in rural Uttar Pradesh accomodation is not so easy to find. The vast majoriity of shops and restaurants etc have signs only in Hindi.
It is mostly my bum that suffers from long days in the saddle, and I have to stand up more and more the later in the afternoon it gets. After 80-90 kms cycling is more pain than pleasure. To make up for that I took another rest day in Allahabad.
Yesterday there was some klicking noise in my bike, that seemed to come from the crankshaft. I posted a Q on Bikezone, an Indian cycling forum, for possible repair shops in this area. One fellow suggested a place only a few blocks from where I stay. I rode over and seems to have been helped by just some oil on the chain. No charge.
This bike has 27 gears and to squeeze all those in the chain is very narrow. Maybe a tiny pebble had lodget itself in there somewhere. Anyway, the clicking is gone now, and I hope it stays away.
Tomorrow I will probably be in for another long day. I have realised from studying the map that I need to head more over to the west to hit a string of towns that looks to be large enough to have guest houses.
Monday, December 05, 2011
Sultanpur, Dec 4
Sultanpur, Dec 4, 2011.
67 km.
A day of frustrations.
As I was going to bed last night I thought maybe I should take a rest day in Faizabad. So this morning I checked with the rception. No can do, hotel is fully booked. So I had to hit the road. Sore ass and tired legs already from the start.
I asked in the reception about Sultanpur and was told that there are several hotels to stay at.
The road was generally good today. It is classified as a National Highway, but has only one lane in each direction. Traffic was at times quite intense.
After half an hour I realised my watch had stopped. Probably the battery is finished.
Dal Fry and Chapati
A few hours later the damn bike computer froze again.
When I rode in to Sultanpur I tried to keep an eye out for the railway station. Often there are hotels and guest houses nearby. But I also checked both sides of the streets I cycled along since I seemed to come straight through the centre of town. As in Faizabad by far the most shop signs etc are only in Hindi though, and I can't make head or tail of them. When I finally came to a railway line there was a que waiting for a long train to pass. A man approached me to ask what I was looking for. When I said hotel he advised me to turn back and go to a small guest house not far away. There were however no vacant rooms. Then the man scribbled the names of two other hotels and gave some vague directions. The first one had a wedding booked and all rooms were occupied. Same story at the second. The manager there gave me a name to a third one. That also had a wedding, and was fully booked. He told me that this particular Sunday is a very auspicious day to get married.
I decided to return to my original plan to search out the area around the train station. Took me a while to come even close to it. Then I started asking from there. The first place I was sent to was the very same guest house where I had checked first. By then they had already started setting up a wedding reception. Then a policeman took some pity on me and gave me directions to another place nearby. Full.
A man there gave me two more names, and the name of an area where they would be. About two kilometers away he said. When I had cycled about one km I asked again, to make sure I was going in the right direction, I was told to go back about 500 mtrs etc. I was on the verge of giving up and was thinking of how much a taxi to Allahabad would cost. Probably too much since it is over 100 kms away. Too far to cycle since it was already getting late in the afternoon. And the train station had looked pretty crowded too so I had little hope of getting on a train.
Eventually I came to Ksheer Sagar hotel. Fortunately this place does not have a restaurant, or reception hall, and thus no wedding is booked. Here I got a room. Bliss just to get off the bike, and have a shower etc. He could have charged me double or triple and I still would have accepted.
67 km.
A day of frustrations.
As I was going to bed last night I thought maybe I should take a rest day in Faizabad. So this morning I checked with the rception. No can do, hotel is fully booked. So I had to hit the road. Sore ass and tired legs already from the start.
I asked in the reception about Sultanpur and was told that there are several hotels to stay at.
The road was generally good today. It is classified as a National Highway, but has only one lane in each direction. Traffic was at times quite intense.
After half an hour I realised my watch had stopped. Probably the battery is finished.
A few hours later the damn bike computer froze again.
When I rode in to Sultanpur I tried to keep an eye out for the railway station. Often there are hotels and guest houses nearby. But I also checked both sides of the streets I cycled along since I seemed to come straight through the centre of town. As in Faizabad by far the most shop signs etc are only in Hindi though, and I can't make head or tail of them. When I finally came to a railway line there was a que waiting for a long train to pass. A man approached me to ask what I was looking for. When I said hotel he advised me to turn back and go to a small guest house not far away. There were however no vacant rooms. Then the man scribbled the names of two other hotels and gave some vague directions. The first one had a wedding booked and all rooms were occupied. Same story at the second. The manager there gave me a name to a third one. That also had a wedding, and was fully booked. He told me that this particular Sunday is a very auspicious day to get married.
I decided to return to my original plan to search out the area around the train station. Took me a while to come even close to it. Then I started asking from there. The first place I was sent to was the very same guest house where I had checked first. By then they had already started setting up a wedding reception. Then a policeman took some pity on me and gave me directions to another place nearby. Full.
A man there gave me two more names, and the name of an area where they would be. About two kilometers away he said. When I had cycled about one km I asked again, to make sure I was going in the right direction, I was told to go back about 500 mtrs etc. I was on the verge of giving up and was thinking of how much a taxi to Allahabad would cost. Probably too much since it is over 100 kms away. Too far to cycle since it was already getting late in the afternoon. And the train station had looked pretty crowded too so I had little hope of getting on a train.
Eventually I came to Ksheer Sagar hotel. Fortunately this place does not have a restaurant, or reception hall, and thus no wedding is booked. Here I got a room. Bliss just to get off the bike, and have a shower etc. He could have charged me double or triple and I still would have accepted.
Saturday, December 03, 2011
Dec 3, Faizabad
Faizabad, Dec 3, 2011.
83 km.
I got no breakfast at Shivay and had to go out on town for it. Eventually I settled for a couple of tasty Samosas and chai by the bus station. While chasing around for it I met again the young boy who helped me find Chandrika soap last night. He is one of those charming teenage boys who greet me with "Welcome to my India!", very helpful guy. I asked if he knew where I could find a place to top up my Airtel sim card. He said it would not open until ten, and asked if I wanted to come visit his home in the meantime. I did not and said I had to go. Probably he was in the area looking for me after he had talked to his parents and got clearance to invite me.
It is of course very nice of people to invite me home, but I never accept. I feel much better being in a place where I pay for my room and what else I have. Then I can come and go as I like, sleep when I want, not finish the food if I should happen not to want it all. I feel if I accept an invitation to someones house I will have to entertain them, and answer all their questions, which are often too personal. Not only what is my name and where do I come from, but also where is my wife, what do I work with, how much do I earn and why am I on this trip.
Very soon after I left Basti I came back on the National Highway and realised that it would have been much easier coming in to Basti that way.
Today I cycled practically all the time on the National Highway. It took me a good while to find a place to stay in Faizabad. It is India for real here, no tourists at all. Actually I have not seen a white face since I left Bhairawa.
Many people here in Faizabad are very small. Just after I had checked in one Indian youth asked me if I was here for a basket ball game. Back home I am not particularly tall, but here they seem to think I am a basket ball player!
83 km.
I got no breakfast at Shivay and had to go out on town for it. Eventually I settled for a couple of tasty Samosas and chai by the bus station. While chasing around for it I met again the young boy who helped me find Chandrika soap last night. He is one of those charming teenage boys who greet me with "Welcome to my India!", very helpful guy. I asked if he knew where I could find a place to top up my Airtel sim card. He said it would not open until ten, and asked if I wanted to come visit his home in the meantime. I did not and said I had to go. Probably he was in the area looking for me after he had talked to his parents and got clearance to invite me.
It is of course very nice of people to invite me home, but I never accept. I feel much better being in a place where I pay for my room and what else I have. Then I can come and go as I like, sleep when I want, not finish the food if I should happen not to want it all. I feel if I accept an invitation to someones house I will have to entertain them, and answer all their questions, which are often too personal. Not only what is my name and where do I come from, but also where is my wife, what do I work with, how much do I earn and why am I on this trip.
Very soon after I left Basti I came back on the National Highway and realised that it would have been much easier coming in to Basti that way.
Today I cycled practically all the time on the National Highway. It took me a good while to find a place to stay in Faizabad. It is India for real here, no tourists at all. Actually I have not seen a white face since I left Bhairawa.
Many people here in Faizabad are very small. Just after I had checked in one Indian youth asked me if I was here for a basket ball game. Back home I am not particularly tall, but here they seem to think I am a basket ball player!
Friday, December 02, 2011
Basti
Basti, Dec 2, 2011.
76 km.
It was rather difficult to get out of Gorakhpur, on the correct road that is. My aim for today was Basti, some 65-70 km in the direction towards Lucknow, where I need to go to get a good entry point for Madhya Pradesh. I asked the manager at my hotel and in true Indian fashion he pointed me back in the direction of which I had come and said "that way only". And, well pretty soon I realised that that was not enough of an explanation. I had to turn around and go back for a bit and then cycle southward before again heading west on the National Highway # 28. Once I got on that highway the road itself was of excellent quality, but, as I had experienced in South India two years ago, there was no shade at all. It got quite hot in the middle of the day.
Some 20 kms before Basti there was a sign saying I should turn left. I did and right away the road turned to horrible quality, and remained that way practically until I entered Basti itself. I was really tired in the whole body when I got here.
A man approached me on the street and asked what I was looking for. When I said I needed a room he offered to take me to a good place. I am now at Shivay Hotel. It is a good bit better than the Elora but also much more expensive, 1000 Rupees compared to Eloras modest 300. I have a definite feeling of being overcharged, some of which probably ended up with man who took me here. I would have found this place anyway since it was quite near. But when he asked me I was so tired and very aware that I had not seen anything like a guest house since I left Gorakhpur. I was ripe for an overcharge.
There are ants in my room, and there was a rat running around freely in the restaurant dining room. India is full of animals. Some nice and cute while others I could have done without.
Again today my bike computer froze and I had to take out the battery to get it going again.
Make sure you never buy an Asaklitt! Regular p o s it is.
76 km.
It was rather difficult to get out of Gorakhpur, on the correct road that is. My aim for today was Basti, some 65-70 km in the direction towards Lucknow, where I need to go to get a good entry point for Madhya Pradesh. I asked the manager at my hotel and in true Indian fashion he pointed me back in the direction of which I had come and said "that way only". And, well pretty soon I realised that that was not enough of an explanation. I had to turn around and go back for a bit and then cycle southward before again heading west on the National Highway # 28. Once I got on that highway the road itself was of excellent quality, but, as I had experienced in South India two years ago, there was no shade at all. It got quite hot in the middle of the day.
Some 20 kms before Basti there was a sign saying I should turn left. I did and right away the road turned to horrible quality, and remained that way practically until I entered Basti itself. I was really tired in the whole body when I got here.
A man approached me on the street and asked what I was looking for. When I said I needed a room he offered to take me to a good place. I am now at Shivay Hotel. It is a good bit better than the Elora but also much more expensive, 1000 Rupees compared to Eloras modest 300. I have a definite feeling of being overcharged, some of which probably ended up with man who took me here. I would have found this place anyway since it was quite near. But when he asked me I was so tired and very aware that I had not seen anything like a guest house since I left Gorakhpur. I was ripe for an overcharge.
There are ants in my room, and there was a rat running around freely in the restaurant dining room. India is full of animals. Some nice and cute while others I could have done without.
Again today my bike computer froze and I had to take out the battery to get it going again.
Make sure you never buy an Asaklitt! Regular p o s it is.
Pharenda
Pharenda, Nov 30, 2011.
66 km.
I took a rest day in Bhairawa to go see Lumbini. I have been in the area before but never felt it nessecary to spend and extra day for Lumbini. Now on a bike I need rest days anyway and took the opporunity. Went there by bus.
Lumbini town is not much, but there are several guest houses.
The temple built on the spot where Buddha is supposed to have been born did, like many similar places, not really live up to my expectations. I had seen glorified paintings of the temple elsewhere in Nepal. But the actual temple is far more modest, and there is a fair bit of rubbish lying around.
Buddhas birthplace at Lumbini
Today I crossed the border into India. It was a 5 km ride from Bhairawa. The border crossing itself was hassle free since I had my visas OK.
Coming from Nepal to India I had a feeling of having come to a land of plenty. Immediately the road was much wider and in much better condition. As I had suspected I made a good bit better speed with the same effort. There are more restaurants, more chai shops, and everything tastes much better. I have really had it with weak Nepali tea and tasteless food for a long time.
Of course there is also a lot more people, towns and villages here. I guess there is more traffic too but it only bothered me when congestions occured in towns. Indians share with Nepalis the inability to see a larger picture in traffic. Each and everyone on the road always tries to squeeze in to the very last inch of space available. Even though exactly that makes it impossible for anyone to move at all.
After 66 kms I happened on a quite new looking hotel in a small town called Pharenda. First I rode past it, thinking it was not really my style of place. But when I had cycled through the town without seeing any other options I turned back and moved in. The manager was very nice and helpful. He locked my bike into an underground garage that felt very safe. Some of his staff were the ordinary lazy buggers though, and the place could well have been much cleaner had they not sat around doing nothing quite so much.
The Haveli hotel had an attached restaurant where the food was really good.
66 km.
I took a rest day in Bhairawa to go see Lumbini. I have been in the area before but never felt it nessecary to spend and extra day for Lumbini. Now on a bike I need rest days anyway and took the opporunity. Went there by bus.
Lumbini town is not much, but there are several guest houses.
The temple built on the spot where Buddha is supposed to have been born did, like many similar places, not really live up to my expectations. I had seen glorified paintings of the temple elsewhere in Nepal. But the actual temple is far more modest, and there is a fair bit of rubbish lying around.
Today I crossed the border into India. It was a 5 km ride from Bhairawa. The border crossing itself was hassle free since I had my visas OK.
Coming from Nepal to India I had a feeling of having come to a land of plenty. Immediately the road was much wider and in much better condition. As I had suspected I made a good bit better speed with the same effort. There are more restaurants, more chai shops, and everything tastes much better. I have really had it with weak Nepali tea and tasteless food for a long time.
Of course there is also a lot more people, towns and villages here. I guess there is more traffic too but it only bothered me when congestions occured in towns. Indians share with Nepalis the inability to see a larger picture in traffic. Each and everyone on the road always tries to squeeze in to the very last inch of space available. Even though exactly that makes it impossible for anyone to move at all.
After 66 kms I happened on a quite new looking hotel in a small town called Pharenda. First I rode past it, thinking it was not really my style of place. But when I had cycled through the town without seeing any other options I turned back and moved in. The manager was very nice and helpful. He locked my bike into an underground garage that felt very safe. Some of his staff were the ordinary lazy buggers though, and the place could well have been much cleaner had they not sat around doing nothing quite so much.
The Haveli hotel had an attached restaurant where the food was really good.
Gorakhpur
Gorakhpur, Dec 1, 2011.
47 km.
The road continues to be much better than in Nepal and cycling felt easy. Still I stopped in Gorakhpur already around noon, after a modest 47 km. I needed to buy an India map and rode to the railway station. No one bothered me when I took my bike all the way in to the station and out on the platform. There I found a very helpful newspaper man who took the trouble to go find me a very good map. It is a motorists map, a real book actually.
Since it was lunch time I stopped for some Dal Fry and a couple of rotis just opposite the station. Terrific food, so glad to be India!
After having checked out my new map I decided I had better stay here and start out fresh in the morning. It may well be a good distance to the next place where I can find a guest house.
I have been to Gorakhpur several times before on my way to or from Nepal. Never really liked the place and don't think much of it now either. I am staying at the Elora Hotel near the train and bus stations. There is an awful lot of noise, particularly from the buses whose drivers honk their horns incessantly.
47 km.
The road continues to be much better than in Nepal and cycling felt easy. Still I stopped in Gorakhpur already around noon, after a modest 47 km. I needed to buy an India map and rode to the railway station. No one bothered me when I took my bike all the way in to the station and out on the platform. There I found a very helpful newspaper man who took the trouble to go find me a very good map. It is a motorists map, a real book actually.
Since it was lunch time I stopped for some Dal Fry and a couple of rotis just opposite the station. Terrific food, so glad to be India!
After having checked out my new map I decided I had better stay here and start out fresh in the morning. It may well be a good distance to the next place where I can find a guest house.
I have been to Gorakhpur several times before on my way to or from Nepal. Never really liked the place and don't think much of it now either. I am staying at the Elora Hotel near the train and bus stations. There is an awful lot of noise, particularly from the buses whose drivers honk their horns incessantly.
Bhairawa
Bhairiwa, Nov 28, 2011.
I think I have had my last hills for a while, and small they were. Now out of the mountain roads cycling is easier and the road wider. After some 40 kms I found a turnoff from the main road where I followed a sign indicating Lumbini. At first I was not entirely sure that it would be a foolprof choice, but it was. Wonder why most of the traffic continued on straight ahead for the detour via Butwal? Never mind, I quite enjoyed being almost alone on the road.
When I rode in to Bhairawa it took me a good while to get my bearings, and find a place to stay. Eventually I moved in to the rather grotty Sayapatri GH. By then I had checked out the fancy Nirvana Hotel. At $43 a night I could have afforded it but as with other upscale places I thought I would have little in common with other guests, and gave it a pass.
I think I have had my last hills for a while, and small they were. Now out of the mountain roads cycling is easier and the road wider. After some 40 kms I found a turnoff from the main road where I followed a sign indicating Lumbini. At first I was not entirely sure that it would be a foolprof choice, but it was. Wonder why most of the traffic continued on straight ahead for the detour via Butwal? Never mind, I quite enjoyed being almost alone on the road.
When I rode in to Bhairawa it took me a good while to get my bearings, and find a place to stay. Eventually I moved in to the rather grotty Sayapatri GH. By then I had checked out the fancy Nirvana Hotel. At $43 a night I could have afforded it but as with other upscale places I thought I would have little in common with other guests, and gave it a pass.
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