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.