Kathmandu-Agra to Thailand
It started on oktober2000 on the friendshiphighway way from
Lhasa to Katmandu by jeep,whereI met 6 cyclists in Shegar on their wy towards
Katmandu me as a cyclist ,I just had to try to get a bike in KTM. Sothe next
mission was to organice a mountainbike soon as possible .When I arrived in
Katmanndu, where I met some more cyclists, they told me where to find more
bike stuff.I went Straight to a shop called Dusk till Down where I found most
of the gear I was looking for. The only thing that was missing was the frame
wich I found in the Katmandu-Guesthouse,a second shop where they rent bikes
.After a weekand a bit of workI was a Proud owner of a Rockymountain
whit a trailer
Dave on the left and a French puss* wrestling
on the balcony in the guesthouse. I think puss was the only one standing topless
in front of the bakery in January!!
*that's how he called the tourists fully loaded going to Everest
base-camp just because he never wares socks and a jacket in the .
"Janne
what the hell are you doing ?"...smile... "shaving why??"Actually his beard was off but ...it looked more like cutting
of his face
one 12years old ! Shot by a military man while she was looking
out of a window! Around a week later New year, again riots
against the Indians.
Because an Indian actor sad that the only country and peoples
he hated were the Nepalis .So
of course the hell was on in KTM against the Indian
Sebastien a french guy and me on our way to langtang
After two and a half month I left KTM ,where I spent a superb time whit some good friends I met in this city.
On the road in the terray of Nepal
On the
road through the terray I met Patrick a Canadian ,while having a break on the
road. We carried on together to visit the Bardia national park ,to search for
some tigers. Two days to go ,and the closer we get, the wilder it gets. While
crossing a bridge we saw crocodiles laying in the sand close to the river ,deer's
running into the bush ,and eagles making big circles in the sky .
While trying to filter some water Patrick's filter broke ..merde!!
So we were searching for anything that fits to replace the broken o-ring....after
going through our bags he found something really funny especially for the nepalis,
a condom .The party was on!!! We used the rubber ring of it and fitted it well
it its place and it worked but....don't pump too hard !
In a small village we found our next bed ,on the first floorof a traditional nepali earth house.
Finely we arrived in Bardia NP through a nice forest of huge
trees we found the guesthouse we were looking for ,a really wild place out
there in the bush ,with lots of different birds ,monkeys ,rhinos ,elephants
,snakes ,tigers, and freshwater dolphins in the river. After walking for
12 hours in the bush we came back to the camp . No risk ! No Tiger !No Action
! But fun.
I left Bardia after 5 day, to get closer to Indian border.
My first destination was Mahendranagar (Banbassa) the western border-crossing
of Nepal, where I entered India .The closer I got the more I became scared
.But of what and why ? Janne told me "better U than me going to India
.The worse enemy you can have in India is lonelyness ".But I thought never
say never ,and I made the step crossing the border ,with a self corrected visa-extension
(only four days longer).
Sleeping outside forget it I told myself ,too much peoples
everywhere.
So I slept each night in a guesthouse .
After a hard core trip in India I just had enough of everything
,got hit by potatoes on the market ,got kicked on the handlebar from a youngster
on a horse car, while riding, and had almost a accident ,so I decided to leave
India and to get a plane to Thailand . Soon as possible ...! I told the
lady in the travel office ...what in seven days ?? o.k. :-( So I spent
an other week in Agra ,before I got on my train to Calcutta and from there
by plain to BKK (the ticket from Delhi was 300US and Calcutta only 130)!!!
After a bit of planning in Bangkok I was ready to leave
to Cambodia to get a other 30 day's visa .On the first day I got stopped
by a lady on the motorway ,she gave me a bottle of water and a coke whit the
reason that she is fascinated by my way of traveling .The roads are a
bit like a highway but in really good condition, so I've beaten my
Record on the first day out of Bangkok. . . passed Pattaya beach with it's German
restaurant and expensive hotels ,and found a rest in a fisher village called
Bang Sare 178km south from Bangkok ,where I slept until late next morning .Next
stop was Koh Samet a National Park .I was supposed to pay a entrance
fee of 200 bath but instead I paid a 100(other office close to the peer
.After a week I left the Island and sold my ticket to the same office who sold
it to me .The whole Island seemed to be tourist paradise whit movies
during dinner and a lots of music later on until midnight, so it was
never really relaxing .The only animals where birds and geckos some butterflies
.
On the 8th day I was on the road again, heading south closer
to the Cambodian side, looking for the next "paradise". On my way
to the port to catch the boat back to the mainland, I met a guy who also cycled
a lot in his past years. After a lot of stories about his trips ,he gave me
a map of Thailand & Cambodia where he made a lot of corrections about distances
which will be useful to do some planning for the next days ,then my map (Nelles)
is not really correct when it comes to distances !The weather could have been
a bit worse then whit 32° C it was more a torture than enjoyable to
ride on a open road surrounded by trucks and motor bikes .But at least
much better and safer than India!
My next stop was Koh Chang much bigger than Koh Samet
,and much wilder...and no entrance fees .On this day I made my 90km when
I arrived on the peer .Lots of tourist were waiting for the boat ,with the
bike I had to take the ferry .I expected a flat road who will guide
me to my next little home ,but to my surprise there it was...the steepest
road I've never seen in my life .It took me about 90 min to kill the last
20km on this road .