Friday, August 12, 2011

11th August on road to Shimla

This visa thing has had me cornered and it seems that leaving for a couple of weeks to go to Nepal could be a problem and in the worst case have to stay for 60 days before returning. If I was on a formal tour, then it would be easy as there are bookings and flights as proof, but I would be subject to the discretion of the immigration officers at the borders. It may have been fine, but after some dilly dallying decided to 'do' Nepal in December.
It took a couple of days, of and on, to find this out, and by the end I was all city-ed out and headed for the hills north of Delhi.

I have noticed a lot of male hair dying going on here. It is either jet black, that shows the gray very quickly, or it is a sort of henna colour which has a lot of Donal Trump like characters cycling their rickshaws and the like. Will try and snap some examples of these fine chaps.

It is a long days ride to Shimla that I did over 2. Most was through the mighty plains surrounding Delhi, that look to be largely down to rice and wheat. Beautifully lush in this rainy season.

It may be down to Batty's homecoming (all but her engine was made in India), the speed of Indian roads being almost exactly in equilibrium with her pace, the now perfect clutch and gear setup, or the mustard seed oil in her tank, but Batty is going so well and is a joy to be riding here. That is until I could not get up a slop to a hotel that I wanted to stay at. It was very very steep, but plans to lower the gearing for 2 up are essential.

Some snaps on the road to Shimla, you can understand my spirits lifting as I rode through this scape.




2 comments:

  1. Hi Harry, I arrive next week, and will be in Sringar mid afternoon on Friday 19th with my group where we will be floating around on a houseboat somewhere for a couple of days before floating up stream. Any chance you will be there and join us for dinner one night? Whats your tel number? do you have an indian one? As will call when landed on Wednesday. take care lol dhalax

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  2. Hi Harry and Batty, really enjoying the blog and reading about your adventures. Its bringing back so many wonderful memories for us, wishing we could be there again! The scenery in Macedonia and Albania has been a real surprise, stunning, and the people wonderful. We are in Montenegro now working our way home very slowly. Safe travels, John and Jane.

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