Travelsonabike2 India Wednesday 16th-November-2016

Paddy fields

Garry McGivern Travelsonabike2 is cycle touring in Nepal/India on Wednesday, 16th-November-2016. Ghodaghodi, Nepal, to Khatima, India. 79 miles. Well I didn’t do too bad in the end today, considering how bad my stomach was at the end of yesterday!

Nepalese family
People from last night’s hotel

I didn’t venture very far from my room at all last night, just downstairs to have an omelette, which was alright and stayed in!

Nepalese sign
Looks like I’m a social criminal!

First thing this morning, I loaded up on Imodium and had another omelette (seeing as that was ok last night, I thought it would be ok today!) I didn’t want to start the day the way I finished yesterday, which seems to have worked. Although I’ve not taken any chances and not stopped for anything to eat all day! At the end of the day, I was pretty hungry, and as soon as I’d found somewhere to stay, I ate the packet of biscuits I’d been carrying all day!

At The Border

I reached the Nepal/Indian border at about 2 o’clock and immediately stocked up on water and snacks, as I was half expecting to have to camp tonight because not many places take plastic, and with no cash, I didn’t see an alternative!

As I went to the Nepalese immigration, I got talking to a French guy who was coming the other way from India. So I asked him what the money situation was like; a nightmare, he said! Which is what I suspected! He said that there was a money exchange on this side, and before I get my exit stamp, I should try and change my money up there as you’ve got no chance on the Indian side.

Without delay, I left the immigration office and headed back up the road. It was only about 100 yards away, and I don’t know how I missed it in the first place, but then maybe I was looking for the immigration office at the same time, so didn’t spot it!

I managed to exchange my Nepalees rupees for Indian rupees and also some US $ which even the bloke in the booth said that I was being ripped off, but with no other choice what was I to do!

Once across on the Indian side, I spotted one ATM that was open. But it had a massive queue, and all the others that I saw were all closed, so even though I was ripped off, at least I had some cash!

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Travelsonabike2 Nepal Tuesday 15th-November-2016

Bardia river in the Bardia national park

Garry McGivern Travelsonabike2 is cycle touring in Nepal on Tuesday, 15th-November-2016. Kohalpur to Ghodaghodi. 67 miles. Well, that was a much better ride today. Although I never got quite as far as I wanted to!

Ox and cart
It’s a much slower pace around here

It’s been a relatively flat ride, and I was cycling through the Bardia National Park for part of the day. I also crossed the Bardia River. Where I saw some crocodiles basking in the sun along the banks and some turtles swimming in the water. There were also some pretty big fish that I could see from the bridge I was on!

A turtle in the water
A turtle

It was after crossing the Bardia River I entered the Bardia National Park. As I entered, there was a police checkpoint, as there have been so many times along this road. It was as I crossed the checkpoint I got stopped by one of the local guides asking me if I wanted to go into the park. There’s a 90% chance that you’ll see a tiger, he said! Unfortunately, I didn’t have time or else I would have. He did say to me, though, as I was leaving to be careful and keep an eye out for the next ten miles as a lot of wildlife crosses the road here. Including tigers! Great, as much as I would love to see one, not whilst I’m cycling!

Crocodile by a river
Crocodile

Well, I obviously managed to survive that road, and I didn’t see any tigers, I did see deer and monkeys, however, and I must admit that every time I heard something move in the jungle, it made me jump, but whatever it was was more scared of me as I’d hear whatever it was scampering off into the jungle!

Monkeys in a tree
Monkeys!

After surviving the jungle road, I crossed another stretch of water, the river Karnali at Chisapani, where I decided to stop for a spot of lunch, which was the normal affair of rice, curry, dal and some green veg.

Checkpoint in Nepal
One of the many checkpoints
Big Mistake

Anyway, 10 minutes down the road after having lunch, I started to get that feeling in my stomach that I might be seeing lunch a lot sooner than I had planned! And the more I continued on, the stronger the feeling got! The only trouble was now that I was in the most populated area I’d been in all day with absolutely nowhere to go and do what I needed to do or rather had to do!

I continued on for a short while longer. But there really wasn’t any holding back; I just had to pull over to the side of the road and squat! Such a relief I didn’t care that anybody was around. It was either that or I would have shit myself!

Dal bhat
My lunch, which I saw a lot sooner than I would have liked!

Needless to say, I didn’t continue on for much longer; in fact, the first place I saw, I stopped at, and once I’d checked in, I immediately sat on the toilet for the next half hour!

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Travelsonabike2 Nepal Monday 14th-November-2016

A misty start leaving Lamahi.

Garry McGivern Travelsonabike2 is cycle touring in Nepal on Monday, 14th-November-2016. Lamahi to Kohalpur. 68 miles. It’s been one of those days where I’ve been struggling all day! Don’t know why, it’s been a bit hilly but not really that bad! Still its makes the end of the day better and that beer taste even nicer!

Guesthouse landlord
My landlord from the guesthouse last night

Normal service was resumed with the traffic back on the roads, the strike was obviously off today! Mind you the roads have still been fairly quiet and nothing like they were when I was near Kathmandu.

Misty road
Misty start this morning

My ride today has been mainly through jungle and I keep seeing signs with tigers on, so I’m not sure whether they are around here or not! Best not hang around too long to find out! I did see some monkeys at the end of today though!

Nepalese mud hut
Local houses

I see the chaos in India with the money situation is still just as bad, I’m hoping that when I cross back into India either Wednesday or Thursday that there will be some touts at the border so I can exchange some money with them, even though I know I’ll get ripped off but I don’t really have a choice as it seems that most ATM’s either have a long queue or are not working!

Cows
Cows!

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Travelsonabike2 Nepal Sunday 13th-November-2016

Quiet roads on the way to Lamah.

Garry McGivern Travelsonabike2 is cycle touring in Nepal on Sunday, 13th-November-2016. Butwel to Lamahi. 78 miles. Well, that was a ride with a difference today! In all the miles I’ve cycled in different countries I’ve never experienced anything like it!

Hotel staff
Staff from last night’s hotel

Bearing in mind, I’m on the main East-West highway, the main road across Nepal. I’ve cycled for eight hours, and all I’ve seen all day is ten lorries. No cars, no busses and only a handful of motorbikes! It’s been eerily quiet. The only other people on the roads were other cyclist’s local obviously, obviously (although I did meet another Brit on a bike heading towards Kathmandu) and the police and army! Apparently, there was some strike today. I don’t know what it’s about or how it works. But if it means the roads are going to be as quiet tomorrow as they have been today, let’s hope it continues!

Motorbike on a road
The other traffic on the road today.
One Hill

It’s been a flat ride nearly all day, apart from some pass I had to cross at 700 metres, and that’s where I met my fellow Brit on his way to Kathmandu. He’d been on the road for two years. He had started in England and cycled to Greece, where he caught a flight to India. I don’t think he had any major target or aim apart from he liked to go wherever he could get weed from and get stoned! Each to their own!

Cows on a road
And the other traffic!

I’m staying at a nice little guesthouse tonight.

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