A Dream Achieved

At last I reach India around 7000km from Istanbul 12 days. I dreamed of this for a long time - riding back from UK to India on motorbike. I am happy to become probably the first Indian to ride from the UK back to India. I am at Dharamsala in the lower Himalaya. I am Happy to be in mountains again.

I still remember like it happen today. D asked me “Pankaj I think now you have to ride from Istanbul to India on your own.” I was scared and thrill at same time. “When are you leaving?” D asked me. I said “tomorrow” and I was scared because I knew in past I have dropped my bike so many times and now no body will be there to help me and if I will crashed that is end of my trip. If some thing happens I was alone.

I was nervous but I knew I wanted to do this and I decided it is now or never. D saw mix feeling on my face and he asked me ““P if you want to change your mind and if you want to fly from here you are most welcome.” I said no D I am leaving tomorrow. We did my last packing and decided to go for beer. I knew after one or two beer I can talk whatever things are in my mind and two beers down and I told “D I thanks for every thing what ever you done for me.” D said “ why are you telling me now” and I replied “I don’t know weather I will see you again or not” D said “ don’t worry any thing happens to you any where I will be there or if I cant come there because of political situation I will send some body.” I realize I have got the best friend.

I left from Istanbul early in the morning and I was on my way to mount Nemrut. I was lucky there is motorway from Istanbul for around 400km till Ankara and that gave me confidence. And way D's very good friend Simon wrote to me P you are not alone you will meet lots of people and they will help you and I felt same thing. Every body was helping me. They were talking to me and I got invited for Turkish tea from police, to roadside restaurant, to toll collector on motorways. Ever body was helping me.

At around eight o clock I decided to stop and I stopped in small town 80km from Kayseri. I met one couple on bicycle they were planning to go to Istanbul to Tibet and it took three weeks for them to reach to same place where I reach in one day. They told me to go to Cappadocian Mountains and not to miss. I was not sure. I wanted to go to Mt Nemrut. We dispersed in the night and decided to meet at 6.30am for breakfast.


Morning we met and they were trying to convince again that I should go to Capadocia. At last when we were leaving he showed me the picture of Capadocia mountain and that’s when I decided to go to capadocia. I had to go back around 175km.



I was pleased I decided to come to Capadocia Mountain. Cappadocia Mountain lays in middle of country with a lunar landscape. Lots of ancient churches and cave dwellings in small villages. Cappadocia was once the heart of the Hittite Empire, later an independent kingdom, then vast Roman province mentioned in the Bible. Cappadocia’s heavenly backdrop consists of the soft volcanic materila that has been sculpted over millennia into fantastic shapes by water and erosion. The end result is fascinating: huge stone mushrooms and fairy chimneys, soft ridges and deep valleys. There is one valley call Love Valley full of phallus-shaped stones. I stayed here for two nights and now it was time for riding towards Iran.

On the way I stayed one night in Mus. Entire route was in mountain there are no flat land at all. In the night there were lots of insect - entire helmet was full of insects. I plan to ride strait to Turkey/Iran border.



First time I was using my customs carnet I was worried about it but Iranian police and custom people were very friendly and they helped me and asked me in for nice cup of tea. And told me to go and stay in the Umaria city 50 kms from border. D already told me that in Iran traffic is bad you have to be very careful. I realize that when I reach the city - they don’t have any traffic rules. It was big kayos for me and every body was going as fast as they can they were overtaking from any of the side and some how I managed to reach to hotel, get booked in. Next plan was to exchange my currency and have good dinner.

I came out of my hotel and first looking for bank so I can remove some money crossing that street from one side to another took me ten minute and three close escapes where I thought I am going to die. At last I reach ATM but they were not giving money on Visa or Mastercard from there. not any bank was giving me money on cards. In between I was looking for zebra crossing to cross road there were no zebra crossing. Every body was going very fast and braking at that speed, skidding and noise of tires skidding and honking.

No Iranian money to have food. At last I decided to exchange some Euros. I was enquiring and at last got some Iranian money.

Now second challenge: finding food from one restaurant to another, nobody understand meaning of word vegetarian. They don’t speak even word in English. I went in to kitchen in restaurant and pointing at meat and said no meat pointing at tomatos with action explained I eat this not that. And he said no sir, no food for you. And same thing one restaurant to another. Same time lots of close escape from cars, bikes and dinner was not worth dying for so at last I decided to buy some fruits and go to my hotel.


I was discussing my route with my hotel manager and he told me there is short cut on the way and you have to ferry your bike into the boat and you can save more than 200kms and I decided no this trip is about overland traveling to India and I took longer route. On the way stopped for tea and there were some young girls were sitting in burkhas (Muslim outfit) and D have warned me not to even look at girls in Iran. And I got my tea and I was drinking my tea and cigarette. But one girl came to me and start talking in broken English and I don’t know what to do so I replied and than there were six more girls and they started talking to me and started filming and taking picture of me and I was scared some body will come and hit me. They asked me for my phone no and Email id. I gave them and decided to leave as soon as possible. Evening around sunset time I reach Tehran and I knew Tehran is big city so I decided to carry on till next town and I reach at around eight o clock in place call Quam it is eighty km from Tehran.
I was looking for hotel and now I was calculating every thing against petrol it was costing me for 12ltr of petrol around one Euro. I enquired in hotel and he wanted around 15 Euro for one night. I decided to look for another hotel. I came out and here some body started talking to me in Hindi (Indian language). I got shocked and after talking to me for some time he invited me to his place. I had mix feeling I was confused, I don’t know weather it’s good idea to go with him or not. At last he told me come for cup of tea and I decided to go for cup of tea. I went to his place and met his kids and wife and I got more confidence and I decided to stay with him. My bike was safe inside his house and he cooked nice Indian food for me. And he treated me as friend and that’s what Indian culture is. He wanted me to stay for longer but I have to leave next day morning and again I was on my mission to cross Iran as soon as possible.


I ridden another day ride to reach place call Kirman. It is big city and I was not sure weather it is good to go in big city or not. I was looking for hotel nobody was speaking in English and I met one guy who speak some English and I asked him for budget hotel and he offered me to come to his place and I was feeling strange what is happening every day people are calling me to their places. He told me he is a history teacher. And I was following him he was on bicycle and 10 minutes we reach at his place and my bike was in his garage. And he had two lovely daughter and wife they cooked me nice meal. It was nice talking to him and understanding how they think about their country. He was asking me question like what kind off dress women were in your country. Weather man and women can hold hand and walk together or not?


Next day morning I started early and there is 300km of dessert to cross. It was getting hotter and hotter, my skin was burning and some time it was getting unbearable. There was no traffic for kilometres. I was on my way to Iran/Pakistan border. Every body told me not to go on Pakistan side stay on Iran side because it is much safer. I reached on last city on Iran side call Zaydan and things were totally changed, people were looking totally different wearing long beards and I was feeling strange.

I wanted to buy petrol, but there was no petrol pump - you have to buy petrol from road and I asked for price and they told me 4 euro for twelve liters and I said it is less in Iran. They said this is not Iran this is Azad and I never understood any thing. I bought petrol and now looking for hotel. Some body direct me to hotel I went there and they asked for 20 euro and I said it is steep at last he gave me in 10 euros and he told me there are lots of hassle they have to organize police protection for me. And he told me not to go far from hotel just stay in hundred metres or he will be not responsible for any thing and it is not safe. In the night police came to check.

Next day morning two police were on motorbike to escort me they took me to 500m and I was waiting for another police. 70km took 4 hours and I was annoyed but you can’t do anything. At last I reach Iran border cross towards Pakistan I never knew how they treat me or what will happen. First police checked my papers and greeted me nicely and took me inside and told senior 'hey look our brother is here'. And I felt releived because they treated me nicely and gave me cold mineral water bottle and cup of tea. Stamp my visa and send me to custom.

In custom some video shooting was happening. They wanted me to be part of it and I have to work for some Pakistani channel as tourist. They wasted my 2 hours. I requested television crew 'can I go, I want to go far and I am just stuck because of this film'. Officers were too engrossed in shooting and they were not bothered about me. At last television crew requested let this guy go. And he sends me to another office. Now custom officer told me it is lunch time and I have to wait for 1 hour - they will go to mosque pray, have food and than they will attend my case. From morning only 70km and frustrating waiting with every one.

Some how I got out of that place and they told me to stop after 300km at custom office and they wrote letter for me. On the way I saw my first site of wild camel.

I reach that place and some people came to meet me and one of them was a priest from mosque and he asked me my religion and I said I am Hindu and he started talking about Muslim religion and he was trying to convince me its best religion in the world. And I should join their religion and I will go to heaven. Other wise I will go hell. He explained heaven and hell and if I will become Muslim they give me place to stay food and wife. I was trying to tell him I don’t believe in any religion all religions are same for me. At last he gave up.

For my journey ahead in Pakistan I wanted to start early because I knew it will get hotter in afternoon. I finished around 450km and I was on curve and I saw in front of me on single road a truck coming. The truck was on his side and I was on my side but one car was overtaking the truck on my side. There were no place for me to go, so I took it as far as I could on the left but the car hit one of my panniers and I was straight on the ground crashed. And that car driver knew it was his fault not even stopped to see weather I am alive or dead. He left and I was flat on the ground.

I got up I saw my chain was out and my rim was bent. I stopped one truck driver - Mir Ahemad and he helped me we put my bike on the truck and took it to the next city. I met mechanic. I knew he doesn’t know anything about this bike so I have to do it on my own and some how I managed to fix everything and was on my way to India.

When I reached police check post and enquired where I could stay they put me in Hindu temple for the night. More than 300 people came to see me, the Indian Hindu in Pakistan - it was big strange for them. And I never met so many people at once from long time and I got nervous. I had nice Indian food and next day they told me police will escort you till the boundary. Next morning police were there and they escorted me to the border. For around 800km the police were escorting me and every 15 to 20 km a new escort took over.

Whomever I met asked me “what is your religion?” When I say “I am Hindu” they used to give me strange looks.

At last I decided I don’t want to wait any where and I just want to go straight to Indian border in the night at around 11 o'clock. I met some police and there was storm and rain so we decided to wait some were. One asked me for my religion and that’s it again - one hour gone. And he told me tonight you stay with us and I will operate you by your wish or force. And I will take you to mosque and you have to pray and you will become Muslim. When police were telling me like this I don’t know what to do. I just wanted to leave as soon as possible.


Some how I reached the Indian border at around 6 o'clock in the morning and border was opening at around 9.30 in the morning so I waited for three and half hours on the Pakistan side. On the Indian side they told me they can't let me in because I required special permission to cross this border by foot or I have to be 65 years old and above. They told me to go back to Pakistan and come by bus or train. I called my friends and they contacted Indian ministry and some how I got my permission to come in from that border point, but it took almost 5 hours.

So, at last I am in India with nice food people talking me in my local language. I got nice Indian chai (tea). Home sweet Chai.
Pankaj

Crate Expectations... sorry

There are instances in life when money is the means to solving complex problems. Others can be dispatched with a little brain-power and initiative, or through personal contacts. But on occasions, I have recently discovered, the best resource a man can have is the above list, combined with an entire Transylvanian aircraft factory working on his side. The help I’ve received here at S.C. Constructii Aeronautice has made the moving of my bike to Delhi so much easier than it would otherwise have been. Only in Romania.

Here we have been able to approach the problem of getting the bike flown to Delhi (now the target due to time restraints) from a different tack. Rather than go though all the formalities and paperwork of sending ‘dangerous goods’, we have instead been able to transform the motorcycle into non-dangerous goods. The big problem with my bike has been the fact it has contained fuel and that empty fuel tanks are potentially very explosive. Being a plane factory, people here know about the preparation of parts for flight – and the removal of residual gases from fuel tanks - so they have chemically flushed the tank, before blowing it through with compressed air. I have removed and purged the fuel pump and drained the oil - as much because it needed an oil-change (6000-mile service) and is a couple of kg lighter dry, as for any safety reason.

All the help has been given gratis and I’ve been given the space inside a hangar to break the bike down to more economical proportions and to have a crate made (by Mr Rogozea Ioan, pictured). Of course couriering 275kg (including crate) from Brasov to Bucharest and then flying it to Delhi isn’t cheap (at time of writing I don’t know exactly how much - expecting it to be in the 700-900 quid region), but considering the Turkish nightmares I’d been having, the process has been remarkably smooth. The bike, I’m assured by the courier firm, will be in Delhi on the 25th.

My brother-in-law, Terry Edney (known in the factory as ‘Mr Terry’) has been enormously helpful in managing the whole process in such a short time. Mr Terry works for a ’plane manufacturer Liberty Aerospace, who have parts made at the Romanian factory. He has given a great deal of time and effort, while also accommodating me in his Brasov flat. I was previously back staying with Dan and Nico at Prejmer, but it has been much more convenient to work from Brasov. Again I had a great time at Dan’s, with great food, boozy nights and plenty of laughs.

In total contrast to my experiences in Istanbul the freight forwarder, ASG Spedition, has been incredibly rapid, helpful, friendly and efficient. If you ever have to shift stuff in this part of the world - adrian.isar@asgspedition.ro

In accordance with what is becoming a tradition in dispatches from Brasov, I would heartily like to thank: Mr Terry Edney, Boggers, Neculai Banea, Gaby Raileanu and all those shop-floor workers at Constructii Aeronautice who helped lift, and shift. Thanks also to Liberty Aerospace for giving me office time to arrange things. Of course I have again to thank Dan and Nico for their hospitality plus Mike and Cristina for their meaty barbeque. There are also other people who offered help, such as Richard Baker, who gave us a contact in Istabul. It was fruitless, but thanks anyhow.

Also thanks again to Alex and Gabrone, with whom I went for a drink last night. There was talk of a ‘bikers’ meet’ at the weekend, so I’m going to attend to get some decent pictures of Romanian bike-life. I will fly Sunday or Monday, as I’m still not happy to buy an air ticket before the bike is in the air. Air France is the cheapest bet – 12 hours, including changing planes at Paris. Then there will be the business of retrieving the bike, which I dare say will be filled with paperwork and expense…
Damon

Pankaj in India

Got a mail from P last night:

Hi D,

I reach India i am in Amritsar today big hassle getting my self in my own country they were fine with bike but i cant enter in my country from that border. if i want to cross than i have to be 65 years old or above. some how my friend managed to get permission from ministry. i am leaving tomorrow morning for Dharamshala. i got Internet today and my phone was not working in Pakistan. i will put up blog as soon as possible. let me know your plan so i can arrange accordingly

Cheers
Pankaj

So there you have it - P has acheived his ambition to ride from the UK home to India. Well done fella. I called him today and he has primed me for tales of 'fanatics' and border problems. He promises to slap something up on the site when he gets to Dharamasala - which is in the foothills of the Himalaya.

I have the bike crated and the freight firm are coming to pick it up in about an hour. It will have to sit in customs for a couple of days before it flies. If things keep going well I should be in India by the month's end.
Damon

Back in Brasov

Hello from Romania - again. I'm presently in Prejmer, near Brasov, back staying with my friends Dan and Nico. The plan: today I will wash and prepare the bike and tomorrow it will be crated at the Liberty aircraft factory just outside town. We will then wade through paperwork while the bike is transfered to Bucharest Airport. When the bike is ready to leave for Delhi, I will book the first available flight.

For some unknown reason my mobile phone has sstopped working, so I've heard nothing from P. I assume he is now somewhere in Pakistan... As soon as find anything out...

I have now crossed Bulgaria twice! The trip from Istanbul to Brassov took 18 hours, starting at lunchtime - when I finally lost my temper with all the titting around trying to get the bike transported. Another biggy, but nothing compared incident-packed epics when P and I were travelling together.
Damon