Derek Jennings
Mission Impossible 2

Experience an account of the attempt to conquer the Himalayas while riding a bicycle from Nepal to Tibet and China

Sunday 22nd April
KATHMANDU

Up at who knows when? (I’ve no watch) that’s going to be another problem! I searched my bags for it last night, knowing that I’d picked it up from the road before oncoming trucks finally crushed it and as far as I can remember popped it inside a rear pannier. No sign of it now and the rest of that ride was on reasonably good roads, I wouldn’t have thought it would have shaken out! I’ve also noticed that incredible damage is caused to the bike and the contents of the bags by the continual pounding and vibration they get. Iodine tablets shaken and ground to a powder, printing rubbed off bottle labels, threads of a bag hem hooked to the key ring of my Swiss army knife that I just could not detach (my only means of cutting it free was with the knife itself which I couldn’t manoeuvre), torch bulb unscrewed, and kerosene bottle washer split, shaking the contents into the bag containing clothing, not a nice PONG! I can’t imagine what it’s doing to the camera’s and tape recorder! The cause of the iodine tablet problem was that the vibration unscrewed the bottle top shaking tablets out through wadding into the bottom of the bag where they were pulverised by the other contents. All these things happened yesterday, which just goes to prove what the road conditions were like, coupled with a never ending stream of buses and trucks creating clouds of choking dust and black exhaust smoke from every one. The added high temperature sapped every ounce of energy from my body and the shade from the odd tree was a welcome sight not to mention the sight of empty Coke bottle crates stacked outside a bhati that signalled there was Coke on offer if I was lucky!

By the time I had made a few preparations to start the day and got out to Didico’s for breakfast it was 7.30. Then it was a dish of muesli/fruit/and curd, and as it was early I took time to enjoy the sunny garden and notice the red/white/pink roses, and the geraniums, marigolds, and antirrhinums, it was almost like England (well! only the flowers!) Back at the guest house going through my bags searching for a padlock I came across my watch amongst a pouch containing bike spares. It was the only place I hadn’t looked and I found that the buckle was repairable so I’m back with time on my hands (or wrist!)

At the airline office at 10 o’clock, another plus! the guy told me there was a good chance of getting on the Thursday flight (26th) and I could go on a waiting list and confirm on the 24th. Well! I can hardly believe my luck, or will finally my hopes be dashed to the ground like so many times before on this trip, I’m scared to think about it! Strolled to Thamel for a look round and check out the Thanka paintings and haggle about prices. 1500 rupees was the best on offer which was the starting price for the one I got for 900r in Pokara, so maybe it was a fair price? Picked up a tape of traditional folk music and on to Le Bistro for lemon soda and chocolate cake, probably for the last time! Toured the shops in search of T shirt souvenirs, the only thing I can think of that might be suitable from the traditional Nepalese and Tibetan clothes and bags (light cotton and heavy woollens) that are on offer. There are others – ranging from beads, bracelets, facemasks, prayerwheels, ghurkaknives and paintings I got what I was looking for, but some I had to order. The day was rounded off with a two stage meal in Familys and Le Yeux restaurants.

Monday 23rd April
KATHMANDU

Today it’s off to Bodhanath but not very early. Didn’t wake from a fitful sleep until 8.30, aware all through the night and into the dawn of all the usual disturbances, dogs – crows along with my own anxieties. My guest house proprietor has asked me to change to a single room and after breakfast (fried egg and bacon) I was off by 10 to explore Bodhanath for another Tibetan experience! Read up about it beforehand so I knew what to look out for, and it paid off. Apart from the main Stupa (one of the largest Bhuddist temples) I took a look at 3 of the outlying monasteries picking up information as I went and I feel I know a little more about the religion now. I must be a fool though, I thought Bhuddist Monks all had Tibetan origin, but they don’t! I had a conversation with a monk from Bhutan at Bodhanath monastery and exchanging personal matters with him. It eventually led to him explaining why he was seeking a sponsor to help with his religious studies! “I have no mother, no father” he said. “I’m finding it difficult finishing my studies, and as England must be a beautiful place! I want a sponsor to help me come to your country,” you can be my father! give me your address.” I’ll give you mine.” Take my

picture to remind you.” It was a short time afterwards I went back to the Stupa and whilst strolling on top of the dome I saw my ‘adopted’ son (Karma Wangchuk) now telling the very same story to a Scandinavian guy! Noticing me there, he greeted me with the words “hello father!” He seemed quite keen to justify how genuine he was, but I quickly left and the Scandinavian did the same thing.

Called in at Pashupatinath on the way back to see the Golden Temple (the largest Hindu temple) and was told there are 108 in the area and millions of Gods and Goddesses throughout the belief! Plenty of offers to mind the bike! and give guided tours around the site for “a good price” Everything is always “a good price.” I gave myself a self conducted tour instead at a riverside site (Bagmati River) much like Patan. Took many photo’s all day long, hope I can remember their names where they all are! Back in Kathmandu I biked to another Buddhist Stupa. where I’d heard the meditation chantings some weeks ago, hoping I might catch them on tape. I was unlucky there was not a peep!! Was going to pick up my T shirts on the way back (ready after 4 he said) and as I did so I noticed all the shops were shut! That’s another mystery? that I haven’t solved yet. More than once today I’ve heard that police are carrying out reprisals on known revolutionaries, night raids on their homes, stabbings and lootings, some killed! It is said, in Kiritpur it was 25. I wonder if they expect more demonstrations? Well! eventually it became obvious that things were not right. Making my way to Kingsland restaurant for dinner there were a small group of men and women in the streets talking, no trading, all shops shut and even the street traders had disappeared. At 7.30 the restaurant staff told me they were closing at 8, the curfew was ON! Getting back to the “White Lotus” I notice the police have got a road block across the entrance to Thamel. So its the end of another day!

Tuesday 24th April
KATHMANDU

Crisis day today, do I get a seat on Thursdays flight or not? The anxiety, trying to decide whether to go to the airline office a few hours earlier just in case there might be a better chance, is killing me! Took breakfast at Didicos at 8 but was ready to rush down to the airline office afterwards, I’d got the bike with me! Planned to do one or two other things on the way, post the last cards home, check out handmade paper for Helen, sell the unwanted fuel bottle, and phone Helen if the flight is confirmed. Talking of fuel bottles it is my opinion now that I was carrying far too much luggage to make a Kathmandu – Lhasa journey possible. Rather than carry everything needed to cope with every eventuality I should have cut out some things and took risks, to get me and the bike over what was difficult terrain in the first place.The effort to get a heavy load through the highest mountain range in the world on its worst motorable road would have beaten ME. What long, strange days you can have in Kathmandu!

On the way to the airline it was evident that there’d been disturbances yesterday, bricks and dust in the road, the police station burnt and gutted and riot police back on the streets. The airline was noncommital, come back tomorrow they said. The day before when I’d asked they said the chance was good repeating what I’d been told many times before! So! its another days torture to survive! The trekking shop took no interest in buying the fuel bottle back! in spite of the notice on the window, BUY SELL – OR RENT. Made lots of enquiries about buying hand made plain paper to no avail but managed to get a guy to get me 1 ⁄2 dozen large sheets for tomorrow. The trip to collect the T shirts was amazing! – can I find the shop? not on your Nelly! I’ve scoured the street several times, enquired in the shop I thought it was, even showed the billhead receipt and no one can tell me where it is. I must be the victim of “The Sting” Got to Durbar Square again and checked out a few more places of interest mentioned in the guide book before going back to Le Bistro for lunch, fresh lemon soda and cheesecake, followed by fresh mango juice. I did successfully post the last cards today (5) and spoke to Richard a Yank from Louisianna biking his own mountain bike in Nepal with a girl friend working for the Peace Corps. He told me he’d ridden from Lhasa to Kathmandu by entering Asia from Hong Kong and flying from Chengdu to Lhasa in 1987. I got to find out in the space of about 3 hours that Tuesday is sometimes closing day (other than the usual Saturday) and a further enquiry to track down the T shirt resulted in being told that the shop I was looking for was shut. No wonder I can’t find it, today is Tuesday! see!! Retired to the guest house to collect my thoughts, gain more information from the guidebook and snatch a short nap! A wash and change of clothes, preparing to go looking for a meal.

Out on the streets at 6.15 tourists could be seen scurrying about with plastic carry bags containing packaged foods and shops and restaurants were shutting or had already shut,the curfew was imposed again tonight 7 o’clock. It seems the riot police didn’t control it very well last night as the armed military are manning the road blocks tonight. They look quite threatening with floor mounted machine guns/hand held machine guns and automatic rifles. Even the tourists are keeping off the streets now, so there was no time to grab a meal, and I returned to the guest house for noodle soup, a pot of tea and some peanut cookies I’d picked up on the way back. Now for another early night!!

Wednesday 25th April
KATHMANDU

Well! what will this day bring? Frustration or a pleasant surprise! it all hinges on Royal Nepal Airlines! I don’t really want to hang about here for another week, I’ve salvaged what I can from a disappointing trip, now all I want is to get home! and be thankful I’ve got a home to go to where loved ones will welcome me back, not that I’m deserving of it! After breakfast I shot off to the Airline office at 9.15 (each day I get earlier), and after a lengthy wait was told I must still wait or “come back at 2 o’clock”. The flight was 3 overbooked, but they said “chances are good”, whatever that might mean! I’ve heard it so many times. Time now to track down the T shirt shop and seek out that hand made paper, with some success I can now add! Sure enough the shop was open and in exactly the place I was told it was yesterday. The shop that had promised to get paper for me yesterday DIDN’T so I went back to another where yesterday he’d said they could get it to order (minimum of 200 sheets).

They would not do that if I only wanted six so I bought the largest writing pad he had in the shop. He responded by telling me if I came back at 2 o’clock he’d get me some large sheets! Seems that everything is happening at 2 o’clock! Grabbed a quick early lunch at Le Bistro and shot down to the airline office by 1.30 and waited until 2 to be seen then to be told that there was still a waiting list and now it was 7 overbooked! When I asked what else could be done they said “Well! you can come back in the morning between 9-10 or go straight to the airport and check when the flight list closes, Flight is 5pm, list closes 4pm. Haven’t got much choice having gone this far! It’s going to be a lot of work preparing the bike and luggage for a flight that might not take place, but then I’ve got nothing else to do! While all this is going on the office staff are more concerned by the fact that the curfew time has just been announced as 3pm! So! back to Thamel picking up the paper on the way. The old man was really helpful and beamed when I told him my wife will be very happy when I tell her how helpful he’d been.

Got the paper back to the guest house just in time, a storm started and with it a power-cut (that put a stop to the ghetto blaster in the next room). The storm was pretty violent with torrential rain and continued through the evening although the rain eased occassionally. I decided to go out about 5, just to see what the situation was on the streets. Most shops were shut, a few people walking about, mostly tourists, but no military yet! Found the East/West restaurant open and got a meal. On the way back it was dark, power had been restored and the military had taken up positions! Light in my room enabled me to pack bags in readiness for tomorrow, and so ended another day of torment! Just when I think I can take no more! it seems to get worse!! Still! one more day to survive, then I’ll know what my fate is.

Thursday 26th April
KATHMANDU

Is this going to be yet one more day on a “Wild Goose Chase”?, looks pretty hopeless! Never mind! give it a whirl “Del boy”! you’d better get over to the airport and find out. On my way to Pumpernickel bakery for breakfast. I changed 20 dollars in the street for 32.5r two previous attempts only offered 30 or 31.

Well, here I am at the airport! at 11.20am, and my bags sorted into carry-on or weighed baggage. I’d taken my time loading the bicycle and checking out of the White Lotus after breakfast, then took a slow ride to the airport. I wasn’t too sure that all this was worth it! Spoke at the information desk about standby flights, and yes! you’ve guessed it! “I was told the chances are GOOD” Other information I was given was, the economy class was full but 7 business class seats are available. The flight is 5 o’clock and I can enquire at the check-in desk when it opens at 3 o’clock (I suppose it’s going to be like all the other days I CAN do these things, but what will be the outcome?). What beats me is that you don’t get turned away, tantalising glimmers of hope keep being offered that in the end mean absolutely nothing! Several Nepalese airport “spivs” got to know of my problem and are following me and telling me they will help me get a seat, and at the same time enquiring how much Nepalese money I’ve got? Another problem is, what if at the last moment I do get a seat, is there going to be a query at the check-in over the bike? (as there was at Gatwick) will that delay things? and end in me missing the flight! I’m trying to get as much as I can in carry-on bags, so I keep the hold luggage including the bike down to 22 kilos and escape excess baggage charges. Not much else I can do now! It’s now got to 2.30 and the check-in desk is open. Enquiring, I was told to check at 3.30 but the guy did write my name at the side of the passenger check list An hour passed and the number of people I saw checking in was frightening.

The baggage some had was colossal – “I’ll never get on.” At 3.30 I joined the end of the queue and was told to wait until 4 and noticed there were 3 other names below mine on the supposed standby list (at least mine was on the top!) Ten minutes later I noticed a dubious looking character standing beside the check-in desk, just hanging about! It looks as though another queue is forming? So I joined him and made another one! putting myself at the front! It got to 4.10pm, the desk was slack and my name was called. WELL! I still can’t believe it! I feel like giving out a shrieking “YIPPEE” to relieve the tension, but instead carried on with the formalities as if it was quite normal, but I was bubbling!! The bike was taken without being weighed or charged! there was confusion over the 2 carry-on bags and I was told I could put one other in the hold if I wished) I didn’t understand and it got overlooked in the end. All I had to do was “cough up” 300 rupees airport tax. In my excitement and concern about the baggage I eventually grabbed the carry on items off the trolley, leaving it on one side making sure I picked up my passport and boarding pass and followed my luggage to a conveyor, where the bike was checked against my passport. (I’d already seen 3 other bikes go on board!)

All OK I proceeded to a departure lounge upstairs and as I did I heard calling behind me, turning I saw a porter waving – in his hand my precious roll of hand made paper and the THANKA painting I’d left on the luggage trolley! What a stroke of luck! after all that searching to get them, and I came within a shout of losing them, never to be seen again! is this my lucky day today! – better not put it to the test any more though! Had my Swiss army knife taken off me at security, given an identity token and the knife put in a tray along with many many others looking exactly the same!

The wait in departure was short, grabbed a beer and whilst talking to a mountain biker (German) a airport official came and sorted us out at the refreshment bar, telling us excitedly that it was the last call and they were looking for us! “BLIMEY” after all that and I’ve nearly missed it! So here we are! taking off at 5.05 for a 41 ⁄2 hour flight to Dubai and would you believe it! the seat beside me is “EMPTY” and I believe there are others empty! Shortly after take off I caught my last final glimpse of those elusive Himalayas as we flew West alongside, it was quite brief as there was lots of cloud, in fact there was rain in the valley all afternoon, but came a break and there it was! a fleeting glimpse of Annapurna, snow capped, and bathed in sunshine, quite spectacular but a “sad goodbye.” The Flight path is over New Dehli, Karachi, and Tehran. Having got myself on board, here I’m now winging my way home and not a soul knows I’m coming. I couldn’t let Helen know for fear of it not working out. Now that it has, what do I do? First thoughts are, give Helen a ring on landing at Gatwick and tell her not to try and meet me, I’ll come home on the Gatwick Flyer bus. That’s a shame really, it’s going to spoil the homecoming for me and for her, especially as I know how much she loves her airport visits, and to be honest I’d love her to be there at the very moment of arrival and in that environment too. Won’t be quite the same a few hours afterwards!!

Approaching Dubai, now dark, the scene outside was fantastic with a setting sun aflame on the horizon whilst above, an eclipse of the moon in pitch black space and the oil flames lighting the sky. Landed, floating over the Gulf at 9.30 (Kathmandu time) 7.45 Gulf time where the captain announced we would be on the ground five hours! (we’d left Kathmandu that much early to beat the curfew). In the transit lounge for a while it occurred to me to try and call home. There might be a possibility? and sure enough there was! What a stroke of luck! she was in! I knew it was my lucky day! I must have sounded excited and Helen certainly did, so it’s all working out fine, all I’ve got to do is get over this 5 hours here and I’m on my way again. Time passed slowly, passengers were provided with refreshment while we waited, Coke, sandwich and cake. Got to lay down for an hour or so and I did pick up a packet of duty free for Len £5. Back on board at 3am to take off at 3.20 for a 6 hour 50 minute flight to Frankfurt. The cabin was darkened for most of the flight, it was just the last two hours that things came alive and breakfast served. Landed Frankfurt Main at 10.15 (6.30 Frankfurt time) and what a change from Dubai where the outside temperature was in the 80’s to here where it’s 50, raining and cloudy. I wonder what it’s like in London? Took off for London 11.35 and 1 hour later got a glimpse of the White Cliffs of Dover. Landed 12.45 (7am local time) HOME AT LAST!

WHAT A LONG STRANGE TRIP THIS HAS BEEN!