Derek Jennings
Mission Impossible

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

My desire was to skirt the HIMALAYAS and EVEREST along the Arniko Highway from Nepals’ capital Kathmandu to Lhasa TIBET.

I found it to be the very continent that Doug Chinn had his eyes set on. His ambition was to bicycle from Lhasa to Beijing China. Doug was a bike rider I first met in his home town of Pueblo Colorado whilst I was taking part in the “Bikecentennial 76” ride. We’d kept in touch ever since and now in 1987 we felt our ambitions could be fulfilled if we bike from Kathmandu to Beijing together!

Research told us that independent travel in Tibet is not permitted. The regulations of the country do not encourage it, especially with a bicycle!

A British overland travel company advised me to contact Marco Polo Travel agency on our arrival in Kathmandu. They would arrange a Chinese visa for us that would overcome the problem. With hope in our hearts I convinced Doug to come with me on newly acquired mountain bikes (our first ever!) to conquer the HIMALAYAS and CHINA !!

Sunday 12th April 1987
London

A drive to Heathrow airport with my wife Helen together with Doug was uneventful, except on arrival discovered I’d forgotten to bring my body warmer with me, it was still at home! The airport check-in proved a financial disaster, our bikes in cardboard boxes, along with our bags was 30kg overweight and at £11.26 a kilo required a payment of £338. A sympathetic Pakistan airline official finally charged us £225 for 220kg. When asked if we could be excused the charges he declined and said he had been most generous! Goodbyes at 6pm and take off at 7.35 (queued behind Concorde for take off). Strong smells of spice coming from the kitchen, I wonder what’s in store! A spicy chicken was served for dinner 8.15 during which Doug told me how much he appreciated the way he had been received by my friends and family while he was in England.

It has now at last hit me that the trip is now in deadly ernest and after dinner I read the NEPAL handbook in an entirely different light! Scanning its pages for tips on survival in Kathmandu, something I had not done up to now. The captain tells us that we shall be flying via Germany, Austria, Hungary Rumania, Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan to Dubai, time 6 hours 25 minutes. Landed Dubai 2am and in the airport building the air temp was 20c. A clean and modern terminal and armed military guarded the plane. Jane a trekker from Northampton joined us for coffee and then it was back on board for take off at 3.15. Crossed sandy desert lands and over the Persian Gulf littered with oil tankers. Landed Karachi 6am and waited 3 hours for flight 268 to Kathmandu. Plenty of window space to view the local scene outside and surrounding the airport was the now familiar sandy desert areas. Time dragged and feeling quite tired we boarded the PK 268, a Boeing 737 at 9am for a 2 hour 25 minutes flight.

The jumbo flight from Heathrow had contained mostly Asian passengers (only 5 Europeans) now everyone seems European. The ground temperature in Karachi was around 75F and getting hotter. Landed Kathmandu Tribhuvan 3pm local time. We walked from the plane to the airport building and changed money (50 dollars=1080 rupees). Then going through customs they wanted the bike boxes opened and asked if we intended taking them home when we returned. We were glad to see the bikes were OK. Native porters grabbed our bikes and insisted on seeing us through customs and out of the terminal, demanding dollars as a tip! I couldn’t find the 20 rupees I’d put aside and assuming I had been robbed, I had to part with a 50 rupee note! instead.

The scene outside the airport was Chaotic! Police, Taxis, Buses, and the natives milling about in a dusty, grubby, and warm atmosphere. Having dismissed the porters we dragged the bikes to a quieter scene beside a long hut 200 yards away, to assemble them. It was done to a large audience who all wanted to watch and help then finally asking for the bike boxes! (was it to live in I wondered?) We got the bikes done by 5.40 but we had to have our eyes everywhere! in case things disappeared, we were surrounded! Rode away round the ring road, meeting a mountain biker Gary from London who directed us to the Youth Hostel we knew was around here somewhere.

Scenes along the roadside were not unexpected, dusty, shabby, brick shell-like buildings, housing people, and containing shops, and places cooking and selling food that looked very suspect! Lots of people were milling about carrying all sorts of burdens! Checked in at Mehendra Y H at dusk (10 rupees a night) and glad of a nights sleep, the first for 36 hours! Ah well! we will sort out everything out in the morning

—

Tuesday 14th April
Kathmandu

Woke at 7.30 after a fitful sleep, had to apply repellent in the night the dreaded “mossies” were back. Checked out the bikes and baggage and left for the city centre, to find overnight accommodation. That will enable us to set about getting our Visa’s and prepare to start the journey.

Several map readings got us to the Thamel district where we met “ED” a Dutchman no less! He recommended we try Himal Cottage, checked in there and went for breakfast at the “Bistro”. Checked out Marco Polo Travel who are going to help with our entry into China if possible! and then a Post Office visit to get our first mail away. While doing this we got a real good look at various native areas and customs! the unsavoury shops, lack of cleaning, and the religious scene. Already the spitting in the streets was commonplace, along with continuous blasting on motor horns, and cattle wandering about and laying idly in the road! The size of the bats hanging in the trees are unbelievable! and maimed animals are pounced on by crows! Quite hot today, but cooler towards afternoon. Bought some grapes on the way back to the guest house and met Jane, she joined us for dinner at the “Utse” – Chinese and Tibetan restaurant. Then it was back to Himal Cottage to write the diary, and prepare to face another day!

Wednesday 15th April
Kathmandu

Rose late at 9am, after being woken twice in the night by Doug who was not too keen on my snoring! and said it was keeping him awake.

The sounds of Kathmandu awakening were varied, noisy truck engines, cawing crows, – cockerels, song birds and natives greeting each other and above all this the sounds of truck horns! Took breakfast in the garden of the German bakery “Pumpernickel”, then went to find Mr Shambhu representing Marco Polo Travel at the Kathmandu Guest House. He took us by taxi to the Chinese Embassy where we were told to send a telex to Beijing from the Ambassador hotel for authorisation of our necessary visas, Walked back to Himal Cottage through some interesting mud, dust and rubble, covered districts among shops selling unbelievable and almost unrecognisable items. Took some pictures including one of a young mother carrying a small child among these incredible scenes. Some other common features of this place are the cows just ambling and laying in the road as do the dogs!

The nice thing is that among all this mess lay lovely small gardens attached to guest houses and restaurants where you can sit and relax in serene peace! Took lunch at Le Bistro and checked “Ambassador” who were having trouble sending the Telex to Beijing! We went for a ride around the ring road for a couple of hours and encountered many strange sights. A father and son travelling the roads performing circus magic and most noticeable was the better life style enjoyed by the farmers in the outlying villages of the Kathmandu Valley. All kinds of crafts were carried out in the street, iron work, welding, tailoring, and an incredible variety of shops (lock-up) in appalling dirty, dusty conditions, selling anything from 1 cigarette to a suite of furniture! and just hundreds of people around to confuse us. We got two ice cold Cokes in the midst of such surroundings! All throughout our ride we were greeted by children calling “Hello” and we are beginning to be a little more trusting about their friendliness. We met a native student outside the Tibetan refugee camp who took us to see a temple in Llalitpur and then on to another nearby which was truly incredible! No seething masses, quite private, with a courtyard filled with idols and just a few people living in the courtyard surrounds, A holy man, a small child, and a man sieving rice were part of the scene. On again took us past a cremation site and burning ghats beside a rickety river bridge, then it was time for a fast ride back to town to hear a talk and slide show given by Dr David Shlim at the Kathmandu Guest House on Acute Mountain Sickness, it was given in the garden and well worth seeing. Later it was supper in the “San Fran Pizza” followed with a cinnamon roll and tea in Helenas restaurant. The Golden Eagle bottled lager we had for supper saw us roll home to write our diaries. Quite a day!

Thursday 16th April
Kathmandu

Rose at 8 to bright sunshine again. Breakfast was at Helenas’ then we took ourselves off to Ambassador and found they still hadn’t got the Telex message away! to Beijing but promised to do so today. In the meantime we took ourselves back to yesterdays temple at Llalitpur, the light was failing yesterday so maybe we could get some better pictures today. A cremation was taking place by the river and riding our bikes over the river bridge hopefully will make a good picture. Purchased fruit for lunch in a street market, bananas, and an attractive one called Chickel, but it was a failure! When we opened it. it was full of a gum like substance and we never found out if it could be eaten!

So it was back to Pumpernickel bakery to fill ourselves up! Checked out Ambassador who had just got the Telex. away, or so they said!? On the way back we spoke to Sandy Howkins, a Canadian round-the-worlder. The receptionist at Ambassador told us his Sherpa friend was taking a group of cyclists to Lhasa in about 15 days which sounded encouraging, although Sandy tells of a number of failures he has heard of so at the moment it is all very confusing. Communicating here is not too difficult, there are so many Europeans! and it is common to hear English spoken and also written. The restaurant and guest houses are meeting places for the world travellers, where ideas and experiences are exchanged. Went for a stroll through the bazaars this afternoon and was surprised to find a wide range of goods for sale, from fine silks, electrical goods, hand tools, some Western style clothes and a large vegetable market all taking place in dingy, dark, messy, narrow streets with hundreds of people, rickshaws, bicycles, and cars adding to the confusion. Supper was at Le Bistro, then write the diary and bed! G O O D N I G H T !

Friday 17th April
Kathmandu

Was woken at 8 by the manager of Marco Polo Travel knocking at our door. He told us that a friend could get us a Visa for 75 dollars if we wished (maybe in 3 days). Breakfasted at Le Bistro, egg, hash browns and crushed apple juice. Strolled the bazaars to get some pictures, and at 10 we took off for a ride to Bhaktapur and Nagarcot with the idea of climbing some of the surrounding Himalayan foothills as training for the ride to Tibet – when and if it ever happens!!

The usual sunny day did not allow us to see very far, a dust haze hid distant landscapes. Entered Bhaktapur during a religious festival and took pictures of children and the procession entering Dhurbar Square. The l9km ascent to Nagarkot, took an hour and a half on a partially paved road. Terraced hillsides, housed farming communities, and all the villagers and children shouted “hello / goodbye” very often with outstretched hands asking for “one rupee”. At the summit Sherpas carried heavy loads barefoot down the mountain sides and Doug and I managed to get two Cokes at the “Blue Heaven” restaurant as we reflected on some of the amazing sights seen in Kathmandu today! A wedding procession, the bridal car preceeded by a street band. And a funeral procession – the body wrapped in gold foil carried on a stretcher through the streets to the cremation site. We returned to Kathmandu by the same route. The dust and pollution today has been a problem having ridden 70km today, we were amongst it 6 hours and I know I’ve done a ride! eyes sore, throat dry and I’m “Whacked Out”.

Suppered at an Italian restaurant and browsed the book shops, found pictures of the Dali Lama. ED the Dutchman took off for Pakistan today, last night we were with him when he met up with companions who had just come in from the Rongbuk glacier. He had travelled with them from Golmud but had to abandon because of illness. Finished today with soda water, brownies, and a large pot of black tea, boy! was I thirsty. Now comes the realisation that our stay here is going to be longer than expected. Beijing still has not responded to our TELEX and when we finally get under way the schedule and route will have to be modified. From what we’re hearing, all along our route TIME is what you’ve got to have plenty of, nothing gets done quickly! and time is not what we’ve got. So who knows what other difficulties lay in store for us out there!

Saturday April 18th
Kathmandu

Doug and I both had a disturbed night, he with his sinus problem, and I feeling very sick. I managed to control it but it stayed with me. Breakfast was just a Bisodol tablet and a pot of tea. The often heard saying “don’t leave home without it”! here refers to (toilet paper) and you’re in trouble if you do! Took a ride out to Ambassador hotel, but there was no reply to the Telex yet! Changed money on the Black market 100 dollars = 23.50rup,- the approach by vendors is “Buy carpet, change money, something to smoke?” Checked out a mountain bike hire shop about biking to Tibet but no advice was forthcoming. Doug broke his spectacle nose bridge and tried to mend it while I rode out to Maro Polo to ask if 75 dollars the manager had mentioned meant we could get a stamp on a visa for bicycle travel in Tibet. The answer I got was vague, which is not unusual in this part of the world! I had a rest on return and then the diarrhoea started! Over at Le Bistro for lunch, I took two Bisodol and a bottle of mineral water, Doug managed to eat. We spoke to a American biker Glen who confirmed how difficult it was to get over the border. While Doug went to the Telegraph office I rested, and he got a cable to his wife Terri which read “Arrived OK, working on visa, may have to go to India” When she gets it I hope she’ll ring Helen!

The terrific noisy thunder storm and torrential rain, brought Doug back drenched. About 6.30 we dragged ourselves out to Pumpernickel for two pots of tea, lemon and darjeiling and we checked the bookshops for research on the Karakhoram Highway and Ladahk which seems to be a way out of our problem if our Chinese visa doesn’t materialise. Glen told us it was similar to Tibet and in fact we’d heard it described as “little Tibet” Doug gave me another Flagyl tablet, the second today, I’m thankful that Doug carries a well stocked medicine pack. “And so to bed!”