Derek Jennings
Mission Impossible

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

Monday 27th April
Bhutwal

It was still dark when we woke at 5. A banana and 1⁄2 of last nights japati! for breakfast and we set off from Bhutwal at 5.40. Flat country again at the base of the range, villages further apart now. We are not able to make ourselves understood, although we are still the biggest attraction around! Got into more forested areas by mid morning, bird life is colourful and large monkeys appeared leaping in the trees. A climb came eventually which slowed progress for about 1⁄2 hours but we later got back to 18-20km an hour, short stops were made, mainly for Coke and we had our passports checked at a military check post by a soldier – “and all the village!”. He had to ask Doug to show him where his name was written in the passport? so he obviously couldn’t read English. For quite a good part of the morning there was some cloud, so the sun didn’t bother us too much. Our plan to stop during the midday heat did not happen as by 12 o’clock we had covered 100km and there was only 25km to do to get to the generating plant at Rajivs place (Lamahi).

 

Arrived at 1.30 having ridden further in one day than since we started. We were looked after very well, plenty of water to drink and tea and biscuits in Rajivs office and later a shower outside in the yard under a hand primed pump and then shown to our quarters! A twin bedded room with mosquito nets, just like last night, what a stroke of luck! but no electricity again! Rajiv asked if we would like to walk round the village, which I could have well done without! We obliged and then returned to a birthday celebration. I’d just happened to mention to Rajiv it was my birthday tomorrow! and he produced a meal and a glass of Scotch! (Johnny Walker). Got to bed at 10 and glad of it again! (under a net!)

Tuesday 28th April
Lamahi

“Happy Birthday” Up and away by 6 heading for Nepalganj. It was a hilly ride and I found it hard going, although there were no long climbs. After 2 1⁄2 hours I was wearing out! and managed to hang on until 1pm when we stopped by a river for a couple of hours. Doug had crank trouble he attended to, I made tea with water from the river!

Left at 4pm to try another few kilometres before camping at a road junction for Nepalganji. At sunset cooked and ate a birthday meal de-luxe! RECIPE – Take loose rice laying in the bottom of a grubby pannier bag, add flaked rice from a dirty plastic bag, mix with two plastic feeding bottles of water drawn from village pump, add curry powder to taste! and one large cucumber sliced, add salt and bring to the boil until it reaches a nice porridge consistency! – Serves 10.

Wednesday 29th April
Nepalganj

Had a lay in till 6, cooked oatmeal and made tea but Doug felt unwell so ate nothing. We had now decided we would have to make a detour and cross the Indian border earlier than expected at Nepalganj to change money. After arriving at the border we were told there was no Bank exchange on the Indian side of the border except at the State Bank of India in Lucknow and that we can reach by train. Managed to get hold of a few Rupees at a roadside stall, so we can at least get the train. That we can do at Nanpara 19km away. Having no other choice we rode the l9km through flat farmland against a strong side wind, Doug was sick on route. It was slow going but the border crossing had been without hassle. Arrived in Nanpara at 12, found the train station with difficulty and was offered tea in the goods depot.

The next few hours was spent arranging tickets for us and the bikes, surrounded by crowds of onlookers. Formalities were numerous, we had to make our own destination labels for the bikes! and fill in various forms – Our fare was 22 rupees and 15 rupees for the bicycle. All this was done under very hot conditions and crowded! Waited on station platform for 3 hours surrounded by onlookers pressed close up to our faces! managed a short conversation with a few who could speak a little English. The state of some of them was appalling! open sores with flies on them and very dirty! A blonde haired boy in the crowd was from Lancashire, sores on his arms and legs and a very sad face! Boarding the train was something else! Access was by climbing with all our baggage from the trackside through two stationary trains to the trackside of a 3rd whilst being advised by a number of onlookers where to go!

After having struggled and heaved down on to the trackside I’d lost Doug! and he appeared later, shouting to me from a 1st class carriage (he’d found some seats!) we obviously, among all the natives looked 1st Class! The carriage held 10 sitting and 8 standing, some black gowned and veiled women! A 2-3 hour journey having been assured, our bikes were on the train, (although we hadn’t actually seen them) and I was thankful I was not 2nd class, even so it was not enjoyable! Doug got so down in the dumps and I certainly wasn’t coping very well physically. that I wonder if we can salvage anything at all from this! Do we continue to go on stumbling from one problem to another? or do we forget Ladakh and go to Dehli and “call it a day”?

Got to Gonda at 8.30 and had to change trains and saw our bikes taken from the train and locked in a parcels office, Some confusion now whether we and the bikes will go on the same train to Lucknow? Whilst we waited in a 1st class waiting room it gave us a chance to shower and talk about our next moves. By now it was obvious that neither of us were enjoying what we were doing so it seemed right that when we get to Dehli we call it off and go home! I cannot describe the terrible sense of disappointment it must be to Doug and how stupid I’ve been to lead him into all this mess. Not to mention Helen and all the family who will have to suffer the humiliation with me.

Left Gonda on the 1 o’clock train 2nd class and the bikes came with us! Arrived Lucknow at 5am terrible journey, with a loincloth clad native squatting beside me on the carriage doorstep all night and bodies laying about everywhere, on the floor and, seats and in the luggage racks!

Thursday 30th April
Lucknow India

Now we have to get Indian currency, and finding out how and where? is the problem. With the bikes and bags we roamed Lucknow for 5 hours! trying to find the State Bank of India gathering crowds of natives, and receiving confusing advice, and being questioned whenever we stopped. The stops were to eat or drink bottles of “Froosh” or onion cookies, offered by roadside vendors and always watched by those never ending crowds! When it come to finding the State Bank of Indias’ main branch, which was the only foreign exchange in the whole of Lucknow, it took a further hour!

We finally did the exchange and escaped back to the train station for another frustrating time. While I tried to get 1st class tickets to New Dehli. Doug waited outside with the bikes and 30 or more onlookers! I later took on the role of bike minder while he went to make sure we would be allowed to take our bikes on the train. Got all that done by 1pm and went to a 1st class waiting room to wait for the train until 8.45. Took a shower, ate and drunk and wrote our diaries but it was hot and I was exhausted, demoralised and nothing was done with enthusiasm. Doug started talking about taking a day trip to Agra to see the Taj Mahal but as much as I feel I want him to get what he can from the trip all I want to do is get to hell! out of here “QUICK”. Time passed slowly while we waited expectantly for the 1st class train we’d paid 364 rupees for, plus 42 for the bikes. But as the train left on time we discovered the bikes were not on the train! How long will it be before we ever see them again? IF EVER!

Friday 1st May
New Dehli

First part of the journey was a problem, my chest and cough was getting worse, took a codeine and the night passed. We shared a compartment with two Indian men who slept on top berths, we occupied the two seats below. Pulled into New Delhi at 7 and was told our bikes would maybe arrive at NOON, so we settled down for a long wait AGAIN! We seem to have been hanging around for days now and haven’t slept in a bed for 3 nights. I got a bit restless so after a couple of hours I went to check on the bikes only to be told by a turbaned Sikkh who seemed to know what he was talking about! “they might arrive tomorrow” In despair I turned away and was almost knocked over by a porter carrying Dougs bike aloft. So! incredibly! we found ourselves into New Dehli and riding by 9.30.

The traffic was horrific! but by a miracle we found the Pan AM office and arranged for an early flight home on May 7th, instead of the 27th. First having been told there would be a 10% admin charge our new tickets were handed back to us with no charge at all! SCREAM!! when will they make up their mind! We had spoken to an English woman in the street earlier who recommended a guest house and we eventually got ourselves installed there. 120 rupees a night, with mineral water available (iced). The name is “Roshan Villa”. Nice place, air conditioned room, cold mineral water and a meal if we want it. We must have looked like hobos’ having spent 2 days on India’s railwaysDougs clothes and body were filthy.

We soon availed ourselves of all the facilities and felt good enough to look around for a couple of hours. That was a real pain! On foot we were accosted all the time by vendors wanting to sell us everything from Hash to Diamonds and salesmen, 3-at-a-time, wanting to take you to their Emporium. This is going to be a real pain in the neck! trying to pick up gifts here. We fled to Conaught Place for a bit of peace and Doug ended up having his legs massaged in the park by a native “faith healer”, watched by about 3 other vendors all wanting to sell various mysterious services after the masseur was finished! Even here in the Capital beggars are laying in the street dying, open fly covered sores on their bodies. This morning coming in on the train our introduction to the toilet habits of Indians was amazing, Open land along the trackside was well frequented by men squatting for a call of nature! Most of them in view from the train only l0ft from the track while others were walking to a favourite site with a tin can of water and returning later with it empty. I wonder if one of the big decisions that has to be taken in this part of the world is “where shall I go today for the old squat and drop?” At Roshan Villa the evening meal of rice dahl and japati’s was our first for 2 days.

Afterwards a good nights sleep certainly was attractive. Since getting in to India there has been a chewing habit, strange leaves are used to wrap up a concoction of beetlenut, silver, some herbs and a smear of a wierd looking sauce. The whole parcel is chewed and eventually spat out leaving a red/brown stain on the ground! (looks as if there’s been road accidents everywhere!). I left Doug talking to other guests and went to our room, my shin was developing a stretching, smarting, pain in the place where the graze was that I’d picked up where we’d camped on my birthday. (Day 17) I felt I was becoming just a pain in the neck to Doug, I could think of nothing else except my own terrible discomfort, and whether it was serious and how to overcome it. Rested on my bed from 9pm – 7.30am and the night passed without getting up!

Saturday 2nd May
New Dehli

Woke to discover my shin was festering and by the time breakfast was over I had a pain developing on a vein in my groin. Now worried! the first thing to do was to kill the infection, I broke the wound, bathed and dressed it with antiseptic ointment and started a course of Keflex that Doug gave me. (one every 4 hours for 10 days). It is still very painful! I didn’t want to be the one to stop Doug see some of Dehli so I agreed to take a slow ride out to the Velodrome on the ring road. It was only about 40mins but in rush hour traffic. Once there we were let in and stayed 10mins (not allowed to take photographs!) Rode on to The Red Fort and I was now exhausted, dry and weak. Outside I drunk 3 minerals while Doug bought a 1⁄2 rupee ticket and entered the fort. I minded the bikes and sat in the shade and drunk two more minerals! Had to return to the hotel by lunchtime and laid on the bed all afternoon. Dragged myself out to Bangali Market for a pizza and eventually was glad to get back for a rest, my leg was extremely painful! Took a couple of Codeine before sleeping, wasn’t too confident how I would sleep, I’d been laying down half the day.

Sunday 4th May
New Dehli

This morning I feel better, the leg is less painful but it looks a bit of a mess!

Doug helped me dress it and I took a Codeine and we discussed the possibility of taking a train trip to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. Our host Mr Roshan Lal was being most helpful whenever he could and at breakfast he convinced us that the Taj Express at 7am was the best train, so maybe we’ll go tomorrow. Decided to ride round and visit Sikkh Temples and tombs and got involved with a Snake Charmer beside India Gate who wanted to show us how to charm his snakes by encouraging Doug and I to handle them! Doug showed a little dismay! and was not too keen to hand over a rupee reward for the pleasure when he asked!

Choosing a Sunday to do our sightseeing was a good decision, there was no traffic and we saw everything under leisurely conditions. Ate dinner in the hotel talking to other international visitors, as we have been doing over the past few days. By bedtime my leg was extremely painful and very swollen and Doug was developing his stomach problem again so it was off to bed. Doug climbed into his sleeping bag to overcome shivering, he took Flagyl whilst I took my Keflex and Codeine and settled down.It was such a relief to get my leg rested, although I am now frightened about the long term effects of this leg. Could well be it will cause me problems for the rest of my life! I have not managed to shake of my chest infection since we’ve been away.

Monday 4th May
New Dehli

Mr Lal gave us a knock at 5.30 to get the Taj express at 7 but we thought it would be foolish to jeopardise ourselves by going to Agra, so yet another idea had to be abandoned. Took breakfast at 8, appetite OK. but leg still looking angry, although swelling has gone down. I’ve noticed that New Dehli has a lot of one legged men about. I’d better not seek medical help in case it means “OFF AT THE HIP”

The take off at 3am means we fly a day later than we thought! I hope I can stand all this stress for an extra day! Made it to one or two emporiums that Doug had found earlier and managed to pick up one or two souvenirs, then back to Roshans place for a lay down. Took a couple of Aspirin and woke at 3 to call Helen. After a two hour wait there was no reply, so sent a telegram “Arrive H/row Pan-Am 73 12.25 Thursday May 7th Love Derek”

Couldn’t face another “rice and dahl” dinner so convinced Doug we should try ‘Nirulas’ which I heard on my way back from the Telegraph office are noted for their ice cream. Service was slow to say the least, which infuriated Doug, especially as it was western style. The bill, when it came was on 4 separate invoices, but no total. That was scribbled on the back of one of the bills. Doug got a bottle of beer in a unlabelled clear glass bottle! 35 rupees, I stuck to good old tea! So! back to bed. Decided to leave the dressing off the leg tonight, maybe the anti-biotic cream has caused an allergy?