DAY 9
Tatta Pani to Chandigarh (150km)
Rich and I have just dropped off Eddy and The Honeybadger (yes, that’s what Rich named his bike) at the Royal Enfield Spa (workshop) following the completion of our 1,200km round trip. We left Chandigarh 9 days ago with, to be honest, no real idea of what we’d signed up for, or what we were going to face. Now it is completed, at least the motorcycling part, all I can say is…
What. A. Trip!
But more of that later, let me tell you how day 9 panned our for us. It was a SLOW start to the day for sure. After the Kingfishers and Rum of the night before, when we all agreed an 8.30am breakfast for a 9.30pm departure, Rich and I wandered down at about 9.05am and everyone had only just got there. Rich and I were very pleased to see the British options on the breakfast menu again, so we ordered exactly the same as yesterday. One omelette with toast and poached eggs on toast. We can only assume the chef from the Palace Hotel must’ve sent the chef at the Hot Springs Hotel the YouTube link because the poached eggs were both quick and perfect. It was a chilled start though as Rich flew the drone for a bit, Mat fixed the battery on his bike and I played with (and fed) a wild dog in the hotel garden.
At about 10.00am or 10.15am we finally gathered our things together and set-off. Rich and I were able to ditch the under leggings, the under armour tops and the big jackets. The sun was blazing down so I rode in my pullover (such a British thing to do) and Rich rode in his new ‘Indian style’ cardigan thing. With his beads around his neck and his wrist he looked like one of the locals, except for his pale skin and ginger hair and beard. (I’m just kidding with you Salah G!)
As we tracked back around the lake and then took a sharp right, we started to climb out of the valley we were in and back up the mountains. The road was 90% good tarmac, and 10% shingle, with long, slow winding bends interspersed with tight hairpin bends. Sounds horrific right? Well 9 days ago I would have 100% agreed with you, but after 9 days of riding in all conditions, across all terrains on all types of roads, this was easy. Not only was it easy, it was bloody good fun. We stayed fairly close as a convoy of 4 bikes, because only Mat really knew the way and we looked good bombing around the roads, even if I say so myself! We pottered along for about an hour. Not really breaking our neck to get anywhere, but also not taking our time. We stopped to take some photos every now and then, and we crawled through villages or gatherings of houses to take it all in. Each kilometre was bitter sweet however as although it brought us closer to going home (which was good), it also bought us closer to the end of the adventure. We stopped for a drink a couple of times and all in all it was a fairly uneventful morning. Which was absolutely fine by us, we just wanted to get home safe and sound by this stage. Mat selected a stunning route for us to have an enjoyable riding experience, whilst at the same time letting us have one last look at the rural areas of this beautiful country.
After a while though we had to rejoin the main highway back down into Chandigarh. Now this was a rude awakening I have to tell you. We were straight back into the crazy hill I described on the first day, with cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, pedestrians, dogs, cows, sheep and baboons EVERYWHERE! The lanes were disconcertingly vague in their identification and construction. Carriageways would start, stop, merge, be a contra-flow, vanish, become a mud road and any of another thousand outcomes. It was absolutely crazy! Luckily we took an executive decision to stop for lunch at…..McDonalds! Now I’ve loved the country, the people and the culture but I’ve struggled with the food to be honest. All the meals have been absolutely lovely, with the chicken at the army base my favourite, but it’s just not my thing. Look, I’m British right. I’ve been raised in bland, beige food, it’s not my fault! Now I know McDonalds is awful, and no-one should aspire to eat it regularly, but it was a smashing change I have to say. Of course, in a land where the cow is sacred, beef is 100% not available but the Chicken sandwich and chicken nuggets I had were INCREDIBLE!
After our McDonalds feast all that was left was a 60 minute blast along the busiest roads I have ever ridden in my life, and probably ever will. Rich turned on the go-pro, we all put our game faces on, and we had the best ride into Chandigarh. I won’t even try to describe the conditions of the road, the volume and mix of traffic, people and livestock or the variety of directions that things came at you from. Let me just say it was breath-taking, and when Rich uploads his go-pro footage to YouTube I will update the blog with links and you can check it out. Eventually we reached the Royal Enfield workshop in Chandigarh, where we left Eddy, The Honeybadger, Leopard (Mats bike) and Kaustabh’s bike for some TLC and we returned to the same hotel we had started our adventure at 9 days ago.
Which is where I am now. As I lay here on the hotel bed, in my dust covered jeans, muddy boots and sweaty t-shirt whilst Rich takes the first shower (just like his sister!), I am sad for two reasons.
The first is that the trip is over. It had been a tough few months prior to the trip and I definitely needed a break. Luckily Kristy suggested I should go away with Rich, switch off and just escape for a while. She’s a keeper that one!
Secondly I am sad because I will never be able to fully convey what an amazing trip it was and what an incredible country India is. I’ve tried to in the blog, Rich and I have thousands of photos and hours of go-pro and drone footage, but they won’t even come close.
When I think about the weather conditions we’ve ridden in, the kids getting their shirts, the ‘roads’ we’ve ridden on, sipping yak milk tea with the monks, meeting Tandup, Rixen and their family, the stunning countryside and villages we have ridden through and all the people we have been privileged to meet and spend time with, it’s impossible to describe.
I do, as always, consider myself a very lucky chap and am grateful for so much about this trip. I’m grateful to Rich for suggesting it and making it such fun. We laughed a lot, probably too much at times, but I couldn’t have asked for a better person to hang out with! To Kristy for insisting I go and taking on 10 days of single parenting. I know George and Charley look small, but we (me) have raised them to be very demanding! To everyone who donated a shirt for giving Rich and I the experience at the monastery, it really was a true once in a lifetime experience that I’ll never, ever forget. The way the kids ran around us shouting ‘hostel hostel’ as they guided us to the place was like something from a film. To Planet Way Rounds main man Mat, for planning and executing such an amazing trip (despite everything man and nature, and Rich and I, threw at him). He did a fantastic job in ensuring we were (first of all) safe, had experiences and wanted for nothing. I couldn’t recommend the trip more! And finally, to all the other really lovely guys and girls we met and spent time with on the trip. Kaustabh, who’s the joker of the group and always there to lighten the mood with some fun. A very mischievous sense of humour as well! Vikas, who likes to tell his stories and drink his rum. The more rum he has, the more stories he tells, especially about his one true love – America. Also helped me out massively with his continuous offer of using his hot-spot, he’s a really kind person! Neeraj, the quiet guy who drove the jeep. Quiet that is until he’s had a drink. Talk about Jeckyl and Hyde! He was always helpful to Rich and I though and I always felt like he was looking out for us and had our back! He was also a very funny guy, even when he spoke in his native language. And then there was Sheetal and Shivika, the two girls who were always there looking after Rich and I. Helping us with ordering food, figuring stuff out for us generally, answering my never ending questions, passing me hand sanitiser after poo-gate and surprising me with Nako the inflatable dog. They all played a huge role in us having such a great holiday, and I genuinely hope we’ll stay in touch (on Facebook and Instagram) and if they ever come over to the Spain or the UK, they will give Rich and I the chance to repay their kindness.
Mat, Sheetal, Kaustabh, Richard and I are now in a cab, heading out for one last drink, where Vikas will join us, and meal at a local brewery. I’ll be doing one last blog tomorrow so I’ll let you know how it goes. I’ll also let you know if I make it home. My flight from Chandigarh to Delhi leaves at 7.55am…after an evening at a brewery. Wish me luck!
BTW – For the record am still writing this using an Apple iPhone ‘notes’, in a cab, zooming through the crazy streets of Chandigarh, so apologies for any mistakes.
#SorryNotSorry
#WhatsImportantToYou
antonysmanproject 