Pranay: Thats indeed beautiful view. I take back my words bad timing and bad mood i guess..

Moeed: Its been like 12100 kms so far...

Thanks Ravi

To Continue...

Day 71 - May 18 - HH ShowRoom - Bikes in Nepal

Looking at the streets of Nepal and in Kathmandu, most of the vehicles are indian. No different at bikes as well.

There are showrooms and service centers. Honda and HeroHonda bikes are serviced in the same authorized service center.


HH Showroom


But whats shocking is the prices of the bikes...

1,35,000 Nepali rupees that is 84 thousand INR for a Passion...!!


You got to be kidding me. ZMA 2,25,000 NR that is 140000 INR!!


CBZ Extreme 165000 NR, you do the math!




The HH engine oil cost me 350 INR!!

The vehicles are heavily taxed as they are from foreign origin. Maruthi 800 Cars costs like 5 Lakhs INR On road here! In india its understandable about the duty on imported vehicles to protect local industry. But Nepal which does not have its indigenious production of vehicles, why all that Tax?

Day 72 - May 19 - Kathmandu Local tour with Dad

My father will stay with me for couple of days. And we went out for a local tour of kathmandu in a Car. Ofcourse not on my bike

Kathmandu streets...





This is called Tempo and it runs on electricity it seems. Most of them are driven by ladies!! T


We went to Pashupathi Nath temple first but photography was not allowed. Found the temple strange with the temple in Chinese style and dragons all around.

Then to Boudhanath...


Up close...


Us there...





Local handi craft...





Kids having fun at a huge prayer wheel...


Good kids pose when i say...


The busy street outside...


One of the rare empty street...


Lot of tempos...


At Patan Darbar square...





That is real buffalo intestine btw!! Even now during navaratri, sacrifices are made here...




















Lot of water problem in Kathmandu and some anciant aquaducts still serving the purpose...








Then we head to Kathmandu Darbar square...





This one is full of activity... People having their evening hangout... traffic zigzaging in between...








In the interest of NonVeggies - Curtosy a Veggy!


These unfinished building are common, prolly they save cost of concrete and paint for the outside of buildings...


At Swayambhunath...








Bird's eye view of Kathmandu city... No high rise at all...





Prayer flags...


Bhuddist musicle instruments.

Day 73 - May 20 - Father n Son's Day out

Weather did not look good so we dropped the idea of Driving down to Nagarkot instead tried the Palace. Unfortunately it was closed for the weekday.


The Kathmandu Royal Palace...


we have been asking which is the most modern or posh'est road of Kathmandu and for some strange reason people point to New road which is infact not posh at all. But we found out that Durbar road is what we were looking for...


Checked out the Anna Casino...


This is how we blew a 100 Bux!



Still at Durbar road...


Very tempting isnt it... The hotel people in any case ended up lot of contacts!!


The neat restaurant...


We went to the movie StarTrek... Nice one..


Aquarium there...

Day 74 - May 21 - Bhaktapur n Nagarkot

May21 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

70 KMs Trip Meter 11872

Saw off my dad at the Airport, on his way back home. what now? there was no plan at all. first thing went to get a map of Nepal roads. And spent some time looking at it and talking to a travel agent inquiring about road conditions. Still unsure of Flying to Lukla, cos i dont think i can do any trekking. Kinda wanted to stick to the road so thought of going to Kodari, Jiri to the east and then head west to pokhra. But it was already 12 noon and cant really get any where.

So thought of small ride around kathmandu. Bhaktapur and Nagarkot was for the day. Started with rain and knew cant really see any thing up there but its now or never. So headed out towards Bhaktapur. Man o man the traffice was a killer. Getting on to the kodari highway it was like a nightmare with lots of traffic and bad roads and rains. 15 kms later i get the deviation to Bhaktapur and now the road was small and traffic was a breather. Reach Bhaktapur and park my bike at the Durbar square entrance. Still raining but brave my cam and steel a few pix. It was pretty magnificent square and wondered how it would be in good old days. Get back onto the road to nagarkot. Its gets to single laned and starts to climb. It has to after all one is supposed to see mountain range from there. Rain still giving company. Missed taking quit a few pix cos of the rain.

At nagarkot i was directed 5 kms ahead for the view point. I was kinda not fully alert and was wondering in thoughts. The road was kinda slippery. A right curve was reverse banked and so kinda veered of to the center and yeah it happened. I see a red monster heading towards me from the curve. In reflex manage to go wide on the curve but the Tata's tires skidded on break and banded into my bike's right pannier and i was thrown off to the left. Jump back on to my feet and i seem to be ok. Bike seems to be ok except the cost of left front indicator. But the pannier got mangled. The guys from the tata pickup my bike and were happy that nothing happened to me or the bike and all the while i was cribbing about the pannier! Yeah I was lucky to get away with it with not even a sprain or scratch. Ofcoure i was in riding gear and laned on grass. They could not bring the pannier back to shape.

Really fraustrated, cos the pannier holds my cramster and i havent taken out the cramster from the pannier from 2 months! Saved me a lot of luggage lugging. When i said i would be heading to sankhu, i was told i would find mechs there to fix the pannier and they left. I know it was kinda mistake also. Any way will have to deal with it. went to the Nagarkot view point and yeah nothing to be seen but the clouds. Could hardly see the next mountain and i paid with they pannier for this.

Now get back to nagarkot and take the Sankhu route. This was like 4-5 kms shorter. Fair enough but its all offroad! i ride through hoping it would be road soon. Enquired and came to know it was offroad till sankhu 12 kms! But some how just went ahead. started with smooth slush on the down hill and then stones and gravel and many patches of stones packed for the path. This was getting nasty and also pretty isolated kinda going through forest. But the views around were good and peaceful unlike the busy highway which i took while coming. Was becoming a torcher and 2 kms to Sankha was blessed with black top. Rode ahead of mech shops thinking i would need a metal fabricators to do the job. But found none. Nearing Boudha, tried out a mech and agreed to fix it. It was big time hammering to get the pannier to the box shape. Cant remore the pannier and do that cos with the changed shape might not fit back to the screws. So the bike and the silencer had to take the brunt of all the hits. Even had to give a few kicks to get it back to the shape. Now it looks like a pannier and hammer it enough to make even the locks work. OK now back to functioning pannier albiet with battle scars. Lots of traffic in Boudha and sent of the main road to small roads and get back to the hotel by 6.30 pm and heading to kodari, Jiri tomm.


The spacious room at Hotel Yanki...


Bhaktapur entrance arch...


In Bhaktapur's Durbar square...











Color full kids playing soccer..





No more action shots... no sooner did a kid come closer for the pic rest of the troop followed him and action is out and posing is in.. hehe kids...


The road to Nagarkot...


Climbing way above Kathmandu..


And it happened the crash with the pickup... The mangled pannier took the brunt sparing me and the bike...


Nothing to view at Nagarkot view point... all for nothing...








Nagarkot Observatory...





Then i took the route back via Sankhu and this is y people dont normally take it!!





But the view was way bettor then the busy highway...


Pass few villages...


Truly back breaking ride for 12 kms!!


Then blessed with black top...


More rural houses...


Pannier being hammered back to shape!!


The damage...


The pannier kinda back to shape.. the locking mechanism still works!!!


A neat food court at Thamel of Khatmandu...


Colorful Thamel streets by night...

@Praveen: You're riding a bike thats worth nearly 1.5 lakhs there. Enjoy the exclusivity while it lasts !

There will be a few days of break from riding as i will be flying to Lukla and try out some trekking atleast till Namche Bazar. Will try the updates of the previous two days from there if possible

Hey Praveen, can you sweep you memory and let me know all kinds of permits required in Sikkim and where to obtain them...went through the logs but a little vague...

Keep the spirit alive for the ones like us, still shacked by the world of duties and what-nots...

while you are in nepal, you should go see Mt. Everest.

Haha. Good one.

@Praveen: Yes, bro, bikes and cars are actually cost a lot there and many people don't realize that. A brand new
Maruti 800 as you said around 5 lacs INR. !
A brand new swift around 11 lacs INR.!!!
A brand new Civic (indian version) 22 lacs INR!!!!!

Well, the tax system has been there for a long time and according to the government it will help discourage private transport and encourage public transport in a small country like ours.

Awesome pics and trip log. What will be your next destination after nepal?

Wow pRAVEEN GOOD GOING BUDDY.... enjoy man you are just a role model man.... awesome pics and trip log.... hope to see more and more pics from you... enjoy the journey.......

Sunil: You first have to go to the Secretariat Home department. Meet the Joint secretory and then it will take you half a day or more there. They will you permit copies. You will have to take it to Police check post office. They will give u the final permit. If you want to go to Nathu la, you need permit from Military also, but i dont know where cos i did not get that.

DarthVeda: If weather is clear i should be able to see it day after tomm.

Pranay: Well that does not stop people from buying. I see good lot of ZMAs FZ16s and all sorts of cars.

Moeed: Thinking of Uttaranchal...

Thanks Mibhin, i have taken inspiration from others ride also..

To continue:

Day 75 - May 22 - Kathmandu 2 Kodari 2 Cherikot

May22 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

Time to hit the road. My back has been complaining ever since the Gurdongmor lake. That gets me lazy to start. Not really decided trek for Everest glimpse simply wanted to head east. Thought of Kodari and jiri for the day. It was kinda busy for the day but wanted to give it a go. My right hand and left knee a bit sore, prolly due to the crash. But was fit enough. Getting out of Kathmandu was a painful process. The 20 kms of stop and go traffic and bad roads taking a toll on my body and the loosing time as well. Nearing Dhulikhel the traffic easses up and the road improves drastically. Beautiful smooth two laned twisties now. The morning weather was looking good and was a ride was getting bettor.

Kodari is a Nepal China trade border road town on the Nepal side. It was to be just 4 hour ride from Kathmandu. Prolly this road is on a deep straighter valley up north else it would take lot more time so much into the mountains. And i was kinda right. Towering mountains on either side of the road. The road was fantastic at two lane width. Reached Kachiduor in 2 hours. Kodari 40 kms more. Pretty optimistic about the pace. On enquiry came to know that the road was good as well. Some distance north it was rain time. Yeah no more pleasure ride. Get into my rain gear and now have to face a small section of inclined slush. 4/4s were gaining speed before making the slippery climb. Should i or not? No thinking just go. Made it down but have some work going up on the way back. Keep getting stone'y and slippery offroad sections in between. Most of them were landslide repairs. One was going on for couple of kms. But it was black top again. The irritating thing about to and fro detours is that any bad sections will have to be done again on the way back. There was lot of good road in between though and awesome photo stops. Took some pix at the risk of cam getting wet. Was nice riding through the bottom of a pretty steep valley walls on either sides.

Nearing the town have to cross lot more slush sections. Then it got steep climb and lot of activity. Suddenly i see many buses, trucks, cars, bikes etc. Passed offices like immigration etc And finally end up at a gate. Common this cant be.. where's the border. On requesting the guards, they let me through. Negotiated my way through the trucks and am stopped at one more gate. Cant go any further this time. Need Chinese visa to go ahead. But the guard shows me the bridge and the Chinese gate just a curve after the gate and its clearly visible. Well all the buildings on the other side of the river were of china which i did not realize. It was raining but risked the cam getting wet to cherish the moment. It was posing time. China he imposing building on the other side. Lot of vehicles crossing the border on either side. Man if only they let me through to Lhasa!!

Time to get back. Ride back negotiating all the bad sections. By now rain let off and it was a good ride and could take many photos. Stopped at a pretty looking hotel. There was this resort aptly named 'The Last Resort' which also conducted bunjee jumps from a metal walk bridge across the river. Naa have done it once and ended up with cramps all over. So will pass it. As i was having my chowmin, a very unassuming cyclist enters and sits next to me. By cyclist i mean the guy was in cycle riding gear, like cycling helmet, knee pad etc. As i am not much of a talker kept to myself. He then asked me from where i am and we got to talking. And what do you know, he is a world cyclist, Sourabh Dahal from Nepal. He has been riding since 2002 in india, nepal, bangladesh, pakistan, indonesia etc! He will be riding till till 2014 to cover 150 countries spreading a message of litracy to children. It was an humbling experience and also an honor to meet him. And he was heading to Lhasa!!

After bidding byes and exchanging email ids i ride towards kachidour thinking about the fascinating travel, commitment and enthusiasm of Sourabh. After 5 kms i remembered that i haven't paid for my food! was lost in thoughts. The last thing i wanted to leave a bad taste of not paying for food at poor lady's hotel. So i ride back all the way to pay the 50 bux. Yeah then again ride back hehe. Nearing kachiduor the road was blocked with huge tires, branches etc. A demonstration or a strike was going on. But a guy pointed me to cross it from the food path. Ok so motorcycles are allowed to pass these blockades i guess. Take a left to Jiri after filling fuel. The Kodari detour has taken like 5 hours than the planned 2 hours!! So looks like i may not be able to make it to jiri. The roads gets to one lane and lot of switch backs as the road climbs. Progress is slow but the road is pretty good. Think of cherikot as an option for the day's halt. Pretty good views around and was enjoying the ride. But too bad i cant make it to Jiri. Have seen many motorcycles with two people heading the same way. It may be a fight to find a room. Reached Cherikot by 5.45 Pm. On enquiring, Jiri was like 55 kms and it would take 2.5 hours going through forest. Now not really on a tight schedule to push it so i decide to camp at Cherikot for the day. Find nice hotel Subheccha. No rooms was the answer. Even the motorcyclists i seen on the way were there and going back. I requested as i am just one person. A near by hotel guy comes and cancels one of his booking so that i can get one. Oh so much thanks to him. Really wanted to stay at the hotel cos it had fantastic view of the white mountains. Weather was not clear but still could see the mountains.

Pretty nice room with the mountain view for 500 NC. I take it and sit gazing and clicking the mountains. After dark take a strol to the town center. Was fun.



The hotel Yanki where i stayed...


Some quick fix for the indicator...


The peace full ally of the hotel...


Some wide streets of kathmandu...



Views on the Kodari Highway














The valley in which Kodari highway runs...


Nepal China flags together nearing Kodari...


Some water fall on the way...


Busy streets of Kodari...


China border gate in the back ground...


The china border gate...


A huge chinese building on the other side of the river...


The bridge to China...


Common i can pose after all the effort...


The bridge is just beyond this gate at which i was stopped...


Riding back the kodari town...


China on the other side...


Some of them of chines buses...


Impressive building...


The valley that i have been riding...


School kids at Thatapani...


Curious kid as i was trying to take a pic of the bad road..


Now with his friends...


Some village huts on the way...



The village duck...


Ducks on the streets, evasive manuvers required...


Me with Sourabh Dahal


With mine and his bikes...


Sourabh ready towards Lahsa...


They bunjee jump from here...



Bad roads...


Pretty step fields...


Smooth narrow road towards Jiri...



Some nice views...


Villagers going on with their lives...


At Mudhe town..


Color ful shop...


After mudhe it was like a pass at around 2600 meters and mist there...



Quite high...


This torchor road was kinda like on the ridge with drop offs on both the sides..




Green mountains...





Sun breaks out between the clouds...


View from the cherikot hotel...


Camera has not got such a good eye, but it was a great view...


view from my room...


My cozy room...


Cherikot town...


Mountains peeping through the clouds...


These birds had made nest inside a provision stores!!

@Praveen

Hello Praveen, thanks for the updates....
Its a pleasure reading about your rides.....the pics are worth the view, enjoyed each and every one of your captured moments....You are a source of inspiration for many tourers.....

keep it rolling bro!
God bless you...
May the angels protect you at every throttle...at every step all along your journey.

Inspiring and extremely envied...!!!

@ Praveen Sir check your PM.

hey super log man. I met navnish yesterday and he was telling me about your adventure and I was all floored.
Keep up the great ride man and hope the Zma is doing well