Relax day

Norpal and his lovely wife have been ingots to Jubal for a religious ceremony that goes all day and will be still on tomorrow. It only happens every 60 years. That asked me along, but listening to chanting for 7 hours sounds like the death. 

I go for a morning walk with Ani to check the apple trees and things. Then breakfast, and a walk with Abu (Rishabh) to his grandma's pace, and into the village. I continue along the path into a wonderful small plaza surrounded by homes. I can easily see the oldies sitting here in summer. The ancestral home sits above this collection of homes. 

A film crew want to document the Italian apple trees and the results of their fertilisers etc. Abu may be famous there. 

I nap a bit, then me and Abu go visit Arushika. She reminds me she told me she works in a logistics company in Chandigarh. She studied politics and works in HR. We went for a tour of the home. 

Cooking tonight, parents are away, Abu heats sunflower oil up until a couple of cumin seeds bubble in there, then chuck in a handful, half an onion or so, tomatoes, potatoes, cauliflower, ground coriander + cardamom leaves.

Ani is making Bari of water and jagri ( solid molasses/ brown sugar chunks), boiled up, remove imprisoned by filter, boil more, add flour to solidify.  I'll report on that shortly. Eat it with ghee.

Bush walk to 3300m

Pranav is Soma, Mona's brother.  

Paaari,s hike today from Jubal

Baindra Devta (dev-Dave- deity)

Verdant and Sheena master litt

Visit to the Apple orchards of Kiari Kotkhai

Started the day wandering around looking for some food that looked OK. Found a small stall by the road with a pot boiling and roti on the go. Behind the man standing up cooking, there were a few spots to sit in his cabin. Perfect in my opinion. He asked for 40 but I gave him 50, about 88c.

2 guys send me on the wrong road. There's always someone who stops to check on you. The connector road is a beauty through the other part of town, winding down a slope to the main road, great views. 

Rolling downhill on the main road is long, smooth,  along the side of the mountain. 

In India,  noone can hear your bolts rattling off. On the rough uphill section, one Ortlieb bag is sadly dangling on a single hook. Seems a nut fell off which secured the other hook so I am stuffed. I thought I had some bolts somewhere,  can't find them. After wondering what is Hindi for 4mm hex head bolt, spot some in the bike frame. This nut works perfectly. I check, tighten and adjust the others, like I should have done 100ks ago,  and we're off again. 

Kotkhai is very peaceful,  perched on the side of a hill, until some cars block each other and start seriously leaning on the horn. 

I stop to pick up a kilo of sweets then chat to a guy from Delhi who is there to visit his sister. 

The road from there winds around the old fascinating fort. 3 cars stop to say hello and ask questions on the way, one time 2 stopoed at once side by side blocking the road. 2 of them are at the weddings in the village later, so I say we met already. 

Rishabh gets me to stop at the local shops, where he can pick me up. Annyrude, his brother, is there a well. We roll straight to a wedding and I meet half the town, including the very nice young man who checked on me just out of Kotkhai, and Annyrude's wife Ayushree. She has a Masters in microbiology, writes reports for the US FDA, compiled from doctors findings resulting from the use of new drugs. One brother has a degree in Engineering, the other in business. 

We visited, I think,  Tarun and Vivek's place. I meet their 97yo granma who gets excited, plus the sick mum of Vivek who has a dialysis machine. The brothers some to help us this. 

Walking on, there are the original homes, tightly packed together for protection, thick stone slate rooves, mostly wood, with the lower floor reserved for views etc which keep the home very warm. The ancestral home is here,  it's verging on being a palace. 

Day two is another wedding. I meet many people. I had a nap around 3pm, that was awesome. Dances with a very funny guy who looks like Riet. The road contractor guy called Kakul I think,  looks like ex PM Paul Keating.

The groom worked in the Kinnaur Valley, so many guests are dressed traditionally-same same but very different. The Valley leads to China and many have very Asiatic looking faces. Their music, which sounds the same, gets them all up dancing. 

The wedding music here sounds like Indian reggae. I like it a lot, it's addictive, catchy and easy to dance to. 

Day three. My home is about 1500m and faces into the morning sun. After about 8am it is positively warm. Rishabh plays some bamboo flute. I hung out my hand washed undies and socks in the sun. 

We go up the mountain to see the new temple under construction. Forgive me, I can't remember the deity. Then we do in on their cousin for lunch, his dad, and his wife who had a Masters in English literature asking with a good collection of books. They are at 2200m with expansive views over the valley. We walked to a sacred lake with the fish you're not allowed to eat, besides being vego.

Further on  there are views to the Himalayas proper. The jagged snow capped peaks are around 6000m according to Tarun. Another cousin is up there. He collects a bag load of rubbish, explaining that people drink, leave rubbish, and it's their place so he cleans it. 

We inspect where he will get married in 6 months,  next to yet another temple, on a field overlooking everything. 

We go to his home for a cup of tea. It's also 2200m. They have made concrete steps up to the home in prep for the wedding. They are slightly off camber. I mention spirit levels but I think this point is missed,  and they are done now anyway, and look very good. Taruns mum is on the wall. She died when he was 6 months old. His dad died during covid. Taruns mum is the sister of the father of the cousin here called Sunhash? Tarun and home are 1st cousins.

Saturday 29th

Got up about 8am, best sleep in so far. 

Brekky downstairs as always. Then packed and ready for the others to get an 11.30 bus that left about an hour later. They got to Chandigarh around 6pm. What an epic,  as bad as my journey. 

The start was very peaceful, with spectacular views for a couple of k's. Then it was on the main road, fine if you're moving, less fine if you get off to push. Not very comfortable, not much space on the edge, cars overtaking on the wrong side of the road etc. 

Chatted to a shawl maker with a very nice large shop,  at the top called Shimla Shawl Factory , here:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/TCgB2pn8Fy273J4x8?g_st=ac

Then it rolled down pretty fast to Theog, strangely pronounced as it's spelt. This is a very pretty little town with a winding pedestrian street,  lined with shops, and the odd view over the surrounding huge valley. A guy says hello when I stop. I'm looking for Monty palace,  and the guy introduces me to Monty who is standing 5m away. We chat, where are you from, what do you do, people here are helpful etc. He observes they love to help travellers but won't help the local derros. True for us too. He warns me that some young people are hooked on Afghani heroin, so to avoid young people, and don't stay out at night. Later, there are plenty of people so it seems not an issue. 

I wish I could stay right here in the middle what a dream, so quiet. He doesn't have room, so passes me onto the Hotel Ashish. This is a super weired place run by a kind lady. Tiny concrete room, with bedding that hasn't been changed for a long time, and an ensuite (I found the switch yay!), and the doorway is so low that I crack my head, twice. It's still sore sore in the morning. Glad I have toilet paper and a bed sheet. Generally clean, but I won't be staying two nights. 

Dinner was a veg thing plus a bread at a little stall, with little plastic chairs. The young kid quotes me 30 for the bread, then the old guy charges 40 for the whole meal. I hand him a 50 (about 88 cents) and tell him to keep the change. 

Back in the concrete room, coughing away, writing this, wishing for a heater. 

Friday

It's a day off. A cable car takes us up to visit the monkey God statue. The green monkeys up there steal things, chase ppl around, making it not heavenly. Harrison's sunglasses are stolen and destroyed. Anna was giving them nuts. When she turns her head, her bag is plucked from her hand. By miracle, her phone dropped oit onto the ground. The monkeys take it onto a roof, and go through the contents. One puts on a beanie and dances around. Harrison swaps how drink food some of the things. The guys at the restaurant sell me biscuits to trade the rest, but all that happens is that they all close in on me like a horror movie. Me, Lou and Marie get out of there.

The afternoon is shopping. After loading up I need to cull down! Dinner and drinks tonight but I need to try to catch some sleep. 

Weds 26th Nov the wedding

The typical day starts with hotel breakfast. Apparently you can walk between balconies. Brock's door can be opened. Harrison walks in on him showering. Luckily the view is only from the waist up as he pokes his head past the wall and issues av surprised wtf!!

The first ceremony is wiping turmeric and yoghurt on the bride and groom. This is also a bad idea as I end up carrying the groom on a chair and wearing a decent paste of it on my shoulder. 

After this, everyone gets henna tattoos on their palms, including the blokes. Navdeep suggests wrist only, so your hands are free but it ends up looking like bondage bracelets. 

For the evening we get dressed up. A band with drums and trumpets plays traditional festive folk music, v loud. Dancing to it us like Hari Krishna style, so easy and fun. 

The barman shots are like triples every time, so Steven ends up puking it. I'm lucky to escape unmauled. A great night.

On the second day, Manus has to parade around on a horse. He is dusty and I'm sure not happy to have to get out of bed early for the 10am start. 

This is followed by the actual wedding, where there is a lot of chanting, the couple walks around the fire a few times, throws puff rice around or similar. 

An arvo nap is in order then a walk around town. 

Day 5

Today we are in Shimla and is a day off. Wandering around, there are types of monkeys everywhere, and a flying fox. The kids see him spread out and fly down then back up again after building speed.

I set off to collect the bike. Uber won't respond so a helpful local shows me the bus to take. The gps let's me follow exactly where to get off. Lunch with my man, dahl and something like chole but with beans. The ride back is uneventful.  At the whiskey booth a man wants to chat. He's from Punjab and has a brother in Melbourne who isn't picking up the phone. I have to say I'm going now about 5 times. 

After dropping the bike, I have a second lunch of everyone's leftovers at the 1873 Cafe.

The evening we have a formal dinner and dancing. Sona's niece shows us the moves. Have to admit I love Indian music when it's got the powerful back beat. 

Day 4

After a night in Kuthar, breakfast is at 8 so I go for a tiny wander to look over the town. I can go about 100m on the level but don't want to go further as then the road dips sharply down. The entrances are via bridges into the front door. One building goes down about 3 levels from the road,  and up 2.

Walking back to the room, turns out there were other guests at all. He makes music on YouTube, and makes enough that he can do it do time. Him and his buddy are lovely, from Delhi, rolling back today. His best video got 17 million hits. He is famous in the north. 

About 10 mins after 8, they announce breakfast will be in 20 minutes. It's not the early start I was hoping for. 

At least the road is not too bad. The steep bits are easiest walked, then your legs get a break, and the next ridden part is easier. 

But sure he I ended up 3ks off route. Took a while but returning down was fast once the error was found. It took me 4 hours to work out the ATM. The town here has a big military area. 

At Kunihar, I get a well timed call from the mechanic, and finally I can get 1st gear. It wasn't too last sadly. There's something with the cable and the selector. 

At least the progress seems decent,  despite doing regularly to try adjust the tension. 

I stopped for a chat with Karam the local school guard.

There was another group of monkeys in the trees. Got a video this time. 

I'm so close I can feel it as the sun is setting. The town is so big and sitting perched on a hill must be it right? It's not. 

A random kids talks Hindi excitedly to me about the bike. His dad comes up as well. It's fine dark but the streets and shops are lit up like Christmas and the road is so jammed, progress is easy and stress free. 

After town though it's hard to see, the shoulder is non existent in places and at one point it seems way too dangerous to continue. A food place is right there, perfect timing. We try to coordinate group 2s bus to get me but it's not possible. There are guys in the hut around a fire. I say my name is Ted in Hindi, then we're all shaking hands, getting names, asking about work, kids etc, offering a cup of tea. One offers a lift and to leave the bike for the night. 

The poor guys must have driven a good half hour in the traffic around tiny tiny roads choked with cars, crawling through tight spaces, doing a 3 point turn, and hill starting up a steep incline, gave me a traditional sweet.

At the hotel, Marie, the boys and other family members are getting off the bus. I want to hug everybody!!

Day 3

For future reference, my path was:

-through the grid onto Udyog Path, which bends 90deg to the right, left onto Madhya Marg, around Khudda Lahora, on the road that disappears into sand etc via Majrian to Maranwala, then state highway, SH16 to Jutogh, and the 205 to Shimla.

Rolled out of The Fern Residency Chandigarh bright and early. Stopped once to get directions. Went around Khudda Lahora, well out of my comfort zone,  Looked up directions again.

It's amazing all the villages through here. People are spread throughout, everywhere. 

I think this is about the hardest ride I can remember doing. It started on bitumen, hard dirt, then fine deep dirt, hard to keep control. Going was slow. I ended up pushing the bike for a bit. Saw a peacock 2 times.

Doing a left right from the 105 to the SH9, there is rubbish just everywhere along and around the river, big piles of plastic. The town asking the road had many small shops, the owners taking up a lot of space. I've got to go in one time but I can't speak the language so it'd be even more awkward.

You just gotta roll with the traffic and they'll move around you, while honking a lot. The road is single lane bitumen, dirt sides. For busses and trucks I get off right off the road. Some kids stare at the bike, some point and laugh. People don't say hello in general. 

I saw a magic looking greenish brown monkey about a foot tall. There were several 2 foot tall ones doing Rambo jumps down into trees a good 3m below. Very noisy. 

One guy did stop to talk but we couldn't understand each other. A truck also stopped in the middle of the road to ask where I'm from, that kind of thing.  He couldn't block the road for long. 

I held on my wee for a while, but finally found a side street. Stopping to get a bottle of water, I finally ask if he has a menu. He says no,  it's just roti and mix veg. This is peak, finding someone who speaks enough English that I get to ask for lunch. It's pretty delicious. I haven't hit any properly spicy stuff yet. The lunch man advises visiting Kuthar. Turns out to be bad advice. This place is a truck stop and car wash. Not much point when it's going to get coated in dirt the minute you leave. 

The greenery, scenery get better, while the rubbish decreases. 

I stop in Kuthar and go to the dirt that has 4.7 star rating. At a glance it looks great, then you realise you are the only person in the place. 

At 5.36 I get there. We try both cards to pay. Then they ask if I have UPI. Then they want cash but I have to go to the ATM. I hunt for the first, is out of service, then try to find the other but fail after going along a tiny side street that is also the shopping strip. It's getting dark. 

I try to go to the other hotel after getting the rage coming on, but they're not there and not answering the phone. 

I explain things and then he asks for the cash. Clearly he's not understanding. 

Then I come up with the idea of a bank transfer. The boys calls 4 times, eventually it's done. 

The water takes ten minutes to heat and about the same time to use it all up. I cook, then work out the cold tap then freeze again at the end. 

Going to the dining room, no one is there. I wait for a while. There's dirty table clothes up there still. I consider not eating for a minute but I don't think I can. I then go hunting for them and give the order. Back in my room I am cold, hungry,  and the Ac remote does not work. I feel this is the Indian version of the Bates motel. All 5 of the guys stumble around to get things. I genuinely don't know how they are still in business. This place is horrible. The food was surprisingly nice. I read they get a restaurant to do it.

Day 2

Day 2, I took the bike down in the lift,  rolled out the front door,  and joined the main street with the locals. There were plenty of others so it felt safe. 

I rolled without aim or care, ending up at the High Court. One guy with a machine gun smiled and helped me with directions,  then the next set, the guy said something incomprehensible pointed his finger and said GO! I respected his authority. Don't want to screw around with angry army personnel.

The tourist office said to come back at 12, so I ended up in the rock garden to kill some time. There were loads of school kids having a great time. I said hello to an entire class, or rather they did to me as they filled past. I chatted to one teacher who was very kind.  She quizzed me but I forgot to quiz her back. 

It's laid out in a maze, a huge open plaza at the end with swings. I walked around,  couldn't find the exit, panicked, asked, and turns out you have to back track. I'd already spent an hour and had 30 to get to the tourist office,  so at a panicked clip, with no idea of I was quite going the right way in the maze, it was a huge relic to get back to the bike parking area. I think mine was the only one locked up. 

After going through another baggage scanner,  and leaving my bike repair kit behind for the tour, we went over a foot bridge and inside where there were more army guys, but unarmed. Poor things must be really bored. 

It was the work of Le Corbusier, moderated by Nehru demands. For example, the tallest building is only about 5 levels. With all the fighting, wars etc, Nehru did not want to create a target. 

Chandigarh is a planned city. La Hore was lost to Pakistan, so Punjab in India needed a capitol. Turns out it is Haryanas capitol as well. 

Le Corbusier symbol is the corbeau, hence his name, ie a crow, in French. Because the bird is intelligent (and modest?). So on the door of parliament,  there is a crow,  and a chicken, the symbol of France. 

The Hans of peace is the shadow of a dive and weighs 50 tonnes. It turns with the wind. 

I ended up chatting to 2 French girls who are in exchange to study textiles. Awesome place to do it. So many amazing fabrics. 

Checked out my route for tomorrow. Met up with John and Manus's families for dinner at a BBQ grill,  slightly weird but I guess it's something different. I got the message a bit late, so got there a bit late. Met and charged to Andy, Monika, her sister Sona plus her husband Navdeep, and the their Mammy mum/ grand mum. I asked for name in Hindi. She says do you speak Hindi? I say no!

Monika is handling all the details and not getting upset. Navdeep is worried about me going up SH9 due to trucks and damage from the extreme monsoon this year. He says to go on the NH5. Sona is the head of a department and sometimes goes into the amazing 1960s brutalist Admin building in town. 

I wake up at 3am and screen shot the road. It is a complete horror main road. I don't sleep well. 

Day one India

Finished work at 4.15, showered, kissed Marie goodbye at the station, and got on the train. The walk from Wolli Creek was actually very nice and too easy. Got on the flight after walking very slowly passed the $50 a litre Aus gin. Entertainment screens were busted,  a guff thing as I slept a lot more. 

Travelling solo is great. Meet one fellow on the sky bridge,  then chatted to the guy seated next to me. He is a Sydney and a cement truck driver. He gets paid a lot and hasd a few at the airport bar. I felt obliged to have one. Dinner was a huge shot of whiskey and a packet of crunchy corn. I think the alco lady is trying to make people forget that the scene aren't working. Cattle class is a bit run down. Hallelujah there's food! Breakfast was 4 hours later, then 4 hours more sleep, more food. 

Landed, customs lady was barely verbal, panicked at the baggage carousel, finally hit out then furiously tired to make an earlier train. QR code did bit work. I got the wrong station, paid more, but given another ticket going backwards to the selected start. Just as the train going the wrong way left, I thought I should have gone the out and back in again, to make it legit,  but the next one was a mind looking 17 mins so chanced it to Delhi. Of course the QR code wouldn't work on the correct destination, but they kindly have me another ticket that cost the balance of the trip.

Getting out at the stain was a rude shock. Heaps of people, care rolling over the path honking as they exit the car park.

Waited for a while, asked the info man if there was an earlier one,  the info man in the other building said no seats available.

After waiting 3 hours on the wrong platform, the train came onto the screen, so could go to the right one. Found a seat but it's thick metal. Eventually it warms up. A blind man who appears to have burned his face comes round along for money. I hands him a ten. Then he takes a step closer and again asks me for money. I can't explain that I gave him some. Then had to walk off. 

After lapping the platform,  I saw someone with a printed QR ticket. Mine had no QR, no seat number. I had the sinking feeling that my ticket was not confirmed. Also the platform is 200m long and i had no idea where to stand to get the correct carriage. I started thinking about back up plans like attempting to find a bus, going to the airport to get wifi. An employee helps but it takes a customer to look up my seat number. Crazily I have no internet. My co passenger is very friendly, a helicopter pilot with the Indian armed forces. He mainly patrols the Himalayas. Their choppers go up to 7000m.

On train, the views are amazing as we go through the outskirts of Delhi. Ac boasts the cabin with super cold air. 

An thinking hard about how to handle the squat toilet. Pants right down or stop at the knees? Chandigarh next stop! I ask my friend his name. It's Lieutenant Colonel something. Obviously a very successful guy. 

On the platform I don't know where to go,  go with the flow,  can see where the Tuk Tuks are, and then we're in.

These things are awesome. The view is unhindered,  you feel every bump. You could easily shake hands with the adjacent petiole in the traffic. 

The hotel is top class. My bike is here,  a huge relief. 2 guys bring it up, so i to them both. I'm missing a nut, which means i can't go anywhere. A sure was walk and the local bike shop hero give me one for free. I love the place. Walking after dark feels safe. There's aMerc, Audi, and Porsche dealers on the same street. Odd country. Dinner here was perfect, potato cauliflower nut lumps in gravy with about 5 naans.

June-25

 Not much happening in June, according to my records. Work sucks, boys studying sometimes, dog seems chill.

I've been sewing leather cases. I did one for me, one for Mohammad. This one was for Tony as his was falling apart. If anyone's reading this, the offer is there; I can make you one too.

It's very relaxing, uses scraps of leather, lasts for ages, and each time I do it, I definitely learn something and get a bit better.

Trying out the Greens up the coast, right near us; you can see it from our back yard. No idea what the convo was about here.

Marie went away to Croatia this month. In fact, I should really put some pictures of here trip up, eh, next post. I am really happy with these two guys getting some cook time in. Really need to do it more.

Marie ordered tickets for us to go to some skate/acrobatic type show at the Opera house. They were very good; one dude on the skateboard - I think I was about as good as this guy. The BMX guy, the girl and others were pretty amazing.

I've been doing some reserach in preparation of seeing a lawyer regaring getting an Italian passport. It's interesting that thanks to the Australian govt locking them up, we've got a bit of a trove of docs showing dates of arrival etc etc.

Turns out this info was useless, as since they became naturalised in Oz, they gave up Italian citizenship, so we are not entitled to a passport. Oh well. Apparently if we'd done it a couple of years ago, they were accepting everyone. But due to the overwhelming numbers of Sth Americans applying, they tightened up the rules. 

Boys, if you want to live there, just get a job, simple.

Our favourite dog models the blankets in the front room while we watch TV. Doesn't she look wonderful?