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. 

Day 5-Shimla, collect bike from near Jutogh

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. If you need a chat, he might still be there. 

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. 

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 4 Kuthar to Shimla

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 to Kuthar

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- cycling Chandigarh

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 - Chandigarh

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.