My Big Escapade - Destination Unknown...: Day 75 - May 22

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...