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Borders Closed - Nowadays, Nepal is a dead end for overlanders. The borders with China and Myanmar are closed, so we had no choice but to fly to southeast Asia if we want to travel to Australia. For the umpteenth time, both our motorcycles were packed in one big crate and loaded onto the cheapest Nepalese cargo flight we could find. Nepal is pretty chill. Maybe a little too chill sometimes: “Tomorrow at 7 am we will be at your hotel to make the crate sir.” Around 1:30 pm, the carpenter finally showed up with a bag full of excuses. Being on time is clearly not in their genes. But on the other hand, customs formalities literally took 5 minutes and they conveniently skipped the inspection of the motorcycles. This must be the least bureaucratic country ever.
Today we are spending our last hours in Kathmandu, visiting some of the countless temples here and feasting on crusty baguette with delicious yak cheese and a butter croissant for dessert. The stress flared up a little this morning when our friend-motorcyclist Santosh told a story of two travelers who were blocked in transit at an Indian airport because, as it turned out, you do need an actual visa for a layover in India. A morning trot to the embassy solved that problem at the last minute. The bikes will leave Nepal today, we fly out tomorrow. Malaysia, be prepared!
Next up: southeast Asia (Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam)
Help, I need a break! (By Caroline) - Most people don’t really understand when we say we need a break from traveling. We are on vacation all the time, aren’t we? Well... not really... People go on vacation to unwind, to recharge their batteries for the next working period until they need vacation again. Traveling is different though. After seven months and 21 countries, I needed a break. Imagine having to search for a place to sleep every single day, preferably as cheap as possible, but still in a nice location. You empty your motorcycle panniers, pitch the tent, or drag your luggage up the stairs, get out of your sleeping bag (yes, even in some rooms that sleeping bag turned out to be necessary after a quick inspection of the sheets), to then meticulously put everything away again in the morning. Every day you look for something to eat, something that won’t make you spend hours on the toilet the next day, something that looks tasty and gives you the necessary energy. And preferably something healthy, if possible. You immerse yourself in the culture of each country, try to figure out the customs and adapt as much as possible to the local life. You learn a few words of the language, hope to meet someone who speaks some French, English, Spanish, German or bring out your best sign language. You try to decipher people’s facial expressions and body language and respond appropriately. I can tell you it took us a while to figure out that the ‘8’ movement with the head actually meant “yes” or “okay” in India.
Tom and I choose to avoid the major roads as much as possible. Where we can, we follow the little gray lines on the map and GPS to get to places where few other tourists set foot. At times, those dirt tracks have been pretty tough on this trip. After yet another riding day, I’m always glad to toss those smelly boots and knee pads aside, even though the ride itself had been immensely satisfying. For me off-roading is much more intense than for Tom: keeping the heavily loaded bike upright (or getting it up again when things go wrong), my head working overtime to make the right decisions on the track, the constant focus it requires... and when you think tar roads are just an easy ride here, think again; they often turn out to be no more than a long series of deep potholes, sand and gravel because of the many landslides, or they are filled to the brim with crazy traffic that drives you nuts.
Since entering Iran, just being myself as a woman became a real struggle. Although the Iranians charmed me every day, there was no way around the compulsory dress code. Headscarf on, bum covered and preferably not standing out too much was the challenge. Pakistan turned out to be a real man’s world: away from the typical tourist destinations, I turned out to be the only woman walking the streets or having dinner at a local restaurant or even going to a shop. And India, a country that is trying very hard to clean up its reputation of rape and misogyny, has a long way to go as well. In conversations with the locals, I was often skillfully ignored. It almost felt like I didn’t exist. When stopped at the side of the road, I was often greeted enthusiastically with “Hello, sir!” until I took off my helmet and all attention suddenly turned to Tom. How happy I was to cross the border into Nepal. Finally a “Good morning, Ma’am!”, finally relaxed women by the side of the road again. And above all ... finally silence and peace again, something I really craved after Pakistan and India. Kathmandu, with its cozy alleys, good food and incredibly friendly people who leave you alone when you need it, turned out to be a perfect place to catch my breath. I am all rested now, ready for the next part of our trip!
