5/2/12 to 12/2/12
Not too much done, a few walks, a few rides, a few temples, a few sleeps, a few movies, you get the few ideas.
One ride I went up the canal system, yes it's empty, and found a nice half pipe up the way so did a bit of pipe riding lol. Got airbourne accidentally on another, there was a hump that looked easy enough from my side, but it actually dropped off a lot on the other side.
one of the many rose fields around.
Pushkar from the higher temple, if you look close you can see the path up and all the rose fields.
A couple of Aussies rocked up on Enfields, and I very quickly realised that at least one was not impressed that I was driving around on anything other than an Enfield, lol, so I did what any good Kiwi would do and put my Royal Enfield shirt on, from the Rider Mania in Goa. This went over as well as I expected lol. God I love winding up Aussies, especially if he is a bike snob as well lol.
13/2/12
Rode out for Jaipur, nice easy ride only 150km. I went to the famous theatre there, Raj Mandri, and had a ball. It is an amazing building and for the first time I didn't care that a baby was crying in the seat in front of me and some one behind took a phone call. This isn't just because the movie, Agneepath, was in Hindi but mostly the cheering, clapping, etc.
I also had a few people point out that I looked like the bad guy in the movie lol, it's probably the Full Moon. I should explain I have noticed people calling me Full Moon in the shopping area in Pushkar and didn't understand for a while, then it all clicked, shaved head is Full Moon here, in the north anyway.
Can you see the likeness lol.
14/2/12
Bloody Valentines again and I'm heading towards the Palace of Love, The Taj Mahal, I think this is a bad move. Was an easy enough ride only 200ish km, but when I got to Agra the traffic was bad. Had a Tuk Tuk driver take the India flag stand off the bike, this involve ripping the tag it was attached to off the bag. Bugger.
Once I found a hotel I tried to go and see the Taj so I could ride out early tomorrow, unfortunately I got lost and made it to the gate 10 minutes after it closed. So I went to one of the touristy places for dinner that has a view of the Taj, unfortunately it is not lite at night so didn't see much at all lol. I did realise that I have been out of the tourist route, well regular places anyway for a long time, how the hell can these people do it, I look forward to getting to less touristy places.
15/2/12
Went to see the Taj in the morning, it is big and white lol, mmm what else can you say about it, quite nice. Agra on the other hand is a bit of a tourist trap, I had one guy try to tell me about some new tax and that is why his golden Virginia was INR560 ($11US), I laughed at him and walked off to find a pack for INR250 in the shop 3 doors down. This lead to the first guy running after me down the street saying 280, 280, well I laughed at him again and told him how I would never buy anything from him.
Hey it's the Taj if you want good photos of it look it up on line.
Got back to the hotel before check out so decided to try and get a bit closer to Almora. I headed north via the most direct route and found that it was shit, in fact it was probably the worst tar seal road I have been on so far. Sure this was mainly traffic but at one point it took 45min to travel 7km. I finally got to Moradabad at about 18:30, having left at 11:00, that is 7.5hrs to travel around 200km. If you want to go from Agra to Moradabad I recommend you go via Delhi it may be almost twice the distances but probably easier. Oh and this road is flat and no twistier than an Aussie outback road.
I then had trouble finding a hotel, for the first time there is nothing near the bus station. None of the Tuk Tuk drivers where much help so I ended up asking a biker who pulled up next to me on the road and in good English asked if I was really from New Zealand, and he gave me better directions.
16/2/12
Knowing that I'm heading into the mountains I got up late and got an oil change and chain tightened, well this was going on I noticed the Royal Enfield Rider Mania sticker was gone from the back of the bike. I wonder if it was helped by an Aussie, if so and his mate reads this let him know I have another sticker so my Hero Honda Karizma still has a Royal Enfield Rider Mania 2011 sticker on it lol.
The ride started out nice and flat and fairly good, especially after yesterday, but as I got close to the last town before the mountains a big grin spread across my face, looking up near the top of the one in front of me was a road hehehhee nice and twisty. And yes it was, I had a ball getting to Almora, the road is in a reasonable state for most of the way. For about the last 30 to 40km there where a few land slides which were still being cleared, saying that I only had to stop at one. I also had to laugh at the Indian guy who came sailing straight past the mass of waiting vehicles and stopped right behind the digger that was loading a truck, which is why everyone was waiting. Yes he almost got run over, even started beeping the digger as if the digger driver would care what a stupid motor biker wanted. Sometimes I wander what is going through these peoples heads when they do such dumb things, I've come to the conclusion that there is no thought, none at all. Unfortunately this means they never learn the lesson and will never understand why people like me sit there laughing at them.
mmm look at them roads, although this one is from the one i saw when down entering that town
17/2/12
I have decided to stay another day in Almora even though my hotel room is bloody freezing, should have asked for a room with a heater. I went for a joy ride north towards Bageshwar and had a ball, the road was pretty good really and not too cold when in the sun.
When at Bageswar, well I think that's where I got to, not many English road signs here and my GPS doesn't have any roads out from Almora except the one I came in on, I finally got to see snow again. I cannot remember the last time I saw snow, maybe when in NZ saying good bye to everyone there. Saying that the snow was still more than a valley away.
Almora well riding back from joy ride
I'm not sure how cold the water is in the rivers here, I wasn't walking down in full riding kit just to find out., but I saw a couple of guys in the river digging. Not sure why but they where using an interesting 2 man one shovel technique where one controls the shovel and the other pulls a rope attached to the shovel, this is not the first time I have seen this in the north.
You can just see the 2 guys in the river there.
18/2/12
Rode out for Pithoragarh reasonably early, well 9ish as it is bloody cold here in the mornings. I have got most of my gear on now, wet weather linings in pants and jacket, thermal lining in jacket and thermal pants on, also using the winter gloves. I wander if I will be able to deal with the cold in Scandinavia in summer, mmm may need some more gear for that.
The road started out good and stayed like that for most of the way, there was a small bit where there had been a heap of land slides that was in bad shape but still easy enough. Interestingly enough the road gets worse when in the little villages, in fact it gets quite bad in most villages, but get a kilometer out and it goes back to good again, don't know why this is?
can you see the lady climbing the hill with a load of sticks on her head, look for the blue skirt.
I have to say though for all you bikers out there, get your ass over here and go for a ride, but prepare yourself before you get here. You will need a bib for all the dribbling you are going to do, and make sure you exercise your face before coming or you will end up like me. My face hurts after today's ride, far to much smiling and laughing.
look at those roads, oh and the views good to lol
Unfortunately even though the view is great, you don't get much time when riding to see it as you have to pay attention to the road, but shit what a ride. Bro hurray up and kick the kids out, they are old enough now, and get over here, you will love it. I just wish I had another 2 or 3 months on my visa, and the weather was warmer lol.
good to know you are here for me brother, i think bro is the ministry of roads here as i have seen it on a few signs just normally at the bottom.
Well must get some sleep more riding to do tomorrow.
Enjoy your life
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