Few internet cafes in NE India, but we’re doing well in Bengal
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Just a “quick” update since its been a couple weeks. The availablility of internet seems to have dropped out from under us. In this good sized market town of Chanchal in West Bengal, some 500km north of Calcutta, both “internet cafes” infact have been computer stores with one computer connected to the world wide web via dialup modem, and the first place’s computer was still running Windows 98 and I couldn’t get anything done in 30min due to slowness. I had heard that India’s infrastructure was much less developed than China, but I’m somehow still shocked by the reality. The last two days’ stressful ride on National Highway 34, which is in a state of disrepair and is only 2 lanes wide on par with a back county road in Minnesota, certainly has added to this shock. Luckily, we found a small road to break of today which has less traffic and is smoother.
On the otherhand, contrary to some reports from other cyclists, I’ve found the Indians that I’ve met to be quite friendly and very welcoming. Today was exceptional, with middle school students who are now on holiday eagerly leading us to their Christian school (Christian schools are considered among India’s best) and giving us a tour, obviously proud. Additionally, the family running the restaurant where we ate this evening took very good care of us and even gave us free desert afterwards. Meanwhile, while we were eating, they were taking photos of us (as passersby were stepping in and crowding the entrance to look at us and/or shake our hands) and then asked if they could video us, obvious that they were happy to have us. Even while I’ve been sitting here typing, people occasionally enter this little room and introduce themselves to me, wanting to shake my hand, humbleing me with their honoring.
After a great week with Brian Heilman (SJU ‘05 who has been living there since last August working with an NGO and school) in a small village named Katna, near Kandi town (250km north of Calcutta) in the state of West Bengal, us boys are heading north towards the Himilayas while Nakia has headed south via train to the state of Tamil to also do some volunteering with an NGO (Drew is riding Nakia’s bike since his was stolen and Nakia is not riding now).
Nakia is still dealing with her passport and the fact that she has no more visa pages left and all the Bahamian consulate offices in Asia can’t do anything. They can’t “add” pages like American consulates do, they have to issue a whole new passport. For awhile it seemed the only solution was for her to fly to the Bahamas in person, which would financially end the trip for her. Now, there may be a possbility via the UK and mailing, but that may not work out either. To explore the latter option though, she has to be stationed in one spot, hence our spliting. Once her passport is sorted in 1, 2, or 3? months we will reunite, God willing, with her training or flying ahead to where we are. We are still hopeful about Pakistan, and especailly Iran as we have a contact in Iran helping us apply for the visas, though both are still very uncertain. The final decisions will be made in Dehli in 1.5 months. The good news is that a very nice Turkish girl whom we met in Calcutta told us about a reasonably priced flight from western India (Rajistan) to Istanbul (the gateway to Europe) and invided us to spend time with her in Istanbul upon arrival, thus solidifying our backup plan. So things look favorable for FBR to really make this trip an inter-continental expedition.
Jim, Drew, and I, will continue pedaling, though since we want to give Nakia some added time to increase the possibilty of her leaving India with us (2 more months). So, in a meeting in Calcutta, we’ve agreed to Drew’s suggestion to add a northern side swipe through Nepal, since if we went straight to Dehli we’d arrive in 3 weeks, southern India is entering its hottest time of the year at the end of April, and Katmandu is “almost” on the way to Dehli from Calcutta (check your world map!). Since we originally decided against going through Tibet due to the difficulty of Himilayan riding, and the beautiful Kharakorum highway of northern Pakistan is also not on our route, our dip into Nepal will be our brush up to the “roof top of the world,” which is so close to where we are, how could we miss the opportunity?
An Indian town famous among tourists, Darjeeling, will be our first stop and view of the Himilayas, including a view of Mount Everest. Biking north from Calcutta, the terrain has been very flat rice fields, so once we get to the foothills we may change our minds, but right now we’re looking forward to cooler weather and great views that we’ll have to work for.
We’ll update as we can, though it may be weeks between good internet stops.
As spring is arriving, we hope you’re getting your bicycle dusted off & tuned up, getting ready for a new season of riding, hopefully more than last year! =)
April 4th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
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Good luck to Nakia as she volunteers while the visa gets sorted out and to the 3 gents on their certain-to-be amazing detour. It appears as though you’ve entered the mountain stages of the tour. Keep the cadence onward and upward. Pedal on. Enjoy.
April 4th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
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Thanks Peter for this nice draught of fresh spring water from “da boyz” (ask Andrew about that). I’m all for your rooftop excursion although I hope you’ll keep you brakes on the metal and not the rubber! My 1970 Peugeot has been running wild lately in the spring of northern Iowa–students beware! The roads are now clear of ice and it feels so fine to fly with the wind in my ears.
The sap is running here and we’ve got reinforcements to collect the sweet stuff although another winter storm is coming in tomorrow. I wish I could send you some ice cold maple sap full of vitamins and minerals!!
I admire your fortitude and keep you in our prayers daily, thanking God that you are together and doing well.
“May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.”
traditional gaelic blessing
April 5th, 2008 at 2:21 am
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YES! This is really inspiring, as the weather is also more and more suitable for biking in Beijing. I will definitely keep all of you in my prayer everyday, especially Nakia!
April 6th, 2008 at 11:17 am
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Dude, if you’re going to Nepal I may have a hook up for you. I have been working on this project for 3 years now related to children and sunglasses. To make a long story short, a non-profit company here contacted us about the project and we just sent 50 pairs of children’s sunglasses to a school run by Buddhist Monks. I can’t remember if the school is in Nepal or Tibet, but I’ll look into it and get back to you just in case.
April 9th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
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Hey you all, I haven’t read much of this blog I admit, but I think that what you are doing is one of the coolest things ever and I’m insanely jealous. Way to think outside the box and be adventurous and positive. I can’t tell you how much respect and admiration I have for you.
April 13th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
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