The idea originated in 1990 to ride from India to England, that attempt failed miserably with the bikes disappearing somewhere between Singapore and Mumbai. About a year ago while surfing the net a i stumbled across a company which offered a similar trip. The idea was foisted to my friend Srin who was keen, he visited the people in Goa and that set the plan in motion. Rick also came on board and a year on the visas to enter India, Pakistan and Iran were applied for with the only problematic one being the Iranian Visa. After a prolonged process less than 2 weeks before departure we recieved our visas, it then felt like the trip would happen.
I arrived in Delhi first and then Rick the next day, the less said about the hotel Sunrise the better. Dirty sheets, wet towels, mouldy bathrooms and the view onto the bombsite unforgettable. We have decided to move once Srin gets here, although Rick and I think Srin should have to spend a night as pennance. We spent the day doing a little sightseeing and then ended up at a bar restaurant in the Lodhi area of Delhi. The local carrion flying high above us was a spectacular sight, until a bone fell from the heavens and landed on my head, followed by the bird shit on my arm, was this sign, not to sit beneath circling vultures. Just the wait for Srin to arrive and to meet the rest of the crew and off on the 1st of April for the Pakistan border.
We found another hotel Srin arrived and we met Werner and Sven the guides who were also staying at the Hotel Sunrise, but like us decided that it was not fit for human habitation. We had a relaxing afternoon at the Sheraton in Delhi with fabulous food. Unfortunately Rick is the first of us to get the dreaded belly, so we cancelled our proposed Agra road trip. In some ways it works out well as i am thinking we may have a few tough days when we start on Monday so to be rested up is probabley a good thing. Roll on Monday!
