27/09/2009 by admin.

Today was going to be 2 halves. A visit to the Dalai Lama’s home and ministry including the temple followed by a 14 hour car trip to Delhi.

The ministry is located in a village of Mcludganj which is just above the main town of Dharamshala. As we wondered through the village, monks went about their business. We strolled through the village towards the ministry taking in all the sights and going into the odd shop looking at Buddha’s and other interesting things.

We went into the ministry and looked around. Monkeys swung in the trees and would run across the corrigated rooves making all sorts of noises. And yet the place was incredibly peaceful. A group of young monks came through as if going to their next class. Others would sit quietly reading. If a monk would catch your eye, they would smile. I felt so peaceful and looking at Ian, he did too.

We made our way into the temple. It was quite a small area. One elderly monk was sat with his back against the wall chanting mantras. A smell of incense filled the air in a subtle way. Not like the incense sticks you buy at Tesco’s.

There is a strong Tibetan community here so locals would be coming into worship too.  We looked at the statutes and in centre stage was the Dalai Lama’s throne. It was covered. I imagine it is only uncovered when he takes his seat and gives a sermon.

I sat near the monk and closed my eyes. I felt at total peace with the world.

After a while, Ian joined me and sobbed. In May 2008, Andy, a friend of Ian’s   from their local round table contracted cancer and died. The bike trip was partly in his memory and why ending here was so important. Ian had carried Andy’s order of service on every bike ride and left it on the Dalai Lama’s throne. As he sat down next to me, he was overcome with emotion.

We sat peacefully with the monk chanting quietly for what seemed like hours.

Eventually, we left the temple and found a small room where people lit a candle. I have never lit a candle in such a place though felt I needed to now. Ankur our guide checked on the protocol and Ian and I went in to light a candle. I would have been happy to light one, instead I lit 100!

We looked around the ministry and entered a smaller temple. Again, beautiful statues. Shortly after we left. We found a coffee shop and had a proper latte.

I came away wishing to explore Buddism far more. I would say that I am not religious though spiritual. This has changed.

We decided we were ready to make our way to Delhi and made a few purchases as we walked back to the car.

Ian and I reflected in the car on an incredible morning. We reflected too on the whole adventure. I was not sure what I would find though I feel I have changed.

We chatted for hours, which was good as we had a 14 hour car journey. Whilst it was long, it was bearable.

Tomorrow was going to be the last day in India and a visit to the Taj Mahal was the plan.

.

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27/09/2009 by admin.

It was a later start this morning with breakfast being served at 8am. There was a covering of low cloud that kept rolling in and out.

Ian was tinkering with his bike again. We had hired bikes and they weren’t really up to the job. Ian had, had issues with the back brake so decided once and for all to fix it. He stripped down the back wheel and when putting it all back together, the spindle broke, effectively leaving Ian no way of attaching the wheel back to the bike frame. And so our next adventure began.

We were in Jot, where 150 - 200 people live in the summer months and, come the snow, they all leave. Well in amongst this community, there was a mechanic. He had a sweetie jar of bolts, nuts and washers. It was in this sweetie jar we found the one nut that could be used on the spindle to make a temporary repair. In the next town we needed to make a weld so we would have something more permanent.

Off we set. Today was a lighter day in terms of riding. Just 90kms. The first 23kms were down hill. This was very enjoyable and well earned for both of us from the day before. Our team was at the bottom with a cup of tea for Ian and I.

We continued on our ride to Pongdam. The temperature was 35c and we had a cycle up for about 10km. One would sweat even before doing any exercise so water was just dripping from us. At the top we rode along a plateau through some villages for approximately 30kms. This was a beautiful ride and our pace was fast.

In the next town we had a light lunch and had the spindle welded to provide a more permanent repair to Ian’s bike.

For the next 15kms, Ian and I discussed the plans for our last 2 days in India. We wanted to go to Dharamsala, the home of the Dalai Lama and I was keen to see the Taj Mahal. There is also a 12 hour car trip to Delhi to factor in.

We put our thoughts to Ankur and he agreed. Quite unexpectedly on a quite road with a family sitting in front of their house, we had reached the end of the bike ride. We were to drive to Dharamshala that evening so we could have time the following morning to go to the home and ministry (temple) of the Dalai Lama. 

We took photographs of our finish. The family joined in also. The bikes were loaded onto the car and we set of for Dharamshala. It was nearly a 3 hour car journey. With huge smiles of happiness of what Ian and I had achieved over 6 days of intensive mountain biking, we fell asleep in the car exhausted as it started to rain for the first time. It was exactly the right time to finish!

In Dharamshala we checked into a hotel. We went to the wine shop opposite and bought a bottle of red to go with dinner. We were put in the darker corner of the restaurant as its turns out it is illegal to drink wine in restaurants. With the bottle wrapped in newspaper and under the table, the waiters wrapped the wine glasses in napkins, which appeared to be the standard practice. We drank our wine and had a lovely dinner.

We spoke about our trip so far and how special it had been. And which bit had been the best. It had all been superb and had exceeded both our expectations. The next day would be special too we were sure though for different reasons.

Ian and I also spoke over dinner about our visit to the ministry the next day. I already felt very close to this place so was excited about what it might hold for me.

.

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25/09/2009 by admin.

I slept for 10 hours solid awaking to a cup of tea in bed. We had stayed in an eco guesthouse. The water was from the spring, and many of the ingredients for our dinner and breakfast were grown on the farm. The buildings are made of wood and mud. It is an amazing place.

We departed the Himalayan Orchards just after 8.30am and our destination today was Jot.  The first 5kms was downhill and was a nice way to start. The next 5kms was uphill. We cycled into the town of Chamba to visit the temples before heading further down the valley. At approximately 1000m we turned onto the road to Jot. Jot means pass and was at the ridge of the mountain at 2650m. Ankur, our guide said it was uphill all the way. We wouldn’t even have the luxury of a flat stretch.

We started our climb to Jot about 11am and stopped for a short lunch just after noon. It was going very well. It was hard and parts were steeper than any previous day.  After lunch we continued. It was scorching hot and every few kms we would stop for water and a breather.

As we set off after a water stop, I had acute pain shooting through my right knee every time I pushed down. This was serious. I had no option but to stop. Ian had my foot in his stomach and was massaging the knee and the tendon around the kneecap.

We were both very concerned. This was threatening the rest of my journey. And the dilemma was could I do more damage and then not be able to ride the next day. I said to myself I was going to make it, though I was now scared. I didn’t want it to end here.

I found that it was worse after I stopped. I didn’t know what this meant but if I could avoid stopping, perhaps I could make it. I kept a slow and steady rhythm and after about 4 hours the pain had slowly gone.

I told Ian to set his own pace. I was either going to make it or not. I had decided quite quickly I was going to get to the top. I had learnt Reiki (a form of spiritual healing from Tibet) a few years ago so I figured being so close now to its origins, that I should use it. It definately helped.

Every village I went through, people would stop and stare. It turns out, as far as Ankur could establish, we were the first people to ever cycle this route. Ankur was speaking to locals and they were saying it wasn’t possible and yet we continued.

I was still 20kms away and the light was starting to fade. Time was slowly turning against me. I was becoming very tired. I had decided I was going to make it. Having local kids run through the village and for a couple of kms after really helped. There was one girl with her younger brother. She jogged with me for ages smiling and puffing for breath herself.

And so I continued up hill. The support team was amazing. They provided rest stops with bananas and juice - I would also top up my water. I drank 7 litres of water throughout this ride.

I passed a sign saying 10kms. Then 9. The next was 7. Darkness was now closing in. I passed the 5km marker and kept going. I kept saying I was going to make it. Then the support car came down the hill and Ian jumped out. He told me it was now less than 2km. The car followed me with the headlights on full beam. It was now dark. Having the team there was incredibly emotional. I started to cry. I had to hold back the emotion as I had to see where I was going. I knew I had made it.

I do not regard sport as easy for me. Yet this was a major achievement. I was going to make it. With one corner to go, the car overtook and I cycled the last 50m. I made the pass. I made it to Jot. Ankur took the bike from me and I crouched down and just wept. I have never done anything so physically demanding in my life. I worked so hard to get there with great support from the team. The ride started at 1000m and I was now at 2650m and it had taken nearly 8 hours to do this.

We drank tea in the local cafe. Dinner that evening was a huge spread of dishes from Dinesh our cook. All I ate was 3 plates full of noodles. Perfect, with a glass of beer.

If the earth was flat, we are quite simply on the edge. Our tent pitched on a grassy plateau. I look forward to the views in the morning.

.

 Temple in the town of Chamba

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24/09/2009 by admin.

The day started with breakfast around the camp fire. We had slept in our tent on the side of a hill overlooking the river Ravi.

We had a long cycle ahead of 80kms and as we set off, I was feeling quite apprehensive. I did not know why. I changed my state to something more resourceful.  We were cycling out of the valley today and across into the next one. The route was rocky, dusty and where small tributaries cross the road, it was wet. It wasn’t long before we were both covered head to toe and looked cool. Well we thought we did!

My fitness has improved as I was starting to really motor up some of the hills and in some cases I was in front of Ian. This is the first time whilst going up. The mountain biking was just pure fun. Although the bikes have suspension, our arms were going to fall out of their sockets with the jolts and juddering they were getting.

We stopped for a late lunch after about 75kms. Afterwards my legs had decided not to start again and sitting on the saddle was painful. It was ok, we only had 5km to go….uphill.

Wow did this hurt? I was exhausted and around every bend, I was hoping to see the support car pulled over. When we did find it, Ankur our guide announced our accommodation was a 30 minute trek away. I was filled with excitement that we were staying in a guesthouse in the middle of the mountains and concerned because my legs were like jelly.

The trek to our guesthouse was across a major tributary of the River Ravi. After crossing the bridge, we started to climb up the side of a hill that would eventually take us to a house perched on the side of the mountain. We were welcomed by the head of the family, Prakash and his wife. They welcomed us with a ritual where we were presented a hat and tikka, an orange mark on our forehead. Afterwards we drank tea and then jumped into the plunge pool where the water changed colour! As we swam around, Ian burst into laughter as I still had plasters covering my nipples. I had been wearing them during the bike rides.

Dinner was served on the grass terrace with a new moon providing the evening light. We drank Kingfisher beer for the first time in days. Godfather beer we had decided was too strong. We chatted some more and appreciated the peacefulness. Ian and I both commented that we could come back here. I decided I would look to run an NLP programme here. It would be an amazing place to run such a training programme.

I was in bed by 9pm and was fast asleep 30 seconds later.

.

Off the beaten track

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23/09/2009 by admin.

The day started with a local boy putting his head into our tent and saying “good morning”. A cup of tea from Dinesh, the cook, followed shortly. We had camped next to the River Ravi.

Breakfast was toast and tea. We sat by the embers of the fire. Two local boys sat with us. They seemed to really enjoy the toast and jam too.

Today’s ride started with 15km up hill. I have to say, the first 3km were hell. The inside of my legs really hurt. I was concerned. Though after these 3kms, I started to feel better. Again the views got better. I actually feel I have run out of adjectives to describe how wonderful this place is. It simply is the coolest place on the planet….that I have been too!

The 15kms was constantly uphill and was very steep in places. The sun was very hot again. We were making our way to Nayagran. It was the last place in the valley. From there, there were settlements in the mountains accessible by foot only. Nayagran was amazing. The track just stopped and the only building was the Lakewale Temple. A wedding was taking place. We went into the temple to look. Ankur said it was ok to go in.

As we were looking the Pujari (priest) came up to Ian and I and offered us an apple and a walnut each. He then invited us to join him. We then sat with him and the elders. I had the groom’s grandfather to my right. It was just very special. Even as I type this, it brings back a tear to my eye. The Pujari peeled and sliced an apple and we all had a piece. We were invited to ask a question. I knew Ian had one as he had mentioned a year ago. “What was the meaning of life?” The Pujari started reciting from the sandscript and gave a sermon in answer to the question. Ian followed by asking, “How do you know when you’ve achieved it?” The Pujari had his answer which, again, Ankur translated for us.  Then the Pujari asked us the same questions back. I already had a tear or two in my eyes and just said to Ian “this is very special” and he looked round also with tears in his eyes. During all this, the ladies in the wedding party had been sitting together singing sounds.

Finally we said our goodbyes and headed back to our bikes. I felt incredibly privileged to have been part of something so special. As we got on our bikes, the group of ladies had stopped singing to watch us head off back down the valley.

The run back to Holi was pretty much down hill and we both felt we had earned it having cycled up it earlier! It was going down that we realised how steep it was. On the way we stopped for lunch and afterwards I dozed off in the sun.

I got my second wind in the afternoon. It was the first time I was ahead of Ian. He tired a little which was a first for him. Our team stopped shortly after for their lunch and we were given instructions not to go too fast otherwise we would miss our camping spot. They eventually caught up with us 5 kms passed our stop!

I had lost my phone signal a couple of days earlier, but I knew the next village was ok. The driver then took me further along the valley so I could email yesterday’s blog to Michele with a couple of photographs. Ian found this highly amusing. Mountain biking in the Himalayas and then getting the car to drive until I got a phone signal.

Ankur had found a site to camp by the river. The site was actually on a dry section of the River Rivi riverbed. It’s a fast flowing river. Ian was very concerned. It just needed a rainfall further in the mountains and we could be washed away. We therefore camped higher up overlooking the river in amongst the trees. Stunning.

I returned to the river later on to wash my cycling tops and shorts. To travel light, I had to do one wash at some point and this was it. I mused over the TV washing powder adverts that claim ‘white even at 30c’. Well the water was 5c and I was using soap.  The clothes came up clean….enough!

By the campfire that evening, we chatted and had dinner.

.

Breathtaking views in the Himalayan Valley

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22/09/2009 by admin.

We stayed in a guesthouse in Bharmour and when stepping outside the next morning, I was confronted with mountains all around me. It was a beautiful view in every direction. After breakfast, we went to look around the temple which is one of the oldest in the Himalayas and according to one person, 7th century. Ian and I wandered the streets when suddenly I heard Ian calling my name. He had an old man attached to his arm who wouldn’t let go. We’re not sure why!

At about 9.30am, we set off. The start of the ride was going to be down the hill we had cycled the night before. Approximately 1000m accent the day before had taken a good couple of hours. Getting down took us 35 minutes.

From the bottom of the valley we started to climb up the other side. We were going to Holi. For 2 hours we cycled up hill. It was slightly hotter today at just over 30c. We were both going well though our driver told us later that our pace was slightly slower! Gutted.

We stopped often for photographs. Surprisingly, the area is a lot greener than either of us were expecting. In these ranges, there is no tree line as in the Alps. Trees grow even at 4000m.

During our ride we cycled through dense glades. Just magical.

Today’s ride was shorter at 50kms and we arrived in Holi about 3.30pm. It is a tiny market village. Locals gathered around us when we stopped. The local’s first question was how many gears did the bikes have? I had noticed this question in Bharmour though had thought it was just a one off. When we said 24 gears, they were amazed. Everyone is so friendly.

Our guide and driver had found a suitable place to camp by the side of the river. Our cook had also set up his kitchen on the river’s edge.  We rested with tea and biscuits on the rocks and basked in the sun.

A group of local boys saw us arrive and had come down to join us. They are so happy smiling all the time. They wanted to play on our bikes though we thought it best not to. Two of them were very chatty, Monu and Anil. They would speak to us in Hindi and Ian and I would speak in English. Neither of us had a clue what we were saying but it really didn’t matter.

Being the althletes we are! we decided to go for a walk into the mountains. It would take us to a village on the other side of the river.

On arriving back we had a camp fire and a 2 course dinner was served. The food was superb. Dinesh, our cook had prepared the whole meal with one stove.

Ian, Ankur the guide, Dinesh the cook and I sat and lay around the fire looking at the stars. The sky is clear making it a wonderful view. Soon the peace and tranquility was ruined. We decided to start singing. Ian gave his rendition of Elvis’s ‘Suspicious Minds’ which involved him standing and providing us with movements too. Ankur commented after, he loved the enthusiasm in which Ian sang - though we both chuckled.

Ankur sang too, in Hindi, and explained the meaning after. It was very special. Ankur’s favorite film is Titantic so he sang the song from that too.

We retreated to our tent at about 10pm and fell asleep to the sound of the river flowing.

 .

Being guided through the awsome Himilayan Valley

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21/09/2009 by admin.

The day started early with a drive from Pathankot to Chamba which would take over 4 hours. Up to now, we had been on the plains though now we started to climb. The scenery was breathtaking as we drove into the foothills of the Himalayas. So much so, my camera battery ran out as I took so many photos! It was ok as Ian had his.

We reached Chamba, which is the Shivalik Range of the Himalayas. After getting supplies, we got onto the road to Bharmour which would be our stop that evening. It was a 60km ride and the temperature was about 30c. After setting up the bikes, we set off down the road. Yes, we were on a road. Everything was amazing but this was not mountain biking, it was biking in the mountains. In our pursuit of off road, we decided we knew better and immediately found an alternative. 40 minutes later we were back where we started as the route we chose was a dead end. We decided to listen to the guide from that point!

We were both a little disappointed with the riding however, everything else was just amazing. It wasn’t going to ruin our trip. Our guide had also told us that we would climb a total of 200m during the day.

Actually the climbs up were quite hard. The altitude played its part in this. We took our first break near a village called Guna after about 3 hours. There was a wooden bridge to the village across a beautiful ravine. We of course had to cycle over. On the other side, we were told not to go any further. It turns out the wedding procession was just about to come up through the village.

Back across the bridge and we had a light lunch. The wedding party come across the bridge as the local bus pulled in. The ladies all got in the bus as the gents climbed onto the roof and off they went.

We continued and the road started becoming more rocky and dusty. There was less traffic but the local buses still ran between the villages and lorries working on a construction passed.

This was more like it. The views kept getting more impressive. Every village we passed, locals would look on in amazement. Some would cheer, the kids would run alongside the bikes. Quite a few would ask “how are you?” I got the impression that they knew we were English as we were mad enough to be cycling up through the Himalayas.

The road, or should I say track, was now proper mountain biking, though vehicles could pass. This was good as our support car would let us go off and join us every 2 hours. We stopped for tea in Luna, a tiny village. People gathered as we sat in the local cafe, which was a wooden building the size of a garden shed. Just an amazing experience to live life like this.

The last village we came to was Kaharamu. We waited for our guide as the road forked. A local came up to me and asked where we were going? He looked concerned because either route was up hill and steep.

Our guide pointed us in the right direction and the climb started. This was the steepest ride all day. Tiring and yet superb. We came round a corner into a valley with mountains either side. Ian later said this part was simply “the best mountain biking he had ever done.”

Time was running out as the darkness came down and to be honest, my legs were starting to tire. With the support car providing light, we decided to stop a few kms short of Bharmour. We felt we had failed though, later over an amazing dinner provide by our cook who had now joined us, we agreed, it wasn’t really a failure. We should not have taken our diversion at the start of the day!

It turns out the Bharmour was at an altitude of 3400m and we started at 2200m. Our guide told us that evening the reason he said it was only 200m that morning and not 1200m was he didn’t want to worry us! As if we were not going to find out.

What another amazing day. We’re in the Himalayas!

.

Chris and Ian in the Himalayan foothills

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21/09/2009 by admin.

Row, my housemate, dropped me of at Heathrow. I seemed to be talking all the way and then realised that whilst I was incredibly excited, I was also apprehensive, maybe even nervous. It was certainly a feeling I had not had for a long time.

As I flew from Heathrow, Ian flew from Manchester and we caught up with each other in Helsinki where we had time for a few beers before our flight to Delhi. Interestingly, Ian had the same feelings as I had earlier. We really didn’t know what we had let ourselves in for!

On our arrival in Delhi at 4am (approximately midnight in the UK), we were met by our guide, Ankur and our driver. Ankur is 23 and recently completed his degree in Tourism. Ankur and our driver loaded the car and we set off to Pathankot. Pathankot is a 281 mile drive and will take about 11 hours. Our driver turns out to be very good. It really is just all the others! The motorways are an experience as we dodge potholes and then suddenly find ourselves on dirt roads. On motorways and in towns, the driving is the same. Everything and everybody on every mode of transport comes from every angle possible! Seriously! Cars, rickshaws, scooters, horse and carriages, people, wondering cows and loose dogs come across the roads from all angles. It’s rather crazy, though the constant sound of horns let’s everyone know that someone is there!

To stay in the back of a car for 11 hours sounds like hell. In an incredibly strange way, it was the best way to have travelled. We witnessed the changes from Delhi to Pathankot, from town to country and into the northern most city, Punjab.

After arriving in Pathankot, we drop our bags into the room and wander the streets. Our guide joined us as we weaved through a maze of people, cows, rickshaws, scooters, cars and market stalls. We hired a moto-rickshaw and sped off darting through the streets. How no one gets hit, I do not know. Anywhere else there would be carnage yet here it works as horns blast constantly.

It’s been an amazing first day. Tomorrow we are up early to start mountain biking. We have 60kms of riding, though we have no idea of the terrain! I’ll let you know. 

. 

Locals and their modes of transport

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16/09/2009 by admin.

I depart this Friday (18^th September) for my 10 day adventure with Ian Hunter.  I will be updating my progress throughout the trip so please feel free to join me, as such, on my travels.  I am also supporting the British Heart Foundation, so please support me by supporting them.  (www.justgiving.com/chris-stock or follow the link on the right.) 

Wish me luck! Oh what have I got myself in to?

India Trip Itinerary 

18^th Sept: Depart London Heathrow to Delhi. Arrive 19^th September.

19^th Sept: Day 01: Delhi – Pathankot (Overnight bus/train journey). 

20^th Sept: Day 02: Mountain bike Pathankot – Garima

21^st Sept: Day 03: Garima – Inner Kangra Valley  

22^nd Sept: Day 04: Inner Kangra Valley – Garola  

23^rd Sept: Day 05: Garola - Himalayan Orchards

24^th Sept: Day 06: Himalayan Orchards - Jot

25^th Sept: Day 07: Jot - Pongdam

26^th Sept: Day 08: Pongdam – Dharamshala – Delhi (Overnight bus/train journey)

27^th Sept: Day 09: Arrive Delhi. Relax!

28^th Sept: Day 10: Depart Delhi and arrive London Heathrow. 

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11/09/2009 by admin.

I have applied for my India visa on-line and even got an appointment time for dropping off my passport and application.  This seemed very different from my last visa application a few years ago.

When I arrived at the office, I was given a number like at the cheese counter in the local supermarket, though because I had an appointment, my number was the next one out.  Within 5 minutes of parking the car, I was getting back in, because the process is so efficient.  I was given a receipt for my passport and a reference so I could check on the internet when my passport was ready for collection.  Again, brilliant.  Two days later, my passport was ready.  I had time the next morning to pop in and pick it up.  Knowing how efficient they are I knew I’d be in and out in minutes.

I arrived at 10am and was then told the collection time was from 1pm!  What?  Why wasn’t I told?  I had to get a general ticket to get a better explanation and now waited.  Finally I was seen and the lady said it says on the internet under the procedure guide.  I explained that I would have come for 1pm if I had been told when I dropped the passport off, or when I checked the screen.  I didn’t look at the ‘procedures guide’.

I was referred to the manager.  Again, another wait.  Finally he agreed to give me my passport, though he said it in such a way he was doing me a favor, which he repeated a number of times.  I’m thinking this is not my problem.

I came away disappointed by the experience and yet I said how impressed I was.  Customer service and the whole customer experience is so important to get right.  I drove to my next meeting thinking what experiences, however small, could be disappointing my customers and potential prospects.  What do I need to fix them?  It could be the smallest thing and yet it has a huge impact.  If I was told to collect my passport after 1pm, then I would have arrived at the right time and I would now be saying, the whole experience was very impressive.  As it turned out, I’m not!

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