Kanpur Connection – After stopping in Gorakhpur for 1 night we headed to Kanpur via Lucknow. The drive was tiring because the traffic was appalling! It took some time to get used to oncoming vehicles on our side of the road. Overtaking an army of trucks, which wanted to drive in the fast lane at a speed of 50kmph was not easy either. However, within an hour or so we got used to the mayhem and started enjoying the drive. In Kanpur we met with Mr Vinit Jain, who sponsored the jerry cans for our trip. He made our stay in Kanpur memorable with his hospitality and presented us with a beautiful painting, which he made himself along with a poem that he printed on a card.

During our stay we attended the Rotary club meeting, where we were felicitated by the members and were given an opportunity to speak about our trip. Times of India, Kanpur did a feature on us as did other local newspapers. I must admit that giving interviews is not nerve racking but posing for pictures reminded me of the day Tushar and I got married ( photographers with big camera lenses directing our poses:)

Taj Mahal, Agra – We arrived in Agra the next day and I got a wonderful surprise. I was expecting my mother to come to Qutub Minar,Delhi where we would finish our journey but she came all the way to Agra a day before. At night we all drove around the city in the hope of seeing the Taj Mahal at night but were told that due to security reasons, the Taj is not lit at night. Back at the hotel, for the first time in the trip I sat next to the pool side restaurant and ordered a cold coffee ( oh! the joy of a nice smelling hotel.. courtesy my sister’s friend). That night was very special because we were 1 day away from completing what we had set out to achieve 51 days back.

6 June 2010 – We were joined by Tushar’s family in Agra on the 6th and before we set off for Delhi, we visited the Taj Mahal. At the Taj parking a guy came up to us with a newspaper in his hand and said to Tushar ” is this you sir?” ( a write up about our trip and our picture was in the local newspaper). It was the first time we got spotted and its not happened since:) . On way to Delhi we stopped in Palwal for lunch, which was organised by Octave events. The local media was present and we got an opportunity to speak about our cause.

5:00 pm Qutub Minar, New Delhi – 6 June 2010 – After 1,500 litres of petrol, 51 days, 15 countries, 9 timezones and lots of exciting experiences we finally switched off our engine at 5:00 pm at Qutub Minar. Its really difficult to express how we felt at that time. All I can say is that we couldn’t believe that the car that we drove in London was with us in Delhi…it was surreal. There were lots of people and reporters at the venue to welcome us and it took us a while to realize that Goofy, Tushar and I had arrived in Delhi in one piece:)

Media - One of the reasons why I have focussed on the media coverage in this blog is that we are trying our best to raise awareness about the reasons behind our journey. ” For the love of Dogs and Animals” and ” For the love of Driving and Discovery”. We featured on Zee News, Star News, Sahara, CNEB and also came live on India TV. Media is a great way to raise awareness about charitable/social causes and hopefully we have managed to motivate some people to tie their personal interest of sports/adventure/arts with a social cause. ( One thing Tushar and I figured out is that sometimes the media may not be interested in the charitable aspect and one has to keep on reminding them not to edit the parts that are really important in the context of the journey)

Friendicoes – Tushar and I visited Friendicoes yesterday. We met Mr Gautam Bharat, co founder of Friendicoes who showed us around the Defence Colony shelter in Delhi. He told us that at any one time they look after 1,000 animals at the Delhi and Gurgaon sanctuary. They never refuse treatment to an animal ( a camel was recently treated and released at a sanctuary…so its not just dogs and other pets that are cared for at Friendicoes). We are still in the process of raising funds for Friendicoes ( a part of the donation raised has already been transferred to them) and we will be giving them all the donations received by the end of June. If anyone would like to contribute please click on the Donate Now link on our website or alternatively cheques can be made in the name of Friendicoes SECA, which can be couriered or collected.

This is not Good bye – Thank you all for your support and encouragement throughout our journey. Tushar and I have been keeping very busy these past few days with the homecoming but will continue to update the blogs. We will now start focusing towards writing a book and are hoping that a publishing house will take interest in our journey and publish our book.

Goofy – Goofy was my dog in Delhi. She lived with my family for almost 13 years. I decided to name the car Goofy because I knew she would get us through all the challenges during our journey. Her spirit lives on in our Jeep and in our memories:) Goofy the Jeep is waiting to be shipped back to London. She has to travel to Bombay first though. Will fill you in about that soon.

Till next time…which will be soon

Thanks for reading

Pooja

Nepal for us was our entry back into civilization. After the remoteness of Tibet, the gravel roads, the extreme altitudes, the unhygienic conditions, the health problems etc. etc. Nepal was a welcome change. After doing the border crossing, we were back on the left side of the road. That took a bit of getting used to as 90% of the journey so far was on the right side of the road. Once we reached our hotel, the first thing we looked for in the room was the toilet. The room actually had a bathroom and a toilet, the bathroom had a shower, the shower had water and the water was hot! All boxes ticked. We were thrilled! It’s not that we have not seen all these facilities in bathrooms before, but coming from Tibet, it was a welcome change for us. Kathmandu is nothing like any place in Tibet. It is a bustling city full of cars and people, lots of streets with shops, vehicles blowing horns, traffic jams, pollution, basically just like any other big metropolitan. It felt great though. We also visited a salon where Pooja had a few hours to groom herself. (I too indulged in a bit of luxury and got a nice back and shoulder massage). It turned out that one of the guys at the salon named Anil was of Indian origin and he got really excited when we told him about our journey. He offered to show us around Kathmandu and we readily agreed. We are so lucky to keep meeting nice, friendly and helpful people:) So next morning he took us to Pashupati Nath, one of the most important temples in the country. It was a beautiful temple but extremely busy and in the absence of any queues or order, it can become a bit of a challenge to actually reach the main altar for worshipping.

We also visited an animal shelter in Kathmandu called Animal Nepal. The shelter was built a bit outside the city in a quiet area with nice views of Kathmandu. Mr Krishna Singh, the programme co-ordinator of the organisation, showed us around the facilities and explained the work they do. Animal Nepal like Friendicoes, is involved in rescuing stray dogs that are abandoned on the streets or dogs that are hit by vehicles on the road. Unfortunately, like Friendicoes, they too are short of funds as animal welfare is not a priority in Nepal. They are also lobbying to prevent the barbaric animal sacrifice in the name of religion in Nepal. We also got an opportunity to meet the Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Mr. Rakesh Sood and the First Secretary, Mrs Apoorva Srivastava who were very interested in knowing more about our journey and the cause.

From Kathmandu, we drove to a very famous forest area in Nepal called Chitwan National Park. Here we sat on the back of a female elephant called Ichchakali and went deep into the jungle in search of wild animals. Unfortunately, all we saw were a few monkeys and deer. But it was fun sitting on an elephant and going quietly into the woods. We learnt that the lifespan of elephants is similar to that of humans and to our amazement we also learnt that elephants can dig graves to bury a deceased fellow elephant and cover it with shurbs and bushes. Okay, these facts may be well known to you, but for me it was something totally new!

Not about the last minute hiccup. This morning, we left Chitwan and started driving towards the Nepal-India border called Sunauli. As you can imagine, we were in a great mood, everything was going as per plan and we were just smiling and enjoying the ride as we were getting closer and closer to the border. Then we reached a checkpost and an officer signalled for us to stop. He approached my window and asked if we are heading towards Sunauli. “Yes”, I said. “Maoists have burned 2 motorcycles ahead. Roads are closed and the border is closed. You cannot go much further.” he said. “Shit. Now what do we do”. I commented. My mind was filled with many things now. Will the border open today or not? Will our car attract the maoists and will we end up like the motorcyclists? Will we need to wait in Nepal for days? In any case, we were almost convinced that today we will not be able to go to India. We started driving ahead. Our plan was to keep driving closer and closer to the border till we reach the area where the police has actually closed the road and stay in a town which is closest to that point. The music was off, the conversations were off and the mood was off. Silently, I kept driving. Then a car ahead of us signalled for us to stop. “Oh god. Let them not be the maoists”. I whispered to myself. I stopped the car and 2 guys came out of the car and approached us. “Are you going to Sunauli?”, one of them asked. “Yes”, I said. “The border is closed. You cannot go much further. But we can tell you another border from where you can go to India.”, they said. That was a huge relief. Phew! These guys wanted to help us after we told them about what we are doing and where we are coming from. They removed all our worries and also invited us for a drink to their house. This is what I love about this trip. In a second, the dynamics change, the moods change, the routes change, the plans change, the conversations change and the directions change. So now we were following a car with two complete strangers who were leading us to their village for a drink with a promise to guide us to another border later. And indeed they did. We chatted with them for a few minutes in their nice little home in a small town of Nepal called Parasi.

Then we headed for this other border called Maheshpur. We reached the Nepal side of the border and were met by a “couple of cops”, they were indeed a couple. Both husband and wife were guarding the Nepalise checkpost together. They were amused at seeing our vehicle and not knowing much about what to do with us, they called their senior. The senior Inspector was I think woken up from a siesta as he came out of his office in a casual T-shirt and shorts. He was very courteous though and told us that this border crossing does not have a customs office and therefore, we cannot cross into India from here. When I insisted that we need to go today, he said we can go to the Indian side and try it out ourself. Knowing that India is only a few hundred metres away, how could we not give it a try? Both Pooja and I were like 2 little kids not wanting to accept a given fact. So we drove towards the Indian border at Maheshpur. From a distance, we saw the Indian flag and my heart skipped a beat. “There is our flag”, I said to Pooja. I drove faster and as we reached the barrier I stopped the car and admired the uniforms of the Indian border guards. My heart was beating faster now. I was getting emotional looking at India behind that barrier. I have gone to India numerous times by flight from London, but it never looked so inviting. We were finally at the gates of our home. Once we are past this barrier, everything and everyone will embrace us. But we would have to wait. The Indian border guards looked at us in disbelief when I told them about the journey. They told us the same thing that the Nepalise officer had said. There was no custom post at this border which meant they could not sign the vehicle into the country. They told us we could go at our own risk but if we did, it would become extremely difficult to ship Goofy back to UK. “Please dont mind, Sir”, said the Indian border guard and we took a U turn heading back towards Nepal. “This is a first. We never took a U-turn from any other country’s border post on this trip”, I said to Pooja. But it was not the mistake of the Indian border guards. It was our own fault that we went to a border post not meant for foreign vehicles. So we went back to the Nepalise border post where a good news awaited us. “Sunauli border is open”, the Inspector told us. I heaved a sigh of relief after hearing those sweet words. The Inspector invited us for some drinks in his office premises and later sent an escort on a motorbike with us. Another kind gesture by a stranger.

This time we reached Sunauli and it being a proper border post, we were faced with a huge board that said “Welcome to India”. We were back in business! We crossed the border and stepped into India. The custom process was a breeze after the officials saw Goofy and learned about our journey. We were offered drinks and in the meantime, the officers sorted out the paperwork for us. When we asked where we can find a good restaurant for Indian food, we were pointed back in the direction of Nepal. “In this area, good Indian food is available only in Nepal. You can leave your car here, walk to Nepal, eat lunch and walk back to India. “, they said. And so we did. So, for the second time that day, we again went back to Nepal from India, had a quick lunch and walked back to India.

Our co-ordinator in London pulled some strings and arranged a police escort for us to Gorakhpur from the border. I dont think it was needed, but we were so tired and the idea of a police car leading our way and clearing traffic to help us get to our destination quicker was very tempting. 3 police officers greeted us, sat in their car and sped towards Gorakhpur. It was difficult to catch up with them. I have never driven so fast in my life and Pooja was almost praying all the way. The result was that we reached Gorakhpur atleast an hour before we thought we would. We thanked the officers for their help and crashed into bed.

Today is our first night in India and I already feel that the journey is over. Atleast the challenges of a border crossing, the fun of not understanding a language, the curiosity while tasting foreign food, the uncertainty about spending the night in a new town and the confusion of counting a new currency are over. Stop.

Let’s not forget, the journey is not over yet. Tomorrow, we go to Kanpur. Day after to Agra and on Sunday the home run to Delhi. I want to enjoy the remaining few days as much as possible. I am going to try to take one day at a time just like I have always tried to do during this trip. But, as they say…

Ab dilli door nahin.

Tushar

I wrote parts of this blog in China but thought it would be prudent to post it once we left China. The first part is a bit about our interesting experiences and the other about the difficulties we have faced due to our nationality.

When Will the Next Mountain Come? – Asking the local Tibetan person for directions is an interesting task. The answer is mostly, “ Oh, your destination is not far away” or “ Its just behind the next mountain”. The amusing bit is that, every time we got these answers we had to drive for another 50km atleast! It’s become a joke now. Tushar, Feifei (our guide) and I kid that when we are nearing our destination and can’t get to it…the village/town moves to another mountain. ( sigh, and mountains to go before I sleep ) Robert Frost should have switched the miles to mountains J

Snake Massage – Ok, this is really creepy. I was watching CCTV (Chinese TV) in Saga, China with Feifei when suddenly a clipping of a man on a massage table flashed on the screen. The next thing I saw was this doctor putting about 5-6 snakes on the man’s back and then massaging his back with them. Yikes! ( I don’t know about you guys but snakes freak me out)

A Very Special Wine – Sticking with the snake subject, Feifei told me that there is a special wine (3 snake wine or snake wine), which the older generation enjoys drinking. How is it made? Well, you take 1 or 3 or maybe more snakes (alive) and put them in the wine bottle/barrel. After a little more than 40 days you pour the wine in your glass (with the snake still inside the bottle) and enjoy the snakey taste! I’ve been told it has fantastic health benefits. Feifei wasn’t amused by my gob smacked look. She told me that her grandmother loves the snake wine and it’s enjoyed by her father as well.

An Ode to The Land Cruiser (LC) – Tibet would come to a standstill if Toyota stopped making the Land Cruiser. Other than a very few others, the LC is the only 4×4 you see here. They are the lifeline between villages/town as we saw them tackling the most treacherous road conditions with not much difficulty. Where Goofy does 10 km on a muddy road, the LC ( Tushar calls them Sher Cheetah) flies by at about 30km. Goofy has not given us any trouble till now but I have to be honest and say that the LC is the right car to pick for anyone wanting to tackle the terrain in Tibet.

Roads in Tibet G219 – We have driven a little over 1,800 km on the G219, the main highway which starts from Yeching in Xinjiang and continues into Tibet. The road is treacherous and only about 200km of it till Saga is a road! (It becomes better after Lhatse) The entire highway is a mud and gravel terrain and one has to off road on most parts. The part between Mansarover and Saga is the worst bit! Anyone wanting to do the Kailash Mansarover trek, please come here after 2-3 years (if you can wait) because the government is in the middle of constructing the road. If you are planning the journey in the imminent future, make sure you have car/motion sickness tablets along with altitude sickness ones.

Tibet – Tibet is many things rolled into one. It’s very intimidating due to the terrain and altitude. Its people are untouched by commercialism. Its beauty is pure and breathtaking and the local Tibetan is very proud of his heritage. One interesting thing I noted was that traditional Tibetans don’t like people touching their hair. It is disrespectful to do so.

Water Problem – It’s truly a wonderful sight to see a desert at over 4,000 meters above sea level. However, even though the region has many lakes, it’s very difficult to get running water in the hotel/motel bathrooms. Infact, some of the places we stayed in didn’t have a bathroom. One can check into a hotel and still have to use the open when nature calls. Even in Mansarover, one has to go in the open (next to the campsite at the holy lake), which Tushar and I didn’t want to. (Our portable toilet came handy!). It’s not a nice sight to walk to the holy lake crossing people’s morning business. I hope the Chinese authorities improve the facilities there.

Our Nationality – Both Tushar and I are Indian Passport holders. This has been a huge concern for the Chinese authorities because we were driving through sensitive areas in our own car. Our route took us through Aksai Chin, which was claimed by India ( part of Jammu and Kashmir) and is under Chinese Administration. One of the reasons behind the Indo-Sino war in the 60’s was Aksai Chin. Due to our nationality, the Chinese government stipulated a set route for us, which we had to keep to at all times. During one of the routes, our guide told us that we could not stop on the way ( the drive to the next destination was 10 hours) or take pictures. We were not allowed to stop for lunch or even for a toilet break. We have had to register at almost every army station on our route so that a tab could be kept on our whereabouts. Other conditions applied on us were that we were not given permission to do the Mt Kailash Parikrama (circumambulation) nor were we allowed to talk to any monks or religious people in Tibet. Due to ill health caused by altitude sickness, Tushar and I decided to cut short our trip in China and head into Nepal sooner. However, we were not allowed to exit China before the date, which we had originally planned. Only when the Chinese government gets the necessary exit papers related to us, will we be allowed to leave the country. Don’t, be put off though. I found the local Chinese person very warm and friendly.

Exiting China – We have now exited China. The border control got our exit papers ahead of our original exit date. At the border control, the army checked nearly every photograph in our camera and checked almost every item in our luggage. (we have around 17 bags with us; food, medicines, clothes, laptop and electronics etc)

Thank You – We will be hitting Delhi very soon. I want to thank all of you for following our journey and supporting us all the way. Both Tushar and I left our jobs in London to undertake a dream that all of you have helped us achieve with your encouraging words and advice. Goofy will be shipped back to London as soon as we reach Delhi and we will go back by June end.

I would like to sign off by saying that as much as I loved every bit of the journey, my aim was to raise as much funds as I could for Friendicoes. If you would like to support us in our cause, please donate online via our website or alternatively cheques can be made in the name of Friendicoes SECA, which can be collected. ( please email us). Every penny you donate goes to the animals ( not just dogs but cows, cats, horses, rabbits and others as well)

Thanks

Pooja

P.S. We have uploaded lots of new pictures of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China. Please check from album number 028 onwards. Click here to go to the photo page http://www.londondelhibyroad.com/jalbumList.asp

The driving is extremely difficult here. We have been driving everyday since we left Kashgar. The roads are non-existent and we have been driving mostly on mud and gravel. About 90% of the journey so far in China has been on these kind of roads. This has made our journey extremely slow and stressful. There have been many days when we drove for 12 hours straight but covered not more than a few hundred kilometres. It is also very dangerous to drive in these conditions. We have driven through snow, wet mud, sand storms and streams.

From Kashgar we went to a very small village called Mazar which had just a few shacks that were all occupied by road workers. We managed to get a room in one of the shacks and had a nice evening with the local workers. On asking, “where is the toilet?” everyone started laughing at us and said, “It is wherever you want it to be”. It was some experience spending a night in that little room covered with a tin roof.

From Mazar, we drove to another very small village called Tielongtan in Aksai Chin region and on the way we had another off road adventure. While driving on a particular bad road, suddenly we found that the road ahead of us was broken and we could see a big hole in the front. The only way to get on the other side of the hole was to drive on the wet mud on the side of the road. This was a dried river bed but the mud was still very soft. I slowly drove on the mud but realized that the car was sinking into the ground. Immediately I reversed and stopped. We were stuck at an altitude of 5000 metres. There were a couple of cars parked in the opposite direction who wanted to cross over to our side. Now everyone was waiting to see who would make the first move. Then a big army 4×4 approached from the opposite direction, it waited for a few seconds then just geared up and hit the soft mud. In a matter of seconds it drove over the mud and parked next to us. Feifei (our guide) asked if it would be safe for us to go and pointing towards Goofy the driver said, “No, not in that car. It won’t make it.” But what choice did we have? Remain stuck at 5000 metres and risk dying or try. I said my prayers, put my seat belt on, kissed Pooja, stopped thinking about everything, put the car in 4×4 mode and pressed the accelerator. We hit the wet mud and started going down. I turned the wheel and got out of the mud. Now we were going sideways and once again started sinking. Again, I turned the wheel in the opposite direction and got out of the mud. After many such manoeuvres, we finally reached the road but not before going into a big ditch which threw up mud on the windscreen and made it impossible to see ahead. We were finally out of the mud and on the road. I stopped the car and heaved a big sigh of relief. There was pin drop silence in the car. Pooja, Feifei and I were in shock and could not believe that we had made it. Well, it was a great experience and one that we will always remember.

The scenery was spectacular. Water in the lakes was emerald green and the mountains looked like a lovely painting. The sky was so clear that in the night you could see millions of stars and they seemed closer to you. Unfortunately, our stay in Aksai Chin was short lived. We had no idea what was going to happen in the next few hours after we arrived in Tielongtan. We were at an altitude of 5100 metres (15300 feet) and the air was thin. We reached Tielongtan after a 12 hours drive so we quickly had dinner and went to bed. At around 12 midnight, Pooja woke me up and complained of altitude sickness. She was finding it difficult to breathe and her condition was getting worse by the minute. I immediately woke up Feifei and she called the lodge owner. Fortunately, he had oxygen which he instantly provided to Pooja. He then advised that it would not be safe for Pooja to stay at that altitude and suggested that we should immediately drive to a town called Duma which was at a lower altitude. We packed our bags and rushed towards Duma and arrived at 6 in the morning. Throughout the drive, Pooja had the oxygen mask on her and it was the scariest night for both of us. I cannot imagine what would have happened if the lodge owner did not have oxygen that night. It made me realize how unprepared I was and I cursed myself for not having thought about such an eventuality. It was eerie to think that Tielongtan was in an area commonly known in China as “Death Valley”.

I am glad that we are past that night and Pooja is fine now. The drive since has not been pleasurable either. Roads are extremely bad, altitudes very high and hygiene is not a priority here. The only thing that keeps our spirits high is the unparalleled natural beauty of China and Tibet. Also, the fact that we are so close to India is keeping us motivated.

We finally got tarmac. After driving on mud and gravel for 900 kms, we suddenly saw a cemented road. I just stopped the car and admired the beauty of a smooth road. I realized my eyes were wet, I got out of the car and literally kissed the road and just lay flat on my back in the middle of the highway. It was an amazing feeling to finally see a proper road. Things we take for granted in our everyday lives! Unfortunately, this pleasure was short lived and only after 100 kms, we were back on mud, rocks and gravel.

Two days back we visited Mountain Kailash. We stayed at the foot of the mountain from where the holy mountain rose majestically right in front of our eyes. As soon as we spotted the mountain, Pooja exclaimed, “There it is. That’s Mount Kailash”. I had a shiver go down my spine at the sight of the holiest but the least visited holy mountain in the world. Since childhood, I had heard stories about the great mountain and to actually be standing in front of it simply made me very happy. Unfortunately, that night I too suffered from altitude sickness but this time we were well prepared and had an oxygen bag with us.

Next day, we drove to Mansarovar lake which was one of our best days in China so far. I took a holy dip in the lake ( the water was extremely cold) and then we had a good rest in our lakeside camp. We were pleasantly surprised to see lots of Land Cruisers approaching the lake side. They were full of Indian pilgrims who were visiting the holy lake and the mountain. In a matter of a few hours, at least a hundred Land Cruisers arrived. We had a nice evening interacting with people who were all very interested in knowing more about our journey and the cause. There were big groups organised by different companies and the best part was they all had cooks travelling with them which meant Indian food for us that night! We were offered food separately by all groups and a night that we thought would be very quiet became a big event for us. We met some great people and made new friends. The journey surprises us everyday. We never thought we will meet so many nice people from India and get to have a great time with them in Tibet.

Yesterday, we drove from Manasarovar Lake to another very small town in Tibet called Zhongba. The drive again was extremely hard and stressful. We drove around 250 kms in 9 hours and all the time I feared that the car would breakdown. We hit rocks, drove through streams and climbed steep mountains on unpaved roads. Same story today as well. We arrived in Saga today which is around 150 kms from Zhongba. It took us 7 hours to cover this distance. I think that will give you an idea about the road conditions. We have been told that the road from Saga onwards should be good. I am just looking forward to a proper road. German Autobahns are a distant dream now.

We have decided not to go to Lhasa as we will have to make a detour of atleast 1000 kms. Given the road conditions and our health, we decided it would be best not to visit Lhasa and go directly to Nepal. So now, we should reach Kahtmandu at least 4 days before schedule which would also mean reaching Delhi 4 days ahead of schedule!

Once we reach India, we may be stopping a night in Lucknow and another in Agra. On the final day, we would like to drive from Taj Mahal to Delhi. Pooja and I would like to invite anyone interested to please come and join us on our ultimate driving day from Agra to Delhi. I will send exact details about the date, time and venue from Nepal. It will be one of the most memorable days in our lives and we would love to share it with everyone.

Catch up from Nepal!

Tushar

Imagine this. You are driving up a mountain in your Jeep. It is sunny and the temperature outside is 15 degrees. The roads are good enough; you are listening to music and enjoying the views that are magnificent. Snow capped mountains all around, children riding donkeys and horses, herd of sheep walking on the side, villagers working in the fields, a stream of river gently flowing under a bridge. You stop to take pictures every now and then. A perfect setting. Suddenly, someone (up there) turns off the switch. The temperature plummets down to 0 degrees. The sun is replaced by dark clouds. And suddenly it starts snowing. The road disappears and you are left with wet slippery mud to drive on. The Jeep starts sliding and gets difficult to control. The windscreen wiper breaks and the 4×4 mode in your car stops working which makes it extremely difficult to control the car. And then you reach the top of the mountain at a height of 10500 feet. That’s exactly what happened on our drive to Sary Tash from Osh. We were looking for adventure and we got it. Yes, it was risky and dangerous but so far it was our best drive on this trip. Reaching the top of the mountain in these conditions was a massive high for us.
We had been looking at Sary-Tash on the maps for months and honestly, it looked scary. We used to think “God, how are we ever going to drive on these mountains.” But we made it! We reached Sary Tash and felt like we have won a gold medal at some competition. It is a tiny village surrounded by huge mountains in all directions. The entire village was covered in snow when we arrived. The population must be a few hundreds I think. We stayed at a villagers house who rents his home to travellers. The room was small and cozy where an electric heater kept us warm. It was silent outside except for the sound of the snow falling on the ground, some dogs barking, some cows mooing and the wind. I am left wanting for words. I wish I had talent to describe the scene outside more vividly. The only problem was there was no toilet in the guest house and we had to walk outside in the cold to a little shed which was like a make shift toilet. It was less than basic but we managed somehow. Sary Tash is one of those places which fall on your route and you spend a night there before continuing on your journey the next morning. But in our case, I think it was one of the most memorable and beautiful places we have seen so far. A completely natural setting where you feel close to nature.

Yesterday morning we left at 6 towards Irkeshtam (Kyrgyzstan-China border). This drive made us forget our previous days drive from Osh to Sary-Tash. The distance was only 80 kms but it took us 4 hours to cover this distance. We drove through the Pamir mountain range which was completely covered with permanent snow and glaciers. The views were just spectacular. We left early so we saw the sun rising from behind the snow capped mountains. Only two colours where visible. Extremely bright white and orange. It was like being in a dream. Pooja said, “Artists don’t need to imagine anything when they draw nature. They just need to come here and simply copy this” I really really wish I had talent to describe the scenery. It was the best I have seen in my life so far. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about the road which was completely broken and whatever was left was covered in snow. The only hint was the tracks left by trucks on the snow. Slowly and steadily we started moving but the terrain got tougher by the minute and at the same time, the views got more and more spectacular. All around us was nothing but snow. No cars or trucks. Just us. The 4×4 mode in the Jeep stopped working for some reason so it got very difficult to drive. The car started sliding and could not find grip on the road. And then it happened. My nightmare came true. We got stuck in snow. I was trying to drive on a track left by a truck, but there was very thick snow under it and the tyres just sank into the snow and wouldn’t come out. We couldn’t move forward or backward. It was -5 degrees but I was almost sweating. Suddenly, a miracle happened. A truck approached from the opposite direction. The driver helped us move the car out of the snow and we were back on track again. Phew! The ride ahead did not get any simpler. We were constantly driving into potholes, sliding, skidding and secretly saying our prayers. I was just praying for Goofy to keep moving. I also remember saying aloud “C’mon Goofy, you can do it. You can make it to Irkeshtam“. Pooja went a step further; she put our passports, a bottle of water and some food in a bag, tightly held on to it and said, “In case the car gets out of control and falls down the mountain, just jump as soon as you can. I will jump with this bag so that we have some food and our passports with us to get back home…if we survive”. Well, that did not happen and we are alive and kicking! We made it to the border safe and sound.

It took us 6 hours to cross the China border. In 2 hours we were free and had just one paper left to collect. An officer came, checked the car and was about to sign the paper, when their lunch time started. He went away and came back after 4 hours to sign it. We had no other option but to wait for him. Our guide FeiFei also came to the border with all our paperwork and made the process a bit simpler for us. According to the rules, she has to travel with us till we do not leave the country. So for the next 15 days, she will be with us until we reach the Nepal border. She is a very jovial, helpful and sweet 26 year old girl who seems more excited than us about our China adventure.

We are in Kashgar at the moment. This town is in the Xinjiang province where the people are mainly Uighurs. The Uighurs do not look like the average Chinese people. They look more Indian or Pakistani. They also speak their own Uighur language, go to mosques and follow Islam religion. Kashgar feels like a different country. Here, I don’t feel like I am in China. The town is very exotic with old bazaars, mosques and tombs.

We have completed our journey eastwards and from tomorrow we start our journey south towards Tibet. We will be driving 400 kms to Mazar tomorrow. We may not get internet connection for a few days now so don’t worry if you do not hear from us in the next few days. In 2 days, we will be reaching the highest point in our journey at an altitude of 5600 metres (16600 feet). The journey has become very different from the last 5 weeks. No more flat lands or deserts. It is only mountains and some more mountains. We have taken some Chinese altitude sickness medicine which should prevent us from getting sick on high altitudes. The 4×4 mode in the car is fixed now so hopefully I will have better control on Goofy from tomorrow.

The challenge has begun. Till next time…

Tushar

P.S. Posted some more pictures. Please click here to view http://www.londondelhibyroad.com/jalbumList.asp

A dog called Doggie – We had a translator with us on our trip to the animal clinics in Tashkent. However, I didn’t need to know Russian to see the dedication that Dr Ruhi had towards the abandoned animals at her clinic. Doggie, a 7 month old puppy ( not a Great Dane but a similar large breed) holds a special place in her heart. He is almost paralysed from his belly down. None of his legs have the strength to enable him to sit, walk or even scratch his ear. After Doggie’s disability came to light, he was brought in to the clinic by his owners to be put to sleep. Dr Ruhi didn’t put him to sleep. Instead she regularly massaged Doggie’s legs to boost blood circulation and looked for ways to make him better. Unfortunately, there is no treatment for Doggie’s condition in Tashkent. I was told that Tashkent and the rest of Uzbekistan don’t have the facility to treat complex animal conditions/diseases. So Doggie’s fate is sealed. He lies in a corner on his side unable to move. (I’ll upload his picture as soon as I get a good internet connection)

What London Delhi can do? – Its not possible to eradicate the world of poverty, illness or suffering be it related to people or animals. However, sometimes an experience makes you wonder what would happen if one went out of their way to make that one extra special effort? London Delhi is not just about Tushar and me. It is about all of you who take time to follow our journey and wish us well. It would not be right for London Delhi to walk away from Doggie by thinking these things happen all the time. Tushar and I are trying hard to arrange treatment for Doggie. Your support is essential. We are raising money for animals like Doggie through our website. Friendicoes SECA is the beneficiary of all your donations and a part of your donation will go towards Doggie’s treatment as well if all goes to plan ( I hope we can help him). Donations are via Pay Pal and are secure. For our well wishers in India, cheques can be made in the name of Friendicoes SECA, which we can arrange to be collected in Delhi. Please email us on tushar.agarwal@londondelhibyroad.com if you would like to contribute via a cheque from another city. Thanks

Why are we supporting an animal charity? – I have been asked this question by some people over the last few months. The question I am asked is, “why not help the poor instead?”. The undisputed answer is that human life is priceless and will always take priority over the flora and fauna. By supporting an animal charity, Tushar and I are not trying to give preference to an animal’s life over a human’s. There is a lot of awareness about the poor and homeless in India and abroad. A lot of money is being raised by different events (sporting events, music concerts, TV shows etc) to help the needy ( a lot more needs to be done and will probably never be enough). Tushar and I picked up a cause, which is close to my heart and which needs attention as well. I don’t think it would be wise to say, lets get rid of the animal welfare board in India because there are other ways in which the money can be spent; or lets ridicule the vets for treating animals instead of the poor; or lets get the government to close down all the veterinarian colleges and force the medical students to become ‘human’ doctors instead. I sponsor a little girl in Assam and send money every month from London through an organisation called Action Aid. I also donate to Water Aid every month, which provides access to clean water for people in third world countries. Action Aid and Water Aid are big organisations…Friendicoes isn’t. They are your local charity trying to keep the streets free from injured, sick and abandoned animals. Someone has to do it. Otherwise, imagine the streets of Delhi full of rabid, diseased and abandoned animals. (the problem still exists but not to the extent it can exist). I guess what I am trying to say is that if different charitable causes are supported then our communities will have the opportunity to flourish as a whole and not just in one sphere.

Meeting the Indian Ambassador to Uzbekistan – We were privileged to meet the Indian Ambassador in Tashkent. He is a very kind and gentle man and welcomed us with dry fruits and cold drinks. We sat with him for a little over an hour during which time we discussed our trip among other things. He even came out of his office to see Goofy and took some pictures with us. The meeting was great and one thing that caught my eye were the Sarnath Lions embossed on the glasses in which the drinks were being served. (Until now only my passport has them). I wanted to be cheeky and ask the Ambassador if I could take one of the glasses as a souvenir. I didn’t want to be thrown out of the office, so I didn’t. I do hope he reads this blog and sends me one though.

Crossing the border into Osh, Kyrgyzstan – This was the quickest border crossing we have managed. It took us a total of 1 hr 25 min only! At the Uzbek exit border post, we were met by Dillon, a German Shepherd who sniffed Goofy’s each nook and cranny ( Around each tyre, inside the boot, inside the car etc) If it was possible, the guards would have had him climb the roof rack as well! After all the sniffing, we had to take all our bags out and get them x-rayed. I guess one of the reasons for the thorough checking was that there was not much traffic at the border. Infact, we were the only vehicle at the Uzbek- Kyrgyz exit post. The guards were trying to keep themselves busy I guess by taking time checking Goofy and our belongings. The Kyrgyzstan border was very quick. They didn’t check our bags or the car (surprising because they are having a lot of trouble with rioting and the president fleeing the country).

Dove Soap Biscuits in Osh – Osh is like a hill station. Its pretty and the mountains surrounding it are beautiful. Tushar climbed the Suleiman mountain (view point) and slid from a natural rock slide 3 times to ensure he never gets a back ache ( fun thing to do…like wishing wells). The bazaar in Osh is very big (like Lajpat Nagar/ Karol Bagh in Delhi). While walking around the shops I came across a biscuit shop which was selling biscuits with Dove written on them (just like how it’s written on the soap). I found it very amusing and bought some. (They didn’t taste soapy and I am not blowing bubbles from my mouth yet:)

Fighting the Dishes – This is really funny. I was going through the menu last night at a restaurant in Osh and came across a page titled “Fighting the Dishes”. The list included types of crockery and the price one would need to pay for their breakage. For eg; breaking a small wine glass would cost the patron 120 som. Tushar and I didn’t fancy standing in the kitchen and doing the dishes or removing our watches as security before we could get more money from the hotel to settle the bill. To avoid the above situation we tried not to drop things off the table:) (Usually when we eat we manage to spill something or the other)

Violence in Osh – There was trouble in Osh two days before we were supposed to enter Kyrgyzstan. The supporters of the president had stormed the administrative buildings in Osh, which led to rioting. Due to this the border was closed for locals and Tushar and I were worried for our safety and the continuation of our journey. (The only way we can enter China is through Kyrgyzstan as we don’t have a multiple entry visa for Kazakhstan or a visa for any other country bordering China). Thankfully, things seem to be quiet right now and we are keeping a low profile.

Sary Tash Tomorrow – We will be driving through some very high mountains tomorrow on way to Sary Tash – A small village about 80 kms from the Chinese border. The drive will take us through 4 passes and the Kyrgyz- Chinese border (Irkeshtam) is at approx 3,200 meters. The altitudes will only get higher after this. (Our family and friends know this but for all our other readers…Both Tushar and I are not very fond of mountains as we seem to have a problem with heights:).

Yikes! I found a few cockroaches last night in our room. I hope the cold weather in China will deter them from bothering me there!

Thanks for reading and posting all the encouraging comments.

Pooja

Driving on the ancient silk route has given us the opportunity to see some very historic places such as Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand and Tashkent. Amir Timur, the great great grandfather of Babur hails from Samarkand. If I recall my history lessons correctly, Timur was a controversial figure in Indian history because he looted areas in and around Delhi. But in Uzbekistan he is considered a hero. We spoke to a few locals to learn their take on Timur and it appeared that people here are extremely proud of Timur and his bravery. Don’t worry, I am not going to give you a history lesson here. We have seen some really beautiful mosques, madrasas and minars (the 3 m’s as I like to call them) in every city in Uzbekistan. But to be honest, I am not a history buff and I don’t think I will remember too much about the monuments or the stories that our tour guides narrated. But what I will remember are my experiences with the local people.

In Bukhara, when we were looking for our hotel, at a taxi stand, a man named Jahangir (Johnny) approached us and said he can take us to our hotel. He did not ask for any money and gladly sat in the taxi we hired (we had no room in our car) and took us to our hotel. He then helped me find a safe location to park Goofy for 2 days and also helped us in exchanging money and finding a petrol station. His house was very close to our hotel and the next day, he invited us to visit his home and meet his family. It was an old and traditional home. A big open space in the middle of the house with rooms around it. There was a big photograph of Mecca in his room where we met his pregnant wife (expecting their 3rd baby). We also met his parents and his brother’s kids who live with him. His mother offered to sell her great grandmother’s scarf to Pooja for 15 dollars, an offer which we politely declined. Johnny has 2 sons. Pooja casually asked him if he would like a boy or a girl now, and he said “Ofcourse I want a boy!”. We both were taken aback a bit. “But you already have 2 sons. Don’t you want a daughter?”. I asked. “No, No daughter. Problem. I only want boy. He grow and do sport.” he said. There were many obvious questions that I wanted to ask but I left it at that. It brought home the fact that even now there are people in this world who still consider it a liability to have daughters. I don’t know Johnny very well and I am in no position to judge him. It is important to add that his views do not reflect the views of the entire nation. It is also true that Johnny was very kind to us and helped us a lot during our stay in Bukhara.

In Bukhara, we also met a British diplomat called Catherine who was holidaying in Uzbekistan with her mother. She works at the British Embassy in Azerbaijan and has worked at the British Embassy in Mumbai, India for 3 years. Now this one is an eye-opener. While working in Mumbai, Catherine adopted a cat called Spike. There are people who own pets but when it is time to move to a different city or a different country, the pet is either given to an animal shelter or abandoned on the road to fend for itself. But Catherine wasn’t one of those people. When time came for her to leave India and move to Azerbaijan, she decided to taken Spike with her. “It was an extremely tedious process”, she said. But after countless visits to government offices she finally managed to get Spike to Azerbaijan. So here we have a British citizen who goes to India, adopts a pet and when it was time to go, she just couldn’t get herself to abandon this pet which would have been very convenient. As humans, we all expect our pets to be loyal to us. But this is a classic example of a human who has shown her loyalty towards the pet.

Samarkand was very exciting. As soon as we arrived at our hotel, the first thing I saw was 13 BMW motorbikes parked inside the hotel lobby! “Wow! What’s going on here?”, I shouted with excitement. The manager approached and told us a group of 13 bikers are driving from London to Beijing. “Where are they? I want to meet them!” (Our bags are still in the car). I spoke to a few of the bikers and their leader Kevin who told us that they left London on 17th April, just like we did!. Kevin has a Guinness World Record for fastest round the world trip on a motor bike! I love this journey. You meet so many interesting people on the road and learn from their experiences. Kevin shared his experiences with us and also gave us some very useful tips for the road ahead in China. One of the bikers asked us if we are biking too. “We are driving a Jeep”, I said. “Oh, that’s not a real road trip. You are always in the comfort of an air-conditioned car, no problem of heat or rain or snow”, he said. And I thought to myself, “Having a fully stocked up van following the bikes, with mechanics, a cameraman, a world record holder as team leader guiding the bikers also doesn’t sound like a real road trip.” Well, it was just innocent banter for a laugh. It was great meeting them and we might bump into each other again on the road somewhere.

We also met a lovely 15 year old boy named Ilhom who spoke superb English and has dreams of going to Oxford University to further his studies. He was one sharp kid who challenged me to a game of geography. I asked him country capitals and he got 10 on 10. Don’t ask my score. I sucked. We also met the owner of the hotel, Mr Rahmet, a 66 year old man who was one of the warmest, kindest and most humble people we have ever met. He could not speak English, but his body language and his mannerism were enough for us to have a half an hour conversation with him at the end of which he even invited us to his home! The chauffer got the car out and off we went to see a house which was no less than a small palace. There he recalled that as a little boy, he met Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and President Ayub Khan (of Pakistan) when they both visited Uzbekistan for the Tashkent agreement. And yes, he did not speak English and we don’t speak Russain or Uzbek! It is difficult to explain how this works but it does somehow. When two people want to communicate, I guess they just find a way.

We have much to thank Bollywood for while in Uzbekistan. Uzbeks love watching Bollywood films dubbed in Russian language. It also got us out of trouble not once, not twice but 4 times in one day! That’s right. During our journey from Samarkand to Tashkent, we got stopped 4 times for speeding (Yeah I know, it was my fault and I shouldn’t have done it). But every single time, we were left without having to pay a single penny as fine! This is the funny bit. During one of these stops, after persuading the cop to let us go, I even convinced him to get a picture taken with us and he happily agreed. (The picture is in the Samarkand album on the website).

Tashkent. As I am sitting in my hotel room and writing this blog, my stomach is stuffed with the feast that we had a few hours back at the massive house of Mr Kataria, Executive Director of Spentex CLC, India’s largest direct foreign investment company in textile industry in Uzbekistan. A most generous man, Mr Kataria has taken care of us just like his own family. He helped us in extending our visa, getting our Jeep serviced (That’s right! a new and improved Goofy!), helping us visit animal hospitals in Tashkent and even organised a city tour for us. We visited his massive production unit, where we met and interacted with the Indian and Uzbek workers who work as one team without any prejudices whatsoever. As we approached the factory complex, the sight of the Indian flag at the gates made me very proud of my roots and my country.

A few things I noticed in Uzbekistan:

• Petrol can be a big problem. In Bukhara, we tried at least 8 different petrol pumps but could not find petrol. When we did find it, we had to pay double per litre for very poor quality (80 grade) fuel. So fill up wherever you can.
• There seems to be a parallel economy running in this country. Example. For 1 US dollar, you can get 30% more Soms in the local bazaar than in a bank. A taxi driver or even your hotel manager will be able to arrange this for you.
• Do not rely on your credit/debit cards as ATM/Cash machines are almost non-existent throughout the country. Cash is King here!
• Everyone shakes hands. It is normal to shake hands with police and custom officers also.
• When people say sorry or thank you, they put the palm of their right hand on their heart.
• While driving long distances on the highway, be prepared to be stopped by the police almost after every 100 kms or so. This is for a routine security check which is done by a quick glance at you and your vehicle.
• Cut outs of a traffic cop and a cop car have been put up in many places on the highways which appear real from a distance. This is to make people follow the highway rules.
• Mostly you will be eating traditional food here. The national dish is plov (something like biryani). There is no mcdonalds, pizza hut or burger king here.

It is indeed a great country that is still not used to tourists. Get here before Mcdonalds does!

Tomorrow is our last day in Uzbekistan. We will be meeting with The Indian Ambassador at the Embassy in the afternoon after which we will drive to Andijon (border between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan).

Goodbye flatlands. Mountains are in sight.

Tushar!

Uzbek Border Control – We were waiting patiently at the control post trying to cover our eyes from the desert sand, which was blowing in all directions. What happened next was amazing. One of the border officers saw our passports and commented, Indian? “Tourist India”?… come with me. You won’t believe this; our Indian passports got the special privilege of jumping three different queues to the anguish and irritation of all the other people standing in the queue. At each objection to our VIP treatment from the other locals in the queue, the statement of “ Tourist India” seemed to turn their growls into smiles ( honest, not kidding). Even the custom officer greeted us with a Namaste.

A few hours later after crossing the border we got stopped by a police officer. “Tourist India” is what we said. What happened next was brilliant. The officer’s eyes lit up, the sternness disappeared and the next thing we heard from him was the song “Mera joota hai japani…!” ( Tourist India is a magical mantra)

Almost out of Petrol – The drive from the border post to Nukus, our first stop in Uzbekistan was a little scary. We were driving in the desert and it was completely deserted for hours (no cars on the highway, no camels or horses, no little villages…nothing). We had filled petrol in the morning and had thought that we would fill up again after the border crossing. However, we couldn’t find a petrol pump at all (if there was one then it definitely wasn’t on the highway and there was no one we could ask for information). It became apparent that we were in trouble when the onboard computer in our car confirmed that the amount of petrol left wouldn’t get us to Nukus. Well, the a/c was the first casualty; the next was us trying to overwork our brains as to how to handle the situation. (We didn’t fill the jerry cans because we thought we would find petrol stations on the way). Our guide in Khiva (2 days later) told us that a couple of Russians had run out of petrol in the same stretch and by the time they got help, the Russians were drinking water from the radiator! Luckily, after a while we found a local Uzbek guy (in a Daewoo Cielo/Nexia, which is really popular here) who showed us the way to a petrol pump in a village (the only village we came across with civilization)

Nukus – We stayed in Nukus for one night only. Sultan, the manager at the hotel where we stayed was a gem. He made a special effort to help us with our local sim card, currency exchange etc. Before we left Nukus we visited the Savitsky museum. There were many wonderful things on display. A yurt (traditional Kazakh – Uzbek home of nomads) was one of them. Its like a tent, which is divided into two parts. One for the men and the other for the women and children. The stove is kept in the centre of the yurt and there is a small area for entertaining guests as well ( all in one tent). I was told that it takes about 25 days to produce one and it can last up to 25 years.

Khiva ( On the silk route) – We stayed in Khiva (inside the fortress wall, Ichan Qala) for two nights. The best thing was that the “festival of centuries” was on at the same time. I thoroughly enjoyed the traditional dances, which were best performed by little Uzbek girls. The Uzbek wrestling was good fun as well and it was amusing to see the winner of the match being awarded a carpet as his prize. On our first night in Khiva we met two Swiss and one German backpacker. We had dinner with them at a traditional restaurant, where the old waitress seemed to take a special liking towards me.

Two words were said by us, “Tourist India”. That was enough to warrant our special treatment. The Uzbek music was switched off during the latter part of the evening and “Billu Barber” started blaring from the speakers. I was then almost pulled out of my chair and asked to dance. We went back to the same restaurant the next day and the waitress told Tushar, “ Pooja stay in Khiva. You go”. We have only been married for 2 years and I’ve not got on Tushar’s nerves yet…maybe in 20 years he might consider the waitress’s option:)

Gold Teeth – Most of the local people in Nukus and Khiva have gold teeth. One view I got on this was that the gold in the teeth is actually their savings ( local banks are not trusted too much). The other view was that its actually seen as decoration ( i.e. enhancing facial beauty)

No Dal in Bukhara – We drove from Khiva to Bukhara today. On the way we met two French guys who are driving 20,000 km on their bikes around Europe and Asia. They started from Paris and are supporting a children’s charity in France. A Trip for A Smile is the name of their facebook fan page.

We reached Bukhara and the first thing I did was ask the question, I’ve been thinking about for sometime now, Does one get Dal Bukhara in Bukhara? (I know it’s a silly question) No is the answer. There is no Indian restaurant here. The Uzbeks don’t know of Dal and the only thing close to Dal Bukhara is a flight to Maurya Sheraton Bukhara in Delhi or to the ITC packed ready to eat Dal Bukhara factory or to a local shop in India.

All are welcome – Salaam Valekkum, “Tourist India” in Uzbekistan results in a big smile, a wave or a salute and genuine warmth and affection. However, I must add that the Uzbeks are warm and friendly to all nationalities. The French bikers as well as the Swiss and German backpackers shared similar stories with us.

Last Bit – I put sunscreen on Tushar’s arms today. He asked me not to tell anyone:)

Goodnight!

Pooja

We stayed in Atyrau for 2 days. A small town on the threshold of Asia and Europe, it is mainly frequented by businesses and workers involved in Oil and Gas exploration. The town is very close to the Caspian sea and is built on the banks of the Ural river. The river divides the town into 2 parts. One part is considered to be in Asia and the other in Europe. We stayed in “Europe” but “Asia” was just 5 minutes away! We were also told that some of the caviar is produced here from the Beluga whale that travels to the Ural river from the Caspian sea.

We made a new friend in Atyrau. His name is Giba. He was the manager at the hotel where we stayed. An extremely friendly and approachable guy, he offered to take us to a traditional Kazakh restaurant to try some horse milk and camel milk. We jumped at the opportunity. Just the thought of trying horse and camel milk was very exciting for us. So, he took us to this traditional Kazakh restaurant where you sit at a very low table (like in the Japanese and Indian traditions). The waitress got 2 bowls; one filled with camel milk and the other with horse milk. I stepped back and asked Pooja to go first. She tried camel milk first. “How is it?”, I asked. “Extremely salty”, she said. Then she tried horse milk. She liked that very much and so did I. Horse milk had a very thin texture and tasted more like “chhaas” or “lassi”. But we just couldn’t get ourselves to drink the camel milk which we found to be very salty. To our amazement, Giba picked up the bowl of camel milk and gulped it down in one go. It was a very interesting experience and more than the milk, it was the idea of trying something that was truly Kazak. Giba told us they also eat horse meat and camel meat in Kazakhstan.

That was just one example of how helpful and friendly the people in Kazakhstan are. I asked Giba to book a taxi for us which could guide us out of Atyrau so that we could drive to Beyneu without getting lost on our way out of the city. But he insisted that he will himself come early in the morning and show us out of town. Giba does not own a car, but still came down in a friend’s car to guide us out of Atyrau. Let me also add that he showed us around and came down in the morning all on the days when he was off from work. That was very heart-warming and touching for us. It was not only him. Other people have also helped us in their own ways. For example, on our way to Beyneu, we took a wrong turn in some village. I stopped a car and asked for directions and the driver just took a detour and asked us to follow him. He went in the opposite direction just to show us the correct road and then he took a u-turn and went back. Again in Beyneu, we were looking for a hotel and stopped a car to ask directions for any hotel where we could stay. The driver made a sign asking us to follow him. He took us inside the village and stopped in front of a hotel where we stayed. Most of this was achieved using sign language and broken sentences. But hey, where there is a will, there is a way!

In Atyrau, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that the chef in our hotel was an Indian guy named Gopinath. He was a lovely person who took good care of us and fed us lots of Indian food (which was obviously not on the menu). He knew we were home sick and even gave us a take-away bag with food for our journey to Beyneu.

We reached Beyneu yesterday after a 5 hours drive from Atyrau. We were pleasantly surprised to see that the road from Atyrau to Beyneu was tarmac all the way. It was in superb condition and for the very first time we arrived at our destination 2 hours before our estimated time of arrival. The entire journey was through flat barren land and desert. For miles and miles, we did not see any cars on the road and the drive was like a scene out of a movie. It was magnificent. For hours and hours, driving on a straight road with nothing but desert on both sides. It was also a bit scary at times though. I remember thinking to myself that if the car breaks down here, then only god can help us. But I think the Kazakh gods are looking down at us and making sure we are fine:)

Beyneu is a small village near the Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan border. It felt like we stepped back in time. We saw one little school, 2 small banks and 2 ATM machines where about 100 people had queued up. There was a small “bouncy castle” in the middle of the village and looked like the only source of entertainment for the children. It reminded me of many small villages in India where the kids have a ball on seeing a foreign vehicle and run after it. From our hotel window, I saw some kids looking at our Jeep in amazement. Pooja and I went out and they just started laughing at us. When they saw our camera, it was as if a talent hunt had started. One kid started dancing, another showed his tae-kwon-do skills and others made an effort to talk in English. The kids then invited us to play football with them in the basketball court of their school. I don’t exactly “Bend it like Beckham”, but kicked the ball for a laugh and gave the kids another chance to laugh at me.

In the evening, in the dining room of our hotel, some local guys approached us. For a second I thought, this might not be nice, but once again, they were extremely friendly. None of them could speak English but they really wanted to have a conversation with us. So what do they do? They make a phone call. One of the guys called his sister who spoke English and he asked her to translate whatever he wanted to say. That’s how we talked for about half an hour after which they wished us well for our journey and went away.

Kazakhstan has been a great experience for us. We barely scratched the surface of this huge country, but it has already left an ever-lasting impression on us. We might just come back to Kazakhstan sometime in future to spend some more time here.

A bit of a downer happened yesterday. We lost one of our yellow “London Delhi By Road” door stickers which apparently flew away somewhere in the desert. Not a big deal, “All is Well”

Good news! We have crossed the border and entered Uzbekistan today! The border crossing was am amazing experience. Will write more about that in the next blog.

We have uploaded lots of new pictures of Russia and Kazakhstan. Please click on the link to view. http://www.londondelhibyroad.com/jalbumList.asp

Goodnight!

Tushar

Volgograd – We didn’t do much on our first night in the city as we had already driven about 5 hours from the Ukrainian border to Volgograd. The next day we went to see the city and saw the Volga river, the Statue of the Motherland on the Mayan Hill and the Square of Fallen Heros. Volgograd was previously known as Stalingrad and this is where the Battle of Stalingrad was fought. The city was completely destroyed in WW2. Now the city is a cultural and industrial centre and the population stands at roughly 1 million.

Astrakhan – We drove to Astrakhan the next day, which is near the Caspian sea. It’s a sweet little town and what makes it better are the people who are very friendly and helpful. We took a river cruise and saw lots of people fishing on the banks of the Volga. Horse rides are popular and their manes are usually braided with colourful ribbons – must say that their hair was twice as long as mine:) . Tushar’s parents unfortunately couldn’t stay longer so they bid us farewell and we left for Kazakhstan the next day.

When Nature Calls – This is the one time I can’t help feeling jealous of boys. The problems are many. It’s not easy to stop the car on the side of the road and go in the wilderness as the area is flat and there are no trees, bushes etc. Cafes/Restaurants are not common after Astrakhan and one would be lucky to find a toilet at a petrol pump. Once we reached the Kazak border Tushar found a shed, which looked like a toilet. He offered to go first to find out how it was. He came back with crooked eyebrows and told me that it was worse than the one in the film, Slumdog Millionaire! ( He still managed to go behind the shed though). I did finally manage to find a decent loo, 9 hours after starting from Astrakhan! (Luckily, I had my own soap and hand sanitizer…a must for anyone travelling in remote areas).

Kazakhstan Border Crossing – It took us a total of 5 hours to cross the border. 2 hours at the Russian border and 3 hours at the Kazak border. Tushar and I had to go to different places to get our passports stamped. He had to take Goofy to a separate area and get it checked. We removed all our bags, which stayed with me and I was responsible for getting them x-rayed. My passport got stamped quickly but I had to wait for two hours before the officer who operated the luggage x-ray machine showed up (I was told by someone that he was probably having lunch). So I waited and waited not knowing how many hours would go by before our luggage got scanned. Meanwhile, Tushar was trying to get all the necessary vehicle papers sorted in another area, which involved giving lots of “gifts”. (By the way, cars are called “machines” in Russia and Kazak and we bought vehicle insurance at both these borders).

Police Stop – Within a minute of crossing the Kazakh border we were stopped by a police officer. He told us that we had to remove the tint from the front windows (The windscreen tint and rear window tints were fine). The tint level on Goofy was legal in Europe but unfortunately not in Kazak. To our amazement, the officer went to his check post and came back with a knife. He removed the tint from the front passenger window and asked Tushar to remove it from the driver’s side. Tushar managed to get some of it out but in the end the officer (very helpful) offered to do it. The silver lining was that we were not fined!

Camels, Cows and Horses – are very common in Kazakhstan. Camels and Horses in large numbers can be seen along the road (by themselves…wild). The camels are two humped and some of them are even white in colour. It was a great sight to see all the animals on route to Atyrau (our first stop in Kazak).

Water – The water in the entire region, starting from Ukraine is very hard. It completely dries out the skin and hair. Hair conditioners are advisable for anyone travelling to this region.

Weight – Both Tushar and I are fed up of trying to keep our weight under control. We feel hungry all the time. In the car we keep eating chocolates, biscuits and flapjacks. Our dinners are heavy as well. (We seem to be fattening ourselves up before reaching China) I just hope that our clothes don’t stop fitting us!

I will sign off now as a chocolate cake sitting on the writing desk in our hotel is telling me to eat it.

Till next time…

Thanks for reading

Pooja