Oh – much to transfer from the ole’ diary to here, some of which include:
1. A long day – one that started with my throwing a poster at the bank manager and ended with me getting kicked out of a friend’s car.
2. The desert – 2 days on a camel + commando was a bad idea. The rest might be up for debate.
3. The night I finally lost it with India’s take on the importance of honesty, the even longer bus ride and breaking down after 3 minutes in Delhi and hopping a flight to Nepal as fast as possible.
4. Kathmandu
…they’re coming – promise (I love how my view of this blog is the masses constantly checking this site for pearls of wisdom instead of bill collectors).
But – thought I might quickly fill you in on my day here. I have less than 2 weeks on my visa and am ready for some fresh air. Lots to see and do, but at the cost of another bus ride. Which – after 6 months – I’m tired of. So, I wander around and find a motorcycle shop. Some big ole boys for about $8 a day. If I would have known how to ride a motorcycle, I would have rented one and headed off tomorrow.
I rented one and head off tomorrow. Figured that the first few hours of shitting myself pales in comparison to a possible lifetime of regret. Who gets 2 weeks in Nepal, can rent a bike with no license, could spend the days on stretches of road dwarfed by the snow-capped Himalayas and says ‘Naw – I’ll just walk around’? It would have bothered me. So, after posting this, I need to go find a big coat and some gloves. Will also pay some local kid to teach me how to – well – ride a motorbike. I’ve actually never done it. Automatic, sure. But manual? Never.
But I’ve always had to learn quickly when it comes to transport. I stole my parents car when I was 15 and drove – in a blizzard, mind you – 2 hours south to a friends. When my grandpappy offered to buy me the sexy red 4-door on the lot, I didn’t bother to tell him I had never driven a clutch and learned. Quickly. Right there on Memorial, between 31st and 41st. In traffic.
It’s a bad idea – sure. I have no money to cover any damage done to the bike. I have no travel insurance. Nor medical. My parents don’t have enough money to help me should anything happen. A bad idea.
But the world is full of people who let the possibility of a bad outcome ruin their own possible week of memory.
Good luck, me.
)
Manual? You’ll get the hang of it in 15 minutes, since working the clutch on a bike is much easier than on a car. If you can survive the first few km, it’s a breeze from there. The thing you need to watch out for in a place like Nepal is loose gravel on the turns. The bigger the bike, the safer you’ll be. Just do all your braking before you start the turn and let your acceleration grab the road. If you slide out, it can be very painful and if there’s no guardrail, a very long trip dooooowwwnnn…..
I’m curious to hear your take on Kathmandu. It might not be what you expected. Or you might have already figured that out and that’s why you’re heading for the open road?
Good luck, you.
I find that the journey of life is never certain or known or necessarily safe and that is what’s so great about it! Take care and wear a helmet!
wow…. freaking just wow!
the next set of pics are gonna be awesome, yes?
btw, where the @#%$ is a linky to paypal? I’ll pitch in a little…
later, bro.
-Rz
yes! at least you know how to ride a bicycle and that must count for at least 60 % of it right? damn, i’m jealous. enjoy and be sure to post those nice pictjas!