India Bike Tour

This has been an unforgettable experience, the spell of India has been cast. Bowled over by the romantic charm. Struck with the spiritual vitality. Bathed in raw energy.

I love some of the aged rustic old buildings, leaning, tilting desperate for a lick of paint. I’m drawn to the patina of objects worn, repaired & used to within an inch of its life. We have witnessed a flip flop repaired diligently by an Indian on the street. It is another world that I’ve grown fond of.

Most people are exceptionally friendly and can be highly inquisitive. Sometimes it’s hard to believe it’s 2024 where, in some respects, little has changed. Yes, a large majority of people have phones & are completely obsessed with selfies. India does have its high tech, but out where we were traveling, this was not so evident.

At home is a complete contrast. I live out in the peaceful countryside of Cheshire, a special beautiful part of the world. Yet nothing can prepare you in any way for the impact that India has on you. I got a sense watching some YouTube clips of some other cycle trips in India. They’re helpful for an insight, but as this is a country that grabs you and being just a spectator isn’t an option, you get sucked in.

But why would you want to cycle in India? We joked about this question but it’s a good one to ask. We spent some of our most delightful time riding through the countryside of Rajasthan, in the wilderness. We saw a way of life that took us back in time. Small scale farming, workers attending to crops in the fields.

Most of the time India can be a romantic breeze. A charm drifts over you and everything seems so magic. These moments can swiftly twist with a tricky situation. The finely tuned running of India relies on torturous paperwork and bureaucratic systems. So the most straightforward situation of putting a bike a train means lots of paperwork and a long wait.

Time can virtually stop on a train, 22 hrs to Ahmedabad, slowly drifting back to the starting point of trip. It’s hard to say goodbye to a close cycling companion. I was deeply upset that I never made it to Varanasi but glad one us did. Unfortunately, my nasty illness resulted in cutting short my cycling time and resulted in me finishing my journey at Khajaraho. We were a good team and greatly valued the chance to share our experiences. He was a saviour when I got ill and I dread to think how I would have coped without him.

It was good to read Richard’s blog about our cycling regime and how our day unfolded whilst on tour. Having a ritual of that type is addictive & gets in your blood. Part of this ritual for me was the sugar intake of the Indian diet. I’ve noticed this as I’m not drinking alcohol on this trip. Yes, I’ve seen Richard go to absurd lengths in Ahmedabad to get a permit to get his beer and the typical strict bureaucratic process that took almost 2 hrs. We couldn’t comprehend why they have clamped down on beer. It wasn’t easy to find a restaurant that would serve it. At one certain place we’ve eaten at, they pushed us to the far end of the room well out of sight. Usually, back home if I’m in the mood for beer, I’ll have one of the non-alcoholic beers. Ironically beer and alcohol seems frowned upon but non-alcoholic is non existent. 

What do you go for if you don’t drink? Most alternative fizzy drinks are loaded with sugar and even most lassis, which can be delicious, are loaded with sugar. Our other favourite drink, Chai, has enormous amounts of sugar. I’ve actually found these quite addictive and certainly found my taste for not only chili spice but sugar go through the roof. I luckily didn’t get a taste for them but there is also the whole world of India sweets. This sugar rich diet might explain the high rate of diabetes that is currently on the rise.

The finest alternative I found was a fresh coconut. This was actually divine and the larger coconuts would provide a first-class thirst quenching drink. These were only sold at market stands & not so readily available elsewhere, shame as they are so fantastic.

One last thing I need to mention is simply the noise level in general, I’m surprised any Indian has any hearing left. The noises of everything are at full decibel. Tannoy systems can blast announcements or play spiritual music ridiculously loud. So loud conversations are not easy, yet locals somehow happily carry on their business with such music blasting in the background.

We also went to a Hindu ceremony at Khajuraho in one of the ancient temples Matangesvara with the largest lingam. There was an explosive start to an evening ceremony with a bell struck in a tiny space & all sorts of percussion, including drums and cymbals, played in a highly vigorous manner. It genuinely rang right through the soul for around 15 mins. 

I’m actually back home and reflecting in my experience. I’m still left totally curious and, with the spell cast, ready for more.  I think next time I’d get into shape and head to mountainous, less-populated part towards the Himalaya borders. Probably start at Rishikesh for some Yoga, which I love and find an excellent balance for cycling.