Hello India!

Bob after a day of riding through the Hell of the north….in India!

Day Two and Three

On my first night on the road I stayed in Kanchrapara – a bustling township. The hotel wasn’t easy to find but once located it was reasonable – the standard of things here is pretty low so I’m adjusting slowly to expecting filth, dirt and poor room quality….so far, my assumptions have been correct! The food in the hotel was good though bloody spicy despite asking for ‘no spice’!

I took a stroll through the crazy night market and as has become the way here, you’re accosted at every opportunity. One shop owner called out (as they all do) ‘where you from’ so I got chatting. He offered tea which duly arrived in what must be the smallest plastic cup – about 6ml! This, I have come to learn, is the norm!
The next day I headed out towards Bardhaman around 85k away. As I’ve cycles along you are constantly asked for selfies, along with ‘where you from’. There is no privacy here in India -you’re fair game to be stared at. One guy pulled alongside on his motorbike and started chatting. At first I ignored as I was fed up being asked for selfies. But we struck up a conversation and I asked him for a tea stop which he duly took me to. A tiny hut serving micro tea full of sugar! No sooner had I stopped I was immediately surrounded by around 20 people all shoving to get a look at me and the bike. The tea shop owner allowed me and Bob to go inside the tiny hut to get away from the enlarging mass of humanity that was now outside! She was such a lovely person- desperately poor, worked from 7 to 11, 7 days a week, serving tea. After three cups I made my get away!
The rest of the day was just tough tough cycling on roads falling apart, roadworks, traffic, noise and increasing pollution. I was really struggling even with a mask. I arrived at the destination Booking dot com said hotel homestay was….but it wasn’t! Calling the place proved pointless as they just hung up. But as always in India someone came to my rescue and I soon found my third shithole hotel – that’s the only word for these places. Festering shitholes. This one has the added bonus of being under reconstruction so it was noisy with building works. Which complimented the incessant noise of horns and traffic right outside my road facing room!

Today I awoke to rain. Great for reducing pollution, crap for the condition of the roads! Once out of town I turned on to the road to Bankura. When I say road….picture a farm track, full of mud and cow shit, and you’ll be close! Bob was being thrown all over the shop and I came a cropper a few times!

I stopped in this tiny village for tea and was again thronged with local folk. But a village elder got people away and sat with me chatting away – it was a surreal moment, one of those that only comes from travel in these places. He insisted on paying for my tea and cookies too!

The rest of the day was, quite frankly, nothing short of horrendous. The road was unrelenting in its efforts to convert to being an ice skating rink, and the rain was torrential at times. Bob was slowly grinding to a halt, as was I. I was knackered and the final 20k were interminable. 100k in the rain in India is a testing experience!

The hotel was pretty good except it was next to a Hindi festival and feck me….do the Indians like ear crushing volume! It’s like being next to a rock stadium in full swing. The owner her me is great. Whilst fleecing me, he was able to provide a hot meal and coffee (with 95% sugar saturation levels!) and allowed me to wash Bob. When it came to my shower I turned it on….only cold water! I asked what was wrong….only to realise I was! The shower head only delivers cold water. There’s a bucket and a hot water tap….pour the hot water in to the bucket. And then use the scoop to pour water over you. Fool….why didn’t I work that out!!

So after about 60 selfies (I’m not exaggerating), 100 Ks, two falls and a bucket shower, I’m ready for bed!!

Coffee stop number two