23/09/2010 Thursday Day 4 Kathmandu to Kurintar

Up at 0900 to the sound of Nepalese TV blurting away, which Ollie was amusing himself with.  I didn’t sleep very well last night as I wasn’t use to the heat at night, which left me with a broken sleep.  Feeling tired we pack up and headed out to get some breakfast outside the guides office.  Swiss rösti, toast and banana porridge went down a treat.

Our trusty steeds waiting to go

10:30am came and we checked if our permits had finally been completed. ‘Another hour’ they said. We came back and they still hadn’t be finished, apparently the permit office who issue the permits had a massive back log of permits due to festivals over the last few days. An hour later the permits came but had to get some passport sized photos to attach onto the permits.  We quickly got these and then we were finally on our way to Besishaha at 12:30pm. 

Ollie waiting patiently for the permits

It was a great feeling riding through the chaotic Kathmandu traffic and finally beginning our cycle tour proper.  The study of maps the night prior paid dividends as we quickly navigated the streets and were out of the Kathmandu valley heading towards Besishaha. After 45min from leaving we climbed the small pass that vacates the Kathmandu Valley and descended the other side which was is in complete grid lock.  Being on bikes proved amazingly fun, as we could simply manoeuvre through the ever changing gaps between the trucks and buses, somewhat like being a block in a game of Tetris.  I was simply amazed that chaotic driving with the endless sounds of horns tooting away like machine gun fire was actually quite passive and tolerant of cyclists and gave us plenty of warning and space, a courtesy that Christchurch drivers could learn from.  

After a sweet downhill section it began to rain.  This was actually quite refreshing given the high temperature and humidity, but unfortunately this also gave us a good covering of Nepal’s finest road muck.  The road was generally downhill with only short climbs as we were following the downward path of the Budhi Gandaki river. 

Finally on the way

I felt good riding for the first 2 and half hours, but I slowly began to fade. Three muesli bars were them consumed between then and the end of ride at Kurintar after five hours of riding.  The River Side Springs resort came up out of the blue, which we eagerly accepted as the place to stay as everything else on route was quite frankly filthy.

Yummy rice pudding

Showers were had; clothes washed, and curry masala followed by one of the best rice pudding dishes I’ve ever had.  Then into bed at 8pm ready for tomorrows early start to get to Besishaha, which was actually today’s goal still some 70km away. 

Statistics: 100km of riding in 5 hours. 

23/09/2010 Thursday Day 4 Kathmandu to Kurintar

Up at 0900 to the sound of Nepalese TV blurting away, which Ollie was amusing himself with.  I didn’t sleep very well last night as I wasn’t use to the heat at night, which left me with a broken sleep.  Feeling tired we pack up and headed out to get some breakfast outside the guides office.  Swiss rösti, toast and banana porridge went down a treat.

Our trusty steeds waiting to go

10:30am came and we checked if our permits had finally been completed. ‘Another hour’ they said. We came back and they still hadn’t be finished, apparently the permit office who issue the permits had a massive back log of permits due to festivals over the last few days. An hour later the permits came but had to get some passport sized photos to attach onto the permits.  We quickly got these and then we were finally on our way to Besishaha at 12:30pm. 

Ollie waiting patiently for the permits

It was a great feeling riding through the chaotic Kathmandu traffic and finally beginning our cycle tour proper.  The study of maps the night prior paid dividends as we quickly navigated the streets and were out of the Kathmandu valley heading towards Besishaha. After 45min from leaving we climbed the small pass that vacates the Kathmandu Valley and descended the other side which was is in complete grid lock.  Being on bikes proved amazingly fun, as we could simply manoeuvre through the ever changing gaps between the trucks and buses, somewhat like being a block in a game of Tetris.  I was simply amazed that chaotic driving with the endless sounds of horns tooting away like machine gun fire was actually quite passive and tolerant of cyclists and gave us plenty of warning and space, a courtesy that Christchurch drivers could learn from.  

After a sweet downhill section it began to rain.  This was actually quite refreshing given the high temperature and humidity, but unfortunately this also gave us a good covering of Nepal’s finest road muck.  The road was generally downhill with only short climbs as we were following the downward path of the Budhi Gandaki river. 

Finally on the way

I felt good riding for the first 2 and half hours, but I slowly began to fade. Three muesli bars were them consumed between then and the end of ride at Kurintar after five hours of riding.  The River Side Springs resort came up out of the blue, which we eagerly accepted as the place to stay as everything else on route was quite frankly filthy.

Yummy rice pudding

Showers were had; clothes washed, and curry masala followed by one of the best rice pudding dishes I’ve ever had.  Then into bed at 8pm ready for tomorrows early start to get to Besishaha, which was actually today’s goal still some 70km away. 

Statistics: 100km of riding in 5 hours. 

22/09/2010 Wednesday Day 3 Singapore to Kathmandu

0500 start from the ‘Hangout’ carrying our bikes to the Little India Station for our transportation to Changi International Airport.  It only took 20 seconds outside for us to break into a mad sweat, something along the lines of a notorious Marc Ellis sweating joke.    McDs for breakfast at the airport and once again impressed by the efficient Singaporean airport check in service.   A quick walk around Terminal Two and another failed attempt of hunting down the elusive Ipod touch and then it was time to board our no thrills attached flight to Kathmandu. 

We flew with Singapore Airlines cheap subsidiary airline Silk Air. Whilst the in flight entertainment was near inexistent, the extra leg room of setting next to the emergency exit made up for it.  Ollie lucky found some good Singaporean news papers before we left which helped keep our sanity during the flight. 

Our bikes being loaded on top of the taxi van.

Arriving in Kathmandu was a hoot, such a contrast between the efficient metropolis of Singapore. Visas, simply fill out a form on arrival and pay the enter fee; no problems except my New Zealand Dollars had the equivalent value of monopoly money.    After making a deal with a trekking guide he kindly gave us 6000Ru to pay for our Visas. He then also organised us a ride and some sweet accommodation at the Blue Diamond Hotel in Thamel for $20US a night.  Then off to get our permits for the Annapurna circuit.  I found a place to exchange my NZD at a nasty exchange rate of 36.5Ru to 1NZD, somewhat lower than the official 54Ru to 1NZD.  Tip, take US dollars to Nepal and/or any other third world nation as NZD are not always excepted. We paid 16250Ru, for both Annapurna and TIF permits for the both of us.     

Blue Diamond Hotel 

We left the guides office to get some puffer jackets and eyewear for the trip. I bought a pair of Oakleys for 350Ru. After searching a dozen stores and some fierce bargaining by Ollie, who left the shop keeper at his mercy, we had ourselves some genuine Mammoth copy puffer jackets.

Once shorted out in our new Himalayan fashion we headed back through the maze of Thamel to build up our bikes at the Hotel. With bikes assembly, we gave them a quick shake down ride through crowded Thamel Streets. Sensory overload was quickly experienced due to the exotic colours, noises and smells from the hundreds of people, motor bikes, bikes and dogs we shared the streets with. We quickly worked out the road rules, particularly the give way rule, which is simply the vehicle with the loudest horn has right of way, which left me somewhat disadvantaged. However the low gears of the Rohloff left me with plenty of acceleration which allowed for fast get up and go.

The streets of Thamel

A cool down shower before bed proved difficult as the shower head sprayed water everywhere except down in front.   Well off to Besishaha tomorrow. 

22/09/2010 Wednesday Day 3 Singapore to Kathmandu

0500 start from the ‘Hangout’ carrying our bikes to the Little India Station for our transportation to Changi International Airport.  It only took 20 seconds outside for us to break into a mad sweat, something along the lines of a notorious Marc Ellis sweating joke.    McDs for breakfast at the airport and once again impressed by the efficient Singaporean airport check in service.   A quick walk around Terminal Two and another failed attempt of hunting down the elusive Ipod touch and then it was time to board our no thrills attached flight to Kathmandu. 

We flew with Singapore Airlines cheap subsidiary airline Silk Air. Whilst the in flight entertainment was near inexistent, the extra leg room of setting next to the emergency exit made up for it.  Ollie lucky found some good Singaporean news papers before we left which helped keep our sanity during the flight. 

Our bikes being loaded on top of the taxi van.

Arriving in Kathmandu was a hoot, such a contrast between the efficient metropolis of Singapore. Visas, simply fill out a form on arrival and pay the enter fee; no problems except my New Zealand Dollars had the equivalent value of monopoly money.    After making a deal with a trekking guide he kindly gave us 6000Ru to pay for our Visas. He then also organised us a ride and some sweet accommodation at the Blue Diamond Hotel in Thamel for $20US a night.  Then off to get our permits for the Annapurna circuit.  I found a place to exchange my NZD at a nasty exchange rate of 36.5Ru to 1NZD, somewhat lower than the official 54Ru to 1NZD.  Tip, take US dollars to Nepal and/or any other third world nation as NZD are not always excepted. We paid 16250Ru, for both Annapurna and TIF permits for the both of us.     

Blue Diamond Hotel 

We left the guides office to get some puffer jackets and eyewear for the trip. I bought a pair of Oakleys for 350Ru. After searching a dozen stores and some fierce bargaining by Ollie, who left the shop keeper at his mercy, we had ourselves some genuine Mammoth copy puffer jackets.

Once shorted out in our new Himalayan fashion we headed back through the maze of Thamel to build up our bikes at the Hotel. With bikes assembly, we gave them a quick shake down ride through crowded Thamel Streets. Sensory overload was quickly experienced due to the exotic colours, noises and smells from the hundreds of people, motor bikes, bikes and dogs we shared the streets with. We quickly worked out the road rules, particularly the give way rule, which is simply the vehicle with the loudest horn has right of way, which left me somewhat disadvantaged. However the low gears of the Rohloff left me with plenty of acceleration which allowed for fast get up and go.

The streets of Thamel

A cool down shower before bed proved difficult as the shower head sprayed water everywhere except down in front.   Well off to Besishaha tomorrow. 

21/09/2010 Tuesday Day 2 Singapore

Up at first light lining up at the breakfast buffet my stomach was revving for food. Cereal, toast and cooked eggs, sausages and macaroni was up for grabs. I've never had macaroni from a can before, but I bet I now know what it taste likes.  After thirds we started today’s adventure of Singapore.

First of up was Sim Lim Towers, as Ollie needed an Ipod and graphics card for his brother. After spending an hour waiting for the shops to open and checking out all 17 floors of Sim Lim Towers we found out Singaporeans don't open their shops before 10:30 am. I've never see so many shops selling the same thing, particularly multi-meters.

Ollie taking on the Singapore peace lion

We then quested onwards with our breakfast plan of getting to Sanatosa Island. We walked for an hour to the heart of the business district, Raffle City, and were amazed by the size of the buildings; after noticing one lot of three tours with what looked like Noah’s ark sitting on top we proceeded to get to the top of it. $20 and an additional $1 for a handheld voice guide which failed to work we got to the top of the 57 story hotel complex and were blown away by the views over Singapore city.  We could see the recent F1 course, downtown the extensive container port and ships as far as the eye could see.  After setting next to the pool that looked as if would drop away to street some 250m below our stomachs began to command food.

As we were in Asia we decided we should by pass the American burger bar offering T-shirts and bragging rights for devouring their mega burger for some Asian cuisine. We found a nice Sushi restaurant with a Sushi train. We were further impressed by the $19 buffet they advertised. We quickly proceeded to making the most of the delicious buffet and our plates began to stack high. We reached the height of the sushi express train and I started to fade, Ollie always encouraging, egged me on.  Remembering we still had the desert options as well, we asked the waitress which deserts apply to the buffet only to find out that buffet did not exist at this particular restaurant in the franchise. The look on Ollies face went from satisfaction to bewilderment. The stack of empty plates ended being $80.

Oh so much sushi!

We made our way to ‘Habour Front Vivi Mall’ on the southern tip of Singapore Island. Here we spent an hour finding the means of crossing over to Santosa Island. We eventual took the monorail over the expensive cable cars and boat rides. We found a nice beach where we enjoyed some Moven Pick ice creams.  I suffered a power nose bleed due to my body struggling with the heat.  We had a quick dip in the warm sea water, making sure not to ingest any as I could only imagine what things could be in the water supporting the largest flotilla in the world.

Come on the brain freeze!

7/11 frozen Slurpees offered us a new challenge racing off to see which one of us would get brain freeze first. We took the efficient MRT back to the hostel as the light faded, both of us tired from the relentless heat, but excited about tomorrows destination of Kathmandu.  

20/09/2010 Monday Day 1 Christchurch to Singapore

Ollie testing the constraints of his Cactus Henry pack

Day one of Oliver's and mine cycle touring trip of Nepal involved a rather uneventful 10 hour flight from NZ to Singapore on the always pleasant Singapore Airlines. A delightful lunch meal of lamb and beef broke the mind numbing succession of 'on demand' in flight movies.

Our plane from chch

Disembarking through to baggage collection and custom clearance was well under a record 30min, and by far the fastest disembarkation for both Ollie and myself; this was a mere appetizer of Singapore's streamlined efficiency.  We took Singapore's MRT rail system to our hostel located in Singapore's "Little India" area. Once arriving at the station we spent an eternity trying to find our hostel called the "Hang Out" in the soaking heat and humidity of equatorial Singapore. The hostel was much more impressive than its slang name implies and features nice and clean modern rooms and boosted many neat extras like internet, a pool table complete with missing white ball and a 4 inch deep lap pool on the7th floor garden terrace overlooking the Singapore skyline.

Riding the Singapores MRT

Lying in bed ready for sleep, I'm looking forward to tomorrow's morning breakfast as I haven't eaten for hours.  I'm also pondering the crazy contrast in climate between Singapore's sauna experience and the freezing windblown snow cutting into my face from the day's before skiing at Craigyburn.

Comment/thought of the day: Ah air conditioning is a godsend.

Le Petit Brevet

The Saturday morning of the 20th of November brought together a bunch of die hard Kiwi Brevet veterans and a few new Brevet virgins to take on the ambitious challenge of Tim Mulliner’s Le Petit Brevet. This 300 plus kilometre mountain bike ride around Bank’s Peninsula has it route strategically place so as to included as many gruelling climbs as possible, giving a total climb of over 5600m.  With a 36 hour time limit and drizzly southerlies this ride was no picnic.

Le Petit Brevet riders ready to go.

At 8am armed with large quantities of lubricant, enough to make a porn star jealous, we set of up the Rapaki track for the first of many climbs.  The single track of Mt Veron and Bownvale quickly gave way to the Summit Road as everyone found their cruising pace.   The first few hours took us around the bays to Diamond harbour and then over the top  and down in Port Levy.

Ollie and I discussing tatics

The climb out from Port Levy to Pigeon Bay was nice and gradual, but my legs were slowly getting heavier. Down into Pigeon Bay and out again via the steep climb of Pettigrews Rd to the beginning of the reverse Double Fence Line track. Just as I was crossing the styles Lance came charging up the hill, to catch up to any riders to tag along with for the ride across the now cloud engulfed Double Fence Line.  I was lucky that I had ridden the track a few weeks prior with Ollie, as the visibility was next to nothing.  Lance and I soon caught up to Simon Kennet and a rider from Wanaka who were trying to navigate the fog. The four us then pursued up to Mt Fitzgerald, the highest point on the course, and after two hours were descending down into Cooptown and then back into the all too familiar position of climbing, lucky this climb ends at the Hill Top Restaurant. 

Double Fence Line

At the Hill Top we caught up to the leading one man peloton rider Oliver Whalley feasting on the remains of his lunch.  We quickly ordered up large and in no time were enjoying the late lunch.  Although it would have been nice to call it day at 15:30, we were merely a quarter of the distance into the ride, so on we pressed into the afternoon.

Okains Bay

Along the Summit Rd and down into Little Akaloa, some more climbs up and down, then up and down again, and Lance and I were in Okains Bay.  ‘What a beautiful little village in a picturesque bay’  I thought to myself as I climb up the Big Hill Rd that certainly lived up to its name.  We continued on the long climb for an eternity and came to an intersection that had me slightly confused. The course notes said to go right along Cameron’s Track, but my instincts said to go left down Lavericks Ridge Rd. Seeing that the Ollie and another rider’s tracks went along Cameron’s we headed off in the same direction, only to find out a half later that we did take the wrong turn.  Oh well, on we went.  We rode along the Summit Rd and just before descending the walking/4wd track down into Akaroa Ollie caught up to us out of the blue.  He also realised that he had gone the wrong way and descended down Le Bons Bay Rd and then climbed back out to make up for going the wrong way, honesty is sure punishing!  We just got into Akaroa in time to get the last of the hot pies from the Four Square.

We enjoyed these pies and I got into my thermals for predicted cold night’s riding ahead.  Ollie pressed on as he was already wearing every last bit he had.  Lance and I then finally rode out of Akaroa into the quickly darkening night. It took two hours to circumnavigate the bays around to Wainui and then the fun began.

Lance and I sheltering it out

For two hours we suffered the brought force of the cold wet southerlies relentlessly driving itself against our bodies whilst we clambered on.  This made for an ordeal that will be well remembered whenever I think back of the Le Petit Brevet.    The numerous fake summits finally succumbed and we were descending into Little River.  Lance rang his wife to come pick him up as he had had enough of the cold and wet.  Whilst the two were huddling in the toilets, Tim had made his way down the hill and joined us in the toilets. When Lance’s wife picked him, Lance kindly lent me the use of his emergency blanket and Tim and huddle it out for a totally of five hours.  We left Little River at 5:30am as the southerly died out and headed out along the rail trail towards the Lake Elsemere spit. 

Out on the Elsemere spit

Out at the spit we were forced to push our bikes through the loose sands, at least we didn’t have to do this in the dark like Ollie.  Once around the spit it was simply a matter of riding out the kilometres back to chch for last hurray up to the Summit Rd via Kenndy’s Bush. 

The joy of finally descending down the Rapaki track in the beautiful midday warmth of spring made for a memorable moment.  A total time of 28 hours 9minutes it took me in the end.  Somewhat slower than I initial planned to do it, but I’m still satisfied that I had completed what I had set to do.   

   

Ah Brevet road muck