India day 3 + 4

5am the alarm rings and its time to get up. Delhi heat is full on. Quick shower and get changed into the bike gear. The porter brings in toast and coffee. We load up the bikes and at 6am Simon arrives along with the guide. Bikes are loaded, hydration packs filled and we are under way from the hotel. The Delhi roads are quiet compared to the previous days. The guide escorts us through the city to the ring road and onto National Highway 1 (Grand Trunk Road North). Both Andy and I notice the weight distribution of bags needs to be looked at as the bike wobbles at low speed.

So off we trundle up the NH1 at about 70kph. Its quiet to start but gets busier. We had been warned about the road and how dangerous it was. Well it’s a road that requires full attention 100% of the time. Any non-concentration could result in death. The road is as wide as the M25 with shops on the hard shoulder, traffic coming in the wrong direction, pedestrian crossings, various farm animals and anything else you can imagine. Even we saw a nice looking tea stop, turned around and drove back down the hard shoulder. Amazing experience but got even trickier when the road went to diversions….Imagine the M25 being directed off onto a cross roads with no traffic lights or roundabout.

We made good progress out of Delhi and the scenery turned to paddy fields, farming and the odd village. Speed bumps are placed before the village which not good on an Enfield all loaded.  At a tea stop we repositioned the luggage making the ride better. 

Now the plan was to spend two days getting to Chandigarth (foot hills of the Himalayas) then another day to Shimla. We made such good progress due to the road improvements we reached the outskirts of Chandigarth by lunch. We stopped at a drive thru MacDonald’s (just for a drink, ice cream and the AC). We made the decision to go for Shimla. Chandigarth was horrendous but managed to get on the expressway and powered out of the city and started to climb. OMG we saw in front of us the Himalayas, one of the most amazing sites I have ever seen. They have built the Himalayan expressway and oh how I wish I had my own bike the bends were at race track standard.

We stopped as the expressway ended and had photos. We had about 100Km to Shimla so off we went bend after bend after bend. Some of the most amazing riding I have ever done. The bends have to be watched with tourist jeeps, TATA trucks and buses overtaking two a breast on the bends. Only once was I put off the road. Also have to watch for pedestrians, monkeys, cows, rocks, cars shops actually just about anything you can imagine.

We stopped for Chi and a Indian man from Manchester paid our bill as a welcome to India. The staff then tried to rip us off by saying we owed 100R (£1). We told them to sod off and didn’t leave a tip.

At about 5pm we rolled into Shimla after the best riding I have ever done, overtaking, sheer drops and bends to die for. (Teapot one – Bruce when you get here go to Shimla you will love it)

So at the end of the first days riding we had done 250 miles and climbed to 7000ft.

We rocked up to the most posh looking hotel we could find. From everywhere we were accosted. Simon found someone offering a cheap room. So we followed him to the Gulmarg Regency Hotel. 1450R=about £15 for a room for 3. Underground secure parking and the room is wood panelled with a mirrored ceiling. Nicknamed ‘shag palace’. Quick shower and change and off into town but the monsoon was in full swing. Wearing macs we had to buy umbrellas because the rain was so heavy and found a local eating house. Fried chilli chicken and nan bread. So cheap.

Got soaked going back and I mean soaked. At the hotel and bed, long day and all knackered. Our hotel room was on the second floor but because Shimla is built on the side of a mountain the second floor is down and not up. No windows in our room.

The next morning we all woke up at 10am. Had coffee and then went out into Shimla to explore the town. We went to Wall Rd which is like the main High Street. We saw the old colonial building’s left behind after the Raj. We walked to another part of the town and had lunch in a small café. In the afternoon we explored the other half of Wall Road. Andy found a shipping agent and decided to ship some of his excess kit and clothing back to the Delhi hotel to help stabilise his bike.

That evening we found a bar and the first beer of the trip. The bar overlooked Wall Road and we ordered curry with our Kingfishers. A great evening was had and we walked back to the hotel to get some sleep ready for the ride to Manali tomorrow.

 Sorry no pics but they just won't upload.