The road to Kathmandu
Waking up this morning I decided it’s a new day I am here, we must move on. Yes disappointing but still not impossible On the bright side the others in our class fared poorly except for car 12 and so we retained second place in class.
This morning is not so bad. Looking out of our hotel we see the next four highest mountains in the world. Including Annapurna, over 8 thousand metres or more than 26000 feet. Snow capped of course. Not bad to wake up too. Our hotel is quite nice but we are all looking forward to Kathmandu and some well deserved rest for cars and us. Tony coughs a lot and so do many of the participants. It is not fun. The truck jammed roads don't help. The black diesel fumes that hit us in the open cars is awful. At the end of the day you are black. Nose is black clothes are black skin is black I can well imagine my lungs too.
Can’t wait for laundry service at our next hotel.
We set off number 7 today out of the hotel. We started as11 so attrition continues Petrol is available at km 8
We stop put some oil in and all done in record time. Tony does oil I do petrol and by the time car 12 pulls in we are pretty well on the road. Certainly not Formula one speed but hey we have to open trunk unlatch lid for tank and hand do it. Tony has to open Bonnet and unscrew things. So all in all we were pretty pleased with ourselves.
Today has no races. We must make certain times and deadlines but nothing serious unless you run into mechanical issues we think the little fettling Tony did with the help of the ERA team and a few extra pushes on the One Shot lubricating system seems to be holding us together albeit it a little noisier and with a little more wobble.
We made the first time control in the beautiful sunshine along the river that runs along the mountainside. The Seti Gandaki River. There are many rope bridges and amazing how very long they are. I tried to photograph but not so lucky. We passed so fast
The roads were bumpy in spots but not terrible. Trucks were there but it was pleasurable.
After PC 1 and at mile 18 at a particular tight turn we heard a bang then a smash then broken glass shattering. It was the insides of the head light coming off and shattering into smithereens
Not much use stopping nothing to salvage so on we go.
The day will be long so hopefully we can make it into Kathmandu before sunset.
Right now it’s dark by 6:00pm
Our second PC is in Kurinter. There is a magnificent Gondola ride to take us up to a very old Hindu shrine. It is very popular. After yesterday ERA had organized this for us with a luncheon which was lovely.
It is quite a ride, actually not for the lighthearted. We walked through the town. Hindus go their for a sacred blessing and they take an animal for sacrifice. We saw a rooster being hauled in by a family traditionally dressed. There was a small shrine out front where incense was being burned and food was being offered. Have I spoke of the thieves here previously. Interesting they are not the human kind. The monkeys are opportunists. We must always put the roof on our car and close all windows. Well the monkeys will brave the fire and incense to grab a banana and whatever gets laid down on the table. Tony was able to video one such thief. The other were dogs which scavenge. I wouldn’t touch them but they seem to have figured out to cohabit with humans around the shrine.
When we reach the summit which was a tough walk after the gondola we see some shaman and Tony decides I should have a blessing so we give him a small token and he makes a stamp on my head and performs some ritual. I am then blessed and marked.
Down we go to the base of the mountain and there is a lovely lunch available. Sitting outside admiring the wonderful view of the Himalayas.
Check out with the clerk and back on the road. Today is only 250km but we are advised this second section will be brutal with the final hairpin turns climbing up to Kathmandu brutal. We leave at 1pm and our expected arrival time is 5:30pm we are to travel 112 km. Seems ridiculous seems outrageous but believe it or not we arrived with minutes to spare.
The trucks thicken the road is barely one and a half lane wide. Most switch back and forth and the diesel buses trucks thicken. We travel in a small pack hoping trucks and the highly visible police will take pity on us with our ancient cars and mechanical issues let us pass more quickly.
The final climb begins at km 78. It is 3pm. The climb is to km 90. How can it possibly take 2 hours to go 12km.
Well it did, we overheat we get vapour lock and generally it is very difficult driving through diesel oozing trucks but we travel on, trying to stay as a small convoy of 7 cars now. We weave in and out as best we can. A Citroen driver in the group at one point gets out of the car and stands in the middle of the road so we can slip through yet another bottle neck. We reach a broken down truck and slide in through with inches to spare. These are hairpin turns climbing higher and higher on roads that should barely hold two cars let alone four abreast. Welcome to Kathmandu. Driving is absolutely crazy here. We thought Delhi had few rules this has none. It is not a pretty city in fact ugly comes to mind. We drive on still 22km to go. Kathmandu is so spread out the streets throng with people motor bikes, bikes trucks buses and of course cars. The half made sidewalks are strewn with people trying to sell everything. It’s a visual free fore all.
On we drive as a group now having fun trying to stay connected trying not to loose each other. We have noticed our Monit is not keeping distances and when changes are small it can make for a disaster in routing. We weave and go with the flow, sometimes on the left side of the street sometimes on the right side of the street then watching for someone coming directly across your car. Stop start, 60km an hour 2km an hour. Finally we see the final roundabout but a bus is in front of us and I miss the sign so we plod on. I realize and try to reroute us. Maps are no use . They say to go this way but in actuality it is a dead end,so much for any on- line maps. I try google maps I try two or three others nothing. So we decide to go back retrace our steps and find the road that had been blocked. Head down it and see a gate. The Hotel. It is like a massive park in the middle of this humanity. It is amazing. No people so calm so lovely. We pull up out front and we are directed to park with the Bentley’s . We have a whole section for ourselves. Great place hope the hotel won’t mind the work to be done in their lovely entry way.
Ghanishi - giving us good luck to the finish
Some started right away. We want our clothes cleaned as soon as possible. We know everyone will be calling laundry right away.
Shower, dirty towels even after scrubbing down for a much needed drink and then dinner at 7pm to share the crazy stories of the day. Most had vapour luck, some got pulled up the hill by the crew and others waited it out till it cleared a little. So they were very late. How can it take 2 hours to go 12km. Well entry into Kathmandu can.
One last thing, I have the cough now too. We are all pretty well now stricken. I think it is the diesel and car exhaust. There were times when we were covered by black diesel smoke. I am sure it wasn’t healthy for any of us.
Sleep and time to find those tires. In which order.
Cheers
Lee Ann
