Himalaya Enfield Challenge 2008
Day : -1- -2- -3- -4- -5- -6- -7- -8- -9- -10- -11- -12- -13- -14- -15- -16- -17- -18- -19- -20-
Date: 080908


07:05
It's the second morning of this trip that i feel a tightness on my chest. I suspect that it has to do with the altitude we are on right now, and that it takes time to get used to.
From the others i hear the same thing.

The luxureas hotel was slightly disappointing:
- the carpet was distorted in the room, and separated from the edges
- the moth balls were in the shower / toilet, and there was no fun being there
- the bed was hard as stone, I was glad I had my mattress with me
- the shower faucet seemed to fall apart in misery
But there was also a plus point, there was hot water. And that is also quite a luxery.

11:05
We are not yet at the top. We stopped at around 3300 meters, and we look at the white mountain peaks, as if we can touch them. This is the Mardial pass.It is said that the mountains around us are all over 6000 meters.
Now that is high !!

In the way to top the roads were wet and muddy. And that makes the hairpin bends usually a challenge. One specific curve consisted only of mud and stones. We had to queue to get to the top, because most vehicles had trouble taking this curve.
It looked like a trial terrain. Some cars had to get forward and back, and most frontwheel driven cars had no chance without any extra assitance.

And so we zig-zaggend the mountain up.
From up here, the flat part, is very beautifull to look at the sights. On the top we are at almost 4000 meters.

14:00
We survived the trip down. A bumpy road, again, with a whole lot of mud and rocks. Geert was allmost "sandwiched" between two trucks, Eddie saw the abyss very close because of the slippery parts, Wim had troubles with his clutch and drove against a pile of mud, and Bert hopped against a rock and was stopped by the mountainside in his brackpaddel went crooked and his engine protector broke on the weld.
The mecanics had something to do again...

Meanwhile the sun is burnng hard on the skin, but if the clouds get in front of the sun, then it became some chilly. Really mountain weather.
We're having lunch now, the place is calles Koskar.

16:40
We fueled the bikes, because the next gasstation is at 365km away. The spakplug of Danny's bike is broken, and caused his bike to drive bad.
This needs to be fixed. My bike died also on me, and started with a dying horn. Eventually it seemed that the plus wire of the battery was broken due to the big homp of oxidation on the connection. After this was cleaned and fixed, the bike was fine again.

17:50
Arrived at the hotel in Keylong.
I'm exhausted... On the way we saw again earthslides which needed to be fixed.
Before that we had a smal avalange, which caused small rocks all over the road.
Eddie did get a small rock on his head, so he was lucky that he had hos helmet on.
Unfortnually, Geert lost his pocket camera, with a whole lot of pictures.
Luckely he had his big camera also with him.

18:55
Had a great shower, all batteries are charging, and my cell has connection with the provider.

This is the 7th day of the trip and i'm thinking about these days. I've experienced allready
so many things and the end is not yet in sight. What a differences, in luxery, the roads, the food, the weather and the people.
Until sofar the people are very friedly and helpfull. On the road they seem very hastily and they use constantly the horn.
But for other thing take really take there time, no rush. The people we see here are allready looking different, they look more like Tibetans.
Still many days ahead, and i'm feeling good about it. Now first having dinner.
muddy roads and hairpin curves

View to the mountains

A view towards the snowborders

Lunch

Nex gaststation at 365km

Sheep guided into there cradle
What we thought of it => __"Have a journal book with you, there is much going on"__
© 2008 Mike Beijerbacht