We were really enjoying being in Rishikesh so we stayed for 3 nights. The day before we left Rishikesh we walked into the main town as we knew there was an enfield mechanic there. After we had the problem with flooding the bike and losing power several times when we were riding to Rishikesh we had sent a text to our friends Jayne and Guy, who normally live in India but are in the UK at the moment, to check if we could have done any damage to the bike. Guy has had an enfield in India for 20 years and he told us to check and see if the spark plug was black and damaged. After looking at the internet to see what a damaged spark plug looked like, Colin decided that we did need a new plug and we managed to get one from the enfield mechanic. Unfortunately when we got it back to the hotel it didn't fit.
The following morning we loaded up the bike and eventually, after many attempts, got the bike started. We stopped at the mechanics on route and, looking as if we knew what we were taking about, told him he had given us the wrong plug. Surprise, surprise it was the correct plug and Colin hadn't been fitting it properly. Plug changed and red-faced again we set off. We also knew that the electrics on the bike - indicators, lights and brake lights - weren't working properly but we decided could get them fixed at a later date.
We had originally planned on leaving Rishikesh and riding back up into the mountain area to see places we hadn't been to but after reading the weather reports on our warm balcony in the hotel and discovering that the higher areas had been hit by icy winds, rain and snow we decided to abort that plan and remain on the plains where it was warm. So, we decided to head straight to Nepal to fulfill our visa requirements. We wouldn't get there in one day so would find somewhere on route to stop.
Shouting out to get directions to Kashipur
Most of our journey that day was on the national highway which was the usual good road surface mixed with really bad and quiet stretches of road mixed with very busy stretches, shouting out for directions when we came to a junction. Now we were out of the mountains and at a low altitude the weather was lovely and it was really interesting driving through rural India, watching the changing countryside and landscape.
The following morning we loaded up the bike and eventually, after many attempts, got the bike started. We stopped at the mechanics on route and, looking as if we knew what we were taking about, told him he had given us the wrong plug. Surprise, surprise it was the correct plug and Colin hadn't been fitting it properly. Plug changed and red-faced again we set off. We also knew that the electrics on the bike - indicators, lights and brake lights - weren't working properly but we decided could get them fixed at a later date.
We had originally planned on leaving Rishikesh and riding back up into the mountain area to see places we hadn't been to but after reading the weather reports on our warm balcony in the hotel and discovering that the higher areas had been hit by icy winds, rain and snow we decided to abort that plan and remain on the plains where it was warm. So, we decided to head straight to Nepal to fulfill our visa requirements. We wouldn't get there in one day so would find somewhere on route to stop.
Shouting out to get directions to Kashipur
Most of our journey that day was on the national highway which was the usual good road surface mixed with really bad and quiet stretches of road mixed with very busy stretches, shouting out for directions when we came to a junction. Now we were out of the mountains and at a low altitude the weather was lovely and it was really interesting driving through rural India, watching the changing countryside and landscape.
Modes of transport changes to horses, cows and water buffalo.
These vehicles that look like they should be in a Mad Max film. They are used as shared transport, almost like a bus.
Enjoying a break while posing for a photo.
These horse and carts are also a shared transport.
A cycle rickshaw.
Even in rural India vehicles coming towards you always overtake, even when it just about runs you off the road. Because this bus was coming straight towards us in our lane we had no choice but to swerve off the road. The same rule always applys - the bigger you are the more right of way you have!
Lunch was the usual food in a road-side dhaba, omelette noodles and dhal. This cook certainly had a green chilli fetish, and these chillis were only the ones that we managed to dig out, the rest ingested.
We arrived at a town called Kasipur and as time was getting on we decided to get a room for the night. We knew the first hotel that we stopped at would be well out of our price range but we thought we would try our luck. They were really nice and even phoned the manager at home to see if they could give us a room at a much cheaper rate. Permission denied they told us how to get to a hotel - Hotel Premdeep International - that was within our price range where we managed to get a room. This helpfulness is really common in India.
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