Indiri Ghandi Airport
Rebuilding the bike in Delhi Airport
Dodging traffic in Delhi
Tired of ironing
Sleeping tuktuk driver
Tomb of I’timād-ud-Daulah (baby Taj)
Most cyclists make our load seem quite light
Marble workers in Agra. Supposedly all the employees of this company are descended from the families who made the Taj Mahal.
Colour everywhere
East Face of the Taj Mahal
Specialist sari edging shop
A man making wedding garlands filled with money
Enough wax came out to make a candle.
Lakshmi Narayan Mandir Temple
Plenty of room, surely?
Rice and dahl by the bucketload
The Golden Temple, Amritsar
Wagah border ceremony grandstands
Supporting Hindustan!
High kicking guard at the Wagah Boder Retreat Ceremony
The Golden Temple, Amritsar
Tara the intrepid Canadian (http://followmargopolo.com/)
Jammu Hipsters waiting for the bike shop to open
Namaste!
Steps to somewhere in Jammu
Kite flying at dusk in front of a new temple in Jammu
Bike on board
Keeping the peace but causing traffic chaos
Don’t think much of the bike lane
When we stop, the villagers stop to look
The bike gets a Shikara ride
Kashmir is 80% muslim
Down from the Zoji La
The green valleys of Kashmir
Photogenic views
The first major pass from Srinigar, The Zoji La
Climbing the Zoji La
Soldiers on the Zoji La taking photos of us talking photos of them
The trucks give us plenty of warning with repeated blasts of the horn
Top of the Zoji La
A perfect campsite but we were warned not to camp here
-60 degC recorded in 1995. +30 recorded today.
Rakesh: Older, better dressed and faster than us.
Yet another huge army convoy
Climbing the Nambi La
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A rare opportunity for a shower
Prayer flags and prayer wheel in Mulbech
Namika La summit
One of the many gems of information from the Border Roads Organisation
Descending from the Namika La
Quiet side road above Lamayura
Stop and stare
The landscape changes from soft greens to hard brown rock
Roadside dhaba selling the ubiquitous ‘Maggi’ instant noodles
Near the top of the
Fotula La Summit
We were welcomed to the top of each pass by hundreds of prayer flags
Down from the Fotula La
‘Brain’ Landscape
The Jalebi Bends
Sunset on our campsite in a ruined building
A monk catching up on the latest score in The Ashes
Tibetan culture becoming more prominent
Residents of Leh
Leh High Street
Thiksey Monsstery
Huge Buddha, Thiksey Monastery
A nice place for contemplation and meditation
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Valley below Lato
‘Only’ 24km to the top
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This lady was spinning wool on a bobbin while she walked
Tanglang La- 5328m
On op of the Tanglang La
Big numbers on the Garmin
Debring
Hearding horses on the road from Debring
Morey Plains
Team Thorn
Descent into Pang
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Climbing the
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Off to work they go. Road repair team, Pang.
Right on the ledge.
If you hear a horn, pull over. Quickly.
A candidate for ‘the worst bus journey in the world’
Lachung La. 5069m
Look I rode this bike all the way up here, honest!
Tara descending from the Lachulung La
Meal time entertainment in a parachute tent
Nakee La. 4758m
Traversing from the Nakee La
The Gato Loops
Truck on the Gato Loops
The Gato Loops, 21 hairpins dropping 450m
We survived the Gato Loops
The road from Sumdo
Camping near the bottom of the Gato Loops
Flying the prayer flags for good luck
Huge landscape, tiny Marcus
Sumdo Playstation
More testing tracks on the way up the Baralacha La
Every truck carried this instruction, an it was always obeyed with enthusiasm.
Sleeping at 4700m requires some seriously warm socks
The road down from the Baralacha La
Baralacha La, 4850m.
Vegetation starting to appear
Glacier on the way to Keylong
Hillside opposite Keylong
Backpack baby
Sunset just outside Gramphoo
Picasa
Picasa
Picasa
Shes not pedalling on the back!
The road became a boulder field
Mark and John
Not tandem friendly roads, or any kind of vehicle.
A lamb being rescued
Picasa
Picasa
More river than road
“..the road is so bad even the goats won’t walk on it…”
Dhaba in Batal
Scaling the Kunzum La
Chandra Tal
Early morning near Chandra Tal
Prayer flags, Chandra Tal
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Scaling the Kunzum La
Nearing the top of the Kunzum La
Kirsty heads back along the ‘river road’ and on to Menali.
Stupas form a circuit for the traditional kora at the sumit of the Kunzum La
Pink pebbles line the mountain nalahs
The road was being built before our very eyes
Spitti at last
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On my own the bike now gets called a ‘long cycle’ but is still ‘very good!’
If the land is flat then crops are grown. Lots of Potatos and wheat.
The Spitti River
Words of wisdom from Huxley
Key Gompa (monastery)
Tibetan style houses
Prayer wheels, Key Gompa
Morning prayers in Key Gompa.
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Shopkeeper and son
Shichling, Population 87+2
Tabo Bridge
Stupa at Tabo Monastery
Morning prayers, Tabo Monastery
Ancient murals, Tabo Monastery
On the way to Sumdo
Landslide repairs
Ladies in traditional Kinnah hats
The climb up to Nako
Nako
Somehow an orchard grows amongst the vast slabs of dry rock
Yes you can!
Kinnah characters near Pooh. The green and red hats are traditional for the region.
A confluence of blue into the brown Sutlej River
The Indians love world records, whether they’re true or not
The hard working hard workers
Enormous Hydro Power Plant
Enjoying our bonus climb
Kinnaur ladies
Kinnaur Valley road, an amazing engineering feat
Roadside herb garden
Kinnaur valley road
Kinnaur valley road, mind your head
Too lazy to ride another bonus climb to Sarahan
Bhimikhali Temple
Apples by the truckload
Kinnaur hat
Early morning descent from Sarahan
Parking for bikes and beef
Helpful road sign on the long climb to Narkanda
Proud owner of this well groomed yak
Candy floss?
Krishna celebrations
Krishna celebrations
Krishna celebrations
Krishna celebrations
Mass cooking for the celebrations
Grey Langur Monkey
Shimla knitting group
Head waiter at The Indian Coffee House, Shimla
The Viceregal Lodge, Shimla. 1/5th of the worlds population used to be ruled from here
A temple with houses squeezed around it, Shimla
Fruit!
Baby monkey being groomed
Don’t get too close
Filling up at the Wake and Bake café, Shimla
Dancers at the Shimla Apple Festival
Dancers at the Shimla Apple Festival
Dancers at the Shimla Apple Festival
Dancers at the Shimla Apple Festival
Dancers at the Shimla Apple Festival
St Michael’s Church, Shimla
There goes our lunch
Boarding the train at Shimla
Down the mountain on the Toy Train
We wouldn’t dream of doing either
Kibadi! Kibadi! Kibadi!
Just good friends. With Shibu in
Time to go I’m afraid Shibu
Devotees at Paonta Sahib
Helmets are optional, especially for babies.
Stephen Jnr., Nalini, Stephen and
On the streets of Dehradun
Don’t play chicken with the elephants
Pomelo, our new favourite fruit
Temple of the way into Haridwar
Busy streets of Haridwar
Holy dip in the Ganges
Haridwar fire ceremony
Haridwar fire ceremony
Worshipers at the evening service
Kirsty launches a burning leaf boat during our marriage blessing
Girls hitching a ride on a carnival float
Decorated elephant
Monkey tractor driver
Ganesha idol
Paint flinging
Ganesha idol
The largest and final Ganesha idol
Ganesha idol
Painted reveler
Ganesha floats away down the Ganges
Painted reveler
Statue of Shiva, Haridwar
A quiet shortcut
Girls on the way to school
In the peloton
A soggy short cut
Buffalo cart
Mad max taxi
Travelling light
Off to Friday prayers in Rajipur
Buffaloes wallow in the filth
Village in Uttar Pradesh
Blindly following the Garmin. This road needs a bit more work.
Basic bike shop
