K2K

With a combined age of 105 years old, Frankenfox III and I  have  made it together all the way from the top of India right down to the southern most tip at Kanniyakumari

Quite simply the road south ran out.  

Frankenfox III aged 43 and me, James Baile aged 62. 

Elated, that a dream formed a couple of years ago, to finish a journey that I started back in 1986 across the top of Nepal and India, on an old bike of that era, has morphed into a bigger adventure and has come true. 

Some amazing walkers I met up in Ladakh said I should call the journey Kashmir to Kanniyakumari or K2K. 

And so it is. K2K is my slice through India from Kashmir, right up to Leh and all then all the way down to the bottom tip, Kanniyakumari. 

It’s been incredible.  Cycling into Leh where I still cannot believe I was lucky enough to meet his holiness the Dalai Lama. Breathless coming over some of the highest paved roads in the world.  Through exquisite cycling terrain and beautiful rock formations before dropping down from the Himalayas into the sweltering planes of India. Crossing the Punjab, Haryana and into Rajasthan. Winding along back lanes first passing through a sea of green rice paddies, rhe landscape as flat as the proverbial pancake. Although “alloo paratha”would be more apt given the location – for anyone who doesn’t know “alloo paratha” is the flatbread eaten across the top of India. So moreish.  As Rajasthan neared, small ripples in the land started. The waterways and ducts channelling water from the himalays reducing in size and number, while the landacape started to turn brown. Water buffalows became a thing for a while. Big patties of shit on the road a hazard on a bicycle with no mudguards. 

There were dark days coming into Rajasthan. The heat and thirst got the better of my judgement and I took some water from a questionable source on the side of the road. Three days of sitting on the loo cooped up in an hotel room ensued. After that my gut went on strike rejecting anything with any spice. On the back roads of India finding foods that are spice free is very hard. Even the vegetable packet soup comes with a kick. At 62 these things take longer to recover from and in my case have not been helped by my desire to push forward. I don’t think I had fully recovered when I pushed down south from Mumbai to Goa through some challenging sharp hills. I picked up a sore throat and chest infection which has been stubborn. A couple of days rest on Varkala, yoga and lots have vegetables helped to finally rid my body of the worst of the bad. 

Frankenfox faring better than I, has mostly coped with everything the road has thrown at him. A few hundred kilometres back his chain started coming apart and I had to remove a link to repair it. A new set of front brake pads have replaced, the old ones had done over 32,000m of descending. I’m very grateful for their service and sacrifice. The gear cables have been getting sticky, as I think the humid salty air on the coast south of Mumbai has meant they have corroded. Fortunately I managed to find the tiniest can of wd40 in a supermarket which is helping a lot. 

As I write it’s easy to resort to overused superlatives to describe the warmth and kindness that I have encountered. In any journey of any length and difficulty there are always times when your inner voice tells you to take the easy path and quit. The tens of thousands of hellos, good morning, how are you? Do you need help? Offers of food and water, Hand shakes, hugs, smiles, waves and all of the conversations I’ve had, have kept me honest and enthusiastic to continue my journey. Quite simply it’s one of the warmest kindest places I’ve found so far on earth and if you have never been it should be top of your list. 

During my time travelling in india i have eaten hundreds of curries. As you travel from north to south, the flavours and ingredients change. On the west coast fish becomes plentiful. Often coated in spicies and dry fried – “fish fry” smaller fish whole, bigger fish like the king fish sliced into steaks. All delicious. The crispy fiery outside coating, in contrast with delicatw white flesh. In Kerala and Tamil Nadu food often eaten off a banana leaf using your right hand.  When finished the leaf folded and discarded, as you walk to the sink to wash your hands and clean up.  Your lips and mouth burning with the chillie. 

Quite often i go into a restaurant and point at  someone elses plate. It hasn’t let me down and the staff often seem very happy that I’m  getting stuck in. Occasionally a fellow diner will step in and help with communication.  Saying “super to the staff with a thumbs gets a smile and Indian head tilt. 

Having pushed to the bottom of india down the west coast I am heading up the East coast to get the ferry to Sri Lanka from Nagapattinam across to Jaffna where my journey will continue for a few weeks before I meet Juliet and my cousin Fiona for a few weeks off the bike. After that I have a flight booked in the middle of November to Malaysia where my journey south and east will continue towards Singapore and Indonesia. I have to punch my self writing these words. Emotion welling up inside. A 62 year old man on a 43 year old bike. Back in 1986 when I first came to India I had no idea that so much was possible on a simple bicycle. 

Long live adventure. Love and peace from India.