21.11 Nainital

My body starts to fail me. I feel cold, last three days I had fever, 39C. I have constant headache. Surely my body needs, longer than one day, rest here in mountains. I stuff myself with drugs and dress worm, etc. But riding these roads is very hard and needs good physical fitness. Now, I am medium fit. Additionally all that noise for the last month or so, plus weight loss. I lost about 10kg since I started. The closer I am the more I’d like to be there already.

The good news is that I have a good amount of money for the kids . We have collected over 1000GBP and that is awesome, thank you all!

Since I left Shimla I had no chance to go faster than 60kmh. Roads were super twisty and super holey. Only breathtaking views compensated for lost time. I wanted to ride those roads, roads that so many spoke of.

After seeing Karakorum Highway with my own eyes, I can frankly say that it is a piece of cake. These roads here in Himalayas are the real challenge. Between Shimla and Dehradun (I didn’t get to) I came across 50km of offroad. Suddenly, smooth as silk tarmac gave in to rocks and holes. Motorcycle was heavily mistreated. As I’ve found out later all roads would be like this. It didn’t matter what time I woke up and left I wasn’t able to do more than 160miles. I could have possibly done more but all the stops for coffee and photo in those amazing places, slowed me down. Distances of 20km in straight line became 90km of twisty roads. Climbing to 3200m and down again to 850m.

Oil leaks from the gasket between crankshaft and Axle. Possibly from riding hard on those off roads. However there is no leak when bike is idle. It only happens when oil is circulating. I am optimistic though, I am so close now. Only 160km to the Nepalese border, then Pokhara and Kathmandu. Keep your fingers crossed!