General Cycling Discussion - Travelling to India

I think I mentioned ages ago that I was going to go to India for a couple of weeks cycling. The big day is approaching fast.

I fly out on Saturday morning (1st February) and arrive in Delhi on Saturday night.

The first week I'll ride from Agra to Delhi in a ride for Peace, Prosperity and Harmony. During the second week I'll do a lot more riding to churches in my role as a Bike for Bibles Coordinator.

I'm sure I'll have plenty of details to post after I get back on the 17th of February.

I really have no idea what to expect. I've heard lot of stories but I'll just go with the flow.

I won't be doing any big kilometres but the change in conditions should be enough of a challenge.

Yikes!

Change in conditions! Be sure you've gotten all your shots updated. I've met too many foolish travellers who got sick because they drank the water, brushed their teeth with the water, or got bitten by mosquitoes....

Good luck! Keep us updated.

Thanks for the tips and your good wishes.

My arms are already a bit like pin cushions. I had 6 vaccinations and could have had more but considered the other diseases at very low risk.

I started the anti-malarial tablets today so I'll see if there's any side effects soon. They say they can give you a little gastric trouble.

Ditto for Koffee's post. You might want to pack the ultra spanky tropical strength aerogard.

My brother-in-law is from Madras. His advice is not to give any crippled children on the steets money. From what he says people will take in orphans who are healthy and then cripple them so they can get money from the tourists.
Also, BEWARE OF THE AUTOMOBILES!!! If you think they are bad here just wait.

Other then that, enjoy your trip.

Slainte:beer:

AND... one more thing-

If you can get one of those water purifiers, get it... don't drink the water, not even to brush your teeth or clean out your toothbrush. Get bottled water for everything, and don't get anything to drink with ice cubes. I'm telling you, I've met some sick puppies who weren't smart enough to take some basic precautions.

Good to see you got the shots. It sure makes it worth all the problems of being a pin cushion when you get back home disease-free!

Keep us updated (if you can) in the touring forum. And bring back the pictures!

Koffee

Ah, one of my favorite bike pictures.

http://www.bikereader.com/BikeReader/images/india/2982.html

Originally posted by Koffee Brown
don't drink the water
Or accept drinks with ice, if they use ice in India?

Originally posted by Koffee Brown
Keep us updated (if you can) in the touring forum. And bring back the pictures!If I can get access to the net I'll certainly post from India. And yes - I'll get pictures. I've recently bought a 3.2 megapixel camera so that I can capture the trip.

Thanks everyone for your warnings and your wishes.

Originally posted by MediaCreations
I think I mentioned ages ago that I was going to go to India for a couple of weeks cycling. The big day is approaching fast.

I fly out on Saturday morning (1st February) and arrive in Delhi on Saturday night.

The first week I'll ride from Agra to Delhi in a ride for Peace, Prosperity and Harmony. During the second week I'll do a lot more riding to churches in my role as a Bike for Bibles Coordinator.

I'm sure I'll have plenty of details to post after I get back on the 17th of February.

I really have no idea what to expect. I've heard lot of stories but I'll just go with the flow.

I won't be doing any big kilometres but the change in conditions should be enough of a challenge.

be careful, and have fun... I really do envy your trip :)

It has been an amazing time here in India and we still have a week to go.

We are now back in Delhi, after riding from Agra, and will spend the next week riding around the various churches of Delhi.

The traffic has to be experienced to be believed.

I'll post more when I get a chance.

Hi Road Buzz,

{{Quote**
Originally posted by Koffee Brown
don't drink the water**

Or accept drinks with ice, if they use ice in India?**--road buzz


This made me laugh the hell outta my stomach.

I am an Indian and i am quite amused by your curiosity about the availability of ice in India.

Yes, we do have ice in the himalays and ice cubes in refrigirators and inside ice boxes. There's a lot of them although infested with all the pathogens and inorganics that the WHO does'nt want(we dont want them too!).

An iced drink on the dirty streets during daytime and a shivering fever on the same night is what many Indians fear.

regards
srinipartha

Hi mediacreations,

waiting for the pictures and other details. Very happy to hear that you had indeed survived the death race on delhi's roads(whole of india's no exception) .

regards
srinipartha

I've just arrived home and had a wonderful time. As you say, the traffic is amazing. I cycled past camels, bullocks, horses and even a couple of elephants.

At first there seems to be no system to Indian traffic but you get to work it out fairly quickly. It doesn't make it less dangerous but it's helpful to know what you're doing.

I'll post photos soon. I've got a huge stack but they're all fairly high resolution. Once my brain starts working again I'll reduce them down and post some.

Here's a shot of me being interviewed by the Indian media at the end of our Peace Rally cycle from Agra to Delhi.

Here I am on the road.

Here's the posed shot that appeared on the front page of the Hindustan Times HT liftout.

Here is part of the team that cycled with me in India.

Here's a group shot on the steps of one of the churches we visited.

Another riding shot.

Great photos!!!!

I would like to learn more about "Bike for Bibles"....is there a website where I could learn more about the mission statement, volunteer opportunites, etc.?

Thanks!
Mary Ann

Originally posted by Metal Cowgal
Great photos!!!!

I would like to learn more about "Bike for Bibles"....is there a website where I could learn more about the mission statement, volunteer opportunites, etc.?

Thanks!
Mary Ann

Another BikeForums member, bfb2003, has a good site to check out. http://www.pascoe.biz/bfb2003

You can send me a private mail or email if you'd like more details. I'm the Western Australian Coordinator of Bike for Bibles.

(If you've got a couple of months to spare, you can always head down under in September for our Perth to Hobart ride.:D )

Rodney, that's really far-out.

:D

(Thanks for sharing your trip with me!)

I really enjoy meeting people from other parts of the world. My best opportunities have come through providing lodging for guests who are in the U.S. to attend local conferences. We have had a guest almost every year, from places like Panama, Nigeria and South Africa. (The gentleman from South Africa wrote me a Christmas card, but it took six months for me to receive it!)

No pics, sorry...but great people!

Keep up the neat posts. Mike travels a good bit as well. Makes for a very interesting website, here.

Here's a link (http://www.hindustantimes.com/2003/Feb/11/674_159066,00310001.htm) to the article that ran in the Hindustan Times about my trip to India. I don't know how long it will stay on the site.

Congratulations on your ride! Nice pics too.

Here's a few more pics.

And another one....

The locals loved my 21 speed. Everything in India seems to be single speed. I think I saw a total of 3 geared bikes during my visit.

If I could understand Hindi I would know if they said nice things about me in the paper.

We had a 'junior' cyclist join us for the last few hundred metres.

The media pounced on the opportunity to get a few cute shots.

In case you were wondering .. yes we did get to do a little sightseeing.

There was something to see at every turn.

Mediacreations-

Your pictures are inspiring. I've got to get out there and see this place for myself! Thanks for the beautiful pictures!

Koffee