Bahrampur

December 8, 2010

still in West Bengal

It was early to bed... so, it's only 5:30ish when my legs stick out the unzipped mesh-tent and my big feet find my size 13 Crocs.

Packing doesn't take long after a month of practice and its barely six when my panniers are out to the landing and I get my bike from the room its been stored in overnight while trying hard not to wake the two staff who are sleeping on camp beds. They have a hard life.

The metal gate to the stairs is padlocked so I can't get out. Unbelievable. What if there's ever a fire (the windows are all barred).

After searching without any luck with my LED for a key, I end up waking one guy - a gentle nudge - and feel embarrassed. They're such nice people and he probably gets paid next to nothing.

I carry my Brodie down the concrete steps and find two cows in the entrance area. Unbelievable. One is sat on the floor and neither will budge an inch and they are big with horns. The guy must speak their language, which is a strange grunt-cum-shout and it's like a comedy - or one f those a French surrealist ones. Whatever - it works.

As I leave he gets a tip, as I tend to do with all porters in hotels here. It doesn't have to be a lot, but when you get paid so little, 25 cents can seem more than you realize.

Outside it's dull and grey and it just might stay that way as it did yesterday.

There's a tea shop on the corner where about 10 men wrapped up good for winter in woolen shawls are looking at me as though I've just landed from Mars. I get a cup, which is a terra cotta one the size of a big thimble and it only costs me one-and-a-half rupees. Then I take a snap - off to an early start today.

This is the first time I've never seen a half-rupee coin.

I ride south and it's cool, but a jacket isn't required. The locals don't think so, as they give me strange looks.

The main road isn't very busy at this early hour but maybe after seven it'll be a different story.

Mt pace is steady. There should be a turnoff at Suti and it'll be good to get there before seven or whatever.

It'd be nice to have a detailed map - this Nelles sheet is not much good, but it works out as Suti is reached and I'm generally heading south according to my compass.

This is a small quiet road and there are lots of houses lining it - small dwellings - and people who seem like they don't see foreigners very often. Especially on bikes dressed in shorts.

My goal today is another historic site... not sure where it is exactly as there is just a star marker near a town shown on my map. It's an ancient mosque again.

The quiet roads go south and it's nice with no vehicles to talk about but around 10:00 things change. It's still okay though and just need to get south - around 40 km to go now and by noon it's a bit busier.

The mosque is right by the road. A very big one. You really can't miss it.

It takes me a while to walk around all the different buildings, which are from the 1600s perhaps.

After this I give up looking for the palace as people I ask can't give clear directions and my energy is low after an early morning start. The sky is dismal and photos wouldn't be great anyway.

Instead I simply ride south, thinking 'get to Bahrampur' and I am by 3:00 and opt for a cheap hotel, even though there are some others that look nice and plush - paying well over 2,000 rupees seems over the top now and I don't need that.

Today's ride: 85 km (53 miles)
Total: 1,656 km (1,028 miles)

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