Nepal, Day 12 - Bandipur to Makwanpur (165km), part 1

Today's Spirit is Aussie Alan, or as he's been nicknamed the "Yeti". Yesterday he lifted many of the bikes that had fallen into ditches and pushed those that needed help up slopes. Neil is the Dick for dumping his bike on the ground when startled by two bullocks; apparently. And Graham is Skidmark, as mentioned in yesterday's blog, he dumped his bike upside down.

We start out again on that wonderful tarmac, as we wind our way back down the mountain. We join the main road and follow the river in the valley that we saw from up high, but although on tarmac, even that is eventful as Mick has a wobbly moment during a muddy interlude, as his back end steps out (yes we saw it Mick!)

A few drops of rain fall and as the sky looks ominous, we pull over to don our wetsuits just before it pours; but it only does so for a few minutes and then the sun comes out. It's enough to re-energise the dusty areas into muddy skidpans and refill potholes with water. An oncoming lorry splashes through a deep puddle and Marks rides straight into the resulting huge wave of muddy water, getting a face full of it - I'm following him and can't help laughing out loud in my helmet.

We stop for chai and see some strange animals: an alien looking Siamese cat and a pink chicken!

Later as we leave the valley and head back into the flat Chitwan area we see some elephants plodding along the road driven by their mahouts. I feel sorry for the elephants who look weary and they're being poked behind the ears to make them move. They have large chain collars to keep them in check.

There follows a fast stretch of tarmac and we can stretch the bikes' legs. The twin-spark 500cc Bullet will, at a push, do 120+kph, but you wouldn't want to be there long. 100kph is a comfortable maximum cruising speed. Something to note for a possible future adventure. By comparison, the BMW 1200GS LC can hit 220kph and probably cruise comfortably at 190kph or more (on the German autobahn, your honour).

We see assorted bikes with various passenger loads up to four, engine bars used as convenient bag hooks and a moped carrying a ladder. Good to see two-wheeled transport being put to good use.

The lunch stop turns out not to have much food, so we make do with snacks and drinks. We chat and I learn that Alex has given Glenn the nickname, "Turbine" as he whines constantly; I wonder what he calls me, I dread to think. Before we leave the stop, Graham uses his iPhone to host a game of 'name that tune', which proves popular.... 

Sent from my trusty rusty BlackBerry