Shimla to Rishikesh, India
Photo,
Pictures of, Images, Picture
(October, 2010) |
This is a Belgian couple I met outside of Shimla. They were bike touring
through
China, Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal and India.
“Oh My Gods” – I caused several cars to crash. I was sitting well off the road
on a stone wall changing the batteries in my MP3 player when a car of excited
university students, possibly on a weekend road trip to Shimla, stopped on the
road and the driver yelled out the window “Hello Sir, from which country are you
coming from?” By the time I got halfway through “America…” - BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
Three cars rear ended each other. No one was hurt. I got hit by some broken
headlight glass but I was fine.
This area is so peaceful I set up camp next to the road near a well - there's a pump
with a handle in the distance near the path. Very good bike touring here in northern India.
In case you're wondering, it's a Big Agnes Ultralight two-person tent. They
sent me a prototype so I don't know the exact model.
I came down from those mountains. There was another set waiting for me.
Farming in the valley.
I met this man in the middle of nowhere. He works for the state government
helping farmers with information and products for fertilizing, septic systems,
eco-farming practice and making clean well water. This area had clear
streams without the sewage smell.
This is the pamphlet handed out to rural farmers explaining safe practices.
It relies heavily on pictures because literacy rates are low in the area.
Nice clean waterfall.
It was still summer time and hot but the pine forest was shady at least.
The two workers on the left carried the ginger harvest down from the hills while
their higher caste foreman, next to my touring bicycle, arranged the deal on his
phone.
This is how children go to school in the flat areas. I wish the man
pedaling could be seen better. Passing the cycle carts, one by one, and teasing
the kids is my favorite road encounter - especially if I can sneak up on them -
they never expect to see me on the way to school.
.
Cliffside.
Careful out there.
View of a farm with flooded rice paddies.
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