The following Journals are from me and my support team
From Western China 9th August 2008
I’m in Turpan/turfan/ tulupan right now (near Urumchi).
The train from Kashgar was pretty good and my bike came out unscathed. I will be taking a night bus to Dunhuang tomorrow.
Security is a nightmare and there are frequent baggage checks eveywhere even in restaurants. I have heard that it is impossible to enter Beijing unless you have a Olympic ticket or know someone in Beijing an have their phone number and address.
I will email the Chinese guy in Beijing. Could you ask DHL for a contact number I can call if the police want proof to back up my claim?
Food is quite cheap but accommodation might be quite expensive as they are stopping tourists from using any old hotel and you have to stay in approved hotels. I was planning on buying some clothes while I was in Beijing and was thinking about a laptop if there was a good place but that will probable be in Beijing.
I have talked to some people about my camera and they say that it might not be fix able in which case i will get a new one in Lanzou. I have a cheap film camera for now. Could you send me tips for what to look out for dad, I know you did a lot of research when getting your camera.
Miheer 9th August 2008
Hi, I crossed the border today and am staying in a hotel just outside the post.
It was quite difficult to cross the Taldyk pass so I spent a day in Sary Tash to recover. There are 3 passes to get to Kashgar so I’m not sure how long it will take but it should be in between 2 and 4 days. I have been told that the road is good quality, Kyrgyzstan was a nightmare.
Unfortunately I dropped my camera in the sand just before the pass so I dont have any photo's to send you of the Taldyk or Irkeshtam pass, will get it fixed in Kashgar. should be able to find something on flickr if you want to have a look.
Will try and call you when i get to Kashgar but China is GMT+8 so it might be difficult.
Hope everything is good in London,
Take care
Miheer 1st August 2008
From Doğubayazit (Turkey) 22nd May 2008 to Garamsar 14th June 2008
Crossing the border into Iran was nowhere near as problematic as some people had suggested. Once passing the long line of trucks outside the border (bet they wish they were on a bicycle for once!), I passed through the Turkish customs with just a quick stamp and a generous offer of tea. After this I had to avoid the money changing hawks offering 1/10 of the real value and make my way to the Iranian customs. There is a lot of alcohol smuggling into Iran and I was worried that I may have to empty everything from my bags to prove that I was not carrying any illegal items and I had spent the entire night before carefully rearranging things. Luckily I was only asked a few routine questions (Manchester United or Chelsea), had my passport stamped and was sent on my way.
Before leaving the Iranian customs, I made sure that I had a full 30 days in Iran. On my passport it said that my visa expired in 4 days time but at the Iranian consulate in London they said this only applied to entering the country. I was assured that, yes; I do have 30 days in the country.
I have often read about the generosity of Iranian people but didn't know what to expect. When entering the first shop after the border I was offered free bottles of water and food and everyone seeing me pass would shout welcome to Iran. A bit further on, a family was having a picnic by the side of the road and invited me to join them. After a few minutes the daughter of the family has her veil off leaving me wondering exactly how women's rights work in Iran. It can be difficult when you are in a foreign country and you receive conflicting advice on different customs and how attitudes work.
Eventually I made my way to my first town, Maku where I found a bed for the night and ran into two backpackers who were studying in Turkey. The next day I set off but was quite unprepared for the massive rise in temperature which was more that 10 degrees hotter than anything else I had experienced. At more than 40 degrees I was facing a hot head wind (at these temperatures the wind loses its cooling properties and it feels like you are in a large hair dryer).
I make my way to the city of Tabriz and encounter the worse driving I have ever seen. What especially takes time to get used to is crossing the road. The theory seems to be that you slowly cross the road one lane at a time so that cars can pass either side of you but lane discipline can be so bad that it can descend into just trying to avoid getting run over as you half jog across. On looking for accommodation, I was frequently approached by people asking if I needed any help as soon as I looked remotely lost. One person in particular was really amazing. I met him while trying to find the hotel in my guide book which turned out to be 10 times higher than what was written in the book. After this he showed me another hotel which was much cheaper. He took me to a series of Bike shops around Tabriz and finally took on someone trying to give me a bad deal on an exchange of money from Turkish Lira to Iranian Rial.
Tabriz is the cycling capital of Iran and to my amazement they had many high end cycling parts, (you can even find carbon fiber racing bikes). One shop even gives my bike a quick service for free! Afterwards I pick up my package from DHL and continue on with my journey. Along the way people are very friendly, often giving me free goods and services (no matter how much I try and persuade them otherwise).
One day before entering a city called Karaj a cyclist on a racing bike (I was quite envious at the lack of luggage he was carrying) pulled up beside me and asked me where I was from and where I was heading. It turned out that he lived in Karaj and offered me a place to sleep at his house which I graciously accepted. It feels that like I have known them for years and the next day I am invited to dinner with all their family (more than 20 people in total). The best bit about the feast was that it was all vegetarian! Iranians love their kebabs and finding a good vegetarian meal can be very difficult. At the end of the night I feel like I have a second family in Iran and leaving the next day proves to be difficult as I head for Tehran.
Getting into Tehran proves to be somewhat difficult. It has a population of 14 million making it absolutely huge and I am heading for a metro station to the north of the city. I spend the better part of a day going around the freeways of Tehran until I eventually find it. I am shortly picked up by my future hosts in Tehran and chuck the bike in the back. I did not stay in Tehran as there are major holidays in Iran, I decide to take a bus to see some of the cities of Iran which I don't have time to cycle to.
First stop was Esfahan. Once leaving the bus station I walk into a shop to buy some water and begin a conversation with two guys running the shop. One of them kindly offers to show me around and acts as my guide through one of the most beautiful cities I have ever visited. However I arrive on one of the only days of the year that all the museums and palaces are closed. I still have a relaxing day with good company (who offers to pay for everything although I finally manage to pay for dinner) and among other things visited the central square, Meidun-e Eman Khomeini, the second largest square in the world. It is so big that they used to play polo matches inside.
After Esfahan it's another bus to Shiraz where I take a look around the infamous Karim Khan Citadel which was used as a prison by the previous Shahs and Hafez mausoleum, one of Iran's most famous poets. Then it’s off to Persepolis, the mini-city built by King Darius I as his summer capital and became one of the richest and most lavish cities in the world until it was destroyed by Alexander the Great. Unfortunately not much is left and it is crowded by hundreds of domestic and foreign tourists but you still get a real feel for the Iran's ancient civilization.
Then it’s a final night bus back to Tehran (although this one is equipped with a crying baby for the entire 16 hour journey).
Once back in Tehran I meet up with my lovely hosts and have a few days to relax and explore until the embassy of Turkmenistan opens. On one metro ride in Tehran the electricity suddenly cuts out and the whole train is left in absolute darkness. After about one minute a man to my left (although there is no way to see him) simply blurts out "Pakistan". With me being the only person he could be addressing I answer back that I'm from England (Ingilistan). Someone roughly in front of me joins into the conversation, "naa Pakistan" and I am drawn into explaining my family roots and answer questions from people in pitch black conditions. Eventually the light comes back the questions stop on the train although I have to endure the same conversations a few times every day for the rest of my travels.
When I arrive in at the Turkmenistan embassy, to my amazement, I find four other cyclists waiting there for visas with me. There are three Swiss cyclists; Philip, Marc and Luc and a Slovenian cyclists Simon. We are told at it will take five to six days for approval to be faxed from Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, and can pick up the visa in Mashhad, close to the Turkmenistan border. I set of the next day but had to cycle across the entire city through some of the craziest traffic I have encountered so far. Luckily my bike panniers double up as air bags and somehow I make it out unscathed.
Towards the end of the day I manage to meet up with Simon and we spend the night camping in the grounds of a mosque. Unfortunately we had a very curious visitor who was intent on asking questions from my phrase book, almost until midnight. It wouldn't have been so bad except that he couldn't speak English so merrily tried to (unsuccessfully) copy the sound. Eventually we get to sleep and set off the next morning.
We hadn't got far until we got stuck in ones of those situations that can only be funny some time after the event. I would also like to add that what happened was extremely rare. Simon was quite some way in front of me and I saw him handing his passport over to someone who addressed himself as a member of Iran's secret police. He had special number plates and a driver in military uniform so we had no choice but to obey.
After calling ahead to his base we were asked to follow his car to a police compound while he made enquiries. After a few questions and some time later we were escorted to another police compound (different type of police) where we were held for longer and asked more questions about where we are from and the purpose of our visit and what we thought of Iran. For me explaining where I am from is difficult because I answer that I have come from England but then explain my heritage that my grand parents are from India which is why I have dark skin.
After a few hours Simon is told that he can continue on his journey but that my visa had expired and they must go to yet another police station to answer more questions. I try to point out that my visa is okay but they are adamant that it has expired. I say farewell to Simon and am forced to leave my bike at the police station as I am taken to another town and yet another police station that was connected to the army and have to answer questions late into the night. They are constantly asking me why I have overstayed my visa and I slowly start to believe that I must have misunderstood the Iranian Embassy in London, the border guard and the police I got stopped by every couple of days along the way. I then had to give detailed accounts of my entire trip, my family background, people that I knew in Iran and show them all my equipment which all got confiscated except for my clothes.
To be continued
I spent most of my time with one interrogator who could speak some English but often misunderstood my accent. For example when ever I said thirty he thought I was saying Dutchy and was constantly asking me what it meant. After a few hours I realised that he was referring to the word thirty and we spent 15 minutes just going :
"Thirty"
"Dutchy"
"no Thirty"
"see you are saying Dutchy, what does it mean?"
"no, Thir-ty, in Farsi it is Si"
"o, you mean Thirty!"
"Yes Thirty!"
"see you said Dutchy again!"
"Thir-ty!!"
Eventually I get it through that I mean thirty and we can continue with why I had over stayed my visa, a question that was asked more than a 100 times, most memorably:
"I heard that people in England are smart. But you are not."
"What do you mean?"
"Why didn't you extend your visa?"
"I thought that the expiry date was for entering the country and once I had entered that I would have 30 days"
"No, you are in the country illegally"
All this time I was asking if I could contact the Embassy or a friend but was constantly told "please wait". Eventually I was told that they could not provide a translator for me. I pointed out that the British Embassy could probably speak English. I quickly realised that the translator was needed for their benefit and not mine.
Eventually I am taken to a hotel where I am kept under guard until the next morning.
The guard had been with me for the entire day while I was waiting in between questioning. Seemed like a good chance to improve my Farsi. Unfortunately he had a very heavy lisp making it impossible to understand anything he was saying. The questioning continues for the entire day from 8am to 11 pm with long pauses in between with nothing to do. The whole process is incredibly frustrating.
First I am taken to one small office outside of town and interviewed by one man and asked to make a written statement going over everything that I had already said the previous day and a host of other questions including about my religion. They had never heard of Jainism and constantly thought I misunderstood the question. After asking lots of questions about its conductor(?) I was taken to yet another police station to rewrite and reiterate everything, again at another police station and then yet again at another police station. At the end of a very exhausting day the police finally received permission for me to call someone (but not the Embassy) so they called my host in Tehran who informed my parents and the Embassy of my condition.
I am told that I must go to court but because the next day being Friday, a weekend in Iran, I must wait a day until I can plead my case before a judge.
So I have one day free. Well it’s a strange definition of free as my passport and all my belongings have been confiscated.
What I had not realized was that my parents had contacted one of my sponsors DHL who really helped to resolve the situation. A very special thanks to Robert Mills and Sandra.
From Ankara (Turkey) 1st May to Doğubayazit (Turkey) 22nd May 2008
In Ankara, I spend my first full day trying to avoid the Labour Day protests and walk through the cities parks, viewed Ataturk’s Mausoleum. Although Ankara doesn’t even come close to Istanbul in terms of stunning sites; it is a pleasant place to spend a few days to relax. The next day I am at the Embassy of Uzbekistan to collect my visa. Of course obtaining a visa can never be simple and I’m told that my visa reference has been sent to the consulate in Istanbul. Wonderful I need to go back to Istanbul.
My father arrives the next day with a suitcase full of equipment (and I was struggling to make my bike lighter!). We spend a day and half together and we set about making further plans. I also take my bike to Turkey's top bike shop, Delta Bisiklet, to get a well deserved service and install various important bits and pieces. (I now have 3 water bottles, talk about upgrades!). Sunday night me and my dad part, I am forced to take a train back to Istanbul to collect my Uzbekistan visas and my dad returns home to London. Luckily I am able to contact a friend from my previous college, meet up with her and her friends. What turned out at first to be an annoying inconvenience results in an amazing experience with friends, I was banned from paying for anything myself.
I get a train back to Ankara after two days where I am reunited with my bike.
Next day I set off towards Cappadocia, rather than cycling east. My first night I make my way towards a large town only to find that there is no hotel. "Don't worry" I'm told "there is a hotel in the next town, It’s only 60kms away" By this time the sun is fading and I'm not feeling quite brave enough to try and cycle in the night on these roads.
"If you want you can spend the night in the local fire station". And so I spend the night in one of the strangest places and am treated to a full dinner and breakfast. Talk about hospitality. I arrive in Cappadocia; it's one of the places people always rave on about after they have visited it and for good reason. You could spend a week in Cappadocia and its surrounding area and not get bored. From its chimney fairies to its underground cities there is something for everyone. However, this area attracts a lot of tourists and that gives me one small problem not being able to get around. Most notably I am struggling to climb an impossibly steep hill on a fully loaded bike only to be surrounded by a group of kids asking where I had come from and which football team I supported. (I really regret not taking an interest in football as most Turkish people seem to know more about British football teams than I do). While visiting Cappadocia I stay at a wonderful pension where I am made to feel truly welcome. The best part of staying at Köse pension is that it comes with a free guide, Spotty the dog, who can give a first class tour around the town of Göreme. In the town center I run into a group of cyclists from Belarus followed shortly by a Taiwanese cyclist and get to have a brief chat. It turns out me and Juiting Li, the Taiwanese cyclist are heading in the same direction so we spend the rest of the day cycling to Kayseri.
After Kayseri I have to make a mad dash across Turkey to get to Iran before my visa expires. The distance wouldn’t be so much of a problem if it wasn't for the constant uphill climbs and the terrible weather. But worst of all are the dogs. They come at you at full speed, teeth bared, and looking at you as if you would make a lovely meal. And these aren’t little cuddly pets that can be deterred by a simple pat on the head. They are huge wolf like creatures with a chew first and ask questions later mentality. Cycling away isn’t possible unless you are on a smooth downhill road so I have no choice but to get off my bike and use it as a barrier as I walk away hoping they wont follow me too long (they usually give up after about a couple of km).
I make my way through the cities of Sivas, Erzincan, Erzurum, and Ağri to Doğubayazit where I am right now. Through Turkey I have had to take a bus for 100kms as thunder and lightning and an upset stomach would have really slowed me down. Doğubayazit in sets in a valley 35kms from the Iranian border; I am treated to a stunning view of Mount Ararat. Tomorrow I set of towards Iran (just as I’m beginning to get a handle of Turkish!).
Miheer Dodhia (Turkish border)
From Vienna (Austria) 11th April to Ankara 1st May 2008
My time in Vienna is amazing. My host Heidrun has a wonderful sense of humor and İ am treated to a top class tour of the city by one of her students as well as some of the best ice cream and cake that İ have ever tasted. Eventually I have to leave Vienna and cycle the short distance to Bratislava where İ spend the night. Waiting for me in Budapest is my mother so İ take the train (not easy when your bike weighs more than you do) and get reequipped and spend a couple of days exploring. Two days is definitely not enough to spend in Budapest, even with a week to spend you could not absorb all that Budapest has to offer. But with the time I lost from having my bike stolen and the terrible weather along the way, it becomes clear that I will have to use trains to ensure that I get to Turkey on time.
I end up taking an overnight train to Belgrade and arrive early in the morning where I make my way to a hostel. I soon fall in love with Belgrade and find it very difficult to leave. Although Belgrade does not have as many "tourist sights" as other capital cities in Europe, it has a great atmosphere and everyone you meet is friendly and eager to help. The Hostel I stayed in is one of the best that I have stayed; the staff really make you feel more like you’re at a friend’s house than a hostel.
Eventually I move on to Sofia where I meet some French and Belgian exchange students from Istanbul and have a great time exploring the city with them. From Sofia I take a train to Istanbul where I encountered a large group of Australians and New Zealanders going to Istanbul for Anzac day. On entering Istanbul you are suddenly hit by its incredibly beauty from its huge Mosques to its grand bazaars. In Istanbul I met up with a contact arranged through my dad who kindly helps me sort out a Turkish SIM card and treats me to my first (but not last) Baklava. I also have a chance to meet up with the French and Belgian exchange students that I met in Sofia.
Eventually I hit the road heading towards Ankara. Coming out of Istanbul proved to be very tricky as buses weave in and out of traffic meaning that I have to keep my concentration at exam level all day long. However whenever I stop and have a chat with someone, usually at a petrol station buying water, I'm greeted by the friendliest people imaginable and have a constant supply of free Turkish Tea. On my second day out of Istanbul as I come to a stop at a traffic light, turn my head and see a fellow long distance cyclist right next to me. We pull over and have a chat although it takes a few second to get over the surprise of seeing a fellow cyclist. Has name is Mauro Talını and It turns out that he had left Italy and was cycling to Jerusalem. Even more incredible was that he was a diabetic. To visit his website you can go to www.maurotalini.it. We continue on until it starts to get late and we enter a village called Hendek. As soon as we enter we attract crowds wondering what two people with fully laden bikes are doing in their village and we soon begin answering a torrent of questions. From the crowd two men kindly help us find a laundry where we can wash our clothes and soon end up having another long conversation (in German strangely) until our clothes are fully washed and then head to a lovely hotel for the night. The view the next day is stunning as we cycle in a valley with forest covered mountain peaks surrounding us. That's great until you find out that you have to cycle to the top of them. The motorway has a tunnel through the mountains but unfortunately it’s illegal to cycle on this road meaning that we have to do a 1200m vertical climb. The next day luckily has more downhill and I and Mauro separate just before Ankara.
In Ankara I look forward to meeting up with my dad who didn’t quite anticipate I would be so fast getting into Ankara and therefore is arriving after 2 days me to help reequip me for the rest of my journey.
Miheer Dodhia Ankara
The track from Prague (Czech Republic) 7th April to Vienna (Austria) 11th April 2008.
My time in Prague was wonderful. Staying at a Youth Hostel means that I got to meet so many people from around the world (especially from Brazil for some reason) and the staff are some of the most friendly I've met. Prague itself is beautiful city with everything in walking distance and plenty of museums and attractions to keep you occupied. It is strange however going across Europe but still ending up shopping at Tesco.
Eventually my second (and final!) bike arrived at DHL IT Center where I meet some of DHL's finest employee's, all eager to see the bike that will end up in Beijing. The bikes construction is relatively simple and soon I'm back to the hostel to spend my final night.
The next day I start cycling after a longer than expected trip to a bike shop and travel along a major road for the next few days towards Austria. The 7 days break has had taken a toll on my body and I find at first I need to take it a bit easier. Along the way I try a delicious Czech vegetarian dish called smazeny kvetak s bramborem (more than once, as Czech cuisine is a little light on the vegetarian side) which consists of potatoes, salad and fried cauliflower. The road I travel along is manageable during the daytime but "difficult" in the dark forcing me to constantly decide whether to gamble in going a village further in search of accommodation or staying put. Luckily I'm usually helped by a local person, often thinking what I'm doing quite crazy.
After crossing the border and traveling towards Vienna, I begin my search for accommodation once again taking me to a small village called Hetzmannsdorf where I find a Guesthouse called Pension Martha. By this point it's dark and I just want a bed to sleep in. Greeting me however is the nicest paid room I've slept in so far with a huge king sized bed.
Feeling a bit hungry, I walk over to a local Gasthaus. Inside I'm greeted by some of the local residents wondering where I have come cycling from. Apparently it's quite rare for people cyclingfrom London to Beijing to enter their village and I'm given a warm celebrity welcome which included an autographing session for the local children. They were shocked to hear that I'm only 19. It must be my considerable maturity shining through, (or the fact that I haven't had a good shave in quite a long time resulting in a small beard). I have an amazing time speaking to the people I have met and am offered numerous places to spend thenight as well as a free dinner. The great thing about traveling using a bike is that you get to meet so many people and visit places that otherwise you would only pass through.
Today I've come arrived in Vienna thankfully on cycle paths from Hetzmannsdorf. I get to travel down the Danube and enter Vienna on fantastic cycle paths where I meet up with my lovely hosts ready to spend tomorrow exploring Vienna.
On my trip I have enjoyed visiting cities that I have only read about and being able to cyclethrough a variety of landscapes. But what is equally important if not greater is being able tomeet up with different people from around the world. Almost everyone I meet is warmand friendly and I often find it hard to say goodbye.
Miheer Dodhia Vienna 12th April
The track from Bayreuth (Germany) Thursday 27th March to Prague (Czech Republic) 6th April 2008.
From Bayreuth I leave the River Main and head through increasingly hilly terrain which unfortunately meant traveling through snow. The snow ranged from a few inches which required me to push my bike through the snow at a snails pace to past my knee which required a massive detour.
Eventually I make my way to Hohenburg, right on the border with the Czech Republic. The night I spend in Hohenburg typifies my entire experience in Germany. I go to a local pub for dinner where I have a lovely vegetarian dinner (well two actually, it was a very long ride). I'm greeted by some of the locals and I have a fantastic time conversing with them despite my poor level of German. When I leave and enter my hostel I meet a wonderful group of German's who are spending the night as well and the conversation starts up again.
After a long breakfast I set off and enter the CzechRepublic and make my way across the country on more major roads rather than the cycle paths that I have enjoyed in Germany. On my second day in the country, I enter a small hotel in village called Knezeves where I lock my bike in a compound and make my way to the restaurant for dinner. Even though my Czech is limited to a few simple words from my phrasebook, I soon find that I was having a great time with the locals. After a while I meet up with someone who can speak English and he is able to translate or me. I finally go to bed with a big smile on my face savouring the trip I've had so far
That smile quickly disappeared when I woke up in the morning and found that my bike was gone. After an extensive search of the hotel, it becomes clear that it had been stolen. Luckily someone from the hotel called the police and I was able to give a brief account of what had happened. I manage to meet up with the English speaker from the nightbefore and he translates for me at the police station as I make my report. I spend another night in Knezeves and the next day get a ride from someone else I met to a larger town called Rakovnik where I caught a bus for the 60km trip to Prague. That's the strange thing about traveling. You come into contact with people at their very best and worst. There are those who will help you at a drop of the hat having only known you for less than an hour and then those who steal your best friend (my travel companion for the next 5 month, the bike).
Of all the places to be stuck in, Prague is definitely a great place to spend my forced respite. It is a beautiful city with more than enough to entertain anyone and a wonderful international crowd. I'm spending the next few days relaxing, sight seeing and chatting away with random people that I meet, both in my hostel and around the town.
Miheer Dodhia Prague 6th April 2008
The track from Brussels (Belgium) to Bayreuth (Germany) Thursday 13th to Thursday 27th March 2008.
This journal has been compiled from the meetings with Miheer in Belgium, Netherlands and Germany and brief phone conversations with Miheer.
Went to my former school – the British School of Brussels and “found out” that I am giving a small talk in the theatre at lunch time, half way during the concert for Amnesty International and tolerance day. I enjoyed the wonderful reception from all the staff and pupils. A photo opportunity, a “sponsored “lunch and then to the DHL offices for more meetings and promotional opportunities.
From Brussels, despite a very late start in the day – around 4.00 pm on Friday 14th (so difficult to take leave of my most gracious hosts Rachida and Khan Jahier and cute toddler Qays), I reached St Truiden, some 50+ km and found a comfortable hotel, by nightfall. So far, this was the best ride as the weather was quite clement and the cycle paths excellent. This is the best feature about Belgium and the Netherlands, the cycle paths run along major routes, have a good (ie fast) surface, are off the road and the motorists generally give cyclist the priority.
Next morning set off towards Maastricht (The Netherlands), hoping to meet a friend and ex BSB student, but could not meet him, despite hanging around Maastricht for hours. Then set off towards Valkenberg, where my parents and another gracious host were waiting for me. After help from a very helpful couple, I met them in the restaurant called Brazza, known for its excellent vegetarian dishes. As the story of my challenge unfolded during the best tomato soup ever, the excited restaurant staff “sponsored” my dinner and even gave free drinks to my parents and the host Riëtte Janssen.
A night at Riëtte’s followed by a hearty warming breakfast, on my way towards Bonn. The weather and terrain was again not quite on my side, and with another anxious host family ( Sriniand Jayanti with their sons Shriki and Sanjay and friend Dennis Tan’s family) waiting in Bonn, I was “rescued” by my parents some 30 kms from Bonn.
Monday 17th started with a visit to “the Tower” – the HQ of Deutsche Post World Net – the parent company of DHL, who are one of my main sponsors. Ran into a journalist Sebastian Tittelbach and camera crew who became interested in my quest and decided to do a short TV magazine story. This was broadcast on WDR just before the evening weather report. Later visited the offices where my dad used to work occasionally and talked about my trip with many of my dad’s former colleagues. Finally, a visit to DHL’s Global Express (the primary sponsor) offices in Bonn and then to my host’s house. My “support” team – dad and mum headed off to the UK, whilst I settled in for the night.
Tuesday and Wednesday, cycled along the Rhine – a most pleasant track and made it to Frankfurt in 2 days. My best distance coverage days. Another gracious host – Julia Griese was waiting for me. Spent 3 nights in Frankfurt, partly to take in the sights, and partly to wait out the severe weather. Julia was kind enough to leave me her apartment despite needing to travel.
The going was slow after leaving Frankfurt. The theory was that cycling along the river Main would contribute to a high average speed. Alas, snow, rain, winds and getting lost, made progress painfully slow. Nights spent in Aschaffenburg, Wertheim, Wuerzburg, Bamberg, Kulmbach and Bayreuth. Most nights in a youth hostel, and an occasional hotel. I am often touched by people’s kindness and generosity, with many a free meal given graciously.
Nilesh Dodhia
Sunday 16th March 2008 Kasteelstraat 63, Overijse (Belgium)
It was an early morning start on Sunday 9th March as I gather my various pieces of luggage and load them into Milan's van bound for Trafalgar Square. Awaiting me is a vast group of supporters ranging from family to reporters to my MP Rt Honorable Mr Tony McNulty. After a long list of goodbyes I set of towards Beijing with an escort consisting of my brother Neerav, his old friend Charles and two family friends, Kausik and Sanjay.
After about 2 miles I had my first malfunction, my bike computer cable had snapped leading to a quick repair using one of the Sterling stickers. Then it was off again to Greenwich where I said goodbye to all those accompanying me one by one till it was just Kaushik and me. I had a wonderful ride with good weather along the Thames with views of ex-industrial sites although I was being constantly hampered by bike gates which wouldn’t allow a bike with panniers through.
Eventually I made my way to Rotchester where I spent the night in a lovely Bed and Breakfast ready for the next day. I was lucky I got a goodnight's sleep, awaiting me in the morning was the predicted storm that had caused so much havoc over Britain. After waiting for the storm to die down, I left the comfort of Rochester on my way to Maidstone. However the storm wept up again and I was forced to cycle through rain and wind averaging only 5kmh. On my way I popped into a pub asking for directions and was greeted by two friendly postmen. After briefing them on my intended journey they bought me tea and we had a wonderful chat about my journey, not being able to see the great wall of china from space and Hawkins theory of black holes. I eventually made my way past Maidstone and arrived at my next B and B near Leeds Castle, Kent.
It became apparent that I was not going to make Brussels by my deadline so I had to pack my bike onto my mothers car and then headed of to Dover to take the Ferry to Dunkerque. On the Ferry I met a man who had done some cycling touring himself and we engaged in a long conversation about my plans and his previous trips. When leaving the ferry he was even kind enough to offer me some fruit to give me energy for my long journey ahead.
After spending the night in Dunkerque I left my hotel to go and by breakfast. As soon as I left my hotel I was nearly knocked of my feet by the most powerful winds I have felt in years. I could hardly walk making cycling impossible. The panniers on my bike act as sails making it incredibly difficult to cycle in high winds. I was then forced to take trains to make sure I could get to Brussels on time, no mean feet when the bike your carrying is larger and heavier than yourself. Eventually I got to Brussels where I made my way to my old neighbours house on Kasteelstraat, Overijise. I had a surreal ride down a road that I hadn’t cycled down in two and a half years and arrived to my awaiting parents and gracious hosts.
Miheer Dodhia
Sunday 9th March 2008
Homemade pancakes for an early breakfast at 6.40 a.m.– always a treat, especially for Miheer. Milanbhai arrives with his van, as expected earlier than the requested time. Bikes and stuff loaded, and by 8.00 am we are at Trafalgar square. Miheer spots his friends and he is off like a squirrel with his bike in tow leaving me standing with all his gear. Well, his bike can manage it all, but 50+ unfit me??!!
He does come back for it all, and armed with the Tshirts, ceremony paraphernalia, and cameras we make our way to Nelsons column. Within minutes we are surrounded by well wishers, friends and family and suddenly I spot our MP, the Rt Hon Tony McNulty walking towards us. Miheer and Varsha are thrilled that he graces the occasion. We gather everyone together and sing the stavan “Maitri bhavnu pavitra jarnu” (the auspicious stream friendship flows through my heart) as the most appropriate choice for Miheer’s voyage of friendship.
Varsha completes her maternal duty of the send off ceremony. Starts by anointing the forehead with kumkum (vermillion) then a pokhnu with a divo (candle). A traditional sandlewood garland, is presented whilst the church bells toll the hour.
Then amid organised chaos as I try to show Miheer the way towards Whitehall, somehow ignoring the planned route through the square, he is off with 4 other cyclist accompanying him. (I hoped all the way but….)., with the bells of St Martin in the Fields wishing him god speed and safe havens. Nilesh Dodhia
Saturday 8th March 2008 It is 11:45 am and have arrived at Belmont Community Hall. The caterers are bringing the mini lunch into the hall, Neerav is helping Miheer offload his biking equipment and posters from the car. I have butterflies in my tummy, thinking how Miheer will cope with talking to so many people. As the cousins and close family arrive, everyone gets busy, all excited about the balloons, setting the tables and chairs.
Laughter and excitement greet the first guests as they arrive. As always something is forgotten so Neerav has to go home and then collect Ba. The two hours go in a flash and from the corner of my eye I keep a watch on Miheer, the animated look on his face as he explains the rationale for his choice of things to take. He surely has found his soap box.
It is nearly 3:00 when the caretaker arrives and every item is loaded into the car, the floor and the kitchen cleaned. More guests arrive as we get home. It is truly a joyous day to share the build up to Miheer’s adventurous challenge. Varsha Dodhia
Thursday 21st February 2008 Today I meet my new best friend. It was early in the morning and I was entering Evans Cycle in Hendon into a showroom filled with expensive bikes. However one stands out above the rest. That’s because its mine.
I get to test out my lovely new Cannondale Touring bike before buying it but as soon as I’m on the saddle I can imagine myself cruising through mountains and deserts.
I then look at the price tag. £1,200! You can buy a car for that amount. Still, my bike will be able to make it to Beijing, not so sure about the car.
Of course I need more than just my bike to get me to Beijing. I’m soon off running around the shop buying the different pieces of clothing and equipment I require from a GorTex windproof jacket to spare spokes for my wheel.
I leave the shop with masses of equipment and a considerably lighter wallet. Miheer Dodhia
I also take my bike to Turkey's top bike shop, Delta Bisiklet, to get a well deserved service and install various important bits and pieces. (I now have 3 water bottles, talk about upgrades!). Sunday night me and my dad part, I am forced to take a train back to Istanbul to collect my Uzbekistan visas and my dad returns home to London. Luckily I am able to contact a friend from my previous college, meet up with her and her friends. What turned out at first to be an annoying inconvenience results in an amazing experience with friends, I was banned from paying for anything myself. 
The best part of staying at Köse pension is that it comes with a free guide, Spotty the dog, who can give a first class tour around the town of Göreme. In the town center I run into a group of cyclists from Belarus followed shortly by a Taiwanese cyclist and get to have a brief chat. It turns out me and Juiting Li, the Taiwanese cyclist are heading in the same direction so we spend the rest of the day cycling to Kayseri.
Cycling away isn’t possible unless you are on a smooth downhill road so I have no choice but to get off my bike and use it as a barrier as I walk away hoping they wont follow me too long (they usually give up after about a couple of km). 
