Blog 5. Wednesday 12th Feb to Friday 28th Feb.

You can see all photos if you search SCTTRAVEL on Instagram.
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GODALPUR-Srikakulam-Vishakhapatnam-Anakapalle-Lotugadda-Sileru-Bhadrachalam-Suryapet-Hyderbad-Shadnager-Kurnool-Dharmavaram-BANGALORE.


Ride Time: 88 hrs
Distance: 1000 Miles
Total distance: 2643 Miles

Been a busy few weeks since the last the blog.Had a real variation of scenery and surroundings from crowded beaches to quite hill stations and noisy city's, stopping in places ranging from sleeping on people's floors, offices of army barracks/police stations to 5* cosmopolitan hotels.

Had journalists on motor bikes track me down on half a dozen occasions.Had a short articles written about me in 2 different papers on separate days (Ennadu and Sakshi) and I'm told a radio presenter was talking about my trip on one of the morning shows in a city beach resort I stayed at.Had kids running after me calling my name asking me sign the newspaper one morning.

Spent a few days passing through a selection of beach resorts on the Eastern Coast.Most were a bit overcrowded and not surprisingly a little grubby and unfortunately not possible for me to swim as currents too strong.So not exactly the idyllic beauty of the Mediterranean but still nice to see the ocean after so many long hot, dry, days riding.

Had another stretch of hill station riding which is the first since I first began in early January in the NE States.This time across the Eastern Ghats.Felt pretty remote for a few days, passing through very small villages where the locals just stop and stare at me like I'm an alien.There was nothing in the way lodging, so one night I stayed with a kind family who took me in and slept on their floor, and another night stopped in Police station office.Its not the first time the police have helped me out with overnight stay.People in India have always said to me if I'm stuck for somewhere to stay just go to the local police station and they'll look after you.It's true.Your treated as a special guest.The officers questioned me on how I got into the area and said I was supposed to have a special permit to visit.They said it's heavily guarded due to previous terrorist activity.I was completely unaware.They made loads of phone calls and enquires checking out my ID.There were 'guarded road barriers' dotted around, but they seem to be everywhere in India.I just give them a nod and wiz through before they start asking for photos with me ect.The way I see it, it's up to them to stop and question me, not up to me to stop and ask.Might change my view on that if I'm every shot in the back of the leg for not stopping.
The scenery in the hills is amazing.Dense forest, with loads of Monkeys, bores and big colourful birds.One day I accidentally ran over a snake.It was about 4 ft long I guess.I turned back to take a photo of it, but it started moving along and gathering pace so I spun around sharpish.
Very basic living up in the hills which is interesting to see.The markets here seem to be trading goods for goods, livestock for produce ect instead of money.Sore people hunting with catapults and even a bow and arrow on one occasion.One day I saw a dead goat hanging by rope by its feet from the branch of a tree.Don't know why it had been done.Maybe as bait for another predator I guess.

Time in the hills was followed by a couple of days rest in a 5* hotel in Hyderbad.Found a really decent mountain bike shop (by Indian standards) which was a result.I bought some better lights, so I can now ride when dark as and when necessary and a 'bladder pack' so I can drink and stay hydrated whilst riding.The bladder pack has completely transformed my riding style for the better.I can ride for long periods without stopping just regularly sipping, instead of stopping every 20minutes exhausted guzzling litres by the second.Also managed to get some light weight fingerless gloves which are stopping my hands from burning in the sun.

Had a few long days in the saddle of +10 hrs ride time.The 3 day stint between Hyderbad and Bangalore was testing but as always rewarding once it's over.
I, as politely as possible, tell the majority of passers by I can't stop for questions and photos now days cos it's just slowing me down to much.If I stopped for everyone that asked I'd have to allow an hour or 2 each day.Feel a bit mean for doing it but I'm still managing to sleep at night.

Blog 4 Thursday 30th Jan to Tuesday 11th Feb

CALCUTTA-Kharagpur-Baleswhwar-Panikoili-Puri-GODULPUR.

Ride Time;37.5 HRS
Distance; 405 Miles
Total Distance; 1643 Miles

You can see all photos if you search SCTTRAVEL on Instagram.
You can sponsor me by searching my name on uk.virginmoneygiving.com
All money raised goes to a homeless foundation in Richmond.


Had a week off the bike (30th Jan -5th Feb).Based myself at a good hotel in the heart of Calcutta where the bike was stored safely and took a flight across to Varanasi, which is a city a couple of hundred miles west and well out of my planned cycle route.Varanasi has caught my attention for years.I'm told its the most sacred place for Hindus in the whole of India, and the Ganges river which runs through the centre of the city is the heart of some of the most incredible scenes ever.The 'Ghats'  ,which are basically stone steps which lead down to the river, run along the bank for miles are full of life and activity, mainly people washing and doing their laundry, but also praying, singing, practicing yoga and well, just chilling out really, (and of cause dozens of cows, buffalo and stray dogs, which are just everywhere you go in India).You can hire a rowing boat and just slowly glide along watching it all unfold for a couple of quid an hour (with somebody rowing for you).For Hindus, being cremated on the Ghats and having your ashes spread in the Ganges river is the holiest of ways to 'move on'.I'm told there are buildings full of the elderly who come from all across india to basically just wait to die, for the privilege of being in close proximity and able to be cremated in this fashion.You can watch the cremations from as close as you'd like to get.They say they burn several hundred bodies a day, each one taking a few hours.In the area I was watching there was half a dozen fires going at any one time.The families of the deceased stand and watch the whole procedure from start to finish as the guys that work there poke and prod at the burning body's like a jacket potato in tin foil, making sure they burn proper.Pretty grim stuff, but fascinating to see.



Staying in Calcutta gave me the chance to unwind a little from the riding and get organised by buying a few odds and ends that I struggle to get whilst on the road.Bought a SIM card for my IPhone which is good as I now have internet access all the time.
I didn't find Calcutta particularly interesting.As mentioned before, to me it was the same as hundreds of other towns I'd past through, just on a larger scale.As tourists here are not uncommon, you get a lot of hassle and fuss from touts and people trying to 'help you out'.Gets a bit tiring consistently telling them to politely go away.Once you've shaken one off your back another pounces straight back on.
I moved away from the tourist zone for my final couple days to a 'home stay' which was run by a great guy called Rajarshi (indianvoyagers@yahoo.in) this cost me a fraction of the price, was located in a more residential area and gave a better outlook of the working class people.Rajarshi is an expert of Indian geography and I'm lucky to be able to store his contact number in case of any problems.

Since leaving Calcutta I've been continuing south along the coast.It's getting hotter each day the further south I pass.I miss the cool evenings of Northern India.My big puffer jacket is now stored away at the bottom of the panniers and I get rooms with AC when ever possible.Cant be the invisible man anymore which is a shame.I'm trying to deal with the heat whilst riding by leaving at sunrise (6am) and maximising the cooler hours of the day.By 10am it's roasting.I 'm generally stopping and getting out the sun between 12 and 2pm.By 3pm it starts to cool a little and becomes more tolerable.Drinking a lot more now as well,(not alcohol). Think I'm getting through 10litres+ a day whilst riding.Starting to wish I bought my 'camel back' with bladder and drinking hose, as sometimes I'm continually stopping for water and it breaks the rhythm. My mouth seems to completely dry out within about 20 minutes of riding during hotter parts of the day.

My legs are still going strong.Been giving no trouble at all actually since leaving Calcutta.My arms are starting to ache though which I don't really understand.The pain is through the elbows.Nothing serious, just a niggle that will probably pass.Gonna have to start covering the backs of my hands whilst riding cos they get so burnt.I coat them in 'factor 50 Sun Block but it seems to have no effect.

Had an incredible days riding between Puri and Godalpur.The whole route pretty  much was narrow paths with no traffic at all (other than the occasional motor bike), passing through a district of hundreds of lakes.I had to cross part of the area on a small fishing boat.The whole route was scattered with tiny wooden villages where the locals were net fishing and farming with water buffalo.It was nice to have the country side scenery back cos the 4 days previous had just been 'head down pedalling' along busy national highways.

Writing this blog from a long golden beach in Godalpur, but the scene being ruined by 3 dogs tearing apart the head and legs off a huge sea turtle that's been washed up on the beach.

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