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Cycling in India: Cycling in southern India has been one of my favorite rides ever. It was extremely hard at times (heat, rugged landscape and hectic traffic) but it was an endless source of pleasure. I can only speak for the south west part (from Bombay to Kanyakumari) and do not wish to generalize for the entire country. Choosing your bike: I normally do not cycle back home, and the few times I did, my butt was so painful that I sort of avoided bicycles. In India, I bought a brand new local gearless ‘Hero Wonder’ bicycle (40 euros). The seat looks like my grandmother’s (very confortable, large and squeaky springs). I chose such a bicycle as I knew I was heading to the coast, far from towns and mainly focusing on tiny fishermen’s villages. Therefore, I would have little chance to find a proper shop to get spare items. With my Hero Wonder, anyone could fix my tires, break pads, pedals and other tiny bits. I easily changed tires and repaired my multiple punctures. Besides, no one wants to steal your bike and it melts perfectly with the local crowd.For a few extra rupees (10 euros) I added a large metal platform at the back, an iron basket in front, a bell (crucial surviving item in India. Get a horn if you can as truck and bus drivers seem to be deaf and blind). Rules on the road: Although I stayed away from main roads, I was doomed to reach some in order to join a larger village or to go faster. On small roads, you are a king. Everybody waves to you, tries to talk to you, invites you for tea and even offer to put your bike in the truck. However, on national roads or other bigger roads, you become a mosquito. Do not even think people care about you. Be prepared to go off road to avoid a bus overtaking a truck while going uphill. Expect trucks to overtake you and almost push you in the ravine. Be very careful when trucks drive by you as the driver and most workers sitting on top want to see you from as close as they can and literally touch you. People also love loud horns, terrible sirens and ridiculously noisy sounds. I almost had heart attacks when I was peacefully riding on the road while being woken up from my reveries by the awful sound of a horn. It is really scary and irritating. Just remember that people are curious to see who you are but do not care a bit about how hard it is to handle a loaded bicycle. Therefore, if you do not want to end up on a truck’s lights like a mosquito, stay away from main roads and make sure you stand aside when you see a big vehicule coming forth. Where to sleep: You could easily find small rooms to rent for the night (from 2 to 6 euros), but I avoided staying in hotels (3 nights in 5 months). People generally welcome you home if you mention you want to sleep on the beach. Besides, by each crematorium, you should find a shelter that will be the perfect bed for you and your bike. People believing ghosts live around such places, no one should bother you. It is possible to make a small fire almost anywhere, but always make sure you ask someone’s permission (who will generally accept or invite you home). There are faucets almost everywhere in villages, and people would happily lend you a bucket for your shower. When you stick to small villages, you can also ask for Daramshala (it’s the place that was reserved for pilgrims when they were travelling through the country. Each village provided food and shelter for them.) of course, this custom is no longer in use, however, older folks might be surprised to see you know the term, and would often welcome you home. Some daramshalas are still in the village but havent been used in a long time (in France, we used to have an extra plate for the beggar or the traveller...although I doubt many people would still be happy to receive you around their table nowadays!). I also slept in front of temples, schools, and almost anywhere I felt like. Dangers and nuisances: I never felt threatened and never had anything stolen despite the fact that I would leave everything on my unlocked bike and leave for hours. People would never dare stealing it, and would rather make sure no one comes close to it. Staying in villages was my most memorable experience, however, it can sometimes be tirying and emotionally exhausting. Your conversations remain essentially the same, and people tend not to think you could be tired or wanting to be alone. I was often woken up by people who were just curious and wanted to ask me questions. Expect people to sit very close to you, tap your shoulder and try to communicate. Be patient and understanding. They mean no harm. Indians are very curious and like to gather to observe you. One day, there was seven men watching me bathe under a faucet. It is often the same when you need to defecate. Coastal villages have no toilets and people walk to the beach which they use as latrines (do not pretend to swim so as to poo). You have to defecate on the sand so that the tide (dogs or seagulls as well) will take your fecal matters). Getting by: It is hard to follow Indian maps as they are not always precise and written in English. I kept the sea on my right and headed south. I also learned the local alphabet and a few sentences so as to read road signs. It comes very handy when they are only written in Marathi for instance. By knowing the first letter, you can generally follow the road to the next village. Starting a conversation in the local language is also very appreciated. People generally ask you the same questions, so learn the correct answers and it shoudn’t be hard to have a basic communication. Once again, patience is the clue. You will have to repeat yourself many times a day. But ask yourself the true question: do you cycle for the exploit or for the encounters? I wish you fascinating trips. PeaceSpread the love keveen
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