Day 301: Hetauda > Bhimphedi
We start a little late from where we were, because we didn’t plan to ride long distances. Before leaving town, we go to a bike shop to tighten the bindings on my saddle and saddle.
We drive more slowly than usual, with the first climbs facing us. We stop several times to admire the scenery, like a suspension bridge that crosses the river, a waterfall in a bend but also to enjoy it while bathing in the river (where the current is strong enough).
We meet lots of cute villages and stop in a guest house because the night is fast approaching and we still have to climb almost 900 meters on 11 kilometers.
Result of the day: 23 km
Day 302: Bhimphedi > Kathmandu
Wake up early enough, a big climb awaits us!
We climbed the mountain very slowly in front of us and then paused for a break before meeting three kilometers later in a small restaurant to eat cakes and drink a drink (I left empty bottles).
I’m still trying to reach the summit, being the hardest climb I’ve had since the beginning of the course (at the level of the altitude difference but also the state of the road). We manage to make this stop a few kilometers farther by a 4×4 and it was the best thing to do! We had 30 kilometers to go, but the road was practically impracticable by car and even less by bicycle, probably due to the earthquakes of 2015. It took us two hours to get to our destination, with a driver who had his bottle to give it probably courage but with whom we got along great (as usual you will say to me!).
Once in town, we only had two kilometers to go to reach our hostel, the Zen Bed & Breakfast that I recommend for those who come here. On the spot we meet Stéphane, a cyclist who left Paris for a world tour!
Result of the day: 5 km
Day 303-306: Kathmandu
The following days, we spend very little time visiting the city (at least by myself, probably by laziness) but we don’t forget our old habits: going to bars.
We left Imad and I for an excursion to Nagarkot, the closest town to Kathmandu to admire Everest. We take a 2-3 hour walk through the forest to get away from it all and do our “first real trekking”. Two hours round trip, two hours return by bus was necessary for that. I’m chaining up an incalculable number of burgers and momos all along the journey here.
The next day, I went looking for a bike shop that could provide me with a box that I could take the plane but also drop my stuff there to be quiet and I chose Panc Bike. The next day was the separation between our group. Since I return to the fold, I let Imad continue his journey on his side, 86 days after our first meeting. It was the meeting of the year for me and we both know that this new friendship will last for a very long time and that we revere each other in Canada, in France or anywhere else!
Back alone, I meet other French (and a Quebecer!) present at the hostel and we visit the city as the Temple of Pashupatinath to Bodnath. We’ll spend the evening at the bar that I used to go with Imad to join the pool parties.
Day 307-308: Kathmandu > Paris
Today is the departure, my flight is at 3:10 pm with a stopover of 9 hours in Mumbai but I take advantage of the morning to finish writing this article. I have to land on Sunday at 8:20 if all goes well.
As stated in the previous article, cycling ends “already”, but it won’t be the last one! Thank you all for following me and I hope that through my blog you too have been able to travel.
Thank you to all the people who participated in this trip, directly or indirectly because without you, I don’t know if I would be here at that time. So I left for a little more than 10 months, more than 8000 kilometers of pedaling for a crossing of 18 countries across Europe and Asia.
I will continue to feed the blog, like putting all my photos online once at home, but also on the new one: www.chasinglifedreams.fr