Richie's World Tour or Go Mad on a Nomad

[jags]

Fair play Richie sounds like your having a blast.
happy christmas and have a great new year and super safe journey.
respect man..

anto.
jags.

[richie thornger]

Happy New Year to you all.
I've made it to Jaffna in the North of Sri Lanka.
I'm treating myself to a £5 hotel for the night and catching up with a few bits.
On the last day of the year I got my chain replaced. 285 rupees including fitting thats £1.25
It has solved my grinding problems that had got to the crazy point.
If remember correctly, which I often don't. My chain was off when I got back to Iran so perhaps it had kinked whilst sat on the floor for 6 months??? This is my conclusion. I'm sticking to it and that's that.

Stat time:
If I survive wild elephants, tick , wild leopards not tick , crocodiles (small ones) tick ,and man eating lizards (apparently) tick and poisonous snakes (only dead ones) and actually make it back to Colombo. I will have clocked up over 10,000 cycle touring km's since Liverpool.

I've haven't cycled in Africa or India but if anyone has can you tell me if it's possible to cycle in national parks /reserves with the very real chance of coming up face to face with dangerous animals?

I was so pleased to be able to cycle through Wilpattu National Park and actually see all of the above with no fences to protect me.
Yes the Elephants were quite far away but to know they might have been closer was a real thrill.

The night before I entered Wilpattu I followed a sign that took me through the forest to a swimming spot on a river beach. A couple of families were having a picnic and I joined them and decided to stay the night. They all thought I was crazy pointing to the Elephant poo and told me it was very dangerous but I was more interested in getting to see Elephants in the wild for the first time.
Only when they went and it got dark, I remembered I had lost my head torch! So armed with just my phone for a light I climbed a tree. After an hour and having ate my dinner and surrounded by total darkness. I realised what I had got myself into and realised the tree all night would be a nightmare, I began to get a bit scared.
So I got down and built a fire and hoped that would scare them off.
I fell asleep a few times and survived until morning.
No new poo to be seen.

If you find out I've been mauled,squashed,bitten or wrestled to death rest assured it's one way I would like to go!!!!
I'm just loving being this close to scary nature

[moodymac]

Richie,

Man, be careful out there!  Doesn't that part of the world have tigers and King Cobras?  I think I have read where several people per year are killed by each.  You've definitely got nerve.  I think I would have to take Andre with me (along with one of his trusted gun bearers)!  Have fun but be safe.


Tom

[John Saxby]

Wicked, Richie! -- though I'd go with a guide if I were in your saddle.

I've haven't cycled in Africa or India but if anyone has can you tell me if it's possible to cycle in national parks /reserves with the very real chance of coming up face to face with dangerous animals?

We lived in South Africa between 2003 and 2006, and I recall seeing an advert for a cycling trip through Kruger Ntl Park, about 4 - 5 days if I recall.  If your velosafari takes you to Africa, that would be worth checking out. That tour was guided, and the guides would have carried weapons.  

Just had a quick squiz at the options via Google, and here's a reference to mountain-biking in Kruger:  http://www.southafrica.net/za/en/articles/entry/article-southafrica.net-mountain-biking-in-the-kruger-national-park#.UsWUwPahDU4

Here's another, from South Africa's Ntl Parks agency:  http://www.sanparks.org/parks/kruger/camps/olifants/tourism/activities/biking/  (Includes a foto with guides on bikes, rifles slung across their backs!)

Looks to me as if one can do this only by renting a bike in the park, at Olifants Camp -- i.e., you can't take your own bike.  And, day trips only -- no camping beyond th fenced camp.

Good luck with it all, in any case.  -  J.

[Danneaux]

Richie,

I'd be a bit concerned about something like this happening: http://digitaljournal.com/article/312615

John's suggestion sounds like a good one; I have a feeling some of the larger carnivores could regard a cyclist as prey. This occasionally happens with mountain lions in the American West: http://tchester.org/sgm/lists/lion_attacks_ca.html

All the best,

Dan. (...who doesn't want Richie to get stomped, squished or eaten)

[John Saxby]

Seconding Dan's opinion.  I've camped in the bush in Africa sans weapons, sans fence, and you don't have to worry about elephants stumbling over your tent--they're careful creatures, with a delicate touch. (Be careful about camping beneath the trees if they're ripping off the branches, however.)  The big cats can be more of an issue, as are scorpions.  In those situations, however, I was in a car or Landrover in the parks themselves. As for camping outside the parks, there aren't many spots in Southern Africa any more, where you have to worry about big cats outside the parks, or even elephants.

[Matt2matt2002]

Hi Richie. Once again you put a smile on my face with your talesfrom far away.

Re the elephants; I always carry a carrot.

In all the years I have carried a carrot I have never seen an elephant; proof of works; yes?

Please write to me from hospital if this doesn't work for you.

Best wishes for 2014 from a wet and windy Aberdeen, Scotlandshire.

Matt

[rualexander]

I've haven't cycled in Africa or India but if anyone has can you tell me if it's possible to cycle in national parks /reserves with the very real chance of coming up face to face with dangerous animals?

I cycled across southern India back in 1995.
On my way from Ootacamund (Ooty) to Mysore I rode through Mudumalai National Park, including an overnight stop at the lodge at the park headquarters where I enjoyed the cheapest ever night's accommodation in the dormitory for the princely sum of 5 rupees (equivalent to 10p at that time), and I think breakfast was included!
Next morning I set off early through the rest of the park and had only ridden a few miles when I saw an animal emerge from the roadside, initially I thought it was a deer and kept cycling, as I got closer it became obvious it was no deer, I stopped at the point where I recognised it as a Tiger!
Ok, what do I do here? I watched it start to cross the road a couple of hundred yards up ahead, hoping it wasn't going to look my way. Only thing I could think of was to take out my camera and take a photo. It continued across the road and just as it went off into the trees I heard a truck coming up behind me, so I started pedalling, increasing my speed as the truck came level and pedalled like mad keeping the truck on my right between me and the area where the Tiger was, as the truck passed me I looked to my right and saw the back of the Tiger walking off down a path through the forest. Phew!
A few miles later I passed a boundary checkpoint and mentioned my encounter to the guards, they said that it wouldn't have caused me any problems, but I wasn't convinced.
Later the same day I passed roadsigns warning of Elephants, 'Do not stop', 'Do not get out of your car', no mention of bikes!
I didn't see any wild Elephants that day but was glad to get to Mysore.

First photo is as taken, hard to make out Tiger on road up ahead. Second photo is crop of first photo, Tiger is there but a bit grainy.

[richie thornger]

I'm going to Mysore. Fantastic. And what a story with pics aswell. Yes taking a photo would be my first reaction too I hope that NP is still open. I was in Goa in 1999 and boy has that changed. I'd imagine all the tigers have there own call centre in Bangalore now.

I think the night time elephant situation taught me something about myself. I get myself into these situations and then when the excitement has died down a bit I realise the seriousness and try to respect it. It happens on mountains, cold weather, sea, dodgy parts of town!!!

I think If I had been attacked by a leopard, people would have been more bothered that they are still in existence than the cyclist. They are so rarely seen.
Plus a bit of my info is so dodgy from the locals. Elephants and snakes yes. But apparently there are lions AND tigers to be aware of

Telling me that camping is OK near Elephants is probably not what anyone else wants to here but music to my ears. I will of course do some research , don't worry.

Apart from perhaps startling an Elephant as we meet around a corner I think my biggest concern should be snakes. I'm sure I read that the second biggest killer in Sri Lanka after road accidents is snake bites.

If you have seen my photos on my blog you will see one of my tent inside a tree. Not sure what these trees are called but the roots grow down from the branches to the ground. I found one that was big enough to put my tent inside. I just love to camp in ridiculous situations
When the locals found me in the morning they told me they come here because poisonous snakes live in the vines!!!!!

As I'm camping I'll just have to keep my eyes open. The blue and black ones are the ones I have to worry about apparently. Which is good as I'm colour blind with green/brown/red.

As for guides, the NP situation in SL is so expensive for tourists. It works out about $200 for a single person.
Entrance fees , compulsory guides, and compulsory jeeps. It's just out of my budget whilst my phone bill is being disputed. Plus it just turns it into an event rather than something real on my cycling trip.

THANKS FOR ALL THE INPUT

[richie thornger]

GPS, Routes & Geo-tagging

I have a Garmin Edge 800 gps/cycle computer which I use for recording my days rides.
After my Edge 705 failed on my Liverpool to Istanbul leg I have learnt this:
Set the unit to record to the memory card. That way if the unit fails, or even resets, which my Edge 800 has done once on this trip, you will have access to your data.
I then use a free program called PhotoMapper for overlaying the GPS co-ordinates onto my photographs so I can view them on a map.
The thing it doesn't seem to do is allow me to copy a co-ordinate to a batch of photos.
Anyone have any suggestions on this?

For photos I take on the move it works great. But when stopped at camp or in a town I want to copy the last known co-ordinate.

EDIT:
Isn't it funny, when you're not looking for something you often find it.
I've been looking for a way of displaying all my routes together on one map.
I've not been able to find a site that does this because because of all the data.
Whilst using photomapper I've noticed it does exactly this. I will have to do a screen shot but its the best solution I've found so far.
Unless anyone knows of another.
I'll see if it can cope with my entire route and post the result

EDIT 2
http://batmantorobben.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/screenprint-full-route-crop.jpg?w=660

[moodymac]

"Re the elephants; I always carry a carrot."

Ha ha, good one Matt!  Do you plan on feeding it to the herd, or beating them off.  If you can manage with the other hand; video please.


Tom

[richie thornger]

FINANCES:
I've just been looking at how much I've been spending since I've been away.
This is the first time I've done this.
My original goal was to try and not spend more than £10 a day whilst on the road. Something I thought I would be able to do easily.
Well INCLUDING ALL MY COSTS which include FLIGHTS and VISAS I've averaged £13 per day over 501 days.
**does not include my initial bike and lugagge costs**
That includes a few hundred pound stolen in India and a few hundred on an Iranian visa that didn't get used because of the fun time in prison in Iraq
Big costs:
Flight to Istanbul from UK
IRAN visa x 3!!!!
Pakistan visa
India visa
Return flight to Delhi from Iran
Boat from Iran to Dubai
Flight from Dubai to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Visa
Postage costs
Hotel costs for 6 months in India,Pakistan,India
Motorcycle rental in India and Pakistan
various bike bits including 2 new mondial folding tyres

I've been out for £50 meals in Delhi and lived off less than that for a month in Iran.
I've had a beer whenever I've wanted ,if you can buy it and always eaten whatever I want.
I've been buying bottled water since i broke my water filter in Iraq
I do tend to eat cheaply when its available but I cook for myself too.

In Iraq,Iran, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka its easy to eat for around £1 a meal on average  3 times a day
In Iran particularly I found myself eating a large lunch and saving half of it for dinner

I use a Santander Zero credit card which has no charges for use abroad. I pay money into this account by standing order from my bank account and withdraw cash using the card when i need it. This way I don't pay any cash interest. No fees at all. (It's actually against the t&c's and they do mention it every know and again but i don't think they are bothered). I only use this card for cash and never in shops or online transactions. This came about after the card being cloned in Turkey.
I use a Barclaycard World Mastercard for other transactions which has minimal fees for use abroad.
I keep a few hundred euros and a few hundred dollars on me. And also a few other credit cards.
I spread these out between my bags so if one gets stolen I still have access to the others.
This turned out to be a life saver when I had my wallet stolen in India.

I think this daily rate will probably halve over the next 8 months

I think my 70 days from liverpool to istanbul in 2011 worked out at £3.50 a day on the road.

The one thing that I don't tend to spend money on is "events" : safaris, theatres, concerts, adrenaline sports etc

Hope this helps anyone planning a longer trip

*It doesn't include my £6000 phone bill

[moodymac]

Richie,

You are having one heck of an adventure!  Sounds if the thefts and Iranian visa had not occurred, you would be well under your budget.  Using hindsight, could any practicable measures have been taken that would have prevented any of the thefts?  Is the large (gigantic) phone bill trip related (vs. anytime mistake)?

Hope you get the phone thing straightened out, and continue on.  A great read, on a fantastic trip.


Tom

[Donnydid]

Hi Richie

I will be going to Iran for a month later on in the year and wondered how you organised your money there?
Did you take US Dollars into Iran and how much would you think I would need for a month?
Also is it possible to use your card to get money from "the hole in the wall"......do they have holes in the wall in Iran?

This is the kind of information that I am looking for, many thanks for sharing your experiences, its really interesting.

Take care Richie!

Dave

[richie thornger]

Tom, theft was my wallet from my pocket whilst asleep on a sleeper train in India.
It's a common thing with gangs working to pick out tourists and hop on and hop off before anything is noticed.
I was unlucky. If i had stuffed my wallet in my underwear then perhaps it might not have happened

Phone bill was due to a comedy of errors. Orange didn't give me full advice on changing my sim when i swapped my contract phone of 13 years over to payg to keep the same number. the sim didnt arrive before i left, my friend registered the new one in the way i told him, which was the wrong way apparently. Only noticed it hadnt been cancelled when i checked my bank account 6 months later and someone in Iraq either stole/found or cloned my number!!! Adjudication/Courtcase is ongoing.

CANCEL anything FULLY before going on an extended trip.

Dave,
Iran is a fully functioning country with THE MOST BANKS YOU WILL SEE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, it's crazy. Because of current sanctions no European or North American and I'm guessing Japanese bank cards will work.
Tehran is just like any European capital city, with driving worse than India!!!
I took GBP, USD and EUR. I ended up staying longer than expected and needed more cash. I was lucky and had made good friends who i trusted. They had friends in the UK so I transferred cash to their UK bank account and then got it from their friends in Iran. You can do this if you're stuck, in cities like Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz. It will cost you a percentage and you have to take a leap of faith that it will go OK.
Avoid changing money with men in the street and stick to the exchange shops and you'll be ok. Ask for the rate first and a receipt and you'll be fine.
Iran is so easy to camp in and so cheap. I can't imagine you will need more than £500 for a month SUPER Maximum. Probably more like £200 if you are not staying in hotels or spending on anything except food.
You'll have so many offers of lunch , dinner and places to stay, usually made to you at 9'oclock in the morning And you WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO BUY ANYONE ANYTHING IN RETURN
That said the Rial is growing stronger by the day. It was 10% stronger in August than in February last year.
Mosques are a great place to stay if you get stuck in a city But nearly every city and town has a place specially for tents, no cost.