Kathmandu, Nepal

After a thorough battering on Pakistan's roads, India's pot holed dirt track to the Nepal border proved too much for Pedro. He limped into Kathmandu leaving a trail of oil behind him. The oil leak had got so bad we were pouring in almost as much oil as petrol and even had to stop and buy more on our way into town.
Our plan was to find a hotel before it got dark and then track down a garage but Pedro had other ideas. One particularly steep and busy hill was too much for him, he died and refused to restart, causing a major traffic jam! Enter Sonam, who enlisted the help of some 20 or 30 people to push us up the hill to a safe stopping point. Then he helped us track down a garage. Much to our surprise we found there is a thriving VW scene in Nepal. Most of them were driven here by hippies in the 60's.

The garage crew were like a well oiled pit crew. They had Pedro jacked up, wheels off and checking everything in seconds. A compression test on the engine showed, err, none. So out it came for further investigation. I'd been driving for 5 days with virtually no brakes so I was delighted when they found a new master cylinder to fit, along with a new handbrake cable...it had become rather stretched from overuse when the footbrake wasn't enough.
Pedro's back end has been grounding out on every bump for the last few days. I suspected new shock absorbers were in order but hey just needed adjusting. He also had new rubber bushes, a new wheel bearing, new ball joints, a new clutch.

The mechanics father still works with his son in the garage despite his 70 years and did an expert job stripping the engine. Oil was leaking from around the "push rods" (forgive my lack of mechanical knowledge). They also replaced the piston rings while the engine was apart and cleaned everything.

Various members from the Nepal Beetle Users Group kept dropping by. They said they had heard from people at the border that a foreign Beetle had entered the country and had been looking out for us. One of the guys also told us they have been trying to plan a drive to Everest base camp for a long time because no Beetle has ever been driven there - Pedro will be the first!

Pedro was in the garage for 3 days but now drives like new! We were so lucky to make it as far as Kathmandu and we found Shantu Maharjhan and his father. True enthusiasts who went over Pedro with a fine tooth comb finding and fixing every little problem. The other Baja on the rally broke down in Kazahkstan where there was no help available and had to call it a day. I really feel for them, it could so easily have been the same story for us. I'm very grateful for the flower power generation driving their bugs here in the 60's and creating such a cool VW community here!

So after spending 3 days hanging around the garage and sorting paperwork for Tibet that left us just a few short hours for sight-seeing! We've been staying in the Thamel area which is a really cool area to hang out in. Loads of cheap shops selling hippie clothes, prayer flags, Tibetan singing bowls, Thanka's, rugs, tea and brand name trekking gear of dubious origin.

We only had time to visit one other area of the town so we chose Durbar square which is full of temples, shrines and touts trying to sell flutes, bags, necklaces, anything you want, or don't want really.

Beef is on the menu here but the cows still lounge around in the streets unmolested.

This ugly chap had people pushing things into his mouth, I'll refer back to the guide book later and find out what that was about.

One of the many bag sellers. I said I'd buy some if I could take her photo, so look out for one under the christmas tree this year!

The Thanka shop. Thanka's are beautiful, intricate paintings made by buddhist monks. I bought a couple of small ones so will post photos when I can take one that does justice to them!

Terai tours here have been very helpful in sorting out our paperwork for China. We are now all set to enter Tibet tomorrow morning. Our first stop will be Everest base camp. I'm guessing there won't be any internet access or mobile signal there so don't worry if you don't hear from us for a while.

India

India had a lot to live up to after Pakistan but Lahore to Delhi in one day is a long drive. We arrived in Delhi late and got very lost in the slums. This is the part of India the tourist board doesn't want you to see and is pretty shocking. After seeing how the rickshaw owners sleep in squallid condiations, near naked on their rickshaws at the roadside, you can forgive the constant hustling for business.

Agra was more enjoyable, although we were beseiged by small children selling everything from water to Taj Mahal snow globes! We stayed in the Maya Guest house which was really lovely, relaxed and had an ecellent restaurant. As you can imagine we were both pretty road weary after the long drive so we decided to put on our glad rags and pose for pictures in front of the Taj as all the Indian families do. I wanted to take a photo of white teddy at the Taj too but security wouldn't let him in! He had to wait for us in the locker room, sorry James but he is safe and well and I will upload another photo soon.

We put in a lot of long driving days in India to try and get back on schedule for our pre-arranged China tour guide and we thought we were ging to manage it. Our only other stop in India was Varanasi where we took an early morning cruise along the Ganges. Actually "cruise" gives the wrong impression.....we were rowed along the Ganges in a leaky wooden boat in the early morning drizzle and mist. It was still fascinating to see the "ghats", the stepped areas along the river where the locals were out in force washing themselves and their clothes, praying and even burning their dead. We were told that when a person is burnt the ashes are then scattered in the river. If the person has died of leprosy or small pox it is considered a curse for bad karma in a previous life and they cannot receive the blessing of being burnt. Instead rocks are tied to the body and it is dropped in the centre of the river - except sometimes the rocks come loose and the body floats up! Oddly, and I didn't quite understand this one, a snake bite victim is tied to a log and floated downstream.

Burning Ghat on the Ganges

The traffic has been a complete nightmare in India! The streets are filled with Tuk Tuks, rickshaws, bikes, motorbikes, cars and lorries and they all go where they want. There don't seem to be any rules of the road. It's not uncommon to be driving down a nice bit of dual carriageway and find traffic coming at you from the opposite direction! Sometimes this is because the traffic on the opposite carriageway has been diverted without any warning to those on the other side. Sometimes it seems they must be drunk or on drugs. You certainly have to keep your wits about you, especially in the cities. At railway crossings the traffic doesn't queue but pushes forward as much as possible on both sides of the road with bikes and rickshaws filling every available space. Then; when the barriers open you're facing the same situation on the opposite side of the crossing and have to fight your way through the traffic. It was at one of these crossings that Pedro's sump guard bent again and was dragging the ground so we had to stop, and block this free for all of traffic! I got out and started taking the sump guard off which was pretty difficult with a 5 deep crowd pressing around trying to see what I was doing. I found that the hardest thin in India, when ever we stopped the car would be mobbed with people pressing in from all sides, for the most part just blankly staring. There was never any malice, it was just a little difficult to cope with at times. Some of the guys did offer to help with the sump guard when they saw what I was doing though and it was soon bent back into shape and back on the car. The problem is that Pedro's rear suspension has suffered first on the rough roads in Pakistan and then on the bumpy Indian roads. He really needs new shock absorbers which we will find in Kathmandu.

Pakistan - biggest surprise of the trip so far!

The main road out of Loralai, a truck had gone off the "road" blocking traffic in both directions till the digger pulled it out!

Pakistan is hot, it's touched 50 degrees here which is absolutely draining!
It's dusty, the roads are non-existent.
I got food poisoning and found myself in Quetta hospital for 2 days.
Pedro suffered on the "roads" too, we had to drive through a river where the bridge was being constructed which bent the sump guard and damaged the car. It's been so hot that the brake pipes have actually melted.
Even if you can find an air-conditioned hotel you won't enjoy the cool air for long because of the regular power cuts!
Pakistan is a seriously harsh place to live! So why do I love it so much?

Melon sellers

There is such colour and diversity of life here. In Quetta brand new 4x4's share the streets with donkey carts, camel carts, tuk tuks, lorries and even the odd herd of sheep or goats can be seen being driven round the roundabouts.
The lorries are works of art, elaborately decorated like gypsy caravans.
They crawl along at a snails pace but who can mind being stuck behind something so beautiful.

Pedro with some of the colourful trucks.

Then there are the people. I almost didn't come to Pakistan because so many people gave me dire warnings about kidnappings, terrorists, bandits, tribal feuds and how much westerners are hated.
I think this is why Pakistan has been the biggest surprise. The people have been so unbelievably friendly and welcoming.

When I crossed the border from Iran I was immediately offered tea, the paperwork could wait, tea came first.
That's another thing, the little bits of Britishness that make you smile when you're away from home. In Pakistan they drive on the left and everything stops for tea and cricket.
Despite my reservations when I said I was English I always received a warm response. The British may have ruled over Pakistan but they also built all of the railways, bridges, schools and hospitals and this hasn't been forgotten.

The prettiest little girls in Pakistan.

Little did I know I was soon to experience one of these hospitals first hand as I went down with a bad case of food poisoning!
Becoming violently ill in the night, I was admitted to Quetta Christian Hospital for 2 days. The ward was hot with just ceiling fans for cooling and flies buzzing around.
As far as cleanliness goes it was probably on a level with Southampton General Hospital. I noted that all needles did come out of sealed, sterile packs.
The nurses were a lot nicer than the ones I met in Southampton general though and I was seen a lot quicker! IV fluids were given to me via a canula in the back of my hand along with antibiotics and pain killing injections.
One of the nurses, Sheenez, spoke excellent english. She's marrying her boyfriend in london and moving there next year!
The ladies in the ward were curious about me and Shenez translated, mostly they were saying I had beautiful skin and wanted to know what face cream I used!
And of course the first question all Pakistani women ask me "are you married?"

A lovely family I met.

Saying goodbye to my friends in the hospital I took one of the colourful tuk tuks to the hotel and was reunited with Pedro. I had been given police escorts since the Pakistan border, although kidnappings are rare, they take tourist safety very seriously.
They didn't seem concerned about my security in the hospital but insisted on escorting me out of the city. One of the guards sat in the car with me and kept touching my leg - so I slapped him and shouted at him if he touched me again he could get out of the car!
He didn't touch me again and the escort left me at the city limits declaring the road ahead safe.

I had originally planned to take a southerly route through Pakistan as I'd been advised that was the safest route but when the police asked me did I want to go south to Sukor or north through Loralai, I chose Loralai, partly beacause it looked a quicker, more direct route and partly just because I liked the name.

Every village I drove through on the way greeted me with smiles and waves. The final stretch of the road to Loralai took me through some stunning mountains, then I rounded a bend in the road and was flagged down at another police check point. My heart sank, I didn't really want another escort after the leg feeler!
All of the men were uniformed except one. Nasir approached my car window wearing light brown salwar kameez and aviator sunglasses - Pakistan Miami Vice!
He told me he was anxious because they expected me 2 hours earlier. I explained that Pedro is not a fast car and I also missed the first turning because he road signs weren't in English.
He asked if he could travel in the car with me, I was a little hesitant given my previous experience but agreed. Nasir was very considerate and respectful. He treated me like I was a princess and he was my bodyguard. Yes, I was quite taken with him and have been missing him since leaving Loralai but, as luck or fate would have it, he is coming to London in March to train with the Met Police for at least 6 months. . .

Lahore Mosque

Rica rejoined me in Lahore and we headed to the border where there is a nightly flag lowering ceremony involving much pomp and ceremony. Pakistan are on one side and India on the other both shouting support for their countries while the guards stamp, march and shout. It's great fun but of course Rica and I were supporting Pakistan.

Rica and I with one of the border guards at the flag ceremony

Oh yeah, I made the paper too!!

Iran

Driving from Esfahan to Shiraz Pedro developed a bit of a misfire. Iranian "Benzine" is only 80 octane and can be pretty poor quality "Super"is better at 90 octane but only available in big cities if you know where to look. I figured Pedro must have picked up some dirty Benzine so pulled into a garage, with a life size david Beckham cardboard cut out in the doorway, in the town of Adabeh.
The guys didn't speak english but as I was pointing to the carburetter indicating that there was dirt inside Ali appeared. Ali explained to them what I was saying and said they would take care of it. They cleaned out the air filter and blew air through the carb which I wasn't convinced was the best way to clean it but ought to clear a blockage and the charge was only 10,000 rials (about 80p).
Ali then insisted that I go back to his house and meet his family. Sure enough I arrived at his house and saw his wife, Roya, peeping around the doorway without her headscarf on, the first time I had seen any iranian lady without a headscarf. Ali had to go back to work but his wife Roya and daughter Neeloofah took me out for the evening to Roya's sister's house.

Here I am in Roya's siters garden with some of the family. Roya is in the orange top and Neeloofah in the blue. Note that I am dressed more conservatively even than Roya's mother(to her left). I was suprised to see that once the headscarves and outdoor coats come off everyone is dressed very casually in jeans and T-shirts. Even granny who arrived in a full chador was dressed just like an English granny might underneath. As for the boys, they played football in the yard and squabbled like children everywhere and like little boys everywhere their hero is David Beckham.

Roya's sister kept a constant supply of Tea and food coming all evening and I learnt a new word "Bocco" meaning eat! By evening I was about ready to burst but it was all lovely. Flat bread with honey, walnuts, cheese, butter, yoghurt, salad etc
The next day I was sorry to say goodbye as I headed on to Persepolis. Unfortunately the fault with the car was still there. He was running at a fairly normal speed but still had the annoying miss-fire which if anything seemed to be getting worse.

The heat at Persepolis was intense. It's hot in the car withno air-conditioning but with a constant supply of water and the breeze through the window it's barable. "Don't you have a hat?" asked a girl in the car park. "No" I said it hadn't actually occured to me to put a hat on top of the headscarf I was already wearing but she was right my face would get burnt without one. "Here" she said, handing me hers, "my gift to you" She showed me the way into the complex and then said goodbye. Most of the women were wearing similar visors on top of their scarves and even over Chadors.

The ancient site of persepolis was incredible, everything that I had expected and more. I've seen statues like these in the British Museum but nothing can compare to actually walking around the site they have stood on for thousands of years.

I had intended to continue to Shiraz but the pakistan border lay in the other direction and with the car playing up I didn't think I could afford the time. I stopped in another garage on the way out of Persepolis and indicated my dirt in the carb theory again. They did the same as the first garage but again the problem persisted.

Some miles up the road with the mis-fire getting worse I stopped in another garage and then I discovered why the mechanic's hadn't actually seemed that competent. A ploiceman stopped to buy some oil and I discovered these roadside places are just simple oil top up or change joints not proper mechanics. The policeman showed me the way to a mechanics where Pedro drew a small crowd. The fault was eventually traced to the condenser but not before half the children in town had Petrolhead Nirvana stickers on their bikes! I suspect a number of the cars got stickered too. The car in the background here is a Paykan 1600 and seems to me exactly the same as an old Ford Cortina.

In Yazd I missed the ring road and got lost in the city trying to find my way onto the road for kerman. Then I saw my first iranian Beetle!! A blue 1303s. I pulled in for a chat with the guys who were as excited as me to see another Beetle. They were fascinated by Pedro's baja style body kit and had lots of questions about who made him that way and where can they buy one. I think they now have plans to come to the Uk or Germany, buy a Baja and drive it home. Sorry for the bad photo, I think it's time I cleaned the windscreen and it was really too dangerous to get out and take photos in the traffic!

I spent the night in Kerman intending to continue to the border town of Zahedan the next day but Pedro had other ideas. We only made it as far as Bam when his throttle cable snapped. I coasted to a stop at the roadside and was attempting to fix it with some gaffer tape which to be honest was never going to work when first a van and then a car stopped. the van driver gave me some cold water while the well dressed man in the car made a phone call and spoke into his walkie talkie. A police nissan Patrol arrived, the policeman saluted the man in the suit (i found out later he was the head of all the police in the area). They towed me to Akbar's guest house and along with another police car went to find a mechanic. the problem being that it's friday and friday is the day of rest here, nobody works.

Well as I've been writing this the chief of police, Akbar's son and 2 different mechanics have been calling around and just now I heard the engine fire up! They found a cable from another car and he's fixed!

So tomorrow I'm heading to pakistan and the chief of police has arranged for a plain clothes policeman in a plain car to follow me to the border, apparently there has been a little trouble in this area. A couple of tourists were kidnapped by drug smugglers who then demanded the authorities release one of them who was in prison. The tourists were treated very well and were released a few days later but it would still be nice to avoid the experience so I'll take the offered escort.

I missed a bit at the start of this post as I'm having trouble uploading my photos from my other memory card of Mount Ararat and the Mongolian Rally guys I met at the border so will try and add that later. right now I need food, a shower and sleep in that order.

Kosovo to turkey

Rica was keen to visit Bill Clinton so we had to say goodbye to the MAT guys and head on our way. This may come as a suprise to some people but Pristina in Kosovo is the home of Bill Clinton.

Unfortunately Pedro didn't appreciate the heavy rain and miles of muddy road to get to Pristina. Their were major road works going on and Pedro chose the busiest, muddiest section to cut out. No amount of tinkering, which for me amounted to spraying lots of WD40 around the by now soaking engine, was working. Pedro attracts a lot of attention though and before long a polish doctor stopped and offered us a tow to a garage. He spoke excellent English so translated the problem to the garage before heading on his way.

So. stood at the side of the road, in the mud and rain and who should appear but Artur from MAT with his wife Nicky, children, Lisa and Jan and also his niece who is called Fiona! They had been shopping in Pristina and were on their way home when they recognised the old Beetle in the garage!

The fault was eventually traced to a small part of the carb which sends a sugnal to the throttle so that it doesn't cut out when you take your foot off the accelerator. I'm sure someone can tell me what it's called, we didn't know the translation from kosovan. Luckily, the garage owner, who was wearing a splendid pork pie hat, found one the same on an old russian carb in his workshop.

So, we said goodbye to Artur and his family again and were on our way again. It was still raining and very dark when we drove up Bill Clinton avenue in Pristina but Rica got her photo!

A lot of effort to have your photo taken with a former president but I understand the fascination. Most Americans would struggle to find kosovo on a map and yet here is a country who proudly fly the American flag, have named the main street of their capital city after an American president and display a 4 metre tall picture of him in the centre of town. All out of gratitude for the help offered by America during the war with Serbia. Most of the mines and cluster bombs being cleared by MAT are american but they don't feel any bitterness about that because it was neccessary to end the war with Serbia. Britain also helped during the conflict, so the British and American's are very warmly welcomed in Kosovo.

Of course this put us well behind schedule again so we had to high tail it through Macedonia and greece. On entering Macedonia Rica managed to convince customs that they were part of Europe so we didn't have to buy car insurance, well 50 euros for 3 hours in the country did seem a bit steep! It did cause a small problem when leaving the country but the officials eventually decided we weren't worth the paperwork and let us go.

Greece went by in a bit of a flash of mostly night driving but at the border we met a group of Polish 4x4 drivers. They were on a tour from Poland to turkey and back in a fleet of landrovers - Light weights! Of course they loved Pedro and we found ourselves posing for probably the millionth photo of this trip! There must be pictures of Pedro all over the internet by now!

We arrived in Istanbul later that night, where Rica had arranged to stay at a couch surfing flat. For those unfamiliar with couch surfing, it's a website where people advertise floor space, a spare bed or sofa in their house free to international visitors. well these guys had obviously been doing it for a while because they had a flat full. Apart from rica and I there were 2 Australians, a Slovenian girl and 2 chezch girls were just leaving. It turned into a bit of a couch surfing party with different flavour Shisha being smoked.

To get back on schedule I had to leave early the next morning for the drive to cappodocia. Rica's Iranian visa didn't arrive in time so she is flying to meet me in pakistan. I arrived in Cappodocia very late, Pedro was running very slowly, especially up hills. As the staff in the hotel here speak perfect English I asked them to direct me to a mechanic.

Mustafah didn't speak any English but unlike a lot of men that I've met since arriving in Turkey was very kind and respectful. He understood the problem and set about stripping down the carb. It seems I'd picked up a bit of dirty fuel. The air filter was also filter so that received a petrol bath and a blow out with the air line. He didn't like the way the carb moved around so made a little bracket to secure it. He was also concerned about a crack in one of Pedro's fibreglass wings. I didn't have any way to tell him it's been like that since I bought him so I let him rivet a plate underneath, I think the idea is that it will stop it getting worse and add a little strength.

The guys in the garage were all very sweet and even shared their luch with me. It really changed my attitude to Turkish men who I was starting to think were all just out to chat up western women and Pedro is now running great again.

Unfortunatley after the garage I stopped at some market stalls where I was instantly harrassed and some bloke stuck black eye-liner on me! I didn't want it but thought I'd end up with it stuck in my eye if I moved!
So, with rica still in Istanbul I set out to expore Cappodocia with our other passenger. If you've read my earlier post then you'll know that James beauchamp has sent his best friend `white teddy` travelling with us. Here he is enjoying the cave homes in Goreme national park.




I'm videoing this journey too but it's a little difficult while I'm on my to film and talk to camera at the same time. I set the camera up in one of the caves to record myself, the 2 new yorkers who walked in didn't see the camera and thought I was a crazy person talking to myself.

The camel doesn't look too convinced so I didn't bother!!

Got to run now, on the hotel computer and other guests are waiting to use it, hence the hurried post - apologies for any typos!

Mines Awareness Trust, Peja (Pec), Kosovo

When we crossed the border into Kosovo the MAT landcruiser was waiting for us along with Danny, Artur and the trusts founder Ben. Danny and Ben were just over from the UK for a few days and hadn't received the e-mail about our jourey so we were really lucky to meet them.

It's a steep drive down from the mountains to Peja in the valley below. Poor Pedro's brakes were smoking so we stopped for a little rest part way to say hello to our hosts. MAT have an office in Peja with a couple of rooms for visiting staff from the UK. Ben and Danny very kindly gave there rooms up for us and called Zippy to send some gorgeous local food up from his fathers restaurant......including cows brains!


This morning we said our goodbyes to Ben and Danny who had to fly back to the UK. Artur first took us into town where we left Pedro for a check up at the local garage. Everybody loves Pedro, he gets so much attention! There are VW vans everywhere here but very few Beetles and I don't think anyone has ever seen a Baja. they find him fascinating, especially the big tyres which several people have asked to buy!

So leaving Pedro with the mechanic we jumped into the Landcruiser and headed up into the mountains to visit two MAT project sites. At the first site we met the team of de-miners and their specially trained detection dogs. The handlers were kind enough to demonstrate how the dogs work in a team of two to search out explosives.


Then they had a special surprise for me! This morning the team discovered two grenades and a mortar. These had been wired up for a controlled explosion and Artur offered me the chance to press the button! Flora, the famous lady de-miner who has been featured in Vogue, helped Rica and I on with flack Jackets and helmets. We were shown where to stand and where to set the video camera up to catch the explosion. So, hiding behind a tree in my flack jacket Artur began the countdown, at "three" I held my finger on the charge button, then at "zero" pressed the detonator. The sound echoed around the surrounding hillsides. It felt good to remove those three devices from exixtence. We passed children playing in the mountains, they are aware of the threat of mines but what can they do, they still need to live their lives. It's good to know that at least three of these potentially lethal explosives can no longer harm anyone. All I did was press the button though, the mine team were very careful to ensure our safety at the site. They are the ones who risk their lives everyday to continue this work.
The afternoon was a much sader occasion as we visited a second site where clearance work has ceased. The whole area is littered with cluster bombs. Cluster bombs scatter over a very wide area so it is very time consuming to survey the whole area and remove the threat. Some bombs lie as close as 200 feet from family homes. The Mines Awareness Trust desperately need more funding so they can continue where they left off clearing this site. Their team is currently only 10 de-miners and without extra funding it will take many years to clear these areas. As the years go by the mines and unexploded weapons of war become harder to detact as they become covered in layers of leaf mulch.

If you would like to support MAT you can do so by sponsoring us at: www.justgiving.com/overland2oz

Montenegro

Finally back on schedule! We spent the night in Podgorica.

Next morning we headed on towards Kosovo through the stunning mountains of Montenegro. Everytime we stopped to take photos other people would stop and take photos of us!