Like this:

So, our last day on the road.

Mixed feelings from both of us. Slight exhaustion is setting in after this particular stretch – 20 days non-stop since Lhasa, averaging 100+km per day and with all those passes and then the seriously full-on energy-sapping heat of Nepal. Our bodies have held out pretty well considering what we have been putting them through, but somehow they just keep going and going. Our minds, however, have had 2 months of rest, worrying only about food, water and shelter and about distance covered, but otherwise being able to spend most of the day in a zen-like trance watching the world roll by. On the other hand, I think we are both feeling slight reluctance to reach the end, having had such an amazing time. It has been wonderful to pass through such awesome places and to have had so much time together.

Our final stretch into Delhi was fairly uneventful. Traffic got heavier and heavier and there were the usual loads of passing motorbikes, cars and trucks slowing to stare, yell or give the thumbs up. We seem to have got the hang of large cities now and fairly easily made it right into the heart of a monsoon downpour New Delhi, where we headed for India Gate, the heart of the city. And, after 4,612km on the road, we finally arrived… a big hug and a smooch (typically, as we finished, a staring local who had clearly got a bit of a pervy kick out of it (PDAs are rare in India) urged us “More, more. Kiss again!”) and that was it.

We stood there in the drizzle at India Gate thinking of everything we have done over the past two months, hugged some more and then realised we needed a long, hot shower.

And so we cycled off towards our hotel up the main avenue, Rajpath. As we waited at some lights, we were stopped by a guy who asked us what we were doing and where we had come from. We told him the usual details and then cycled on up to the Presidential Palace for a quick peek (and even had a final race up the hill) and then turned round and come back. The guy was there waiting at the lights again. He stopped us and said his wife is a Times of India reporter and the paper wanted to do an interview on us. So we met her that afternoon. It was a great chance for us to recap our trip. Watch this space….

And then that shower.

And a rest.

And, we are still talking. And the wedding is still on!

STATS: Dist 60km. Avg 21.3. Time 2hr 47 mins

OVERALL TRIP STATS

Overall distance – 4,612km

Time in saddle – 239 hrs, 46 mins

Longest day – 150km

Fastest day – 25.1km/hr

Slowest day – 8.3km/hr

Highest point – 5,220m

Highest climb in a day – 2000m

Max speed 59.9km/hr

Litres of liquid (water, tea (in China), fizzy drinks (Nepal and India) consumed – about 282L each

Number of mossie bites – Sarah 359, stopped counting after that; Phil 3.

Number of single shoes spotted on road – 57 (estimate!)

Pairs of shoes spotted on road – 1

Number of swear words shouted at truck drivers –Formula: # = vocabulary quotient x (days in China + days in India) x crazy truck drivers on road.

Pairs of socks worn – Sarah 3, Phil 2

Pairs of shorts – Sarah 3, Phil 2 (girls, so much cleaner!)

Punctures – nil (thank you Schwalbe marathon tyres!)

Breakdowns – nil (thank you mechanic (Sarah))

Navigational errors – one

Most common question asked of us – “How much does your bike cost?” (China) and “Is she your wife?” and “Love marriage or arranged marriage?” (Nepal and India)

Best piece of equipment taken – squeezy container for honey.

Best moment – coming down from altitude and being able to breath (Sarah), Sarah coming down from altitude and no longer being grumpy (Phil)

Worst moment – losing each other in Kathmandu

Next Trip…………….???