Jan. 27 - Lahan, Nepal

Thursday, January 27 :: Lahan, Nepal :: 145km today / 2915km total

With a new weld on my bike I was off and rolling again, albeit with a late morning start. I wasn't feeling that great, and Nepali food has proven to be quite inferior to Indian food. I didn't eat nearly enough the night before, and would pay for it today, bigtime.

The temperatures here at this time of year are pleasant, like May/June in Canada, and the road was flat and should have been easy. But I was exhausted, having puked my guts out repeatedly a few days before in Darjeeling and not having made up for it. It was only at the 80km mark that I started looking for a place to stay - but here, in rural Nepal, lodging was sparse, and I was in trouble. I just had to keep riding.

Then a great, unexpected sight, coming at me on the other side of the road - bike tourists like me! We both stopped, the young Dutch couple and I, and it was like we were long-lost brothers/sisters, as we launched into stories, advice, road conditions, anecdotes, etc. For half an hour we chatted away, it was really great to come across others sharing the same type of experience. They were out for a little longer than me, having cycled here from Holland.

Back on the bike I pushed along, past village after village, and finally, at the 145km mark, found accomodation in Lahan. I was completely, utterly exhausted, but forced down some food, more out of fear for tomorrow than hunger.