On a motorcycle there is something really exciting about the prospect of entering another country. I remember the time on this trip when I was near the Wagah border, Attari, Amritsar and I saw a board near the border which said Lahore - 24 Kms. Immediately I had this thought that I'll race across to the border gate and make the bike jump across the border gates and land on the Pakistani side. Then I'll just speed across to Lahore city with the Pakistani rangers and the Pakistani police following me in their jeeps and vehicles, shooting at me with guns and missing all the time and just about the time they almost catch me I would have crossed back to the Indian side displaying the same heroic stunts on my bike. Also somewhere in between all this there would be a hot woman in a bikini somewhere coming out of the water. But then I gave up on the thought as I felt it won't exactly play out the way I have described. I mean its too naive to believe that there would be a hot woman in a bikini coming out of the water in that border to Lahore stretch and back.
So yes I had to wait another 40 odd days before I could finally get my motorcycle to a different country. The country being Nepal. Now India - Nepal relations being what they are, it makes Nepal the easiest of countries for an Indian to get in. But trust me to complicate the easiest of things. If rules were followed to the letter I would not have been allowed entry in Nepal with my motorcycle but I am extremely grateful to the Nepalese custom authorities who followed it in spirit and allowed me to enter. Now during the trip I had written a blog on Nepal (http://thecluelessrider.blogspot.in/2013/07/nepal-country-you-ought-to-visit.html) and there I had mentioned about the slight documentation problem with my motorcycle. I had also mentioned that I might write about the documentation problem once I complete the trip. So now since the trip is complete and the fact that I want to look like a person who keeps his promises, I shall get into more detail about that slight documentation problem.
Now my motorcycle is registered in my Dad's name and I had lost the original RC book of the motorcycle a few years back. I have a photocopy of the RC book and I have never really made an effort to get a duplicate copy of the RC book from the RTO. In my defense the motorcycle is registered at the Chennai RTO as my Dad was there at the time of buying the bike in 2006. Now my Dad is settled in Kerala and since its registered in his name it is him who will need to go to Chennai, register an FIR and get the duplicate copy of the RC book. To make matters worse the motorcycle also needs to be present in Chennai at that time. When I was starting the trip I thought I'll ask my Dad to just take the bike, go to Chennai and somehow get me an original RC book for the motorcycle. But then at the start of my trip he did agree to the idea that I undergo this 7 month trip but he wasn't really all gaga about it. So somewhere I had this feeling that maybe if I suggest something of this sort to him he would just tell me to forget about the trip. I wasn't really sure but then I did not want to take any chances. As that old saying in Rome goes "If you are getting laid in the night never ruin your chances by asking her if she could cook dinner too"
So like most problems that young people face, even this one can be blamed on one's father and the systems prevalent in the country.
So anyway I was prepared of the possibility that I may not be able to enter Nepal and should that be the case I'll just call it sour grapes and continue the trip inside India. But as it turned out a good friend planned his vacation accordingly so that we meet in Katmandu for three days and more importantly since he was footing the bill for a very comfortable hotel room, I was very determined to enter Nepal at any cost. Don't judge me on this - when you are traveling budget every comfortable bed free of cost is something to kill for. So I started from Lucknow on a Tuesday morning and kept on riding till the Nepal border at Sanauli near Gorakhpur stopping only for food and nothing else. My only aim was to enter Nepal by doing whatever it takes and sleep the night on the Nepalese side of the border so that I ride tension free to Katmandu the next day.
Now entering Nepal by road is a very simple process for an Indian. If you are using public transport you just enter. There's no need of a passport or anything. I guess its handy to carry one id proof in case they check but its not at all a cumbersome task. Now in case you are entering by your own vehicle you just need to get photocopies of your vehicle's papers and pay a specified amount depending on the number of days you plan to be in the country. It comes out to 70 Indian Rupees per day for a two wheeler. The only problem is they check the original copies before they give you a challan to enter the country. Now with whatever limited experience that I have I can tell you whenever you are in a government office for any documentation purposes in a motorcycle trip make sure you enter the office wearing the riding gear. It tends to impress and sometimes intimidate the other person. The next thing you need to do is to smile a lot and look very lost and confused and ask stupid doubts regarding the filling of forms. The smile is very important. There is something about a cheerful, stupid, lost man in riding gear that makes people want to help you out.
So the guy in charge in that Nepalese customs office asks me for the original RC book of the bike. I tell him that I forgot it at home in Bangalore. I make a sad face and cook up a story as to how I have been saving money for the past four years to live this dream of mine and if there is any way I could enter Nepal I would be just grateful to him. I might not have been entirely truthful with him but the being grateful part was something I sincerely meant. I did have the originals for every other document and this one thing could probably be ignored. He took pity on me and told me that if I could just go to the Indian custom officials office just 200m away on the Indian side of the border and get that photocopy of the RC book attested by them telling them of my predicament he'll take care of it.
So I went to the Indian custom officials and employed the same strategy of smiles, confused looks and a sob story of saving money for four years for living this dream of a trip. But I was disgusted by the way the Indian officials behaved. I do not blame them for refusing to help me out. They had every right not to help me out. The thing that disgusted me was their highhandedness and the mocking tone they indulged in. There is nothing brave in being rude to a guy who is alone and not from those parts. I lost patience when he said two months of a ride is enough and now you can go back home. I just told him not to tell me what I what I should or should not be doing. Its none of his business and I don't need his help. I'll ask the Nepalese guys to help me out and started walking towards the Nepalese side of the border. Then I cursed him with the choicest of abuse words. Well of course I am not stupid enough to do it in front of his face. I abused him only when I was confident that I was out of his line of sight and out of earshot.
So I reach the Nepalese customs office. Its already dark and some 7:30 pm. I was angry, disgusted and to be a honest there was disappointment written all over my face. The Nepalese guy in charge there asked me what happened. I just told him that the Indian custom officials refused to entertain me. He just looked at me and patted my back and gave me a 'Don't you worry child' look and just passed my papers and gave me the challan. I can't really express the sense of gratitude I felt at that moment. I just knew at that very moment that my time in Nepal is going to be a great one.
I do know I was at fault and rules are meant to be followed in letter but there are exceptions when you need to follow it in spirit. I never greased palms to get this thing done. Somewhere in the trip I had started believing in the goodness of people and small things like these help me strengthen my beliefs. I am really grateful that I could visit Nepal. When you are travelling alone there comes a certain point where you feel totally free. You tend to let go of a lot of things that were bogging you down. Nepal ended up to be that place. Maybe there is something about Nepal or maybe I was just there at the right point in my trip, Nepal is a place I will never forget.
Oh by the way just to show my gratitude I only consumed alcohol brands which were authentic Nepalese brands. Gorkha beer, Everest beer and Khukri rum and trust me Gorkha beer is one of the best beers that I have had anywhere in the world.
Also some people have suggested its not really a slight documentation problem but then I have rode across every state in India, parts of Nepal, parts of Bhutan and one town in Burma too without an original RC book. So I think its just a slight documentation problem that you can ignore :)
So yes I had to wait another 40 odd days before I could finally get my motorcycle to a different country. The country being Nepal. Now India - Nepal relations being what they are, it makes Nepal the easiest of countries for an Indian to get in. But trust me to complicate the easiest of things. If rules were followed to the letter I would not have been allowed entry in Nepal with my motorcycle but I am extremely grateful to the Nepalese custom authorities who followed it in spirit and allowed me to enter. Now during the trip I had written a blog on Nepal (http://thecluelessrider.blogspot.in/2013/07/nepal-country-you-ought-to-visit.html) and there I had mentioned about the slight documentation problem with my motorcycle. I had also mentioned that I might write about the documentation problem once I complete the trip. So now since the trip is complete and the fact that I want to look like a person who keeps his promises, I shall get into more detail about that slight documentation problem.
Now my motorcycle is registered in my Dad's name and I had lost the original RC book of the motorcycle a few years back. I have a photocopy of the RC book and I have never really made an effort to get a duplicate copy of the RC book from the RTO. In my defense the motorcycle is registered at the Chennai RTO as my Dad was there at the time of buying the bike in 2006. Now my Dad is settled in Kerala and since its registered in his name it is him who will need to go to Chennai, register an FIR and get the duplicate copy of the RC book. To make matters worse the motorcycle also needs to be present in Chennai at that time. When I was starting the trip I thought I'll ask my Dad to just take the bike, go to Chennai and somehow get me an original RC book for the motorcycle. But then at the start of my trip he did agree to the idea that I undergo this 7 month trip but he wasn't really all gaga about it. So somewhere I had this feeling that maybe if I suggest something of this sort to him he would just tell me to forget about the trip. I wasn't really sure but then I did not want to take any chances. As that old saying in Rome goes "If you are getting laid in the night never ruin your chances by asking her if she could cook dinner too"
So like most problems that young people face, even this one can be blamed on one's father and the systems prevalent in the country.
So anyway I was prepared of the possibility that I may not be able to enter Nepal and should that be the case I'll just call it sour grapes and continue the trip inside India. But as it turned out a good friend planned his vacation accordingly so that we meet in Katmandu for three days and more importantly since he was footing the bill for a very comfortable hotel room, I was very determined to enter Nepal at any cost. Don't judge me on this - when you are traveling budget every comfortable bed free of cost is something to kill for. So I started from Lucknow on a Tuesday morning and kept on riding till the Nepal border at Sanauli near Gorakhpur stopping only for food and nothing else. My only aim was to enter Nepal by doing whatever it takes and sleep the night on the Nepalese side of the border so that I ride tension free to Katmandu the next day.
Now entering Nepal by road is a very simple process for an Indian. If you are using public transport you just enter. There's no need of a passport or anything. I guess its handy to carry one id proof in case they check but its not at all a cumbersome task. Now in case you are entering by your own vehicle you just need to get photocopies of your vehicle's papers and pay a specified amount depending on the number of days you plan to be in the country. It comes out to 70 Indian Rupees per day for a two wheeler. The only problem is they check the original copies before they give you a challan to enter the country. Now with whatever limited experience that I have I can tell you whenever you are in a government office for any documentation purposes in a motorcycle trip make sure you enter the office wearing the riding gear. It tends to impress and sometimes intimidate the other person. The next thing you need to do is to smile a lot and look very lost and confused and ask stupid doubts regarding the filling of forms. The smile is very important. There is something about a cheerful, stupid, lost man in riding gear that makes people want to help you out.
So the guy in charge in that Nepalese customs office asks me for the original RC book of the bike. I tell him that I forgot it at home in Bangalore. I make a sad face and cook up a story as to how I have been saving money for the past four years to live this dream of mine and if there is any way I could enter Nepal I would be just grateful to him. I might not have been entirely truthful with him but the being grateful part was something I sincerely meant. I did have the originals for every other document and this one thing could probably be ignored. He took pity on me and told me that if I could just go to the Indian custom officials office just 200m away on the Indian side of the border and get that photocopy of the RC book attested by them telling them of my predicament he'll take care of it.
So I went to the Indian custom officials and employed the same strategy of smiles, confused looks and a sob story of saving money for four years for living this dream of a trip. But I was disgusted by the way the Indian officials behaved. I do not blame them for refusing to help me out. They had every right not to help me out. The thing that disgusted me was their highhandedness and the mocking tone they indulged in. There is nothing brave in being rude to a guy who is alone and not from those parts. I lost patience when he said two months of a ride is enough and now you can go back home. I just told him not to tell me what I what I should or should not be doing. Its none of his business and I don't need his help. I'll ask the Nepalese guys to help me out and started walking towards the Nepalese side of the border. Then I cursed him with the choicest of abuse words. Well of course I am not stupid enough to do it in front of his face. I abused him only when I was confident that I was out of his line of sight and out of earshot.
So I reach the Nepalese customs office. Its already dark and some 7:30 pm. I was angry, disgusted and to be a honest there was disappointment written all over my face. The Nepalese guy in charge there asked me what happened. I just told him that the Indian custom officials refused to entertain me. He just looked at me and patted my back and gave me a 'Don't you worry child' look and just passed my papers and gave me the challan. I can't really express the sense of gratitude I felt at that moment. I just knew at that very moment that my time in Nepal is going to be a great one.
I do know I was at fault and rules are meant to be followed in letter but there are exceptions when you need to follow it in spirit. I never greased palms to get this thing done. Somewhere in the trip I had started believing in the goodness of people and small things like these help me strengthen my beliefs. I am really grateful that I could visit Nepal. When you are travelling alone there comes a certain point where you feel totally free. You tend to let go of a lot of things that were bogging you down. Nepal ended up to be that place. Maybe there is something about Nepal or maybe I was just there at the right point in my trip, Nepal is a place I will never forget.
Oh by the way just to show my gratitude I only consumed alcohol brands which were authentic Nepalese brands. Gorkha beer, Everest beer and Khukri rum and trust me Gorkha beer is one of the best beers that I have had anywhere in the world.
Also some people have suggested its not really a slight documentation problem but then I have rode across every state in India, parts of Nepal, parts of Bhutan and one town in Burma too without an original RC book. So I think its just a slight documentation problem that you can ignore :)
About Me:
A 7 month motorcycle ride that took me to every state in India, parts of Nepal and Bhutan and one town in Burma. These blog entries are inspired by this trip. Stories about people I met, stories about places I saw. Things that intrigued me, things that amused me. They say traveling changes you, they say traveling inspires you and they say a lot of other stuff. I don't know. I think a gun on the head is a better way to change people. I just hope that my travel stories entertain you
Right now I am in the process of writing a book based on this trip and figuring out the difference between a writer's block and procrastination.
Right now I am in the process of writing a book based on this trip and figuring out the difference between a writer's block and procrastination.
You can find more information on my Facebook page and Instagram account
Nice and very wonderful information
ReplyDeletethanks again for the information.
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Glad you liked it.. :)
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