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OUR JOURNEY !
7951 km. From Mongolia to Kolkota, at the mouth of the Gange, in India... Passing through Xinjiang, the Taklamakan desert, Tibet and Nepal... 
Planned itinerary (May 2005) *** December 2005- of course, nothing ever goes has planned! Nevertheless, here is the itinerary we had planned before we left (look in Travel Diaries to have the real version of the itinerary). More than 7000 km on our bikes… from the last nomadic populations left in Asia to the backcountries of China, from the Tibetan highlands to the overpopulated territories of India, we will progress in this world, which seems to have frozen in time. How to understand what is behind these eyes without knowing their history and their culture? Our brief intrusion in their lives may allow us to share their smiles, a distant look. Our brief intrusion in their world may allow us to see from far what we can’t see when we are close. Click on the map! 
Mongolia, the land of Nomads Our arrival in Mongolia is planned for the end of May 2005. We will first head towards south-west Mongolia where, after partly crossing the Gobi Desert, we wish to spend a week within a local community in order to feel, even for a short time, this nomadic way of life that is aiming to disappear soon. Here, we will give a new “face” to our camera. Of course, respect is our priority; we don’t want to kill the magic of these moments because of technology. Hence, the intrusion will be soft and respectful. If it appears impossible to use the camera in those conditions, we rather not use it.   So, is it here or there? Since neither Embassies or web surfers seem to know if it is possible for us to enter China by the South-east border of Mongolia, (West of Zamyn uud) we decided to go and see it for ourselves! There is another exit far west of the country, close to Bulgan, if ever our attempts fail. We will enter China by the Xinjiang province, from Qinghai or interior Mongolia, depending on the opportunities we have.  Times are changing in China Times are changing in China… Maybe it is the upcoming Olympic games that lead the Chinese authorities to soften some of their politics? Thus, it seems that the mandatory permit to enter Tibet is not necessary anymore. Nonetheless, we have to go to Golmud, in the Qinghai province, to make sure of it. Afterward, on the road to Lhasa, we will bike more than a dozen of cols at an altitude of 3000 to 5000 meters. Once again, we will try to spend one week within a small local Tibetan community. Our success will probably depend on the proximity and the mood of local police officers. On the road to Sikkim! The India-China border, located between Nepal and Bhutan, has just been reopened. It is here, in the heart of the Himalayas, that we will cross the highest col of our journey, at an altitude of 5250 meters. The special visa necessary to visit this region is valid for a period of 15 days; therefore we need to exit this Indian province within the required time, to then complete our journey in Varanassi, one of the most fascinating cities of India. Because  China and India are not very “good friends”, it is possible that the border legislation has changed upon our arrival. If it occurs to be the case, we would have to go back on our steps and cross the border of Nepal (which includes crossing many cols at an altitude of almost 5350 meters) in order to enter India. Our return to Quebec was planned for November 2005... *** We finally arrived at home mid-December 2005*** |
