h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Thanks for reading it!

I'm afraid I'm the fool who found himself doing this trip, along with two friends, Craig and Sam. The breakages described are ours and if Craig hadn't been quite a handy bike-mechanic I've no idea what would have happened.

That said, I can't think of anything I've felt so completely amazed and pleased with myself for doing in my life, and I know the other two feel the same way. We whole-heartedly recommend giving it a go if you're so inclined.

Have fun

Little Rich

Great Entry. Exactly what the Guide should be about. How long did it take? Have you posted your pics anywhere else on the web? Did you get blisters? Where else did you go?

Thanks!

The photos should be going on the web soon, as soon as we work where and how to do it to be honest.

Took three weeks to cycle across, although we had difficulty waking up in the mornings and there were the occasional waits in places whilst one of us recovered from some nasty or other, or whilst someone went back to the last village to buy more pedals. No blisters though.

As to where else we went, it's all listed on my page, and all my diary entries from Africa on are there too. I'm hoping to sort out some more photos, and a decent "The World" Guide Entry, but this will probably be in the distant future. YOu know how it is.

Hi, Thanks for the information! I enjoyed it a lot. I am thinking of doing it starting in March of this year and was wondering if you had any other advice that may prove useful. Do you think it s ok to do the trip alone? Is it possible to get the other gear you mentioned such as a tent and cooking gear etc.. in Lhasa? And finally, do you know of any changes in the situation in the time since your trip?

Thanks a lot. I'm new to H2G2 so sorry if I've broken any rules or protocol.

Matt

Hi, glad it was useul to someone!

I personally wouldn't want to do it alone as I would have got very bored and lonely out there, but I met people who were.

As with anything, it is possible to buy them in Lhasa, but they are shocking. Remember that this is the Himilayas, not known for their forgiving weather. Sam bought a tent in Lhasa and we were woken at 2am everyday by a half-drowned rat looking to squeeze into an already full tent. If you buy it in Lhasa you would probably find the paper money more useful as both a shelter and cooking implement. if you can take it with you before hand, do.

I haven't heard of any changes myself, but you never know. If anything China seems to be relaxing a little, which means that you can tell them more of the things that you are going to do, but they'll charge you for them. Find your way to Chengdu in China and search for cheap deals to Lhasa and find out anything from there. See what people are saying there. Listen to the backpackers rather than the tourist offices.

Let me know if there is anything else. Good luck!

Little Rich,

Thanks a lot for your time. I have now had to abandon my original plan of travel in Russia and Mongolia before reaching Tibet so i should be able to more stuff from Japan specifically for the bike ride.

To be honest, there is loads of other stuff I'd like advice on. I did a bit of couriering in Perth a few years ago, but I ve never been on a long bike trip and this is my first time in China and Tibet too, so this is something very new.

I am just going to write up a list of all my tedious questions and post them tomorrow.

If you can take a stab at any of them I promise to buy you many pints if I am ever in your area.

Thanks again,

Matt

Rich, here they are. If it all gets to much, no probs:

The permits

- SO basically, get to shigatse, lie to the tourist office for a 'normal' permit and then get the second permit from the PSB?
- Will I face checkpoints if I try to bike to Shigatse on the sly?

The bikes

- What did you do with your backpack? Just strap it on the back? Did you use panniers? Is it possible to get them?
- I think I read that tools bought in other countries don't fit the Chinese bikes. If that is wrong, I can bring some decent ones with me from Japan.

The weather

- When did you go Rich? How cold did it get? I'm going in March and I have a feeling it could be pretty nasty on the high stretches.
- What sort of jacket did you have? Would you recommend a down one, which is what they suggest for trekking over the Thurong pass in Nepal?

Getting into Nepal

- There is no Nepali embassy in Japan so I can't get a visa before I go. Do you reckon I can get one at the border?


Buying gear (again)

- Point taken about the tent! I ll bring one and cooking stuff too.
Out of all the gear you had or found yourself wanting, was there ANYTHING that can be bought in Lhasa and isnt completely useless?

Ans finally...Food

- This could be the biggest challenge. I allergic to wheat! People seem to survive on noodles mostly. I can t eat them. If I have to, I'll lug loads of rice noodles from China but do you know of any perhaps rice-based food I can buy in Lhasa? And how about on the trip itself? I am a bit worried about this

And that's it!

So if you could just have the answers on my desk by 9 tomorrow...

Thanks a million man,

Matt

Tremendous! Flabbergasted.

Someone put in a footnote -- I'm sure it wasn't the author who had better things to focus on -- sying the Mini was formerly the Austin Mini. If it was, then it was even more formerly the Morris Mini-Minor. Credit where due. or better still delete the unnecessary piece of disinformation.

Actually,

Mini is now owned by BMW....credit where credit is due

Ian

Wow that is SO relevant!

You started it

Yes I started it . . . I was feeling pissed off at Editors in general at the time, and the fatuous unnecessary ridiculous and, on top of that, incorrect footnote "A Mini is a car; formerly Austin Mini, now owned by Rover" looked to me just like the work of an over-zealous and under-accurate editor. A quick google reveals that the Morris MiniMinor and its identical twin the Austin Se7en were launched together.

Wow, man, I'd love to try a trip like that one day. I'm 17-prime territory for insane OEs approaching- so one day I probably will. I've always liked travelling, and living in NZ has forced me to become a lover of scenery and natural beauty. And, I ride my bike about 20-30 KM a weekend. I'll defiantly give this trip a go, prehaps after I've finished university.

Oh, and I know it's no comparason, but a few months ago I *RAN* over a volcano. I managed it in five hours, I leapt up a rockface, sprinted up ash hillsides, through steaming craters, past lakes of acid, fell down another rockface, climbed out of the craters, and half ran, half fell back down the volcano on the other side, then sprained my ankle meters from the end of the trail, and had to limp. Bizzare, eh?

Wonderful image . . . a pink ferret leaping up a volcano, up ash hillsides, through steaming craters, past lakes of acid . . .

"I'll defiantly give this trip a go" -- that's the spirit! Boldly go!

The offending footnote is now fixed...