The crossing into Pakistan via the Grand Trunk Road went pretty smoothly despite taking several hours for all the paperwork to be completed. I’d been told the only road border between the two countries opened at 8.30am, though on this occasion the Indian side didn’t begin until 10am. A huge line of trucks bringing goods in from Pakistan delayed the proceedings...
No fancy unisex salon here, just an outdoor setting with an old barber’s chair, a large audience and a lot of laughs. Not sure the haircut would win the stylist’s award of the year, but it didn’t cost me an arm and a leg either. At the Golden Tulip Hotel, Amritsar I revelled in the luxury of room service, hot baths, the morning paper delivered, restaurant...
I’ve grown used to the constant rhythm of when the FN is running smoothly. If the sounds change ever so slightly and I find myself adjusting the throttle and air lever, I know that there is contamination in the carburetor jet. If the engine doesn’t respond and hiccups instead, I know the inlet valve springs are collapsing. I can gauge how much lubrication the engine...
From Jodphur I headed north on Hwy NH65 to Nagaur. The scenery from here was extremely dry, scrubby and dusty, much as I imagine parts of Africa to be. Sand mining was happening straight off the side of the road with large tractors and trailers working continuously. I followed the NH89 to Bikaner, then on NH15 still heading north to Suratgarh and Ganganagar...