The best way back to Kathmandu was an overnight bus. The last time I did this was from London to Inverness for the JOGLE cycle a few years ago. That wasn’t that comfortable but I was sure this one wouldn’t even come close…
14 hours later I arrived back at the hotel in Kathmandu I stayed at, and spent the day packing up my bike and sorting out my plans for Myanmar!
I arrived at the airport in plenty of time and after repacking my bike and making the box smaller, everything was all checked in fine.
There was a stop over in China which meant sleeping on the floor of the airport before my connection in the morning.
Arrival in Mandalay was met with my worst fear. My bike was damaged during the flight and upon speaking to a few people back home and in bike shops in Mandalay it was deemed unsafe to ride and couldn’t be repaired.
I was distraught. This could easily have been the end of my trip. After a pretty dismal week this was the icing on the cake. A quick scout round the local bike shops resulted in finding out that people out here love mountain bikes and the road bikes that they did have were far too small.
My heart sank but fortunately through someone I met at a bike shop I sourced a bike in Yangon that was my size! It was sent up on a night bus and I good to go.
This travelling thing really is a rollercoaster. The ups are fantastic but the downs really make you question whether it’s worth carrying on. The ups get you through the downs and the downs make you appreciate the ups.
My Belated Gap Year 
Tough , but keep going until the money runs out !!
The good news is that when you are sitting in an interview and the man across the desk and asks you what your skills are you have plenty to say especially how to deal with problems and find solutions !!
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Enjoy the ride. Especially the free wheeling. Hope the airline paid for replacement bike. Martin L.
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Hi Jake,
As Uncle John would say…. it could be worse….. it could be me!
You have taken many situations in your stride, just another speed bump in the road, so to speak.
Best wishes
Stephen.
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Hello Jake,
I’m just down to Cardiff to puck up Granddad and bringing him up to date with your travels and we hope that you can pass through the border to Thailand in due time.
Thinking of you – well done.
Stephen.
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