INTO THE WILDERNESS

Now in Shitgase, second biggest town in Tibet, having cycled here... 60 miles on an almost completely flat route. Raining as we set out but after an hour sun came out and was as hot as all the other days.

Again fairly demoralising long straight roads, however, I organised 7 of us into a chain gang as Rupert, Paul and I discovered in Tour of Ireland. Surprised most of them had not done this before, but they are mainly mountain bikers. They took to it well and we covered the 60 miles at an average of 16mph which is pretty good for mountain bikes with nobbly tyres.

Great fun, I realise I am a roadie at heart.

Tomorrow we are of for 10 days straight camping before we return to Kathmandu so afraid this will be last post until then. Its going to take us five days to reach the Hymalayas, and before that we have to go up the most scary pass, 1,300m of climb with 50 hairpin bends - Alpe D'huez eat your heart out. I hope (a) to be fully aclimatised by then (b) to have got a bit fitter and (c) have lost a bit of weight... so might be in with a fighting chance. When you get to the top though, you are rewarded with your first sight of Everest and the mighty Hymalays!!