Cycling UK Forum

You are going to the busiest, most poulated, heavily polluted, highest volume of traffic, dusty, dirty, tourist infested part of India. It may have the 'honeypots of Aggra, Delhi, Jaipur, etc but if this is your first tour of India you may find it a bit daunting on a bike.

I love India but am not sure I would recommend cycling this area. The South is a much more pleasant introduction to the 'joys' of cycling India.

A fine list Mick, did you tour there? I am not lucky(?) enough to be carted round at Her Majesty's pleasure so have to fly in for the duration.

I've cycled in many countries and do every winter for 5-6 months. The reason I recommend SE Asia is because it is so good and easy. Most people are put off, thinking it will be dangerous - I normally feel safer there than on the streets of England. Better roads, better food, nicer people, less traffic which is often more bike friendly. What more could you ask for - oh yes a bit sun.

Also as long as you can go for a decent amount of time it can be cheaper than UK or Europe, eg 3 months in SEA or SL and India c£1300 including EVERYTHING. Even a month somewhere like Thailand and Lao would only cost about £800, staying in hotels or GHs. I sometimes think that the (very) high prices for the escorted CTC hols frighten people off doing it themselves (have you noticed that the CTC mag virtually never show the cost of the individual trips they publish).

Simon

SE Asia (Thailand, Lao, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc) takes some beating. Cheap, good weather, great food, some stunning scenery and very friendly people. Strangely, very few Brits touring there.

The Camping and Caravaning Club (google it) has a big book with hundreds of sites. They are not cycle specific, but have a fairly detailed description of all the facilities and prices so you can choose what you like. Some very basic (tap and field) others more upmarket, they give OS grid ref for all as well. No problem in finding ones in cycling distance of each other.

Apart from the book, the club is only really worth joining for the bigger sites (discounts, etc). It is about £30 to join to get 'free' book, I use an old one given to me by a member. You could join once and then just use the book.

First, I suggest you get proper medical advice on what drug you will need. It varies from area to area and time to time. Search the web for accredited sites - don't rely on info here, or from your local GP he will ususally only have some standard info from the NHS or whoever. Last year the med was one (I seem to remeber) which when I have taken gave no side effects - I don't think the halucenogenic one is recommended for S India - but check it out properly. The wrong drug may not only be useleess, but can screw up local resistance.

Having said that I have been to S India a few times, sometimes taking anti malarials, sometimes not and sometimes with someone who has or has not (ie a complete mix). None of us ever caught it.

Things to consider (well things I consider):

What is health care like there if you do catch it - surprisingly good if you can get to a large town and can pay. If you have someone with you who can help in an emergency then taxis are cheap and transport easy. If on your own in an out of the way place, more problematical.

Are you prepared to be careful - nets or fans at night, mossie spray, long pants at night, etc. If you don't get bitten you don't catch it.

What time of year will you be there - not such a problem in the dry season - check it out and be aware that S India has 2 wet seasons (SW and NE Monsoons) affecting different sides of the country.

Some say take your own 'cure dosage' - these can be easily bought. The trouble is how do you know if you have malaria without a test. The symptoms are very similar to lots of other fever diseases, including the almost epidemic dengue fever that is caught from day time mossies.

Last year they also had an epidemic of a nasty disease called something like chickengaya (can't remember exact name), so malaria may be the least of your problems.

Finally, if you are going for plus 3 months then you have to consider the problems of long exposure to the drugs. I travel a lot and so try to avoid any over exposure- a one off trip doesn't pose this problem.

Please, please check with proper info sources.

Having said that I cycled last Sept to Dec for 3 months with no anti malarials and came home safe and sound. A few weeks later in Cambodia, I took them cos some of my 'considerations' weren't met.

I think it also depends on where you are going. I don't think I would trust almost anywhere in the UK, whereas in India, SE Asia, etc I hardly worry once outside the main urban areas.

When there, I usually lock my bike with a simple cable to stop the vague chance of an opportunist if leaving it unattended and reckon that most people are unfamiliar with the clips etc that hold panniers on. Far more of a problem is people 'twiddling' with my shifters, etc. Cash, ccards, passport, etc always on the body of course.

Why not? (PC that is) - the CTC forum is good for UK and tech stuff, etc but pretty poor for long haul cycling so in my opinion it is perfectly valid to advise people about other places for such info.

I have taken a bike on Malaysian airlines twice - once to Vietnam and once to Australia - no problems.

You are weight limited, but they are usually fairly generous. Bike should be about 15kg - then one pannier c7kg, other as hand luggage. If you have 4 panniers - probably carrying too much anyway!

I normally fly Emirates and now have a 32 kg limit as a frequent flyer - nonetheless before I had this extra, I got away with 26k when the Aussies insisted I had one of their (4kg) boxes.

Check with airline first that they take bikes. I normally book with Trailfinders and get them to check and then they put it on my invoice (eticket).

Good luck, enjoy and may see you there.I

Back to your original point:
My advice would be don't try to fit too much in, there's always next year (and the year after). Better to see a place thoroughly, enjoy yourself and then go back to the 'next' place another time. Too many people try to fit in everthing and hardly see anything.

Alternatively, take much more time and just go....

Yes you can.
Vn, Lao and Cambodia are frequently cycled (I've been to all a number of times).
Your route seems a bit strange though and will be expensive visa wise. You will probably need a new Vn visa for each entry, not available at the border. Lao and Cambodian visas are available at most international border crossings, although there are one or two exceptions so check. Also Vietnam isn't always the cheapest entry point for flying, many come via Bangkok.

I agree with checking out the Lonely Planet thorntree - loads of info about this area - a very popular place to tour. I have just posted a couple of times about Lao and Cambodia. Have a good search and read through before posting a question.

Go and enjoy.

The 'clean' thing is due to health quarantine. They are very touchy about anything which has been in the great outdoors. Wash all your gear in a mild disinfectant, tent, boots, etc. Also taking in any foodstuffs, plants etc is strictly forbidden - buy your supplies there.

As to bikes, if you are going for 3 months, consider buying, rather than hiring - sell at the end, probably much cheaper than hiring. However, if it were me I would definitely take my own bike. No hassle on running in a new one, setting it up, buying all the little extras, etc, just get your familiar steed and go. I fly with mine long haul twice a year and have never had seroious problems. Also as you are going to NZ, no problem in getting good quality parts if anything is damaged. Again make sure bike and panniers are clean - shiny new tyres also help.

PS Do your sums on hire v buy v take, apart from the great canvenience of your own bike - it will of course be much cheaper.

Try putting it in the sun, or a warm place before you use it to thin the wax and make it easier to mix.

Its on their website, I don't have it with me at the moment (in library) - I think it is about 1.2 or 1.3 kg each.

Its a bit hard to give any hints or tips without knowing anything about the trip or about what you (think) you want to know.
Happy to answer specific questions on touring in that area.

Should have said - my old panniers are not the same as the 'old'model in the photographs above. Mine pre-date those by some years and are a bit taller and thinner and as said above less heavily constructed.