It hardly ever rains in Leh

Except today, yesterday, and probably tomorrow

Intermission

Owing to the formation of a price fixing association by the internet cafes of Leh, illegal under the Indian Competition Act 2002, Amended 2007, blogging is a rather expensive activity without a laptop. I commend the cafes on selecting a business model which is both illegal, and will fail in the face of increasingly available free WiFi.

Hiring a motorbike in Leh

Not as easy as it sounds. Seeking a good ride I only consider the newer and higher performing (by Indian standards) bikes available. On the menu for today

A crash damaged Yamama FZS, with the instruments held on by about 10 pieces of sellotape, just about. Even as far as sticky tape jobs go its a poor effort.

Two new Yamaha FZS bikes, without any obvious damage, or for that matter any markings on their number-plates. Apparently the excuse "because its new" flies here. Not even the temporary dealer plates... In their usual intent to flatly lie in the face of reality, I'm assured that it doesn't matter, despite having my plates recorded at each checkpoint on my last adventure in Ladakh.

Some poorly maintained Pulsar 200NS bikes, one missing one side guard... crash damage I'm guessing then, and with dirty spark plugs. There doesn't seem to be any incentive to maintain the bikes. Spending an hour with one of these bikes at a garage might have to be it...

It's also worth noting that the motorbike hire shops of Leh have also formed their own illegal rate fixing association, everyone is in on it. Thankfully the Indian built Japanese designed bikes don't carry the premium of the Royal Enfield Classic 500CC (roughly double all other models).

Manali is quiet

There are few people here... The hotel owners blame the floods in a completely unrelated part of north India for scaring off the tourists. I managed to keep silent and not mention that the gang rapes might also have had something to do with it. It's strange, it's a beautiful place surrounded by mountains and valleys, and the weather is perfect. Sadly this means that the beggar menace now outnumbers worthwhile uses of carbon. No I haven't joined the rich and started to hate the poor, the beggars you see in India are more often profiteering potential medical experiment subjects in my future totalitarian world... but that is another daydream

Sweet sounds of the neighbour

On discovering yet another hotel room with a bathroom which vents into... someone else's bathroom, I have come to the conclusion that Indians actually have a closet fetish to listen to each others bowel movements. Naturally such a desire could never be voiced, but is silently included by design.

Road Safety, Indian Style

I've mentioned, building fast roads and then sticking speed humps on them is about the norm in India. To make the ride more interesting, official speed limits on many roads, including single lane roads, are different for each type of vehicle. As even the lowest logician will notice, this leads to a problem which can only be solved by overtaking. It just so happens that overtaking in India is often one of the most frightening experiences of your trip. Motorcycles are also often set limits 10km/h below other vehicles, forcing them to adopt vulnerable positions at the side of the road. Maybe there is some data to back up the improved safety from this scheme... but as nobody in India actually follows the speed limit I'd question what the study really indicated. Coming from a country which is not so far off the best road safety levels seen in Europe, and even globally, for once I can say, 'yes, what is familiar, might just also be right'.