Silenced into Shock

Its quiet. I can't quite believe it. I'm in a town, and there is no noise. No traffic, no horns like air raid sirens. Peace.

I walked round earlier in a bit of a daze. Not only was there very little noise, but very little traffic. Very few people. There was no congestion, no pollution. No dodging the rickshaws, the tuktuks, the motorcycles. No getting buffeted by crowds and crowds of people.

Buddhists think that if we can still the incessant chatter going on in our minds, then we will experience bliss. If our minds are anything like the melee of India, then yes, calm and quiet is indeed blissful.

So I am in Nepal now, the border town of Mahendrenagar. Its a small place, I walked around it in about 20 minutes. And I just could not get over the quiet.

Its not completely devoid of life, not in a spooky way. There are people walking and cycling, and some motorcycles, shops and restaurants open, but the blare of horns is gone. Traffic seems to function without the cacophony of a few miles over the border.

I was on the road by 7am. The chef at the Shining hotel, who seemed to really run the place, checked me out, took my money, gave me directions, and saw me off.

The towns passed - Kishipur, Rhudrapoor, Sitar Ganj, Khatima, Banbassa. The countryside unremarkable apart from when I crested one hill and saw before me the sea. It wasn't of course, just a lake with shores so far they were lost in the mist.

The border was one of the stranger crossings I have been through. The rough track led over a damn, busy mostly with horse drawn rickshaws. The immigration offices were basic huts by the side of the road.

I'm always slightly nervous crossing borders for the first time. At the Indian side it was straightforward. I asked about re-entering within two months, and they said it would be no problem, I had to go to the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and get a stamp, but it was quite straightforward.

I was also nervous about the bike. I dont have an International Drivers liicensce with me, and had heard that this was compulsory. I had visions of being turned back from the Nepalese side and unable to re-enter the Indian crossing.

The immigration/visa hut was fine. A simple form, a stamp in the passport and $42 lighter. Just as I was leaving I was waved over to another hut. 'Duty, Duty, vehicle', the official said.

So I filled in another form, paid about £30 in duty and set off. No one asked to see my license.

Half an hour later I was checked into a hotel, and was wandering round town. Bemused and shocked at the relative silence.

Tomorrow I head east.