Right! Visa all sorted at some considerable expense and a lengthy trip to the Indian Embassy in Sofia. All set for the big day.
Last minute stresses and strains over walking along Indian roads. The few people I've had contact with regarding my trip have, to a man, said that walking along Indian roads is sheer folly. To be fair, the entire idea is sounding more and more like folly and this unanimous feedback has got me more than a little nervous.
In fact, I have this very day done a load of research online, and outside of my historical references, almost all of the towns and villages along my route have next to no internet returns whatsoever. I'm beginning to think this will be a pretty much impossible journey. But I'm going to give it a go anyway.
I ought at this point give credit to Alistair Humphreys and his excellent book, 'There Are Other Rivers'. It provided, not the inspiration for travel in India, but the inspiration to travel outside of the envelope on a journey that has some personal substance. The chosen country of our respective journeys just happened to coincide. His trip was an epic 600 miler. Mine barely compares in scale ....but then I'm older than Alistair, way less experienced in rucksack travel, and carrying a bit more timber, and enjoy sleeping rough less than he. Still, my own trip is a challenge for those very reasons. Anyway, I'd recommend his book as a great lesson in what devil-may-care determination can achieve. I have a sneaking feeling that the final post of my blog will be retracting every syllable of the above.
Incidentally, I have figured out that my 150 mile trip is nothing of the sort. 150 miles is what Google Maps calculated by quickest route, and I'm doing the slowest route. So expect a 200 mile or so final tally and 15 days-ish, not 10.
Lastly, my training has, belatedly, begun. A reduction in alcohol consumption pre-trip is my chief achievement and I have at least tried on my hiking sandals after two years of hibernation, although stress testing them by actually walking is a task as yet undone. Bah! It'll be fine.
HISTORICAL NOTE:
It has already been pointed out to me that 'The Indian Mutiny' is an Anglicism. It's how the conflict is remembered in British history. I understand that in India and presumably elsewhere, it is often remembered as 'India's First War of Independence', and that's completely fine by me. Although it appears to have lots of names/challenges to those names depending on ones heritage and outlook. It's a bit late to change the name of the blog now, plus I'm British and using 'The Indian Mutiny' is, I hope, understandable on that basis. It isn't meant to suggest a sympathy with one lot or the other. I'm interested in the history of the affair, not persuading anyone to pick a side. Where I can, I will present any commentary in neutral tomes. It is fair to say that my sources are near contemporary and full of bias (towards the British). I will need therefore to apply a critical eye to the texts and interpret where appropriate. If I get it wrong, I apologise in advance and will make edits if anyone wishes to correct me on the facts of the matter.
Last minute stresses and strains over walking along Indian roads. The few people I've had contact with regarding my trip have, to a man, said that walking along Indian roads is sheer folly. To be fair, the entire idea is sounding more and more like folly and this unanimous feedback has got me more than a little nervous.
In fact, I have this very day done a load of research online, and outside of my historical references, almost all of the towns and villages along my route have next to no internet returns whatsoever. I'm beginning to think this will be a pretty much impossible journey. But I'm going to give it a go anyway.
I ought at this point give credit to Alistair Humphreys and his excellent book, 'There Are Other Rivers'. It provided, not the inspiration for travel in India, but the inspiration to travel outside of the envelope on a journey that has some personal substance. The chosen country of our respective journeys just happened to coincide. His trip was an epic 600 miler. Mine barely compares in scale ....but then I'm older than Alistair, way less experienced in rucksack travel, and carrying a bit more timber, and enjoy sleeping rough less than he. Still, my own trip is a challenge for those very reasons. Anyway, I'd recommend his book as a great lesson in what devil-may-care determination can achieve. I have a sneaking feeling that the final post of my blog will be retracting every syllable of the above.
Incidentally, I have figured out that my 150 mile trip is nothing of the sort. 150 miles is what Google Maps calculated by quickest route, and I'm doing the slowest route. So expect a 200 mile or so final tally and 15 days-ish, not 10.
Lastly, my training has, belatedly, begun. A reduction in alcohol consumption pre-trip is my chief achievement and I have at least tried on my hiking sandals after two years of hibernation, although stress testing them by actually walking is a task as yet undone. Bah! It'll be fine.
HISTORICAL NOTE:
It has already been pointed out to me that 'The Indian Mutiny' is an Anglicism. It's how the conflict is remembered in British history. I understand that in India and presumably elsewhere, it is often remembered as 'India's First War of Independence', and that's completely fine by me. Although it appears to have lots of names/challenges to those names depending on ones heritage and outlook. It's a bit late to change the name of the blog now, plus I'm British and using 'The Indian Mutiny' is, I hope, understandable on that basis. It isn't meant to suggest a sympathy with one lot or the other. I'm interested in the history of the affair, not persuading anyone to pick a side. Where I can, I will present any commentary in neutral tomes. It is fair to say that my sources are near contemporary and full of bias (towards the British). I will need therefore to apply a critical eye to the texts and interpret where appropriate. If I get it wrong, I apologise in advance and will make edits if anyone wishes to correct me on the facts of the matter.
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