3/21 – A Tiresome Journey and A Comparison – 11-15 May

Sunday 11 May 2025 (Contd)

My stay at the vineyard was really quite pleasant and relaxing, but even here it was a bit hectic. They run tasting tours hourly from 1130 to 1930, and boast that more people than anywhere else in the world, have had their first taste of wine here. I’d believe that, because it a true production line; after a short, guided wander past the fermentation tanks and barrel store there was a tasting of 6 wines lasting about 15-20 minutes! I commented to the guide that the tasting was rushed– there was not time to savour one wine before he was introducing the next one – and he agreed completely. “If I take any longer,” he said, “the next group will be banging on the door!” 

The wine was OK, nothing special. They do not age the wine here, so the oldest available was 2023 vintage. I did buy a bottle of their Voigner, which tasted of lychees (!), accompany the sunset and my Goan prawn curry dinner. I am glad I went, but knowing now, what I know about the traffic, I’m not sure I’d repeat the experience.

Monday 12 May 2025

I rode back from the vineyard, and the 200 kilometres took nearly 8 hours! By the time I reached the hotel, I had no desire to spend another 2-3 hours in traffic returning the bike, so, with Mustafa’s agreement, I kept it for another day.

Tues 13 May 2025

I was getting quite good at navigating the railway system; I used it after returning the bike to go to collect my repaired jacket, and then return to the hotel. . It seems to run efficiently and on time – one thing the travel books seem to have got right. The trains are clean, and, provided you travel contraflow or outside rush periods, it’s a much more pleasant way to travel across the city than on the roads. And, if you have to do it at rush hour, it’s probably quicker to boot.

Based on my ride to Sula Vineyards, owning a bike to escape somewhat would bring little relief – 5½ hours to cover less than 200kms, of which, about 75% was on dual carriage way. No, thank you! Even riding off the highway wasn’t much fun as the roads were uncommonly narrow and the surface was poor.

Leaving India was a pleasure, in that, although the airport was big, it wasn’t busy and border and security checks were quick. This was in stark contrast to NZ’s departure queues. The only complaint I have about the airport really, was the demand for US $20 for a pint of beer!

So before I do leave, let me reflect on my experience of India for a moment. It is not for me; it is too crowded, too hectic, and well too grimy. I could not even begin to imagine having a journey to work every day like those I had recently experienced in Mumbai. 

When I say India is not for me, I can only really refer to Mumbai. Apart from being crowded and hectic, it is also polluted and dirty. Some streets are cleanish as the stallholders keep their patch scrubbed, but most like the railways, are litter strewn. 

India is cheap, provided all you need are life’s basics. My fairly average hotel was €40 per night, and food is inexpensive provided you avoid trendy or tourist eateries and foreign food. Artisan services are also cheap – you can have a leather jacket made for that same €40, or a little more, but more modern services are not at all cheap. Shipping my bike into and out of Mumbai, while handled very efficiently by Seco Shipping if no BDG, was more than the same service in NZ, which I had thought to be expensive. And … 👇

So, all in all, I’m not that disappointed that my stay was cut short. I realise that I’ve only seen a tiny part of a vast country, but what I did see hasn’t left me with a burning desire to see the rest.

Sitting in the airport, I watched the news which showed images that were somewhere between a bad Hollywood movie and an even worse computer war game. Even without sound, it was easy to see the bellicosity and glorification in the images of destruction. It occurred to me that I had once been a part of and witnessed such activity – I certainly hadn’t seen any glory in it, but neither had I questioned it closely; now I was quite despairing of the sights. This must be a part of the ageing process, I thought, but then reflected that the majority of the, so-called, leaders fanning the flames are old! I had been amazed to watch and hear the rhetoric spouted by India’s leaders the week previously. The, there’s Trump! It occurred to me that maybe the man’s not all bad. Maybe he is genuine in his wishes to get the conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine etc resolved; he did withdraw from Afghanistan too. Maybe, in spite of his odd way of trying, his main aim really is to stop the killing. Let me not get carried away on this theme though. 😉

The plane to Muscat was very smart; at least where I was sitting. I was just about the last one on, and conscious of my tight schedule of connections, when I spotted an empty seat in row 4 or 5, I just took it; I had been allocated row 26! I didn’t realise it until I had sat down that this was an added-extra seat, with (much) more legroom and space – I could actually bend forward to tie my laces without banging my head. 😁

Arrival in Oman was 45 minutes late but was easy enough, partly because of  my stolen seat at the front of the plane, which allowed me to be amongst the first to reach the immigration desks. The laid at the desk was bemused when I told him my final destination. He was very chatty which, under normal circumstances I would have enjoyed, but, because I was anxious about the time I had check in again for the second leg.

I have worried. Even though my bag took a while coming out, I as in plenty of time to join the chaotic “queue” for check in. There was a separate queue for bag-drop, but it too moved slowly.

Wed 14 May 2025

The same process was repeated in Karachi, I made the cut with little stress, and before I knew it 🤣🤣, I was landing in Istanbul.

What a contrast! The  place was spacious, clean and traffic was light. The later did get a bit heavier as we approached the city, but nothing like Mumbai; drivers, generally, adhered to the rules. 

My taxi driver, Mohammed, was a first a little unfriendly, but he warmed as we tried to find an ATM so that I could pay him. This involved a detour, so my fare increased, but not exorbitantly so. One other thing I found amusing; you have to pay a higher fare if you want the air-conditioning on! Funny how something that, in our part of the world is expected, is considered a luxury that has to be paid for in others.

The hostel, Coyote Den, that I had found through a couple of travel blogs, Beyond The Bucketlist and Lost With Purpose was welcoming. It was adequate – clean and comfortable. I had an unusual experience on my first night when someone entered my room, mumbled that he had come to leave a towel, when I spoke to him and left. Next morning, I mentioned this to Maya, who manages the place, and she was puzzled. None of her staff spoke English she said, and wouldn’t be leaving towels at midnight!

I spent half the day recovering from my night-long flight, then did some much delayed admin, before going out to find some dinner. I ended up at a Chinese restaurant and had a very good beef with ginger. 

This was when I discovered that Pakistan is, to all accounts and purposes, a dry country. Alcohol is available to non-Muslims – about 3% of the population – but only from special outlets and on production of a permit. It seems it is more widely available in the areas we are going to.

Thur 15 May 2025

I woke up remarkably late – 0930 – a result of the flu symptoms I had had for the last few days, the overnight travel and whatever else. I cooked myself some porridge and some eggs, the first breakfast I really enjoyed since NZ.

I got my first real sight of the bikes we were to ride. They were colourful, but didn’t fill me full of confidence. I did some rudimentary checks and made a few adjustments. Everything seemed to work, but just.

The next thing was to inspect the helmets I was promised we could borrow. What a shock that was! There were, seriously, fit for nothing but the bin; I wouldn’t even put one on my head. When the guys arrive we will have to find some new ones.