My bike is My Freedom!

Total Distance Covered: 150 Kilometres

Total Cycling time: Approx 10-11 hours

States Crossed : Saptari District, Siraha and Udhana

Route: Sitapur, Kalyanpur, Panesara

Around 5:15 in the morning Preeti started towards Kathmandu from Mahuli. The terrain from Mahuli to Kathmandu is an ascend and the road wasn’t in very good shape. Due to all this the saddle bad Preeti was carrying was constantly brushing against the tyre and finally the bag gave way and broke.

At around 1:30 in the afternod Preeti found a cycle repair shop and walked in there. Many high end geared cycles were there in the shop. This gave Preeti some relief. The cycle mechanic was awestruck hearing about Preeti’s mission. After hearing her intention of spreading awareness about organ donation behind her mission , the mechanic did some repairs to the cycle to make Preeti’s onward journey easier.

The mechanic repaired the cycle and on his own fit a mudguard on Preeti’s cycle. This would ensure that the mud would not cause any damages to the cycle and the saddle bag. Along with the mud guard he also fit a carrier to the cycle and ensured that the bag would not fall off. On the way Preeti couldn’t find a decent place to eat. Where ever possible she was eat fruits and some vegetarian snacks (if available)

With the cycle repaired the journey was a bit easier. To add to the bliss…. The way to Kathmandu was going through a dense forest area. The effect of the heat was considerably brought down due to the dense vegetation. Although the terrain was full of continuous ascends and descends, the scenic route made Preeti’s ride comfortable. She says because of the scenic route she did not even realise when the sunset and she did not even feel tired.

The next day she has to cross two ghat sections which are very steep. The climb is difficult and the distances are not small. Preeti found a place to camp at night. On the way she had seen a good place to eat. She got a room, freshened up and went back to eat. Here too people were curious and wished her well for her mission.

To ensure that the mission goes well, one has to ensure proper food intake. To make up for the calories spent during the day, Preeti had a full plate of Paneer gravy and chapatti for dinner.

It was 9 in the night when Preeti was telling us about her day’s activities. She was tired, was sleepy and yet enthusiastically telling us about the next day’s plan. She was going to get up early in the morning at 3 am and start around 4. She had planned to reach as close as possible to Kathmandu by sundown. Next day she had plans to do some sightseeing in Kathmandu and spread awareness about organ donation in Kathmandu.

She plans to spend some more time in the capital. Preeti is all excited about the next day and her stay in Kathmandu.

Original Blog By : Kavita Pipada
English Translation By : Girija Shirurkar