Wednesday 26^th November

Well that was the intention to go to bed early but J & A came to the room about 8.30 and left 3 coffees later at 1.00!! Lots to talk about, cheap ways of travel etc – here are some ideas before I forget:

1. Consuls will help subject get back to country of citizenship.
2. Good ship services round islands off Singapore, particularly if going Darwin or Japan.
3. Trans Siberian railway is good value – Russians exchange food coupons for vodka.
4. Munich to Tehran driving cars for selling in Iran. Only go with reliable team of blokes but should get paid about 50 DMs (25 if spare driver).
5. Good steamer ships from Bombay to Kuwait – expensive there but can sell blood for $30 per ½ litre ($12 Greece, 15 Tehran at UNICEF).
6. In Nepal, airline tickets can be purchased with any currency (no exchange receipt required).
7. Kabul or Tehran are best exchange black markets (this we discovered and saved a lot on India and Pakistan living).
8. Liquor permits can be sold in Madras or Bombay for 60 Rupees (will sometimes get 70). Also is possible to buy whiskey in some states cheap drive to next state and make high profits. All road state checks ware through cars.
9. For cheap fares back to UK, Encounter Overland, Indiamen, Sundowners, and Penn charge $2 per day (they all rush back – no sightseeing but is possible to get to London for around 35/40 dollars cash).

Enough of these notes. [Modern NB Please do not try these. Out of date and probably rather illigal!]

Woke up at 6.00 feeling a little tired but we managed to leave bungalow by 7.00. This hour is the best time to start driving as the sun is not hot till about 9.30. Can still only average 30 mph ‘cos of bikes and lorries plus narrow roads but now makeshift horn works, driving is much easier and safer.

Cross over Ganges again at Dehri and almost straight away the scenery began to change. Heavy shrubs and palm, banana, and A.N. other trees.

The people are much darker skinned too. We arrived at the gates of Hazaribagh National Park at 1.30, paid our 5 rupees entrance and drove along a dust road the 10km to the Bungalows and Tourist Lodge. Saw no animals and the strange reception made us think we had been “conned”. After speaking to an Indian staying there, we chose the bungalows rather than the lodge – more expensive (12 rupees!) but nice room (carpet, mosquito nets, curtains) and shower, toilet, etc. 

We immediately set about repacking the two trunks ready for Calcutta. We hope to ship one trunk by sea and take the other with us by air. His means putting all heavy items into one trunk. Cleaned tent etc and by 5pm most items were packed. There is no electricity here so 2 lanterns were lit and brought into the room. These give a pleasant and adequate light. Tomorrow we will leave and get very near Calcutta, ready for the quick dash in Friday.