One-month road from France to Nepal « The dreams come true »

In November 2018 everything went back in order and I start the road to Asia! I have one month to arrive in India, otherwise my visa will be expired.
No worries, I didn’t drive threw the Pakistan alone. Friend called Amaury was coming with me.
We start the road from ”L’ ELABORATOIRE ”. It is an alternative place in Rennes occupied by collective of artists and they are great! Many thanks to the L’Elaboratoire for all benefit evens we make together to support our project Unexpected Frequencies during the last 3 years.

In Italy we find perfect place the Mutonia- Mutoid waste company. It’s a nice art place next to Bologne with many robotic mutants of animals. I really like it.

In Greece we discover abandoned thermal center. In this amazing place in the nature with hot water springs permanently lives just pack of street dogs. The locals come there only to take a bath. Few squatters occupied one building of the huge complex otherwise the thermal center is empty.

The border of Turkey was really easy. No checking of the van, carnet CPD was not needed. In Istanbul we make Iran visa. The second day the visa were ready and we went to see Cappadoccia montains for few days.

Then we went to cross Iran border. We have been good prepared for border crossing with adequate costume and covering the hair. We choose late evening to pass the border to avoid the crowd of people. It was a very nice surprises how Iran welcomes us. The border checking was quick. They don’t look in the van because they were scared of the dogs. They give us free dinner, cola, sprite and map of Iran with explanation of the best place we should visit.

We cross Iran strait by the shortest road to Pakistan border called Taftan. Anyway everywhere we stop people invite us for tea, give us food and try to convince us to stay for night in their place. The tradition is that after third invitation you cannot say no. Otherwise is very impolite. We don’t have any problem with moral police like the rest of the group. We don’t even see them. We were lucky.

Pakistan was a different story. Border crossing was quick without checking the van but then we have to wait for Levis escort until the other day morning. All the travel in Pakistan we have an escort.

When we went to get the NOC permission we feel a small earthquake so all the building was evacuated outside but finally we get a NOC document.

We continue until Wagha border with convoy of other 4 vehicles from Europe.

We don’t want to pay a hotel in Pakistan so we sleep in the van in the police station. In Lahore we finally leave the police escort and we went to see Yolenne and Dan still busy with the reparation of the truck after the accident. Amaury stay with them and I continue alone to India. My visa will be expired in few days.

I come to India/Pakistan border in last minute like usual. The border closing ceremony was just starting and my van was in the middle of the ceremony the last vehicle that passes the border that day.

I drive directly to Nepal border. It takes me two days to cross India. I didn’t have GPS just basic map. In the end I get lost so I start to ask people where is Nepal? And they send me to completely crazy border in the north of India next to Nepalganj.
This border is in the middle of the National Park and it’s border just for India and Nepal people. There is not really a road. I arrive in the middle of the night to the National Park where are 2000 tigers and 40 rhinoceros. I get lost there and I hand up in the poachers’ village full of cages for animals and traps for catching them. I continue the road but the road doesn’t continue just jungle and walking passage. I turn around and try other road and I see pick up with some people so I stop the van and run out stop the vehicle and ask where is Nepal… The six guys come out with the guns and they try to take my passport. In the end Freaky safe me and I escape from this crazy situation with my passport and I manage to arrive to Gauriphanta border of Nepal.
There I was center of attraction because never ever somebody with white skin comes to cross the border with his vehicle. They were so shocked that they just look at my passport and let me go.

So I arrived in Nepal without visa and without stamp in my carnet CPD. before I met the group in Pokhara I have tons of police control but they don’t even want to see my passport for the visa. I met everybody from the group in Pokhara just before the New Year party. When I arrive my gearbox stop to work. My van breaks just on time. For Baba it was question of few minute to repair it. After the party we went to Kathmandu to make Indian visa and with help of the group I make also my Nepal visa and Nepal stamp in carnet cpd. That way the next border crossing should be again easy 🙂