-- Delhi, Man-Force workshop in Gurgaon, Islamabad
the road tracklog
from Delhi to Gurgaon
from 28/05 to 29/05/2007
The morning of the 28/05 I was going to get back my passport at the embassy of Pakistan. Then I left to the Force head office around 10:45 where I waited up to 12:30 to go to the workshop in Gurgaon. The new electrical battery isolator switch was installed. After new waiting we went to a workshop for the installation of the new compressor of air conditioning around 16:30. I noted at the beginning that indicator EDC remained on. About 21:00 the system was not operational. We turned over to the Force workshop where I spent a noisy night. The A/C workshop is a small shop on the street in dust and without lighting! Of course as always in India the presence of my truck caused an assembly of tactless people.
RK Man-Force
Gurgaon
the 28/05/2007
The day of the 29/05 occurred to the garage Man-Force to try to install correctly the
electrical battery isolator switch without success in spite of a phone
conversation with Joel, the electrician of Man-Bresse. During these tests the
diodes were damaged. Their successive repair involved very long latencies.
These unfruitful attempts finished around 10:00 pm, with flashlight, by the
direct connection of the two cables, that from the battery (88) and that to
the starter motor (88a). The noted defect was the EDC light of the dashboard
which remained on. The filter of the air desiccator of the brake systems was
cleaned failing to replace it.
A storm fell down on Gurgaon without rain however with a sky charged with
flashes. Electricity was cut, consequently the close factory switched on its
power generator. I could not sleep in my truck; I thus installed my bed in a
training room.
Overnight in a training room
Gurgaon
the 29/05/2007
The morning of the 30/05 we turned over to the A/C repair shop to make the complement of
cooling agent. I am septic as for the reliability of carried out work. The
afternoon the truck was washed, with the hand by the workmen. Electricity
being cut I waited up to 07:00 pm to have the invoice. Then I went again to my
bivouac at Nehru Park where I arrived around 09:00 pm.
The days that I spent at the garages of Man-Force and Aircon were very
enlargement by lived of the Indian time appreciation. I should show much
patience!
Aircon workshop
Gurgaon
the 30/05/2007
The 31/05 I went to the embassies of Malaysia and Thailand to inform me about the conditions of entering these countries. For some thirty days stays to more the visa is not necessary. Then I went bicycle to Connaught Place to withdraw money at my bank HSBC and then to Khan Market to carry out various purchases. I returned to the truck at the beginning of afternoon to prepare the departure to Pakistan. The temperature was higher than 40°C.
the road tracklog
from Delhi to Amritsar
the 01/06//2007
The target of the 01/06 was to reach the border in Attari at 30 Kilometres in the west from Amritsar. In spite of a good surface of road NH1 I did not hold my object have regard with the various traffic jams in the crossing of cities and with the stops which I made on the way. At the falling night I stopped at the first service area agreeing to accommodate me. Heat was painful, in the early morning it was still of 29.8°C.
the road tracklog
from the border to Islamabad
from 01/06 to 02/06/2007
I left my
bivouac to be at the opening of the Indian border. I arrived there around
10:00 am. I was the only vehicle on standby in front of the gate. At 10:00
O’clock I penetrated in the border zone and parked the truck on a pit of
visit. There were few people, three Iranian, myself and one Spanish woman. The
formalities of immigration were quickly made. Then it was the procedure of
re-exportation of the truck with complement of the carnet de passage en douane
and control of the chassis number and the engine number. I have much chance
because the people in charge of these checks were subjugated by my truck and
the visit of the cell. They forgot to ask me to check the engine number what
obliged me to lift the cabin thus to dissociate it from the cell. With regard
to the chassis number they were satisfied with the number on the plate
manufacturer affixed on the amount of the right door. Indeed the number struck
the frame is partly masked by the fixing of the nitrogen bottle of the right
shock absorber! All the formalities as well as the inevitable
discussions with the Indians lasted less than one hour.
I began again the truck to go to Pakistani territory beyond the place of
weapons where the ceremony of raising proceeds flags. I attended an incredible
ballet then. The Indian trucks and Pakistani are not authorized to cross the
border. The goods are transferred onto the head of carriers, the Indians are
equipped in blue and the Pakistani in red, not of confusion, obliged safety. I
was constrained in my progression, as well Indian side as Pakistani; the
carriers were ill-treated to leave me last!
The Pakistani formalities were even faster, not control of the chassis and
engine numbers, only a surface visit of the cell of the truck was made by
simple curiosity.
I was in Pakistan. A beginning of highway starts after the customs, but very
quickly the roadway is degraded. The 27 kilometres before the entry in Lahore
were rather painful. No indication to find the highway M-2 to Islamabad. After
various contradictory information as well of rickshaw men than of the police
force, I understood as it was necessary to follow the channel during more than
one score of kilometres. At the entry of the highway the distance to Islamabad
is 398 kilometres. I stopped on the service area at Bhera to bivouac. The
highway is modern with an excellent roadway. Theare many rest and service
areas well arranged.
Motorway M-2
en route
the 01/06/2007
The 03/06 there remained approximately 180 kilometres to reach Islamabad. After the
lunch I arrived at a Toll Gate where an event awaited me. At the border I had
gotten information so much to the Indians than the Pakistani about the cost of
the motorway from Lahore to Islamabad, 398 km. The answer was the same one,
it is free. Consequently I changed Indian rupees only for the
expenses of mouth. Alas at the entry of the highway there was a Toll Gate. I
informed the personnel and the Police that I did not have any money to pay.
The answer was: “You can go to Islamabad”. At the Toll Gate of Islamabad my
problem put in joy the personnel. After a few minutes the person in charge
tore the ticket of entry and says to me: “You can go to Islamabad”.
I thanked them cordially.
After the crossroads of Zero Point I reached about 16:00 the Tourist Campsite
where four French motor homes were and two Australian by bicycle. All were on
standby either of the Indian visa or of the Iranian visa. The setting of the
campsite is pleasant, alas the installations are in a state of cleanliness
more than doubtful.
