Cyclists survived Thai bandit attack

Press, 18 August 1984, Page 8

Cyclists survived Thai bandit attack

If they were cats, two round-the-world Indian cyclists, Messrs Sudeeshkumar and Shridhar, would easily have used up their nine lives in the four years they have been on the road. The two students, from Bangalore University, have survived a near drowning in West Germany, an accident with a speeding car in Belgium, another with a motor scooter in Taiwan, no water or fo6d in the Saudi Arabian desert, and an encounter with bandits in Thailand. The latter was the most frightening of the experiences the two have faced. Only a local newspaper clipping and some crumbled bread saved them from death. Bread is the food of the sick in Thailand and on seeing the bread and cheese supplies of the cyclists, their

captors blindfolded them and took them to their forest camp for a good meal before returning them blindfolded to the forest road. “We were very lucky to be alive,” said Mr Shridhar yesterday. The two cyclists are in Christchurch for the next few days on their “last leg” on the way home to India. On Monday they plan to visit the Mayor of Christchurch, Sir Hamish Hay, as they have visited the mayors of other cities they have been in. After graduating from university, Messrs Sudeeshkumar and Shridhar decided to fulfil a childhood ambition and cycle round the world. They made a trial run round India in 1979 on two bicycles but decided on a tandem for their global trip.

They designed and made their own tandem — reputedly the first to be built in India — and set off on their journey. The trip has taken them from India through the Middle East, the Gulf, Europe, the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia. From New Zealand they will go to Fiji and the Philippines, then to Singapore, and back' to India by Christmas. With 96,500 km behind them, the cyclists say they have enjoyed-their journey. They have funded the trip with the help of the Indian Government and by writing articles. When they return to India they plan to write a book about their travels.