Cycling through India

Press, 21 October 1989, Page 28

Cycling through India

Ram Ram India. By Alex Thompson . and Nick Rossiter. Paladin/ Collins, 1989. 265 pp. Illustrations. $19.95 (paperback). Travel books often appear to chronicle the journeying of an elite group. Its members could well be described as professionals. Many of their expeditions are sponsored by influential organisations, which allows them the time and resources to plan meticulously for all contingencies. In sharp contrast, “Ram Ram India” tells of an epic bicycle journey of over 5000 kilometres, extending from Kashmir to Cape Comorin — the entire length of India. The two young Englishmen involved set off with rather less preparation

than most of us would make before setting off for a day at the local beach. Their adventures en route should delight the armchair traveller.

Those readers with personal experience of travel in India, and of the all-too-common after effects, are likely to judge the intrepid pair as fool- hardy. But however carefully travellers choose where — and what — they eat, few escape Delhi Belly. The two cyclists ate anything and everything that the most humble Indians ate. One, at least, escaped serious ill effects. The other wanted to lose weight, and did so. An interesting aspect of their ardous journey is that Oxfam, a very worthy charity, benefited because of it. — Jim Burns.