Saturday, October 11, 2014

EPILOGUE



EPILOGUE (which is indispensable)


After my departure back home from MADRAS via COLOMBO, Tilo continued on his route to the end point of the southern Indian peninsula and turned up to the north  on his way back to GERMANY .... 



http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com



Unfortunately,  he had an accident along his way on the road .... Our campervan collided with a large truck, it was badly damaged and unable to continue the journey. 




http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com



Tilo had to have it repaired in the garage in CULCUTTA and he was, fortunately, invited to stay at the Germany Consulate in CULCUTTA for a month in waiting  until the camper van was repaired to be fit again for a trip back to Germany afterwards.

 

http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com



Lucky enough for me that I decided to return home earlier otherwise I might get injured by the accident as it happened to the front right side of the van body where I used to have my seat while driving on the road.




CONCLUSION :


During that time, the important event of the Russian army invading and occupying Afghanistan was in a protracted war.  On his way back home, Tilo was allowed to travel through Afghanistan within the limited period of time 10 days in returning to Europe. The invasion of the Russian and her occupation of Afghanistan broke down the dream of many travelers, especially those who called themselves the Hippies.  




Tilo with Harun & his cousin - https://www.facebook.com/FromMunichToMadras1977/




Harun, a student of German language course at Goethe Institute in KABUL, our Afghan fellow and some of his family members and friends, whom we knew in KABUL and he accompanied us to BAMIYAN, the site of the giant standing Buddha image, carved in the cliffs of the mountains, had applied  for war refugee status to settle in Germany.  He then married a German girl many years afterwards. 


Harun - https://www.facebook.com/FromMunichToMadras1977/




It was not likely that we would meet again. However, I met Harun again as well as BAHLU, a Lhasa Apso, adopted from a Tibetan restaurant in KATHMANDU, when I returned to Germany for the second time, after living in Thailand for almost 1 year.

BHALU,  our Tibetan Lhasa Apso adopted from a restaurant in Kathmandu, was then taken care by the family of Tilo's younger brother in north Germany until the end of its life.





Hoping that my simple diary will give some inspiration to those who love travelling and adventure to follow their dreams.


           === PERFECTLY END ===







Back in homeland !



229) SATURDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 1978 : RETURN FLIGHT – COLOMBO - BANGKOK



After breakfast at the hotel, I had a chance to visit COLOMBO as I got my connect flight to Bangkok in the evening, so plenty of time.
 
 

http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com


I arrived Bangkok safely and took a taxi directly  to my home in a nearby province.  It was in the evening and  everyone was happy and surprised by my unexpected arrival.









Friday, October 10, 2014

THE LAST DAY - DAY 228



228) FRIDAY, 10 FEBRUARY 1978 : RETURN FLIGHT – MADRAS (CHENNAI) - COLOMBO



We shall someday have to break it ...

And then .... the last day of my trip, the longest one and a once in a lifetime opportunity, was arriving .....

It was the end of my semi-independent and economized long journey (independent on hotel accommodation and only reliable on some meals in restaurants) by a self-modified campervan, that was mutual invested and adapted from a used minivan of the Post.


Departure from MUNICH, GERMANY on June 28, 1977, to the city of MADRAS, INDIA and travelling in India until February 10, 1978.  Total 228 days of travelling on the roads.

- A total distance of 21,396 kilometers through the countries along the Hippies Trail - the journey to cross the borders in

GERMANY 1 day
AUSTRIA (1 day)
YUGOSLAVIA (6 days)
GREECE (9 days)
TURKEY (24 days)
IRAN (29 days)
AFGHANISTAN (22 days)
PAKISTAN (5 days) 
NEPAL (26 days)
and INDIA – travelling time in India for 3 months and 10 days





A Farewell Hug before departure  - http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com


In the afternoon, Tilo drove me to MADRAS international airport. I felt some regret and a bit pity realizing that we would have to part, after a long time of travelling and adventuring together.  


Tilo in Afghan outfit -  http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com


Thank you very much Tilo Grabowski for allowing me to travel together with mutual tolerance. Sometimes, we think we know best of our friends’ thoughts  and  habits at the beginning of the journey.  However, as we travel along,  everything  could be changed  in both. There were many times that we were different in opinions as to the direction of travel (at least) and to select  proper parking spots by the  road sides.  



MADRAS Airport (at a later date)- Photo skyscrapercity.com / Google images seasrch




Once I might have thought it was not safe to stop to overnight on that particular spot, according to my Asian points of view. Maybe a Thai should feel differently  from the European that  some bad events might happen.  We were living in such a big gap of security standards  between Asia and  Europe.  High security standards exist in Europe and it should be safer than in Asian countries, armed robbery seems to be barely happened  in Europe.

I did not know how BAHLU felt on this occasion or if he could perceive that we would not see each other for maybe 1 year or 2 years, or we would not meet again.

FAREWELL INDIA !

GOODBYE MY FRIENDS !