I hated the idea of leaving the bike behind for fear we would never be reunited, but had no choice, and left it in Kelvin's capable hands. Madras greeted me with its unique brand of chaos. Buying a postage stamp is complicated enough in India. Sending and receiving faxes at the railway station bureau is a major undertaking, but after two days I received confirmation the Triumph had landed in Colombo. All I had to do was get there, claim it and find transport to anywhere on the sub- continent.
Riding is the easy bit.
I was about to find out how right he was. My ride from Singapore had been frustrated by the news that the Burmese war had escalated and the chances of me crossing into Myanmar and then Bangladesh to travel overland on half a ton of loaded Triumph, spare fuel, and mobile workshop was remote. Hopes of this ambition were dashed at the border with the murder of two missionaries by Burmese guards, and I did not want to be next. I had to rely on local intelligence, and Klang, the biggest port in Malaysia were my best chance. Only about 18,000 miles out of my way.