Numbers Middle East & Indian subcontinent

Georgia

Visa: no visa required for Dutch citizen, one year free stay
Date: 20th of July to 25th of July and again 2nd of August to 13th of August 2013
Kilometers: 506 kilometers
Days of cycling: 7
Days of rest: 8, due to Iranian visa and waiting for airplane back to the Netherlands
Problems: none
Maintenance: cleaned and oiled chain once
Longest cycle day: 90 km
Highest altitude: 2473 meter on the way to Bakuriani
Lowest temperature while cycling: 7 degrees
Nights in tent: 2 nights in tent and 2 nights invited inside
Highest speed: 48.3 km per hour

Armenia

Visa: no visa required for Dutch citizen
Date: 26th of July to 25th of July to 2nd of August 2013
Kilometers: 224.7 kilometers
Days of cycling: 4
Days of rest: 2
Problems: none
Maintenance: tightened spokes back wheel, cleaned and oiled chain once
Longest cycle day: 65 km
Highest altitude: 2150 meter on the way to Akhalkalaki
Lowest temperature while cycling: 17 degrees
Nights in tent: 1
Highest speed: 40 km per hour

Turkish Kurdistan

Visa at airport for €15. Valid for 6 months, multiple entree.
Date: 2th of September to 4th of October 2013
Kilometers: 368 kilometers
Days of cycling: 5
Days of rest: 2
Problems: twice a puncture in back wheel
Maintenance: nothing
Longest cycle day: 90 km
Highest altitude: 1071 meter onwards from Mardin
Lowest temperature while cycling: 27 degrees
Nights in hotel: 1 night
Nights Couch Surfing: 3
Nights at family/hospital: 3
Highest speed: 50 km per hour

Iraqi Kurdistan

Visa: easy to obtain at Ibrahim Khalil border. For free, valid for 15 days.
Date: 4th of October to 18th of October 2013
Kilometers: 388 kilometers
Days of cycling: 10
Days of rest: 4
Problems: none
Maintenance: cleaned chain once
Longest cycle day: 55 km
Highest altitude: 1721 meter towards Haji Omaran
Lowest temperature while cycling: 20 degrees
Nights in hotel: 7 nights
Nights at family: 6 nights
Highest speed: 60.5 km per hour

Iran

Visa: arranged through Touran Zamin well in advance. Picked visa up in Tbilisi, Georgia. I got a one month visa, single entry and could enter Iran within 3 months of the date of issue, but MAKE SURE NO HANDWRITTEN CHANGES ARE DONE BY THE CONSUL! I had the visa extended in Tabriz, a day before the end date, they would not extend a week earlier.

Date: 19th of October to 15th of December 2013
Kilometers: 2205 kilometers
Days of cycling: 30
Days of rest: 10 (plus 9 days of integrated holiday, 6 days of waiting for ferry to Dubai, 2 days public transport to arrange visa extension and 1 day on the train) Total days in Iran: 58.
Problems: FORGOT TO TAKE CASH MONEY!
Maintenance: cleaned chain three times, oiled it weekly
Longest cycle day: 127 km
Highest altitude: 2126 meter near Divanderreh, Kurdistan
Lowest temperature while cycling: 5 degrees
Nights in mosque: 2 nights
Nights in tent: 4 only
Highest speed: 64 km per hour

The Emirates

Visa: Stamp at arrival, 30 days for free
Date: 16th of December to 25th of December 2013
Kilometers: 403
Days of cycling: 5
Days of rest: 4
Problems: none
Maintenance: none
Longest cycle day: 114 kilometers
Lowest temperature while cycling: 25 degrees
Nights in tent: 2
Nights at Couch Surfing: 7

Visit to the Netherlands, and on to:

The Emirates II

Visa: Stamp at arrival, 30 days for free
Date: 12th of February to 18th of February 2014
Kilometers: 130
Days of cycling: 2.5
Days of not cycling: 6
Problems: none
Maintenance: cleaned, oiled and turned the chain
Longest cycle day: 80 kilometers
Lowest temperature while cycling: 25 degrees, extreme windy
Nights in tent: 2
Nights at Couch Surfing: 4

Oman

Visa: Stamp at arrival, 21 days for free
Date: 18th of February to 10th of March 2014
Kilometers: 909
Days of cycling: 20
Days of rest: 5
Problems: 2 little rips in tent, 3 punctures mattress, 6 punctures (3 back, 3 front), and the bottle cage broke down
Maintenance: none
Longest cycle day: 83 kilometers
Maximum speed: 61 kilometer an hour
Highest temperature while cycling: 32 degrees
Nights in tent: ALL, except when staying in Muscat to arrange Indian visa and cargo bicycle
Nights at Couch Surfing: 7

India

Visa: I have obtained the visa in Muscat, Oman. With exception I got a 6 months multiple entrée…
Date: 10th of March to 20th of July 2014 (then I had to rush back home again for family matters)
Kilometers: 3453 kilometer from Cochin to Delhi and 636 kilometer Spiti & Lahaul (4090 km. total)
Days of cycling: 49 days and 18 days in the Himalaya
Days of rest: 43 days of rest against 3 days in the Himalaya
Problems: 4 punctures in the back, 3 punctures in front, stand broken, key of lock broken, blood blister between legs, huge blister on bum, back brake stuck, sunglasses broken. Strange kind of stomach pain (appeared to be amoebas), and twice an occasional splash of diarrhea. Oh, and the chain wore out (after another 10.000 kilometer though)
Maintenance: 5 x cleaned the chain, turned it once. Changed the back tire to the front, new inner tube front, new back tire, oiled the Rohloff hub. Repaired two holes in Ortlieb bag, turned Rohloff sprocket, renewed Multifuel cotton-pad, renewed brake pads in front (back brake is not working anymore)
Longest cycle day: 109 kilometer
Shortest cycle day: 8.31 kilometer when I did not want to wait for the bus, instead tried to climb the Thorung La myself, without food, without map, without rain gear nor sunglasses, and without working brakes…
Lowest temperature: 10 degrees in July Himalaya
Highest temperature while cycling: 53 degrees in June, Delhi
Highest altitude: 4551 meter at Kunzum La
Nights in tent: 11 nights in the Himalaya and 1 failed attempt at a lodge in Bundi to avoid the heat (was even more hot!), once camped in the room to protects against mosquito’s

Europe 2014

Kilometers: 2600
Longest cycle day: 150 kilometer
Longest number of hours in the saddle: almost 9
Days without washing myself: 9
Lowest temperature: 10 degrees
Nights in tent: all
Remarkable: surrounded by a group of grunting wild swines and my tent used as a horde by a deer