India – Manipur and Nagland states
Sorry for the exceptionally late posting of this blog. .
Friday 21st February I am taking another rest day in an effort to catch up on my backlog. Thanks so much to my kind host Thaps for putting me up in the lap of luxury these last three days!
On December 1st last I had arrived at the Myanmar/Indian border and was not allowed to run across to India as I didn’t have a so called ‘ border area ‘ permit for the sensitive border area in India. The reality is such Indian permits are next to impossible to obtain outside India. I knew this but what could I do only keep going and see what would happen. That is what the Myanmar immigration insisted was the case and they were legally obliged to prevent me from crossing to india. Not really knowing what to do and knowing these permits are gradually been relaxed I decided to take a break for Christmas in Ireland. If I cant cross the land border I would have to fly over and return to this same border but on the Indian side.
It had been a very tough year, 13,500km run in 11 months with three big efforts, through the Australian Outback having set a South /North Australian record with many run days of over 70km a day. Then a big effort to reach Bangkok,Thailand on a particular Sunday in October, where local runners wanted to run with me. That effort to facilitate the runners was over 60km a day for about 12 days. And finally a huge push through Myanmar with my police escort in which I ran 900km in two weeks on sometimes very bad unsurfaced mountain roads. I needed a mental break as well as a physical break as running India will require a lot of mental strength when I eventually start my run across the sub continent.
So from Myanmar I returned to Bangkok where Nirvana my Chariot cart that I sometimes push my gear in was being minded by Danny Cummings, an Irish man living there. A couple of days later I flew to New Delhi, India and took a taxi straight to the Irish embassy where Irish ambassador Gerry Kelly kindly agreed to mind Nirvana till I finished running India. It seems now that she is a liability to me as I don’t need her now as I am not running through China in the winter. I was tempted to take her back to Ireland and leave her there but my route across Central Asia had yet to be determined and there may be many a barren, foodless,waterless road where I would be so glad to have a facility for pushing all my requirements. As tougher as it is going with a backpack I prefer it for it is purer running. With my 2kg pack which includes a bivy for basic, if chilly shelter I can run from town to town, village to village picking up my food and drinks as I go, as India, just as in Indonesia and Latin America villages are rarely more than a few kilometres apart.
So after depositing her at the embassy I went to a restaurant with my laptop and booked a flight home using my frequent flier miles.
It was a wonderful Christmas I had, so nice to be back with family and friends again. 
Christmas with sister Ann and Mam
My plan was to check out this permit back in Ireland at the Indian embassy.
At the Indian embassy they told me they didn’t know as nobody had ever looked for such permits before and advised I check in the govt offices in New Delhi upon my return.The two protected states Manipur and Nagaland.
That I can tell you was a real run around in New Delhi, as I had to go to four different offices before I was eventually told to just fly to Imphal, state capital of Manipur. The following day was New Years eve, and off the record I was told that the easing of the restrictions was to be extended another year. Easing of the restrictions seemed to mean that groups of a minimum of four must travel together to avoid the need for a guide, but from what I could ascertain the ‘ group of four ‘ rule seemed to be ignored by even the officials talking to me, never the less best to get there before years end.
So I flew from New Delhi to Imphal about 2,500km away. (Many thanks to Fergus for effectively sponsoring this flight) On my arrival had my passport stamped by the foreigner registration officer at the airport.
He told me I could stay as long as I wished and as it was in the region of 250km through the state to Nagaland, the next restricted state I figured about a week. Not really sure what will happen when I get to Nagaland, Hey I can only deal with one problem at a time!
Back at the Indian/Myanmar border in the town of Moreh that New Years day. I went as far as I was allowed to towards the Myanmar immigration office where I finished running Myanmar in December. Then I began my run across India. It seems the Myanmar and Indian immigration are on different wavelengths, not communicating properly if they were I would surely have been allowed to cross. This estimated 1 kilometre gap will be the first land gap in the run in almost 39,000km.
There was a serious military presence in this area, I noted vehicle checks for presumably drug and weapons, The zealous officers even pulling out car seats out of buses, cars and trucks and checking inside the seat upholstery.
I was in very poor peoples territory, many signs had signs warning about the dangers of Aids. Signs are in both Hindi and English, for India has certainly embarrassed the English language, much to my delight.
The terrain was hilly and I was feeling the effort after my one month break from the road. It was also hot, humid and hilly.
After about 22km I stopped for water in a village called Tuipi Mate. The people are from the Koki tribe.
Soon I found myself invited to stay the night, that first night of 2014.
A delicious vegetable and beef soup, yes eating beef in India, don’t think this is going to happen too often in the coming months! Also bread and tea was served to me over at the families friends house where many of the villagers had gathered for the meal which we ate in the front garden. As always I was the latest curiosity, a couple of students spoke a little English, so I was able to talk about the run as best as they could understand, but I could see the question as always was but why do you bother, why not just get in a car or a bus.
Next day I managed a marathon and got another invitation to stay with a family. And there was another night when I stopped at a church, a Baptist church with the ceremony in full swing. It was a bitterly cold evening and some youths had a fire lighting in the church grounds while the service went on inside. So I just went inside and sat on the straw floor. The congregation was mostly children with about 20 elders seated at the back. Everyone stared at me it seemed, top marks to the pastor for hardly missing a beat as I sat there with my turned off flashlight still resting on my head.
The service went on for a long, long time. I was there to mooch a place to sleep. Eventually two of the ushers, one a man called Joseph came in and invited me outside to the fire. I accepted! After a nice heat Joseph told me I could stay that night with his family, So there it was the ushers abandoned their post and ushered me to the family home. So I went to bed a 9pm and could still hear the service. Joseph andd his friend returned for the end and then music went on all of the night. I was told that at New Year there are two long days of church service to celebrate!
It seems Manipur, Nagaland, Assam and many of the border areas have problems with civil unrest. For fear of insurgent sabotage of the areas economy trucks and oil tankards are escorted to their destinations by the military.
The chief enforcer of law and order in the area is by the Assam Rifles who are the elite military force.
It seems even the insurgents cant seem to agree as some of them want a separate state for Manipur, others want unity with Nagaland.
The Indian army have been accused of many human rights violations in the region, rarely if ever they are charged or prosecuted even though the Indian Government has admitted to these atrocities.
It is also a mostly Christian area. The people are often described as ‘ hill people ‘ Many foreign tourists actually pay money to gawk at these hill people, yes I read that in Lonely Planet travel book, LP the bible for travellers. I have spent many nights with and slept in their homes. Many hill people have told me they have little interest in working for a living. I have been told the Indian government family allowance is based on the size of the village but is usually in the region of US$60 a month. Many people I met in the weeks after my run through here seemed to look down upon the hill people. I have heard some phrases like ” …. Those people are no good, lazy, uneducated ” etc. One or two even laughed at me when I askd them if they were working.
On the road I get tormented by people following me, asking silly questions when the road is dangerously busy, for it is a poorly kept and narrow highway I am running on at the moment.
I have to separate my frustration from these tormentors from the nice people I meet on the sidelines or in shops, the shack eateries they have here. They are not the ones hassling me, well not in this region but further west when I did stop in these places it was to become a nightmare.
I have to separate my frustrations just like a hockey player getting whacked, shoulder charged into an arenas hoardings, After all a hockey player wouldn’t take it out on the supporters, or a towns natives.
That’s the way I have to think as otherwise what with crazy drivers etc I could end up hating everyone, hate being such a cancerous emotion. I spend too much time on my own, too much thinking time that I have to be careful where my head goes. It’s the dangerous drivers I don’t like.
I remembered my doctors words back in his office in Dublin just before Christmas.
” Tony you have to be careful of your nutrition, as a trip like this with a poor diet can mentally disturb a person. “
Then he added. .. ” I have many many questions about what you are doing to your body and mind but the science does not have the answers! “
Reassuring stuff!
There was another day just before I crossed to Nagaland. I had started late that day as I had some errants to do in Imphal, the state capital, so I was finishing late. I didnt know where I was going to sleep that night so just kept on running. Some people stopped in a car to talk to me, I refused to converse as I have a no talk after dark rule. A few minutes later another car stopped.
Instinct told me these people were ok, just a couple of harmless students called Seigun and Kailen.They spoke some English, I told them what I was doing, they were very interested and said they lived about 3km up the road in the next village. So I just asked them straight out if they had a place I could lay my head that night! A bit taken aback they agreed. I suggested I would run on for the 3km and perhaps they could come out and watch for me. Instead they just said they would drive on slowly, so I ran in front of their headlights till we got to the family home. Funny enough my instinct didn’t go as far as unloading my pack as they drove and I ran!
At the family house an uncle called out the police officer called Sub inspector Kipgen and a couple of others were armed to the hilt. They told me they were concerned about my well being, so I said if that was so please send me out an officer on a motor bike to crew for me in the morning. he said he would try but I didn’t believe him as he never asked me my start time.
Uncle Hahado called the police just to have me checked out, for their security as he put it, I was a bit disappointed by that, but a really lovely family. They told me the Brits had a huge arsenal here during the war. It was so larged they called it a super mine and then named the village Sapar Maina, for weeks later I was calling everything, food drink etc SAPAR one of just a couple of Hindi words I could remember.
Then I had a delightful 45km day in the Kabur mountains at altitudes of about 2,500 metres, the views were stunning perhaps the only pretty landscape I was to see in my first 2,000km in India.
A 60km day took me across the state line to Nagaland, no passport inspection or registering, just a couple of questions from the cops and I was off. The village at the stateline was full of military, I was to find a much lesser presence in this state. Many locals told me Nagaland is less oppressive than Manipur, whatever that means,
I thought I saw an Irish motor biker with an Irish tri-colour flag flying from an aerial. I managed to catch up with him when he stopped and much to my embarrassment discovered it was the Indian flag as we share the same colours. I lost interest immediately, like many westerners I seem to be mostly interested in travellers from the west.
Eventually I made it to Kohima after a tough slog. Kohima had a filthy hotel but I felt I was lucky to get it. Just like in the Andes mountains of Peru the days are very warm but when the sun goes down it’s chilly, very chilly.
This hotel was a dive, filthy, alcohol bottles everywhere and the staff seemed drunk, too drunk to bother signing me in, just took the money – that happens a fair bit. The kinda place you wash your face before going to bed in case the mice or rats lick it clean for you.
In the morning I went to the Superintendent of Police office to register and was left waiting for about two hours, dont’ think many foreigners pass through this terrible town. I could have actually gotten out of this state without registering, for I was not stopped.
A couple more days took me to Manja, took me across the state line to oil richer Assam and 39,000km have been run.
Thanks to a man called J.S. Singh-Crowe for listening in to my conversation in a cafe. I had told the people there I was looking for a place to stay. He went around the village telling people until someone tracked me down and brought me to what seemed to be a private lodge as there was no sign outside and the price was good too.
February 20th, 2014 at 4:52 pm
tony, great update. funny how neighbouring areas can be so different. pity about the food…….keep it going. kevin
February 21st, 2014 at 4:51 pm
Great read tony. Hope you are looking after yourself it sounds quite dangerous and unhealthy environment. Glad you got back into the swing of the run so fast after your short time out. Very generous of your friend to sponsor your flight. You’re nearly on the home run now. Be safe and be careful. Serena
February 21st, 2014 at 11:15 pm
Great read Tony and insight into the Indians and conditions you travel and sleep in. Sounds dangerous but you seem to be meeting good people. Take care
Ann
February 22nd, 2014 at 5:19 pm
Glad to see people who are looking after you and your friend putting you up for your days off. Great read Tony. Take care and mind yourself
February 23rd, 2014 at 4:37 pm
Pls post for me
Tony says he got his Iranian visa approved. Thanks to his Greco friend Richard Donovan for helping out with visa agency
He has now decided he will return to Europe via Iran and Turkey as its less hassle.
Almost 40,750km for 930 days.
February 23rd, 2014 at 6:53 pm
wow tony…..2 more countries after india and you are in europe……..sounds easy here in wicklow…………great update. good luck. kevin
February 23rd, 2014 at 7:04 pm
Hi Tony.,
Firstly I must apologise for my major lapse in my support to you. I have eventually caught up with the blog. I just want to continue to wish you the best. I watched Tadgh Twomey today become the National Champion over 75.! I will make a contribution later in the week and I will put u up to speed with the club. Many apologies again for my lapse
Kieran
February 24th, 2014 at 2:04 pm
Hi Tony, its my first time checking on your progress in a long time and i cant believe the progress you have made. To see how far you have gone and to imagine you are on the relative home straight is amazing. You are as always an inspiration, keep on living your dream and stay safe.
Ed
February 26th, 2014 at 3:46 pm
Hi everyone. Today Wednesday 40km. 40,854km for 933 road days.The running has been very difficult since leaving Lucknow on Saturday as the road is now a very narrow potholed two lane and with no real shoulder , just a lumpy, gravel or mud or rocks surface. Sometimes there is shrubbery and large thorns to contend with.
This road – on route 91 is also very busy.
I have decided in will not run into Agra the home of the Taj Mahal but will make a side trip from my route.at the weekend, probably when I get to Aligarh. It is now 710km to my finish in India. I am going to finish in Sri Ganganagar which is almost at the Pakistan border. As explained before I am not running Pakistan or Afghanistan for safety reasons. I will continue the run from the Iran/Afghan border in Mashhad, Iran.
When I get to Delhi next week I will pick up my already approved Iranian 30 day visa. From Mashhad to Tehran is 880km, so just nice as I plan on getting an extension there.
Very shortly I will apply for my Turkish visa. This is so easy and can be done online I just pay $20 and they email the visa, so simple, wish they were all like this!
My planned European route is Bulgaria,Moldova, Romania,Slovakia,Hungary, Czech Rep, Germany, Belgium, France, England, not sure about Wales Then Scotland, N Ireland and then the republic of Ireland:)
February 26th, 2014 at 4:45 pm
great update tony, i hope the road improves soon. keep up the great work. talk soon, kevin
February 28th, 2014 at 1:20 am
You are heading for the home stretch Tony, keep on running. Europe very soon, hope the roads improve take care Ann -:)
February 28th, 2014 at 3:15 pm
Hi again. I see the Spot didn’t update today Friday. 47km run.Finished in Etah staying in a kind of govt. Hostel. A niceman called Neeraj happened to know the manager. I was having trouble finding a place until I asked him. Thanks Neeraj
Total 40,943km for 935.days.
So the 1,000th marathon is going to happen in about a month a couple hundred km before Tehran.
T