LAHORE: A group of six Sri Lankan riders -- three on as many heavy motorcycles and three on a jeep -- who are on an adventure motorcycle ride expedition from Germany to homeland Sri Lanka could not cross Wagah on Friday as the time for crossing the border (3:30pm) had run out.

The group will now cross the border at 9:30am on Saturday (today).

Though the group arrived at the crossing well before the time, customs procedures took time and doors of both borders closed at 3:30pm.

The expedition began on Sept 15 last from Berlin in Germany. The trip was arranged by the chairperson of the Brandix Lanka Limited in liaison with the Government of Sri Lanka. The Ministry of Interior in Islamabad arranged security for the riders.

The six Sri Lankan expeditors are Feroz Omar, retired Maj Nalaka Buddadasa, Javana Fernando, Kenneth McAlpine, Capt Kshmendra Weeratunga and John Durrant.

The group traveled through Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Iran and Pakistan. From Wagah, the riders will travel through India to Batramulla, Sri Lanka.

“Pakistani landscape is amazing and so is the hospitality and the food,” McAlpine, the Sri Lankan biker, said at Wagah border.

The expedition entered Pakistan from Zaidan to Taftan on Oct 7 and continued road travel through Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab to reach Wagah border.

McAlpine said the travelers enjoyed different terrains, altitudes, weathers, food and culture of countries they passed through.

Mr Buddadasa, another expedition member, told Dawn they had been planning the expedition since 2000.

Three heavy gigantic bikes and the jeep would re-roll for India on Saturday (today) at the last leg of the adventurous journey.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2014