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00:00My name's Rob Warner.
00:02Don't get this back home.
00:04On a quest to ride the world's greatest trails.
00:07Never had myself down as an Attenborough type.
00:10And meet the people who live in some of the wildest places on earth.
00:14Hello mate, how are you doing? Alright?
00:16As a downhill World Cup winner, I've had a lifetime of competition.
00:21But no chance to enjoy the ride.
00:26Oh, for f***ing sake.
00:30So I'm taking the best young athletes to seek out epic trails.
00:37And to make sure they don't miss out on the wilder side of the world.
00:42My donkey's name is Doug.
00:44This time I'm in the mighty Himalayas with master of downhill style, Oli Wilkins.
00:50That's the first sight of the Himalayas out the window right now.
00:54Oli's been perfecting the most jaw-dropping jumps for more than a decade.
00:58And is fast becoming one of the world's most exciting all-rounders.
01:04Together, we're on a mission in Nepal.
01:07To go faster.
01:08Nice!
01:10Higher.
01:10This is so cool.
01:12Definitely let's not go off there.
01:14And to find inner peace in the world's tallest mountain range.
01:18Look at the size of that crap.
01:20He ain't called the guru for nothing.
01:21Get it out!
01:22No!
01:23Get it out!
01:24Get it out!
01:30Get it out!
01:34Hey, we're off.
01:38So here we are from Kathmandu.
01:39Here it is, Oli.
01:40Here it is.
01:42Don't get us killed in the traffic.
01:44I've never been anywhere like it.
01:46It is chaos.
01:47Let's get in the back and relax.
01:49We'll let him have a go.
01:50Front brake's on the left.
01:51Don't want you to cause us any injuries.
01:53Right?
01:54Oh, my God almighty!
01:57I must say this pole is very awkwardly placed.
02:02We're starting our journey in the foothills of the Himalayas.
02:06Heading up from Nepal's capital Kathmandu to an ancient kingdom called the Mustang Valley.
02:14Wheel ride trail surrounded by the world's biggest peaks with sheer drops at every turn.
02:21You've done pretty poorly, so...
02:22Do you know what?
02:23I'm gassed.
02:24I've got nothing to give.
02:24I know it's your job and everything, but do you mind?
02:27Let him have another...
02:28That's fantastic.
02:29He's glad to get his bike back in one piece.
02:31That's hard, don't you think?
02:33First, we need to find our Kathmandu guide to show us the sights and lead us to the Mustang Valley.
02:39He must be a fit old fella. What a living.
02:41Way to make a living, eh?
02:44Ah, yeah, there she is, baby. Okay, that'll do.
02:49Thank you very much.
02:51Daniel's bag.
02:51Daniel bag.
02:54That, my friend, is a temple.
02:56Long way up.
02:59Just get out of this junction that we're in.
03:01Hello, mate. Sorry.
03:03Stop, everyone.
03:05Wow.
03:06Mandil.
03:07Hello, mate.
03:10Mandil Pradhan is a Nepalese champion rider and an expert on the high Himalayas.
03:15What's this, then?
03:16This is the monkey temple.
03:18We've seen loads of monkeys.
03:19Yeah, there's a ton that live around here.
03:22No way, they're everywhere.
03:24Yeah.
03:24Are they friendly or not?
03:26As friendly as you want them to be.
03:27Don't get too close, though.
03:29They need you?
03:30Yeah.
03:30Yeah.
03:30If you have any food on you, just, you know, keep it safe.
03:34A lot of Buddhist people around here feed the monkeys, so that's why they like to live around
03:37here.
03:37It's a very appropriate place for us to start off our journey so that, you know, we have
03:41the best wishes of Buddha.
03:42I just see the old Dalai Lama down there.
03:44Yeah.
03:45Did you?
03:45Yeah, I knew who it was as well.
03:47You met Dalai Lama?
03:48No, not a picture of it.
03:49Oh, a picture.
03:50Yeah.
03:53It goes on and on, this temple.
03:55It's pretty impressive, isn't it?
03:56Is Everest harder than this to scale?
03:58Be honest with me.
04:00Might be a little bit, yeah.
04:01There are hundreds of temples in Kathmandu.
04:04I'm hoping these ancient religious sites will offer some vital learning for our journey.
04:10What's all the flags about?
04:11They're prayer flags.
04:13The different colours represent the different elements of the work.
04:17Oh, is that what it is?
04:18Earth, air, fire, water, and sky.
04:21Sand.
04:21Oh, no, what's the yellow one?
04:23Earth, air, fire, water, and sky.
04:26If you look at them closely, you see prayers on them as well, and it's believed that when
04:30the wind blows the prayer flags, it spreads the prayer.
04:33No, why?
04:34So it's just another sort of way of spreading Buddha's teaching.
04:41They're cool, the monkeys, though.
04:42They just live here.
04:45All right.
04:48Summit.
04:49Made it.
04:50So these are all temples?
04:52Yeah.
04:52These are all temples.
04:53Why is it all gold?
04:54Um, because it's lavish.
04:56It's, you know.
04:56Is that right?
04:57Like an offering to the gods or something?
04:59What was that noise?
05:00It's a fight.
05:01There's a monkey fight.
05:03No, he's got an egg.
05:04He's got an egg.
05:05Ooh.
05:05And he's letting everyone know about it.
05:09Wow!
05:09Holy shit!
05:10Did he know?
05:11Did you see that one go?
05:13Yeah.
05:15Is there monkey food in my hood?
05:17Is there a...
05:18Get that out of my hood.
05:19No, it's not.
05:20Are you on?
05:20Get it out, dude!
05:21No, get it out!
05:23Get it out!
05:24Get it out of my hood!
05:25Did you get it out?
05:26I've never heard you scream like that.
05:29He won't take that out of your hand.
05:30No way.
05:33Yeah.
05:34See, it's alright if they do just bit by bit.
05:36No, mate.
05:36Do it bit by bit.
05:37Yes.
05:38Get off!
05:44With the respects paid to Buddha,
05:46we're going to make sure we get a Hindu god on side as well
05:50with a blessing at the Pashu Patina temple.
05:53Can he give us a bit of luck?
05:54Can he give us a...
05:55You know, send us on our way with a bit of a pat on the back?
05:57Yeah, for sure, yeah.
05:58Why not?
05:59You know, I know just the right man for that.
06:07What are you doing?
06:11These guys are sadhus.
06:12And they're followers of Lord Shiva.
06:16Shiva is the Hindu god of destruction,
06:18who's said to live in the mountains.
06:20And how long has he been a Shiva disciple?
06:26He's been a Shiva follower and a sadhu for 60 years.
06:2960 years.
06:31Dude, the Shiva's...
06:31He looks after his dude, right?
06:33Incredible.
06:35It's awesome.
06:36What is so special then about this Mustang Valley in the Himalayas that we're going to?
06:44It's a very mountainous region, it's a very dangerous region, but if you travel there, your soul is going to
06:49attain inner peace.
06:50No, why?
06:51So what do you mean dangerous in the Mustang Valley?
06:53What is it that makes it so dangerous?
07:02It's very dangerous because, you know, the wind is very severe there.
07:05So it's very windy and you could have rocks falling from up the cliff.
07:09And it's very, very cold.
07:11It's extremely cold.
07:12That's what he said.
07:13You have to take all of your technical down jackets and all of your technical wear.
07:17He said that.
07:18No, I just said that.
07:21Okay, good luck.
07:23You come back.
07:24Welcome.
07:25Very happy.
07:26Good luck.
07:27Long life.
07:27This could be a voyage of discovery, mate.
07:29We might come back change men.
07:31Give me a nux, brother.
07:32Give me a nux, dude.
07:34Thanks.
07:35Nice to meet you, man.
07:36Nice to meet you, brother.
07:38So, we've got the Sadhu and Lord Shiva on our side.
07:43We just need some riding intel.
07:45RJ!
07:47RJ Ripper!
07:49RJ Ripper, Nepal's national downhill champion, has offered us a warm-up ride on the trails above Kathmandu.
08:01Are there any tigers here, RJ?
08:03No.
08:04Leopards.
08:05Leopards?
08:07Is that Kathmandu?
08:08Yeah.
08:08Can you see the Himalayas from here?
08:10Yes.
08:11Oh, you can.
08:12Yeah, we can.
08:13Let's hope it clears up a bit, then.
08:14Yeah.
08:15We tie off prayer flags together.
08:17Yeah, I'm going to stick one on this end here.
08:20I've seen him doing this on Mount Everest.
08:23So, it feels pretty cool to be doing it not quite on Mount Everest.
08:29Yes, bro!
08:30You are the prayer flag expert.
08:32That's not bad, is it?
08:34Nah.
08:35Yeah.
08:37Now we've set up the prayer, so ready to ride, guys?
08:41Ready.
08:42Time to ride down it.
08:43Oh, he's off.
08:54RJ!
08:55Chill out, man!
08:56He's done.
09:01He's a bit this one.
09:09Nice!
09:22He's a bit this one.
09:26Nice!
09:26Yeah!
09:35Yeah!
09:37Yeah, bro!
09:37Yeah!
09:38Yeah!
09:42Yes, Warner!
09:44That's sick!
09:59Oh, shit! You all right?
10:02Are you all right?
10:03Yeah, I'm fine.
10:04I'm glad you're all right. That was horrible.
10:05No, I'm golden.
10:06Oh, my God.
10:11Tomorrow, we're going to the Himalayas.
10:13We're flying out to the Himalayas.
10:15It's eight of the ten biggest mountains in the world.
10:19Look at that sunset.
10:22Amazing.
10:23It's been incredible.
10:25The riding was brilliant.
10:27But now I really feel like the adventure's about to start.
10:39We're not going in the helicopter, are we?
10:42Are we going there?
10:43I hope we're going in a chopper.
10:47We're leaving Kathmandu for the high Himalayas to ride the world's deepest valley.
10:56That's not us, is it?
10:58I haven't been in a plane with wires operating everything, ever.
11:01Oh, my God.
11:04And this is the plane.
11:08It's taken us to the Himalayas.
11:11It's like a tiger moth.
11:12Here's the pilot.
11:14Feeling good today?
11:15We're in safe hands.
11:16We're in safe hands.
11:18The mountains above are among the highest in the world.
11:22The altitude and extreme weather make flying here a daunting prospect.
11:26Is it all like this into the mountains?
11:29Yes.
11:29Is it crazy?
11:31For more information please go to the safety instruction car which is kept inside the seat pocket.
11:37Well, there it is.
11:39It's a detailed safety.
11:40Fire extinguishers everywhere.
11:42That's pretty much all you need to know.
11:44Fasten the seat belt.
11:45Tighten.
11:47And say your prayers, I should think.
11:52Here we go.
11:54And it's gone.
11:55It's gone.
11:56It's gone.
11:56It's going to release the half brake and we are off skiing.
12:03This is fantastic.
12:05That's the first sight of the Himalayas out the window right now.
12:09And it's amazing.
12:13Oh, man.
12:14That is so cool.
12:16We've been flying between the biggest mountains on planet Earth.
12:20They're all around us.
12:22It just feels so insignificant.
12:25It's on another scale of anything I've ever seen.
12:27It's insane.
12:28Where's the landing strip?
12:32Right now, it looks like we're going to fly straight into the mountain.
12:36If he misses it, I don't reckon you'll get a second chance.
12:39All right, buckle up, everybody.
12:41It's not the wrong one.
12:42They've got to get it down quick.
12:44Come on, dude.
12:45Bring her in.
12:46Yeah!
12:47Woo-hoo!
12:48Yeah!
12:49Yeah!
12:50Oh, my...
12:51Well done, lads.
12:52I knew you had to hit you.
12:54This is Jomsom.
12:56Base camp for us to ride the Mustang Valley.
12:59That really was one of the best things I've done.
13:01That's incredible.
13:03Yeah.
13:04That was quite an experience.
13:07Jomsom sits below two 8,000-metre mountains in the Kali Gandaki Gorge.
13:14Our mountain guide Mandel has taken us to ride the deepest gorge on Earth.
13:19I feel like this is much more the real Nepal, you know, the mountains.
13:22It's all about the mountains, right?
13:24Yes.
13:24On the way in, I saw some trail.
13:25It looked like it went off a cliff.
13:26Is that the one we're going to be riding?
13:28Oh, yeah, mate.
13:29Is it really?
13:30Yeah.
13:30Are you ready for it?
13:31Not really.
13:32How many mountain bikers come up here?
13:34I mean, like...
13:35Not a lot.
13:36Not many?
13:36Not many.
13:36So not many mountain bikers will have ridden that trail before us?
13:39No, not many.
13:40Night-time temperatures here drop to minus 15 degrees Celsius.
13:44A warm bed is now the priority.
13:47Watch out for the crack in the paving.
13:50Hello.
13:51All right?
13:52Is this it?
13:52Oh, my God.
13:53Where's the death?
13:54This monastery was built over 200 years ago.
13:58It's home to a classroom full of monks and two new trainees.
14:06I think I've done all my prayers for the day.
14:09Look at the size of that prayer.
14:11That is a prayer.
14:12We're going up to see the monks.
14:19Oh, mate, dude, look at this place.
14:21Imagine living here.
14:23It's easy to be spiritual here.
14:25Why?
14:26Well, it's a bit harder in Croydon, isn't it?
14:28Look around.
14:29Gather your breath.
14:30We're going in.
14:32Hello, everyone.
14:33Have a nice day.
14:34Have a nice day.
14:35Oh, thank you.
14:36Nice to meet you, too.
14:37Nice one.
14:38Thank you very much.
14:39Hello, mate.
14:40Hello, mate.
14:40How are you?
14:41I'm very well.
14:41How are you?
14:42You speak good English?
14:43Nice to meet you, dude.
14:44Nice to meet you, dude.
14:45Give me a nut.
14:46Thanks, mate.
14:47This is a monastery.
14:49Yeah, monastery.
14:50It's incredible.
14:51Yeah, what is monastery?
14:54It's nice, isn't it?
14:56So this is where the guru lives, is it?
14:58Yeah, we're going to go meet the guru, mate.
15:00Is it?
15:01Should we wait here?
15:04Yeah, he's meditating.
15:05He might be meditating.
15:06He's done it for nine years and three three-year stints of meditation.
15:11Yeah, please.
15:12Can we come in?
15:13Yeah.
15:14Is he ready for us?
15:16Yeah.
15:16Namaste.
15:18Namaste.
15:20Namaste.
15:20It's an honour to meet you.
15:22Yeah.
15:23From Europe, eh?
15:24From the UK.
15:26From the UK, right?
15:27Yeah.
15:27From London, yeah.
15:28London, the capital.
15:30Yeah.
15:31What was it like to meditate for three straight years?
15:40It's like a dream, not the real.
15:43Like all things dream, dream.
15:45He went that place?
15:47And all things emptiness.
15:49And he's done it three times for three years a time?
15:52Three years, yeah.
15:52Three years.
15:53For nine years of his life?
15:56This is very difficult.
15:58In wintertime, snow falling.
16:01He's meditating in snow, kind of?
16:02Yeah, snow, yeah.
16:02In cold.
16:04Only a small cloth, not like this.
16:07No way.
16:08All winter, I bet.
16:09You're joking.
16:10It's practice.
16:11So the harder the situation, the more you get from the meditation?
16:17For three years, you just focus on...
16:20That's just...
16:21I can't actually believe that.
16:23I can't even do it for two minutes.
16:26We'd like to say thanks very much for letting us stay tonight.
16:29And thanks very much for letting us ride our bikes in the Mustang Valley.
16:33And I hope that you reach Nirvana on your next meditation.
16:41Good luck, bro.
16:43Good luck, bro.
16:44Good luck, bro.
16:47I don't know, I feel it was just incredible.
16:49I mean, he was 86 years old.
16:52He escaped China with the Dalai...
16:55No, he escaped Tibet with the Dalai Lama when China invaded it.
16:58Like, it wasn't like, as you might expect a religious person to be.
17:01He was, like...
17:02Yeah.
17:02He was really warm.
17:03It's a non-judgmental religion, isn't it?
17:06It's non-judgmental.
17:07It's like...
17:07Yeah, Buddhism is cool, isn't it?
17:08It's the one, yeah.
17:09Absolutely.
17:10That's the thing I can't take, is where his mind's been.
17:13Like, where's he gone on that journey?
17:15Yeah.
17:15And he hasn't reached Nirvana yet, which is the ultimate goal.
17:18That just absolute kind of peace with oneself and, like, tranquility and everything.
17:22Yeah.
17:22And he hasn't been there, but that's the man with a story to tell.
17:27And it was...
17:28Yeah.
17:29Rad to meet him.
17:29Really cool, that was.
17:30Yeah.
17:31He ain't called the guru for nothing.
17:35Buddhism is just peaceful, man.
17:38Non-judgmental, kind.
17:41And seeing Rob Warner being, er, being spiritual was quite something.
17:58I wish I could go out of a sleeping day.
18:02The monks rise at 6am.
18:06Not that he's wearing off fast.
18:07Being a monk.
18:13God, that's cold, mate.
18:14That is proper frosty, isn't it?
18:17I reckon that.
18:19Anywhere around here you can get a cappuccino.
18:26There are plenty of chores to be done before lessons can start.
18:31I can't sweep near the fire.
18:33Way better.
18:34Oh, the first heat I felt for 24 hours.
18:37This is my favourite.
18:40Golly style.
18:42Goll dust.
18:43Oh, no way, dude.
18:44Oh, no way.
18:46Oh, here you go.
18:47The rock.
18:48The rock, dude.
18:49The rock.
18:49Can you smell what the rock is cooking?
18:56We teach them, yeah.
18:58Hello, everyone.
18:59We're going to start the class.
19:01My name is Mr Wilkins.
19:02And this is Mr Warner.
19:03We're mountain bike riders.
19:05And this is what we've come here to ride, these trails.
19:08Now I'm the commentator.
19:10First World Cup race in a modesty and here he comes through the door.
19:14And he's already sprinting high.
19:16Big whipping for the first time.
19:17And he's going good, it doesn't tell.
19:20Look at the speed of this man all the way down to the finish line.
19:24He's coming down towards the line now.
19:25He's going to go fast as not at the time.
19:30That's how we do it.
19:33Ollie, I think you might have written on here.
19:37Now you have a...
19:39I think we've got a different one.
19:42Thank you, are you strong, Ben?
19:49What's happening?
19:50It means see you again.
19:52Does it really?
19:53Thank you very much.
19:54Thank you very much.
19:55Lovely to meet you all.
19:56The journey here has been properly enlightening.
20:00But the time has come to ride.
20:02Yes, bro.
20:09Ollie, are you excited, mate?
20:11Very excited.
20:12First time in the Himalayas on mountain bikes.
20:14Yeah.
20:15When everything's just so big, isn't it?
20:17Look at that one up there.
20:18That leads up to Beldagiri, which is the seventh highest mountain in the world.
20:22No way.
20:22It already feels like we're on the moon.
20:24Christ for life.
20:25I tell you what, mate, I thought our roads were bad until I got here.
20:32We can see some of the drill now.
20:34What, that thin line along that cliff?
20:36Yes.
20:37Never.
20:37Yes.
20:38Honest?
20:38Yeah.
20:39Is that actually rideable?
20:40Well, I call it put the brakes on and don't die.
20:48So cool.
20:49Probably been worse places to ride my bike.
20:56Holy shit.
20:57How cool is that?
21:00How's this for your heights?
21:02I don't like it, dude.
21:05Ha ha.
21:06I can see myself falling over the side.
21:09Oh.
21:11Let's go.
21:12Oh, I'm looking forward to this hike.
21:13This is so cool.
21:16The terrain is so steep in the high Himalayas that ancient trails carved by people and livestock are often the
21:22only routes through these mountains.
21:26They're littered with loose rocks with sheer cliff edges that can be hundreds of meters down.
21:32Wow, that's a real cliff.
21:34Definitely, let's not go off there.
21:37Now, at home I go off the edge of trails, but thankfully we've got nice spongy dirt.
21:42I don't think it's quite the same here, is it?
21:45Right, lads, let's get blown off a cliff.
21:48Let's crack on then.
21:49Let's do this.
21:51You ready, mate?
21:52Yeah.
21:53Mandil's feeling of pressure.
21:56Yes, fellas.
21:57Woo!
22:05Go on, Mandil!
22:10Yes, Rob.
22:12Massive rocks, baby.
22:16Look at that!
22:24Whoa, it's getting rockier.
22:31Nearly off the side of the tank.
22:37Yeah, it was tight.
22:43Oh, that is pretty good fun, isn't it?
23:23That's absolutely incredible what we've just ridden down.
23:27The pool has blown away all expectations.
23:30It was, yeah, it was pretty emotional.
23:31It was quite moving, really, hanging out up there.
23:34It's been absolutely incredible.
23:35Definitely never forget this place.
23:39Before we leave, I need to say goodbye to an old friend.
23:43I look ridiculous.
23:45Gonna miss you, old friend.
23:46Right, let's go and spread this in the streets of Nepal.
23:49Yeah.
23:49Can I give you that?
23:51Just take it with you on a journey.
23:52No, it's okay.
23:53Just take it on a journey.
23:54Take it on a journey in a three-wheeled paper mache vehicle.
23:59Farewell, old friend.
24:00I will return.
24:05See you, old friend.
24:14But with me, yes, look.
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