As with all motorbike adventure trips, the excitement starts long before the actual trip. The planning that goes into packing for such trips would put some military operations to shame (Especially for me when it comes to my camera equipment!). But the bags were packed in good time and within the airline’s weight restrictions,which is not an easy task when motorcycle equipment and camera equipment are involved in the same luggage! All I had to do now was wait for the departure day!
The last few days passed quickly and departure day was here soon enough. Personnel travelling from Abu Dhabi made it to Dubai in good time and we were on our way to Delhi. The plan was we would have a few days in Delhi before meeting up with the rest of the guys and heading north to pick up our motorbikes for the adventure.
The few days spent in Delhi were not wasted. A fascinating cultural experience to say the least! What an amazing city.It was such a busy place, with an array of different people, vehicles, sights and sounds; it looked like a living definition of organized chaos! We had also previously decided that being this close to Agra and one of the wonders of the world, it would be a crime not to go and visit the Taj Mahal. With only five hours travel with just two hours to get there, and five hours return- worth it? In a word, yes! The Taj Mahal itself is indeed an engineering masterpiece, it meant different things to different people, but in the end, had we not gone to see it, we would have regretted it for sure. I, for one, was glad to have made the trip to see it in its entire splendor. (Arriving at 05:30 certainly helps you enjoy it more!)
Our time in Delhi drew to a close and it was time to get on the train and head north to Chandigarh, North India, where we would begin our Himalayan Moto Adventure.
We arrived in Chandigarh and went straight to our lovely hotel for the traditional ‘meet and greet’ with the rest of the adventurers who would be joining us for the trip. The night was a great start to the adventure with some traditional Indian food, lots of conversations about our various biking backgrounds before Nelson (The organizer of the trip, details at the end)told us all it was time to go and pick our bikes, already prepared and fully fueled for the morning!
Now for those of you who ride, this will need no explanation. But for those of you who don’t, I feel I have to elaborate a little. When you ride a motorbike, you become a part of it, you put your trust in it, and you complete it! For the next two weeks this machine is going to take you to places few have ever been. For all of us, the bike is the adventure! So the selection of your bike is a key moment in the whole experience; once you have the keys in your hand, the adventure clock has begun.
I could continue and list the days of the trip chronologically with nice route guides and mileages done, etc. But this would be far too a clinical approach and would not do any justice to the adventure as a whole. (And probably take up half of this publication!) So, I shall do my best to summarize the 14 days from start to finish in a manner that I hope could explain the feeling of undertaking such a trip of a lifetime.
We set off through the busy traffic of Chandigarh, keen to get out of the town and onto the less busy roads, ‘the roads less travelled’. It didn’t take long! Soon we were amongst the greenery and non-tarmacked roads we had longed for. They did not disappoint. In fact, throughout the whole trip, every corner was a photographic opportunity: the scenery was already epic and this was only the beginning, (I stopped counting how many times my breath was taken away from me on Day 2!)And I’m not talking about the altitude, (though I will, just for a moment). We were to ride on the highest motorable road in the world, over 18,000ft AMSL (Above Mean Sea Level) This kind of height cannot be tackled in just one day.
Nelson prides himself with an impeccable safety record for his tours and as such, each day of the trip is designed to get you accustomed and acclimatized to the altitude. Every day we climb a little, and then descend to a hotel or campsite for the evening before repeating the same routine next day, staying a little higher each day than the last. And every night, like a doting parent, Nelson would gather the riders together and issue an altitude medicine tablet, and ensure each one is taken properly. It was this kind of regard for detail that ensured the safety of each and every one of us.
Anyway, back to the ride. As we continued towards the Himalayas, the terrain did become more challenging. We encountered rivers, sand, gravel, broken tarmac, occasional potholes, snow, ice and a combination of each and everyone of the above. Rest assured we were on an adventure; it’s what we wanted to do, and do it we all did, well, nearly all of us. You couldn’t expect everyone to make it upright throughout the whole trip; the law of averages say that someone is going to fall off and indeed, there were one or two spills! Thankfully, nothing too serious, but some riders took to the support vehicle for the remainder of the trip. I myself did enjoy a little airborne time on the Royal Enfield, no mean feat I assure you! But it was my own fault that I had become complacent and got no less than I had deserved! No injuries other thanto my pride (And a good wake up call to boot!) The Royal Enfield? Not so much as a scratch! She started on the first attempt and carried on as if nothing had happened.
Again, the law of averages states there will be breakdowns, and there were. But nothing stopped any of us reaching the goal for each particular day. If your bike stopped working, you waited for the last rider, the safety sweeper (Nelson) and he would check you and the bike, give you his bike and then would wait for the support truck and mechanics to do the necessary repairs before catching up on us again. The next stop would never be too far away;a cup of tea, or “Chai”, is a very welcome beverage when you’re riding. At that point your original bike would be returned to you and you carried on. The breaks were plentiful, always a hearty breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.
Each of us could stop whenever we wished for a break, or in my case, a photo opportunity! And stop I did.
As we rode deep into the Himalayas, the roads were all but busy; a few trucks, an occasional bus and a few taxi drivers taking the less adventurous souls to the highest road in the world were all we had for company. I had to refrain from stopping around every corner; after all, I did want to reach the top! But rest assured, you will never see scenery quite like it. From flat open plains to tight twisty roads with sheer drops just inches from the side of the road; from lush green valleys to tarmac so smooth it was as if it was brand new. With glacier-like ice with lakes so blue and clear– they were simply awe-inspiring.
Of particular note was the Spiti Valley.Jaw-dropping scenery with some of the most amazing roads on the planet. One particular stretch of road was just never ending hairpins, climbing up the side of a mountain towards our lunch destination. I think I must have stopped more than a dozen times to take pictures; Nelson, the last rider as always, was more than happy with my stops. He always caught up with me and completely enthusiastic that I was continuously stopping for photo opportunities. His aim was that we all enjoyed the adventure, absorbing the scenery, and soaking up the atmosphere. At no point was there ever any rush to the next stop. A refreshing outlook to have, and highly recommended.
The people we met along the way were amazing, too; always a friendly smile and a wave greeted us as we went by. Children rushed to see us and waved like mad and some even dared to get close enough for a few high-fives as we went past. (I always obliged by sticking my hand out, and slowing down of course!)
Throughout the days leading up to the highest point, there was never a dull moment, a cliché, yes, but so true of this whole adventure. Before we tackled the final climb, we were in a town called Leh, and we had a welcome rest day from riding. We explored the town, monasteries and browsed the local markets before an early night for the big day ahead.
By no means the final, but the most meaningful of days was the ride to the highest road, Khardungla- 18,380ft AMSL. This stretch of road was wonderful; rocky, smooth, river crossings, icy, bumpy, steep, and twisty, to name a few of the terrains encountered. Soon we stopped climbing and crested on top of the pass.
We did it. The highest motorable road in the world, Khardungla.
We all stopped to take it in, hugs, shake hands,and took pictures. We knew we had achieved something quite special and not only that, but we had done it on motorbikes! The Royal Enfield is probably one of the best bikes, and only one of the few in the entire world that could have done it so effortlessly. Indian built, British design – a great combination.
Our time to go came and instead of returning the way we came, we continued onwards (but downwards!) to our campsite for the night. We all slept well that evening, safe in the knowledge that tomorrow, we get to ride to Khardungla again! It was a real bonus, and what great planning, we not only reached the highest road in the world, but we did it twice! (Now how many adventures do you know that do that!?)
If you ride a motorbike, it’s simple – you have to do this trip! (If you don’t ride, I’d strongly recommend taking your test!) You won’t regret it.
For details on the Himalayan Moto Adventure, please contact –
Nelson Suresh Kumar.
Director.
Vista Adventures and Tourism Pvt Ltd.,
No 146, Sector 18A, Chandigarh, India
+91 9952296324.
Dubai Rep office:
Po Box 282079
Dubai, UAE
+971 55 9728282 / +971 50 5688400.
www.vistaadventures.com
Published in August 2012
