The Post-Virgin Leh Diaries - Part 4



What They Don’t Tell You
About Riding
On The Roof Of The World. IV





 Remember… Every cloud has a silver lining.
Our team-mate 40-Fit dropped out and our guide gave us a last minute notice that he would not be able to make it too. It was a disappointment, though one with a silver lining. This is how our back-up vehicle came into existence!
We were 10 kms from Rhotang Pass when the bike’s front tire got punctured.  We were lucky to get some locals to put the bike onto the trailer until we got to Manali to fix said puncture. Now if we did not have a back-up vehicle in tow, we would have to shell out at least 25k to get the bike transported to Manali. There may be quite a few cars, bikes and vans, but they will not be able to help you. Most of the snow at Rhotang had melted away leaving mucky pathways with clouds blocking the way - being stranded at Rhotang will not be a fun experience.




Stock up on those momos!
We (well me) decided that Captain gets shotgun in the pick-up van, while I and Mr. Hipster stood while holding the bikes on the van. Yes, it was freezing, the view was to die for, but there was a magical change from Mr. Hipster to Mr. Grumpy. That was the end of his tales of how he’d seen all of this and done all of that, before, at NCC camp. Whew. Though a new trend took its place… the “When are stopping, I’m HUNGRY damn it!” trend. The “ooh look at the big-ass vulture!”, or “ooh pretty mountains!” did not work. So don’t forget to stock up on those yummy momos in Leh, pack in some sustenance before you leave Sarchu…. ‘Cause grumpy team-mates will kill the scenic vibe.



Yes, you’re free to be a joker, a smoker or a midnight toker.
We were welcomed into the realm of grade-A weed into a hotel that overlooked a multitude of, you guessed it, grade-A greenies. Mr. Grumpy, now back to Mr. Hipster, packed up and curiously said his goodbyes quite happily. Maybe it was the hard riding, or the eventual “shut-up we’ll get you to a restaurant soon”, sigh, we’ll never know. So, this left me – a non-toker – with all the green in the world and a very envious sibling back home who actually partakes of the peace pipe.
At 4000ft, cigarettes were a pleasure to imbibe and we stocked up on those wines. Ah, thank you Manali you do know how to treat a smoker well.



 Take a breather before you ride to Chandigarh.
Our merry little troop was now down to two - Captain and I. With all the wine buying and plant admiring, we set off pretty late from Manali. Besides me mooning 3 cute Punjabi chaps (there are no toilets on the mountains), we rode through never-ending twists and turns, all filled with gravel, oil spills and rude trucks. With the trucks giving us no lee-way to maneuver through and there being 300 odd kms left to complete, we decided to ride until it grew too dark to see the road and stop at the first bed n’ breakfast. Non-stop riding can challenge some of the most seasoned riders, so go easy on yourself and take that rest.


 .....................to be continued!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Comin’ in on a Wing and a Prayer.

Image
Go travel the world; you’ll be wiser for it they said. But they forgot to add it was an elite club with a contemptuous acceptance criteria coupled with pretentious goals. I’ve met just four people who’ve broken the rules and then some. The uncrowned king of beer pong, but most importantly, when told of a possible camp, trek or climb, will board the closest vehicle and get his magic bag of BBQ equipment lovingly packed by his wife. http://www.tripoto.com/trip/redefining-india-female-travelling-solo-with-no-money-566c58410487b#.VnLewEx-_Os.facebook A girl who I chanced to meet on the NH8, determined to reach a hill station from Bombay – without a cent. The absence of a vehicle doesn’t shackle her journey. http://breakfreejourneys.com/  The founder of Breakfree Journeys, who knows some of India’s best riverside spots to set up a 5-star camp and give you a history lesson at the same time. The giggly music man who will insightfully inform you
Read more

The Post-Virgin Leh Diaries - Part 1

Image
What They Don’t Tell You About Riding On The Roof Of The World . I  1.        You can do your planning & packing in half an hour. Yes, a 6 day motorbike voyage to the Land of the Llamas can be packed for and flights booked in 30 minutes. But make sure your team consists of a very well traveled Captain and a few trusted & adventurous mates as well as a very excited boss & colleagues who will help you with your travel bookings. 2.        Those who have gone before you will give you the most apt advice. They will tell you it will be cold, that you won’t be able to keep up with the other riders and among other gems - you can’t smoke at high altitudes. Choose not to listen to that. Instead get those essential tips from Bandra’s famous Valles Brothers (don’t bet against them in a game of beer pong you will lose!) and Charlie - the ever helpful car & bike expert. These helpful fellows will tell you about how to interact with the locals, precautions
Read more

Now I drink less and write more

Articles Written for Alcohowl.com STOCKING THE HOME BAR Home is where the bar is. If the bar is at home, well done! And if you enjoy entertaining, this could well be the very thing that gets you that promotion or an attentive husband snagged just to lovingly keep that home bar stocked. To start with, we suggest picking alcohol that you love – and not just to impress. What’s the use in stocking Campari when you call it an acquired taste that you have not acquired, yet? Or, worse still, you could end up spending a fortune on alcohol that you will never drink. If you travel a lot, pick up some native brews to add a bit of the exotic. If you love cocktails, start by stocking up on ingredients, and please say no to the pre-mixes and store-bought ones too. We guarantee this will give your home bar more substance than a hipster's handmade leather journal. Now it’s time to show the family that you still know how to bring home the bacon, and whiskey, and vodka, and rum. What we
Read more