darth_lucifer

Disclaimer:Had tried manual focussing for the first time with my camera for all the pics and it did not work very well.
So don't get disappointed by the pics


Itch for leh had started immediately after I finished my Bhutan trip.
I was tied up in work for past year which gave me little time to ride.Leh was something
I was looked forward to when I thought abt riding and it kept me going.

"Why Leh again?","Did you fall in love with some girl in ladakh you are going again....you had been there just two years ago?"..
all sorts questions were asked at home.

Marsimik-la ," the unfinished business" was the reason I had used to justify my ride to
friends,family members who have no clue why bikers ride to leh again.

Having my own prejudices abt riding in a big group I had decided to ride with just one more
rider.Unfortunately he ran into some work related commitments and couldnt make it.
Since it was too late in the season to replan the thing again and convince someone else
I decided to go solo.Leh I could make it solo since I had already done that,I wasnt sure abt
doing marsimik-la solo.I hoped I could find some company at leh or pangong-tso for m-la and how right I was

Day 1:Mumbai-HimmatNagar:

Plain jane riding on NH-8.Stopped at himmatnagar.Reached my destination at 4:30 pm.checked into hotel Lnadmark which was the
best looking hotel in the town.Wanted to stay for the remainder day in AC room.Changed my engine oil at bajaj service center in town

PICS:










Day 2: HimmatNagar-Jaipur-delhi highway


Roads were excellent and covered the distance till udaipur in no time.Took the chittaurgarh
route between udaipur -jaipur(Its concerete racetrack).Reached jaipur very early.Unfortunately was not able to spot
any goodlooking AC types hotels on road.I had to bypass delhi via rothak the next day.So decided to ride a little further ahead on jaip[ur-delhi road.
A few kms later I spotted hotel "Highway Inn/Highway king".Looked good.This place had a big shopping mall too so might have good restaurants.
Checked in to that place.What luck the restaurant had a bar too.Relaxed and enjoyed some KF.

PICS:

Aryan

Topic Approved.

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Rockkyyy

One more time... Man. Let me go thru it. Had read your prev log.. lets see what you have for us this time

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darth_lucifer

@Aryan:Thanks for approving


Day 3:Jaipur-dehi road-Chandigarh

I had to start somewhere between jaipur /delhi.I had already decided to take bypass via rothak to Panipat on GT road.
I took a diversion at place called bawar(sdomewhere after behroad) to rothak.Route was absolutely horrible.After cruising on
NH-8 for two days I thought I would regret this descion.Thankfully I reached rothak after sometime and route till Panipat
was good.Somewhere in between I lost my gloves.
I had decided to meet Akshay at chandigarh but since it was a holiday he saidhe would meet me in Ambala.We met in Ambala.He had brought his brother and cousin
and later Dhairya and tanmoy who were coming back from Chansal joined us and bakar continued for couple of hours more.
I had forgotten to pack my undies and fortunately I could buy them from the mall we had stopped at
Akshay offered to arrange gloves for me at chandigarh but later I thought it wouldnt be of much use since I would be wearing winter gloves manali onwards.

PICS:














Day 4:Chandigarh-Manali:


Crossed in himachal early in the morning and I was doing my 6th state in less tan 3 and half days.
I made a note that I would have enjoyed being a truck driver if not my current profession.Apparently business is so bad in non season days that they send people on bikes to pitch for their hotels
at place where you pay your green tax.Agreed to a deal which gave me hotel at mall road with hot water,TV and parking for 200 bucks.
Reached manali and checked into the hotel.Bought survial kit for himalayas and some wollens.

PICS:


















Himalayan survial kit:

darth_lucifer

Day 5:manali to keylong:

Started early in the morning to avoid traffic on rothang.Road was all messed up.....




Stopped at Sagu cafe at Marhi for some piping hot parathas and chai:



Made some fans at Sagu cafe who were surprised to find that I had reached all the way there in little over four days.They wished me good luck.Couple of taxi drivers were curious abt my shoes were asking the price and all.
Continued journey up with more bad roads



Finally reached the top.It was 14 degrees celcius and I had removed my jacket and was roaming around.Found people in snow gear/cold weather gear and all.There was no snow apart from some "Cheete" here and there which tourists were passing around to each other.Taxi drivers did take them for a ride :P

Rothang top board is no longer there since there is two laning going on.Not missing an opportunity to pose:


Got down and had breakfast at koksar.Saw some people yapping on cellphone.BSNL only






























Got myself a nice and comfy room with a view at keylong





Rest coming up very soon..........

JitenMistry

How to got the beer in Gujarat [Himatnagar] in alcohol prohibited state?? By the why I was from Himatnagar [since childhood to graduation].

darth_lucifer

That pic was clicked at end of day 2.By end of day 2 I was near behroad in Rajasthan

DarthVeda

Excellent stuff there Amit! I watched out for those SBI boards on the way back, wanted to stop and check out the bank for myself but didn't have time

hitanshu

Go on dahling, post more. Congrats once again!

Just the other day I was telling about your 2007 adventure to a mumbai friend, asking him to track you down - mentioning you'd disappeared since the ride from all forums!

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burnoutz

great to have this thread back again !

Oops... Its another Leh ride from you...

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