I am enjoying every bit of your experience! Keep going man!

so the bikes are on the way and now its the riders who would be flying... good going

Woot! A log so quickly! Awesome pics. Got me nostalgic Waiting for the rest (subscribed to the thread). And yeah, you're welcome ;-)

Congrats buddy .... One of my colleagues is also planning leh trip next month. I suggested him to look at your thread for information . .... Congrats once again ...

Our dressing for most part of the ride in the hills included :-

Upper -
2 pair of amul body warmers.
2 T-Shirts.
1 riding jacket with rain liner.

Lower -
2 pair of amul body warmers.
1 jeans.

Hands -
1 set of thermal/woolen gloves
1 set of riding gloves ( DSG carbon )

Riding jacket with rain liner is a very good thing at keeping cold winds at bay.
Puneet was wearing only the DSG gloves due to which his hands got black ( blood clotting ) at some times. This was the only part of the body which we could not control from cold. But then too its manageable. Just see to it that you keep your fingers moving and give them some heat when ever possible to prevent them from going numb or frostbite.

Regards,
Deepan

Congrats guys.. So nice to see the first Ladakh thread of 2011
Loving the way in which you are writing this blog..So many details will be very helpful whenever I'll get my obstacle(s) out of the way!!
And hey the pics are amazing too...Bring on the rest quickly bro...

Congrats guys.....
@puneet -- awesome clicks...

waitin' for the rest of the log and pix, bring 'em on

Sahi hai boss, eagerly waiting for the next part of the log...

congrats. Good to read the blog and I am eagerly waiting for my trip to start

Congrats guys,Awesome pics too.

Seems like All karizma have M45 rear and front. How was the tire's performance?

Black Zma-r & ZMR - Front and Rear M45
Red ZMA R - Front M35 and Rear M45
I was Completely impressed with both tyres.I blindly suggest these tyres for ZMA.

Guys speed up please

Thanks Nunu
Thank you Viraj. Missed you in the ride bro. Wish you could have joined us.
Best of luck for your trip. Ride safely and enjoy!!!
Shivanshu, I ll try my best to ensure that I dont break the flow.
Sometimes it is hard to put in words what we actually experienced.

Congratulations to ye' all for doing the ride of your lives! As for the log looks like Puneet got it just right with the Pics!! And enjoying Sachin's style of narration. Keep it going man!

Day 1 - Mumbai to Delhi & around

Day 1 - Mumbai to Delhi & around

May 28th'11

Often I wish I had a leave today from office so that I can relax and enjoy my the day. Often I feel I should just be idol doing nothing. But life greets me not the way I want.

I went to office one last time with less than 24 hours before my journey to heaven would start. All the while thinking of one thing and one thing only when will this day get over and I would become a free bird.
Minutes turned into hours and I was wrapping up all the work pending left with me, giving download to my manager who would be looking after my work in my absence.
Finally office hours were over and I was all set to go on my dream ride. I never felt so happy running down the lobby more than eager to get my cab.
I got into the cab and straight away called Deepan & Aryan who were supposed to come at my place to spend the night as we had to go to airport in the morning. Puneet was going to meet us directly at the airport in morning.

All packing done and we were just relaxing and enjoying at my place almost spending sleepness night.
It was 2am and we were in no moods to sleep. Why was this the longest night? I was so desparate to see the crack of the dawn. Wish I could the start the journey right now.
Finally after many failed attempts and after keeping 3 mobiles close to our ears so that we should wake up on time as decide we finally fell asleep.

We had booked a flight from Mumbai to Delhi. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 10:40AM.
With the sound of alarm and family members shouting us to wake up, wake up. We woke up.
We quickly got ready and were ready to roll. My mom was kind enough to come to leave us all the way to the airport. Mom your the best!!! My sisters [Younger and Elder] both came with us all the way to the airport.
We reached domestic airport in Santacruz by 8AM. By the time we removed our luggage from our chevy Tavera we find Puneet get off his Honda City with his parents.
Puneet was looking worried and very tense. We had a quick chat to find out what happened and guess what Puneet left his DSG jacket back home. He was asking his dad to let him drive so that he can bring his jacket back quickly.
But we suggested and so did his parents that he should stay at the airport while they rush back to bring his jacket.

I bid final adeois to my family who had come all the way to airport to leave us. A loving and caring family does make your life much easier.
While my family was going back Puneet's dad already had left to bring his son's jacket back. He must have been tense probably seeing his son like that. The countdown had started.
We completed all the formality and were eagerly waiting for Puneet's dad to arrive.
It was 9:50AM and Aryan who had a separate flight to what we had left us. His flight timing was 10:30AM .
Since I had only travelled in plane once and Deepan was also travelling by plane for the first time we did not have much experience of the procedure.
At 10AM I asked Puneet who quiet frequently travels by air whether we should leave now. Puneet denied saying that there's still time and we can wait.
It was 10:15 when Deepan & I went to freshen up and we get a call from Aryan
Sachin - Hello
Aryan - Arrey Sachin tum logon ka naam announce ho raha hai, jaldi aa
Sachin - ok, theek hai, theek hai.

The way Aryan said it was pretty casual and I did not realise that time that it was a reminder for us to board the flight ASAP. We spoke to Puneet once again and finally decided 10 minutes later that we have to go now.
Deepan and I moved on while Puneet waited for his dad. By the time our security checks were over and Puneet came rushing behind holding his jacket we found that we missed our flight.
We tried to convince the staff to please allow us to go as there was an emergency we could not make it in time. But we forgot it was not a ghoda gaadi it was an aeroplane we were asking to stop.
Yes, We missed our flight. What a start!!! What a way to begin!!!

Anyways we went back and had to wait for the next flight at 13:30 which was 150 minutes later. Puneet's dad paid the so called minimal fees which was Rs.6600 for 3 person. Damn!!! What a blunder we did!!!
We informed Aryan that we missed the flight and will reach Delhi now only at 15:30. Finally we made it to Delhi. No regrets as such we finally made it.

Next thing as planned was to go to New Delhi railway station to get our bikes. Thanks to Metro Express making life very easy. It was quite an experience travelling via metro.
By the time we reached New Delhi Railway station it was 6PM. Puneet and I waited near our luggage while Deepan and Aryan rushed to the Parcel office to enquire about the bikes.
Sometime later they came back with second bad news first being missing the flight of course.
The parcel office gets closed at 5PM. What a way to start our trip? First we miss our flight and then we reach late which inturn does not allow us to collect our bikes.
We had planned to leave Delhi early morning to escape the heat but life is full of surprises. Did I ever think that something like this can happen? No, not even in my wildest dream I had ever thought.

Still no regrets, we went to nearby place called Paharganj. Dumped all our luggage in a hotel after bargainning a lot. We paid around Rs.1000 for a room where we all settled.
Quickly we came out of the room and decided to go to India Gate.
Here Puneet clicked some beautiful pictures of the India Gate not in so much favourable conditions for photography as it was already dark.
India Gate was truly a beautiful memorial erected in honour of soldiers who died in World War I and conflicts of 1919.
This looked more as a popular spot for localites to head out with their families, friends and sit around the sprawling lawns around the India gate. Was looking more like a picnic spot to me.
Now, by this time we all were very hungry and it was time to fill our empty stomach. Heading back to hotel we felt like we were walking in Las Vegas. All the hotels in colorful lightings and decoration welcoming tourists. Quite a scene I must say.
After a very heavy meal we move out and head back to our hotel happy and healthy. It was time to wrap up things and go to sleep. Tomorrow was a big day as we would finally get our bikes and all set to go to Amritsar.

I wish we had more time in our hands so that we could have seen more historical places but this was not the day. May be sometime in the near future I might get to see the beautiful architecture and history behind New Delhi.
So many interesting and incredible places for so little time.