Prologue







A dream that was far-fetched since 2013 due to the poor-pocket college days, appeared to be coming true on June 4th; when I was speaking to my dad that evening and said that I'll be leaving to Leh-Ladakh in June end and he says "No, if you want to go, go now itself.. the later you leave, the more work you'll be stalling in office".
We have a small business and I work there too.


I couldn't start right then, as I was totally unprepared so geared up my mind first - coz after all its your mind that plays a greater role than your body in these expeditions.


June 5th morning 10am I went to Orion Motors Koramangala and bought my first riding gears - jacket, pant, and a very good gloves.
Upon returning home, I decided June 11th as my starting day from Bangalore.


I told my friend Kusumakar Dwivedi (KD bhai) and he was in a shock as few days back I had just told him I'll ride to Ladakh this year and was asking him the best time.


I'm a fan of solo rides, as you get a lot of freedom and you are your own boss as well as your own slave. My idea matches with the above listed saying of Henry David Thoreau.
From June 5th until June 9th, I appreciate KD's patience towards slow learners like me, for having been repeating the same things every night (until late night) - the routes, places, difficulties etc.
I realized I have no camera to capture memories of the lifetime ride, so without thinking much I ordered a GoPro Hero 4 Adventure on Amazon.


June 7th, I went to Decathlon with two of my friends Anil & Jaykeerthi; Anil - who has already done Leh on his Duke 200 in 2015. Bought shoes and goggles from there.


The next day I bought few basic spares, tire tubes and bungee cords.



I was sleep deprived for the whole week and on June 9th and 10th, I started reading blogs about Ladakh, just to gain some more knowledge.


I pestered KD Bhai to even do a graphics for me of my route, and he took all the pain without a single complaint even though he was riding to Spiti Valley during the same time.

Pardon me, I'm not into photography, so this blog might be vague for photographers.




I met 3 other friends too for dinner - Anthony, Mukund, Manoj, but we laughed so much that day that we forgot to click any pictures.


Having ODO read at nearly 65000 and getting bike from service on June 10th evening, I started packing things spread on my room floor in polythene covers and labeling them.


The total ride was 8,513 Kms from June 11th - July 1st and total cost (food, fuel, stay) came upto around INR 32k (Yea, I have answered the major question people ask me).

Things I carried:

Spares:
1. Cables - Throttle / Clutch (fit along with the existing cable itself)
2. Levers - Brake / Clutch / Gear (whole set) & Rear Brake
3. Tubes - front & rear
4. Nuts (clutch lever, brake lever & gear lever)
5. Oil - 2 Lts Motul 7100 20w50
6. Chain Lube - 3 bottles of different brands
7. Cutting pliers
8. Tool kit - sponsored by my mechanic Mr. Bali which included Spanner kit / allen keys / screw driver set etc.
9. Insulation tapes

Other articles:
1. Swiss knife (Just in case)
2. Spare key
3. Portable speaker (which I had kept in my backpack which was mounted on tank and used to play songs)

Day 1 - June 11th. (Bangalore - Mumbai) - 1000 km

The twist is here...

I started to lose my mind, and still tried figuring out things and the cause of the sound until 9 am and yea, exactly at 9 am my mechanic Mr. Bali switches on his phone and it connected.


He told peacefully, "Balaji, there cannot be any problem with your engine, I can assure you that". He told me to get it checked in a Bajaj outlet.


30 Kms far was Chitradurga and I went there to Bajaj Outlet and the dumb mechanic says "Crankshaft bearing is gone" !! I got psyched and called Bali.


Bali told him there's no possibility at all.
This ride isn't a small ride, nor is it on plain highways, nor is the bike any new, so to not take any further risk, I told Bali "I'll come back to your garage sir.." with a depressing tone and rode all the way back 200 KM to Bangalore, and reached his garage at 2pm.


He was sitting anxiously, and upon hearing my bike he came out of shop, took a ride, came and checked again and told "Go and screw that person who told your bike has crankshaft problem.. what experience has he got, how many bikes has he repaired in life? There's no problem at all and this sound is common as the bike ages".


I told him to cool down. He got me lunch, and there were few more of my friends and we were chit-chatting until 4pm.


I re-started again at 4, all the way from scratch it was, and I kept thinking where I could've been, if I had just ridden further from morning after breakfast to until 4pm!!!!


Was so sleepy all the way as the whole week I didn't sleep well, thought I'll crash in Chitradurga, but thanks to rains, I lost sleep and reached Hubli at 11pm and slept there.


Yes, It became Hubli, instead of Mumbai and my Day 1 itself started with a delay in my schedule!! Pff...

Day 2 - June 12th. (Hubli - Mumbai) - 600 km

Wokeup in the morning with those hazy eyes. I was so tired from the previous day that I wanted to sleep more!!
Started from Hubli by 9.30am and was riding further on the beautiful NH-4. Stopped at Kolhapur for lunch.
By evening one of my friends in Powai had told me I can crash at his place, but Mumbai is such a horrible place that at 9.30pm when I checked google maps near Panvel, it showed 1.5 hrs and I was all tired!


The hills (maybe khandala) where express way and the NH-4 joins, was fully jammed as it was Sunday evening. I try to keep my feet down after braking and feet was slipping. Tried this few times and then applied front brake to stop my bike and my bike skidded a bit.
I got to know there's an oil spill. The spill continued for whole of the hill and it was too bad for 2 wheelers.
For once I even thought Decathlon has cheated me w.r.t shoes.


Thanks to my friend Ralphe, who stays in Panvel and just over a call, he came and picked me at 10.30pm and then his mom cooked for me and we had dinner by 12.



Day 3 - June 13th. (Mumbai - Udaipur) - 760km

Started from Ralphe's place at around 9am, and Mumbai was hot like an oven. I just couldn't ride as the sweat from my forehead was going inside my eyes.
Somewhere at or after Airoli I saw a Mc.D and a petrol station and stopped for breakfast.
I was thinking let me go back to Ralphe's house and leave tonight so that there won't be any heat.


After 20-30km of the ride, weather got nice with some good winds.
Since it was a Monday, the family traffic and the cargo traffic was almost nil! Roads were superb, 3-lane all along until Udaipur.


Upon entering Gujarat, I drank this nimbu pani (lemon juice), which was just awesome. Had 2 more glasses of it.



Entered Rajasthan at night around 9pm and I still had to reach Udaipur. Reached Udaipur around 11.30pm, took a hotel and crashed.

Actual plan was to visit Mt. Abu and halt there, but due to KD bhai's words - "Why do you want to travel more kms, if your goal is Ladakh" I let go of the plan.
Day 4 - June 14th. (Udaipur - Delhi) - 700km

I didn't visit the local beauties of Udaipur - the Lake Palaces. Reason being time, and I had been there in 2009 with parents. Also, when you have a bigger goal ahead, you don't want yourselves to get satisfied with the smaller goals. (Yeah, this is a different ball game).


Weather on Day 4 was hotter than Day 3, but nearing Jaipur the heat subsided a bit. I entered Gurgaon around 8pm and there was a huge traffic piled up on the Delhi highway (typical Gurgaon evenings).


Shot a time lapse on my Gopro, but didn't come out well. Didn't try again as I just wanted to reach my friend Arni's place in Rajouri Garden.


Reached by 10pm and all thanks to Arni for getting me mouth watering dinner - Shahi panneer and Roti's.
Was pretty much tired so slept off by 11.30!
Day 5 - June 15th. (Delhi - Amritsar) - 500km

As usual, started by 8 am, though I used to say to myself every night before sleeping, that I'll start latest by 6.30 am. Haha.


Thankfully it was a gloomy day in Delhi and it started raining around 50 km from Delhi (I believe after Murthal).


Your riding speed reduces in rains, due to surface and visibility issues and I had a timeline target of 4.30 pm to reach Wagah Border, which is 30km from Amritsar.


After few kms, I thought "OK, I'm gonna skip Wagah border coz of rains, as there's no point in hurrying".
Didn't choose to quit, but continued riding forgoing lunch. Somehow managed to reach Amritsar by 3.30pm.
Went to the first hotel I could find there and wasted time in Negotiating with the Lady owner.
She told me that I may try Wagah border but it would be difficult as the gates would be closed.


Those roads from Amrtisar to Wagah is screwed up, that I kept on remembering gully's of Bangalore. Never knew I should park my bike a km behind and walk towards the gate. I took around 10 min to walk and it was 4.35 pm by the time I reached the gate.


As usual, Indians creating chaos, but here it was much more amplified, as it is abut Patriotism. Few people shouting slogans (in hindi) "you won't let me watch my mother against our enemy?" and those BSF personnel used to screw them very badly.


I waited until 5.15 pm and thought if even by 5.30 there's no luck, I'll go back (or watch at the mega screen displayed outside, which is as good as watching on youtube).


There was a woman just beside me (possibly a Kaur) who literally started crying in front of a sardar of BSF who was controlling the mob "I've left my whole family behind and come for this from Delhi, I'm crazy about these things plz let me go inside".


The sardar's heart melted I believe, I could see on his face and was thinking 'kya bollywood movie jasie lag rha hai!!'.


He came out and silently took her out of the mob. I could sense that she'll get lucky in few seconds and I followed them like a cat.


He told her "in few minutes, when the crowd reduces, you can go inside from the side gate". I was getting happier that I got a hack to enter, but I went to him and told that I'm coming from Bangalore and I'm alone too. He denied my request, but in 2 minutes, he let her in, and she was giving flying kisses to him. Maybe he was drowned in deep thoughts, and I just walked inside smiling at his face, putting him in a fix.

Attari (Wagah) Border closing ceremony:
The start is all very boring from 5.30 pm until 6 pm. At 6, the real ceremony starts, until then it is all patriotic and bollywood songs.
Feminists will get happy here, as only females are allowed to dance in the space available.
Children are made to run to and fro with Indian flags in their hands.


Crowd entertaining, MC'ing, is all taken care by the big 7 ft BSF personnel with a great moustache in white T shirt and white trousers (PT uniform).


The program goes on very well, with a great time co-ordination between the personnel's and between the personnel of both the countries who perform!




Crowd on Indian side was 4 times more than the Pak side. That shows our population.


I went back to room around 7.30 pm and had a bath, found out that I have got heat bubbles on my back (due to heat & sweat). Went out in search of Dermicool powder and then to Golden temple and dinner.
Sleep was driving me crazy every other second, and after seeing the Q at golden temple I chose not to go inside.


Had burger, ice cream and chats which is sold outside Golden temple. Later had a light meal and by 10.30 pm I was in deep sleep.
Day 6 - June 16th. (Amritsar - Patnitop) - 300km

I woke up and was very relaxed as from this day, my per day ride distance was actually less (About, an average of 200km / day).


I started by 9.30 am or so and before I realized, I had taken the wrong route. I kept going and I never saw a sign board towards Pathankot.


I asked an auto driver and he told I am going towards Delhi and I've come 8 km far from the junction that leads to Pathankot.


I took a U-turn and realized that I'm still sleeping in my mind.
Stopped near a dhaba, had some paratha's for breakfast very peacefully and after 45 min I left the place. Only because I had all the time.


Got back on saddle, beautiful roads to drive on and around 11.30 am I was in Gurdaspur, where I asked a policeman, and he directed me towards Pathankot.


Few mts away from there I stopped to click the scenic beauty. I was still sleepy and I didn't want to get out of bike and click, so was turning to the left and clicking while I hear someone saying "Hey, where you going?" I turn in shock and say Ladakh. Was surprized to see a lady on Suzuki Access exclaiming "Wow, I'm going there too.. I have been trying to stop for the 2 time you passed by me, but you are so fast" I just smiled and she asked "would you mind if we ride together and share a room?"


I was thinking in my mind, why the hell is she even riding on an Access.
I thought for a second and told "but your bike doesn't go fast", she said "it goes max 90, but I guess if you can manage 70, we can be on par".
I shook hands with her and asked "What's your name? Where do you come from?".
"Leela, that's my Indian name and I'm from Germany". I was like "What? I can't relate your face and Leela, what's your real name?"
She said "Anne" and I told her I'll call Anne henceforth!


I let her ride in the front, so that I don't need to keep looking at my RVM!


After few kms we stopped at a dhaba in Pathankot and after a bit of intro-talking and some tea, we started again.


We were exiting Pathankot and I filled fuel, just then saw ahead of us on the road -it was full of trucks one behind another. I enquired at the petrol station and the person said trucks will be stacked until next 5km, until border, but 2 wheelers have a fair chance of passing through.

We exited the border with difficulty, sneaking between trucks, going offroad etc and entered Jammu & Kashmir. I was excited as it was the first time I was entering Northern most state of India, and also because I was one step closer to Ladakh.
I had started talking to myself, that tomorrow, by so-so time I'll be in so-so place in Ladakh.


I just try to switch on my mobile data and it shows 2g and after few seconds, even the 2g wasn't available.
I asked a passer-by and he said "Due to riots in Jammu, they have barred all net connections for 2 days, if we are lucky, we might get by tonight". And we weren't lucky ever after. Pfff..



To reach Patnitop, there are 2 routes, one is National Highway and other is the scenic off-road which has a deviation at Samba.


We had sped away 7 km further from the Samba deviation and after asking others, we returned 7 km back and started riding the curves. Not much of traffic too, a good place to ride/drive.


We stopped on the way to have some fruits that Anne was carrying. Apparently that was our lunch and then we continued.
I was observing white smoke from her bike's exhaust right from the time when we started riding. She was taking the curves so well that I forgot to think much about the smoke.


In my mind, it was like, no one will start to Ladakh without having such basic issues addressed.. so i chose to ignore.


As and when we started climbing altitudes her bike was getting stressed due to the terrain, the smoke got thicker and fatter and I was inhaling all of them. I started maintaining distance and still smoke continued. Her bike was switching off quite often and I could sense something fishy!!
Maybe I asked her a minimum of 10-15 times if her oil level was checked.. she kept on telling that every morning she got it checked and it was all perfect.


Finally, after a few kms when I couldn't sustain, told her to stop near a garage in Udhampur and the mechanic who checked the oil level told there's no oil at all.
I just smiled, by then it was already 4pm! If it was just me, I would've checked-in to some hotel at Patnitop by then!


I called Bali again, and told him this is the problem.. he told Bore kit would've gone, and it takes 3-4 hrs to replace. He also advised to carry oil from then on.


Finally after all the scene, we reached Patnitop that was 40 km ahead by 7.30 pm and got a room there.
Both of us tired.


I was searching for one of my chargers (gopro / mobile) and I was pulling out all my stuff from bag in a hurry talking to myself, while she asks "are you a Capricorn"?


I said Yes and started digging further. After a while I asked again "Why is it?" she said she is a Capricorn too. I asked what's her DOB and then those unexpected words "4th of Jan" came out..


I was astonished!! I started asking Are u serious? Are you lying? She said no, and we laughed crazy for around 10 min when we got to know we share the same birthday!


I was pretty much tired as I didn't have proper lunch, so we went out for dinner and later slept off early!
Day 7 - June 17th. (Patnitop - Batote - Pahalgam) - 200km

This is the day.. When those 2 words fate and destiny started playing with me, I knew I was being tested - in terms of patience and helpfulness!




to be contd....