[nandita_bayan21]

Prologue

“…and so the adventure to explore new places begin.” As most of you by now must have known that Atul and I made a big decision of our life and career, to leave Bangalore in October 2019 and moved to Delhi permanently. This decision was long pending and driven by the fact that we both wanted to be closer to both our families (my brother and his family stays in Delhi and Atul’s sister and her family in Noida), and our hometowns, Guwahati and Begusarai are a lot closer to Delhi as compared to Bangalore. However, Bangalore will remain close to my heart, and I can proudly say – Once a Bangalorean, always a Bangalorean! We look forward to visiting Bangalore real soon.

New city, new locality, new workplaces, new surroundings, everything seems to change all of a sudden, and life gets into a fast track mode. Just after a week of reaching Delhi, I had to join my new office in Gurgaon, and Atul had a couple of weeks before joining. Along with work, we had very little time to settle with all things required, setting up the house (for now, we decided to stay in a rental flat in Dwarka), bank and other transfer related work, etc. This took a lot of our weekend time, and there was a complete stop on our travels. However, we did manage to make some quick trips to Shimla (by Skiddy) and Narkanda (on Hulk). Apart from this we decided to go low on trips as we exhausted a lot of our cash during Spiti ride (detailed travelogue to follow soon) and our shifting to Delhi.

Two months passed by so fast, and it was almost new year. With snowfall stories and videos coming in from most of the YouTube channels, travelogues, pictures of fellow riders, it was really hard for both of us to not leave home, go out, spend some time amidst nature, give ourselves some break from the hectic life we were living from the past two months, and enjoy the snow-capped mountains and the splendid view. What’s the point of shifting to Delhi, staying so close to mountains, and not going out to explore the Himalayas?

So it was finally decided, we would take two days of leave, combine a weekend and January 1, 2020 – a total of five days and head out on our first long trip from Delhi on Hulk. There were no second thoughts on which place to visit, and it was undoubtedly going to be Uttarakhand. The only thing that we needed to agree upon were the places in Uttarakhand to visit where we could encounter some snowfall, get some mesmerizing views, and thoroughly enjoy those five days. After some research and talking with friends/colleagues, Atul boiled down on these places – Nainital, Kausani, Pauri, and Rishikesh. Few of our friends from Bangalore were about to do a Uttarakhand ride at the same time, so we decided to meet them during our stay in Rishikesh. Since it would be New Years’ time and hotels would be occupied entirely, Atul went ahead and made the bookings for all our stays in these four places. A wait for two weeks, both of us were super excited for our first long trip from Delhi and towards a new state to explore (we have never been to Uttarakhand till now).

Some quick bytes from the ride:

Dates – December 28, 29, 30, and 31, 2019 and January 1, 2020
Rider – Atul and I (pillion)
Bike – Kawasaki Versys 650
Kilometers covered – 1200 kms
Route Taken – Dwarka > Hapur > Moradabad > Bazpur > Nainital > Almora > Someshwar > Kausani > Baijnath > Gwaldam > Karnaprayag > Srinagar > Pauri > Devprayag > Rishikesh > Haridwar > Roorkee > Muzaffarnagar > Modinagar > Dwarka
Total Expenses – Hotel Rs 8175, Petrol Rs 3900, Food Rs 6600, Extra (shopping, etc.) Rs 800 and total Rs 19475

[nandita_bayan21]

Day 1 – 28/12/2019 (Dwarka to Nainital – 310 kms, route followed Dwarka > Hapur > Moradabad > Bazpur > Nainital)

Like all other trips, we decided to pack our bags few days earlier to the actual ride day. It was the first time in my life that I was experiencing such a cold winter in Delhi (Guwahati and Bangalore never had such extreme winters). With Delhi running at temperatures below 8-10°C for most of the December evenings, this meant we have to be fully prepared with warm clothes as we would be visiting places much colder than Delhi. With packing done for clothes, essentials for winters like thermals, gloves, extra layers of sweaters, a pair of sneakers, etc. we arranged our saddlebags, top case, and the tank bag was for all the camera gears, GoPro, and few snacks for the roads. We charged all the cameras, GoPro, phones, smartwatches, and arranged all our riding gear along with boots for the ride the next day. This saves a lot of time due to the last moment hassles before the trip. Atul also went out and tanked up Hulk with an aircheck for the tyres.

We wanted to start the ride around 4:30/5 am to reach Nainital as early as possible, the alarm went off at sharp 3:45 am. Atul had a quick look outside through the balcony and damn, the entire area was covered with heavy, dense fog, and nothing was visible at all. It was bone-shattering cold outside, and such low visibility wasn’t advisable for starting the ride at all at that time. Also, the current temperature showed somewhere around 2°C (if I recall correctly, it was the coldest morning of that winter season in Delhi). We decided to wait for some more time and see if the fog clears out a bit. Setting alarm for 5:45 am we slept for another hour. When we woke up, the condition was nothing better and still looked the same. Atul checked with me if I was willing to go ahead and continue with the ride plan or give it a drop. I knew that somewhere down the lane, through the day weather condition would ease-out, and it would get better, so it didn’t make any sense to drop the plan. Hence, it was decided, get ready in the next 30 mins and head out.

Got geared up, put on some extra layers of clothes to stay warm, loaded Hulk with the luggage, and it was around 6:45 am. It was still freezing, dense, thick fog, utterly low visibility, temperature around 2-3°C and unfavorable riding conditions. However, it was time to go. The only thing to be careful about was to look out, ride cautiously, and keep riding at a comfortable speed. Because of such cold weather, Delhi roads were empty with bare minimum traffic. It didn’t take us much time to exit Delhi, take the Yamuna bridge, and head towards the Delhi-Meerut expressway. Once we hit the highway, the cross-wind made us realize the freezing wind and the discomfort it got along with it. With four layers of clothes, two kinds of gloves, and boots, somehow, we both were still feeling the shivering cold as if it pierced through our skin and onto our bones. The fog was also adding on more to the plight, visibility was terrible, and our speed was nothing more than 30-40 kmph, losing out a lot of time. But given that we started late and also riding at a not so excellent pace, Google was still predicting that we would reach Nainital around 3 pm. We decided to brave this cold weather and keep riding till we could. Thankfully the highway was in good condition, apart from the section near Ghaziabad, where the Delhi-Meerut highway is still getting constructed for some parts.

Around 8:45 am we reached Hapur and covered about 85 km from home. We decided to stop for our breakfast and have some piping hot tea to feel better, Atul pulled over at the dhaba called Shiva Dhaba right by the highway. The place was already crowded with cars, tourist buses, and other two-wheelers. Since we already stopped and didn’t want to waste much time looking for another place to eat, we agreed to stop here itself. Done with getting freshened up, using restrooms, we looked for a place for two of us to sit; luckily, we managed to get a table for two. We knew what to order as we have come here a couple of times earlier for breakfast drive over the weekend with family. Ordered two aloo parathas, one paneer paratha, and two cups of tea. The parathas here are delicious, no compromise with the stuffing and the curd they give here as a side for parathas is to die for - I can easily end up eating two full matkas of curd. Nonetheless, we finished our food, ordered another round of tea, relaxed for some time, and around 9:45 am we agreed to start again with the ride. The weather was still cold with low visibility, yet the ride had to be continued anyway.

Both of us kept riding on the highway slowly and cautiously, and with cars switching on their lights and hazard blinkers, it made it easier for us to anticipate incoming vehicles as well as vehicles at a far-off distance. Most of the time, we kept riding on the extreme left to avoid any unwanted mishaps but had to be equally careful about stupid drivers/riders coming from the opposite lane, which is a widespread scenario here in India. Just before reaching Moradabad, the condition became a bit worse, and the fog became too dense. Maybe it was because of the open crop fields and surroundings that the cold wind started becoming unbearable, and it was difficult to ride any further. My fingers became numb, and I was shivering continuously, even my nose started running – I almost burst out in tears. We decided to stop for a while, relax, drink some water, try to keep us warm by rubbing both hands, placing hands just above Hulk’s engine, and whatnot. It was a tough time, but overcoming it was the only choice. For a minute, Atul was almost on the verge of taking a turn and return, looking at my condition. But I assured him that I would be ok and we should keep riding ahead, even if it meant reaching Nainital a bit late. A 20 mins break, we started again.

Took the highway to bypass Moradabad town and then diversion after the Rampur road, we continued towards Tanda and Bazpur. It was still cold and foggy, but the beautiful nature on both sides of the road was too splendid, and we could see a few of the mountain ranges at a distance as we moved along. Roads, though a bit narrow, were somewhat in right conditions with occasional potholes here and there. We crossed many small towns and villages, where it was the most common sight of people coming together as a group, lighting up a fireplace, gathering around it, forming a circle, and enjoying the warmth of the fire amidst that freezing weather. We reached a town called Bazpur about 12:30 pm, and as we were crossing a small tea stall, we could spot a fireplace right next to it, which lured us into spending sometime around it and drinking a cup of tea. Atul asked the tea guy to give us two cups of hot tea and requested if he could put some more woods so that the fire burns a bit stronger. He was more than delighted to increase the fire, and while he prepared the tea, he asked us where we were from, where we were going, gave us an update of the weather conditions from the past few days and how it would be going forward. While Atul was busy striking the conversation, I was mostly around the fireplace, trying to warm up my hands and fingers – it was the best feeling ever! Atul and I drank the tea while one of the passersby came up to us and had friendly conversations. As usual, the center of attraction for everyone was the green bike.

Done with tea, we once again geared up, thanked the tea stall guy, and resumed our ride. The tea guy did mention us that from here on, the weather conditions would be slightly better. He also said that we would be starting our journey through the curvy ghat roads, and as we climb up, we might even get some sunlight left for the day. A little ride ahead, we crossed Uttar Pradesh to enter our new state Uttarakhand for the very first time. We were riding on Nainital Road now.

As we started moving ahead amidst forest area and an abundance of green nature, it was clear that we have entered the beautiful state of Uttarakhand. Even the weather started showing mercy on us, with light beams of sunrays hitting Mother Earth, and it began to feel a little warm. On riding ahead through the curve and butter smooth roads, one could see the dramatic views of the splendid mountain ranges, high rising tall green trees, and feel nature’s tranquility. This was by far the best part of our ride today after struggling through most of it with the cold. However, while riding, a small bug came from nowhere, entered through the visor opening of Atul’s helmet, and bit his left eye. It was quite painful, and we had to stop to examine his eye. It was swollen a bit, made the eye completely red, and Atul could feel excruciating pain. He tried washing off the eye with water, clean with some wet tissues, and I applied some ointment, which was in the tank bag. It was a relief for the time being, and after some 10 mins, when Atul was ok to ride again, we started. The eye kept irritating Atul all the while, but he kept moving ahead.

Just 10 km before reaching Nainital, we came across this small temple of Mansa Devi in a place called Khurpatal. We did a quick pit-stop for some photos – the area was surrounded by lush green hills and tall trees, mostly pine trees, and a small yet beautiful lake. 10 mins break, and we hit the road, this time straight to our stay, which was just 12 km away. Around 2:30 pm, we reached Nainital, and Google Maps took us towards our stay, Hotel Vikrant. This hotel located uphill on an elevated road of the main Mall Road had an enchanting view of the Nainital lake from almost all rooms. The cost for one night in a Deluxe Lake view room was Rs 2573, including breakfast. Rooms were well maintained, clean, mostly sun-facing so well lit, warm, and had a beautiful view of the lake down below. The only drawback was the lack of ample parking space. When we reached, it was already full with just 3-4 cars, and Atul had to somehow squeeze through those cars, make some room for Hulk and get it parked.

Atul completed all the check-in formalities, and we got our luggage inside the room allocated, and immediately after settling in, ordered our lunch, both of us were dying of hunger. Keeping it simple, we ordered some plain rice, some rotis, dal fry, and an omelet. While the food came in, we freshened up, got into something warm yet comfortable, arranged our luggage, and came out to the balcony to enjoy the lake view while the sunlight falls on our face, makes us feel warm and delightful. Atul’s eye was still red and was itching. We planned to have lunch quickly, rest for a while, and ride towards Naini peak and click some amazing photos of the Nainital lake as seen from the summit and the setting sun. But with this condition of Atul’s eye, we had to drop the plan and instead decided to take a walk towards the lake and Mall Road.

Our lunch comes within 20 mins, and in no time, we started to hog the food. It was simple yet delicious, totally felt like eating homemade food, less use of masala, and oil. On request, we also got two cups of hot tea to flush down the lunch. After the meal, we relaxed for some 30 mins, letting Atul get some rest with eyes closed. Time was 4 pm and was a perfect time to go out, talk a walk, and enjoy the wintery evening in Nainital. The weather forecast predicted a significant drop in temperature towards late evening, so we wanted to come home before it gets too cold outside. Wore a layer of thermal, sweaters and parkas, mufflers, gloves, sneakers, and head caps to keep us warm, we left the hotel room and started walking down towards the Mall Road and Nainital Lake.

The walk was very soothing as the gentle touch of the cool breeze on our faces was very soothing. It took some 10 mins to reach the road connecting the lake’s periphery. A well laid walking lane was constructed all along the lake for people to stroll alongside and enjoy nature without causing hindrance to the moving traffic on the main road. The whole town of Nainital centers around the lake, which is one of the lakes of Kumaon hills. The kidney or crescent-shaped lake is a natural freshwater body, known to have many mythological significances. As per Indian mythology, the lake is the place where Goddess Sati’s eyes fell out of her charred body while being carried by Lord Shiva in extreme anger and grief upon her death. So, the name Nain-Tal which refers to the lake of the eye and is considered to be one the ‘Shakti Peeths’. According to another legend, this lake was primarily known as ‘Tri-Rishi-Sarovar’, meaning the lake of the three sages (Atri, Pulastya, and Pulaha).

Whatever the stories of this lake’s formation may be but it is indeed a beautiful water body surrounded by mountains, colorful houses, and trees. Many hawkers take tourists for boat and gondola rides in the lake for some Rs 150-200 per person. We generally avoid such boat rides and prefer exploring the places on our own. The calm lake with soothing ripples of water was artistically so beautiful, and one can spend endless time admiring its beauty. After walking for some time and clicking some pictures, we decided to come towards to Mall Road and look through the shops on the other side of the road. From sweaters to pullovers, parkas, shawls, gloves, socks, and anything required for cold weather, one can find it here in the market. I quickly grabbed some shawls for my mom, mom-in-law, sister-in-law, as they were priced only at Rs 100. I felt the rest of the things in this market to be quite expensive and nothing extraordinary. So, we just walked through these series of shops until we reached a tiny stall selling hot coffee. Ordered two hot cups of coffee, and we both sat by the bench across the road, sipping through the coffee, blocking all the noise and chaos happening in the market place and just concentrating on enjoying the lake view right in front of us.

Time was almost 6:15 pm, and it started to get cold outside. Atul’s eye was still in its irritating mode, and he slowly started to feel quite uncomfortable. We decided to start our walk back to the hotel. Another 15 mins and we were in our room. The view of the lake and the surrounding was angelic now, with all the lights of houses across the mountains turned on, it felt like twinkling stars floating down from the sky and getting stuck on the hills. The cool breeze, clear sky and mild lights of the town, all so surreal. After some time, we both came inside the room, and it looked like the temperature started dropping. We changed, freshened up, though the water was utterly freezing, got inside the layers of blankets and began to chit-chat, have some conversations while looking through the photos clicked throughout the whole day, and enjoying the coziness of the room. Around 7:30 pm we agreed to place our dinner order as we were told that during winter, the restaurant closes early, and we might not get food if we don’t order well in advance. Thought of keeping it simple by ordering just rotis and some chili chicken. We started killing time by watching YouTube videos, planning the ride for the next day, and which places to explore during the trip.

By 8:45 pm, dinner was served inside our room. It was as sumptuous meal as lunch, well prepared, no fuss simple roti, and chili chicken. Quickly we finished our dinner, as staying any longer outside the blankets was unbearable in that extreme cold. Kept the plates aside, cleared out the room a bit, freshened up, and immediately jumped inside the pile of blankets. A quick check of the temperature revealed 1°C and might dip to negative later towards the night, but witnessing snowfall was out of question, I guess. It was 10 pm, and both of us went to sleep. Riding through that cold weather and relaxing now on this warm bed, I think we both deserved it.

Watch the Day 1 video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNpYz5cPl_A&

[nandita_bayan21]

Day 2 – 29/12/2019 (Nainital to Kausani – 120 km, route followed Nainital > Almora > Someshwar > Kausani)

Our day started today around 8 am with fresh sunlight falling into our room from the eastern side. We both got up and stepped outside to get a quick view of the lake, and it was looking marvelously beautiful, with a golden blanket of sunrays engulfing the lake water. It was peaceful and soul-enriching. After getting freshened up, Atul checked with me if we wanted to finish off with our breakfast here in the hotel or go outside and have. Suddenly we both realized that breakfast was complimentary here. So, I called up the reception and placed our food order – aloo parathas, bread butter toast, omelet, and two cups of tea. While the food came in, we utilized the time to pack our luggage, arrange all things inside each respective bag and take a quick hot shower.

In some 30 mins breakfast was served, we gobbled it, called reception to clear the plates, and also keep the final check out bills ready. Both of us got geared up, loaded Hulk with the bags, and while Atul was clearing out all the formalities, I completed the remaining final packing. We were good to go, and since the distance required to cover today was less, we could have a relaxed ride, enjoy the view, click photos and take videos, and then reach our destination, Kausani, well before 3 pm. Check out was done, and we rode down towards the Mall road. Before leaving the city, two things were needed to be done – withdraw some cash from the nearby ATM and get Hulk tanked up. We also clicked some photos of Hulk keeping it right in front of the lake, on the Mall Road. So after pictures, money withdrawal, and petrol, we started the ride for the day, towards Kausani, Mahatma Gandhi called it ‘the Switzerland of India,’ because of the similarities in landscapes.

The ride was a beautiful one, with river stream flowing on our right and snow-capped mountains in each side at a distance, this was a picturesque sight for eyes and soul. Traffic was sparse, and riding through these highways was a bliss. There were few sections where road construction work was undergoing, but it wasn’t much of a hassle for us. We stopped at many locations to click pictures and enjoy nature. This trip break was much needed and after what happened with us during the Spiti ride (that travelogue will follow real soon), we felt this ride was mostly a one to find solace and make ourselves feel happy - to make us realize that misfortune can happen to anyone at any given point of time, how we manage to overcome it and learn from it is what matters the most.

The green fields all along the valley, small rivers rippling through the surface, beautiful small towns and villages and occasionally crossing the marketplaces, and the Himalayas on the backdrop, how can one not stop by and admire the magnificent beauty of Mother Nature? Around 12:30 pm, we just crossed the Almora town and took the Almora-Ranikhet-Kosi road to reach Someshwar. In between, we came across a good restaurant right opposite to a beautiful location of the valley and pine trees. We decided to halt for a while, sip a cup of tea, grab some light snacks, and then move ahead. From here, our resort was just 50-55 km. Ordered tea, a bowl of maggi, and a bun maska. It was peaceful here with just a couple of tables being occupied, and the surroundings were completely peaceful with few chirping sound of birds and the gentle flow of wind.

For the next couple of hours, we just kept riding, enjoying the view around us, and decided to reach Kausani as early as possible. After Almora, we crossed Someshwar and then Chhani to reach Kausani. By the way, Atul’s eye was much better now though the redness and irritation were still there to some extent. By 2:45 pm, we reached our destination and stay for the day, The Heritage Resort, Kausani.

I was delighted to reach the resort as from anywhere you see, the best view was right in front of our eyes, the mountain range of snow-capped Himalayas! This resort is famous for its scenic splendor and a spectacular view of the Himalayas. It is a beautiful heritage property depicting the various cultural aspects of the Kumaon region, providing luxurious cottages and a comfortable stay amidst all modern facilities. Our one night stay cost us Rs 2400 for a semi-deluxe family room. Though they don’t have a compound to park vehicles, all of the cars and two-wheelers can be parked right opposite the hotel, by the roadside, with security guards looking after them all the time. I was impressed with the way the resort was maintained, with an abundance of greenery, winter flowers, trees, clean and hygienic compounds. It has its own in-house Kumaoni cuisine serving restaurant, party hall and recreation areas, gym, and a mini tea estate. The actual tea estate of Kausani was walking distance from our resort.

Atul parked the bike in a secured location across the road, and we both went towards the reception area to complete our check-in formalities. We requested a cottage that provided us a splendid view of the mountain ranges, and they happily obliged though each room was constructed in such a way that everyone gets a proper view of the Himalayas. Once the room was finalized, I came up along with some of the bags while Atul and a hotel guy helped him with the remaining luggage. Weather was pleasant and mildly warm until now, but as the day passes by, and it is almost time for sunset, the temperature drops and it gets freezing. Our welcome drink was two cups of piping hot coffee along with a pack of biscuits. It came at the right moment as I was craving for either a cup of tea or coffee to feel relaxed after the ride. The manager informed us that the restaurant would stop taking lunch orders in the next 20 mins so if we want to go ahead and have some food, we should hurry. Though I was not that much hungry yet Atul wanted to have some food. So we finished the coffee, freshened up, settled our bags properly, got into something comfortable, warm clothes, and headed out towards the restaurant. The pathway leading to the restaurant was well laid with fresh blooms of winter flowers, soft green garden grasses, and big round pebbles.

It was around 3 pm and we placed our lunch order – an aloo paratha, a plate of plain rice, dal fry and Kumaon style potato fry known as gutke. Few of the other families occupied adjacent tables and it looked like that the resort was a hot favourite amongst tourists. In some 20 mins we got our food, it was delicious and quite like home-made. Till now food in Uttarakhand have not failed us and I have really become a fan of Kumaoni cuisine and the way of preparing simple food. The person serving us food, started to have conversation with us regarding whether the food was good, where have we come from, what are our plans for the trip, so on. He informed us to go and see the tea estate nearby from where the view of Himalayan ranges would be grand. Done with food and thanking the person for such a fantastic food treat, we went to our room, agreed to relaxed for some 15-20 mins before heading out for a walk towards the tea estate, which was easily seen from our cottage.

Around 5 pm, we took a backpack with all the cameras, GoPro, got ourselves protected with all warm clothes and headed out from our room. Just a 10 mins walk in the main road, and we reached the tea estate, which was on our left. On the right, there was a small bus depot as well with some souvenir shops. It was a short climb until we reached amidst the tea garden which has mini size gazebos constructed for people to sit, and get a majestic view of the Himalayan ranges. The place was luckily less crowded, so it was quite peaceful, and we could enjoy the true essence of nature in harmony.

Kausani, as rightly mentioned as the Switzerland of India, is a beautiful hill station famous for providing 300 km-wide panoramic view of the Himalayas, window to the snow-crested Trishul, Nanda Devi, Nandakot and Panchchuli peaks. Kausani woods offer memorable nature walks as the place is bestowed with rich biodiversity and tea estate, spread out over 200 hectares. Tourists can also enjoy various activities such as mountain biking, rock climbing, rappelling, trekking, camping, museum, and birdwatching. The weather of Kausani provides its visitors an escape from the hustle and bustle of highly crowded cities and offers the tranquillity and peace of mind.

As the sun started its descent for the day, the mountain peaks started to get golden in color as if the Sun was sprinkling gold and orange dust over the top while it was going down. It was a rare splendid sight for eyes, and one can keep looking at the view for hours, only that it was for a short period. The view of the golden mountain ranges through the tall trees, and its branches were truly breath-taking, and the soul keeps urging for more. From the topmost point of the tea estate, the landscape view of Kausani and the long-ranging mountains was to die for. Even the tea estate was equally beautiful, with fresh green tea leaves budding out for the new season and tall green lush trees almost touching the blue sky above. We spent nearly 90 mins here gazing at the view in front of us, clicking pictures, taking videos, and when it was almost 6:15 pm, about to almost get dark, we decided to start walking towards our resort.

Right about now, I unknowingly tripped on a stone while coming down of the tea estate, losing my balance and bang, my D750 fell on the ground with the zoom lens still attached to it. Knowing that the worst has already happened, the camera was not switching on at all. Atul tried removing the battery, putting it back again to switch on, but no, nothing was working. We both knew that the camera has got some internal damage, and with this camera not working, my dream of capturing these stunning moments have come to an end. Utterly disappointed and having no choice, both of us started walking towards our stay. However, we made sure not to ponder over it any more as we can repair the camera again, but coming to these beautiful places happens very rare, so more than camera we should capture the vivid images on my mind, on our soul, through our eyes.

In the next 15 mins, we were inside our room. There was geyser inside the bathroom, and even though it was quite cold, I decided to take a quick warm shower. Looking at me, even Atul took a shower. The shower helped us relax, release fatigue, and destress our tired muscles from the ride in the last two days. The weather outside was slowly getting colder, and there was a dip in the temperature. The resort arranged for fireplace next to most of the cottages, but we preferred to stay indoors and relax for the remaining part of the evening. We even agreed to get our dinner served inside the room. It was around 7:30 pm that Atul called up the reception and placed our dinner order – to start with hot chicken manchow soup, some jowar and regular plain rotis, chicken curry, and Kumaon style ragi halwa.

While the food came, Atul once again made a failed attempt to make the D750 work, but it was not budging at all. To be on the safer side, we removed the memory card and copied all the images, videos to the laptop. Next, some time was spent in looking through the pictures and videos, chalking out the plan for the next day and next destination, calling up parents back home, and some simple conversations. It took some time for the dinner to come as the number of tourists in the resort increased towards the evening, and the restaurant had to make and prepare multiple orders, they did inform us about the delay. The soup came in quite quickly, though.

Around 9:15 pm, our remaining dinner came into the room—once again sumptuous dinner with lip-smacking soul-satisfying food. Done with the dinner, we cleared the plates, did a little bit of packing for the ride in the morning the next day. It started to get cold outside, and the noise of hustling cold breeze filled the surroundings. It was a clear sky night, and we could see the stars twinkling up across the whole dark sky. A quick temperature check showed -1°C with a possible dip to further negative in the middle of the night. It was 10 pm, and both of us hit the bed, it was time to sleep and take rest, tomorrow would be day three of the ride.

Watch the Day 2 video here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEyJ_I1p8ys

[nandita_bayan21]

Day 3 – 30/12/2019 (Kausani to Pauri – 200 km, route followed Kausani > Gwaldam > Karnaprayag > Rudraprayag > Srinagar > Pauri)

How often do we wake up listening to the sound of morning birds chirping around in harmony, hustling of tree leaves due to gentle morning breeze, and fresh fragrance of the beautiful surroundings? Our morning at Kausani started at 8:30 am. The sleep was quite comfortable with the cozy bed, warm thick quilt, and a room heater to keep the room warm. Today we decided to have our breakfast somewhere outside but who would not like a hot cup of tea in the morning to kick start the day. Atul called the reception and requested for tea to be served in our room, while I helped packing stuff inside the bags and make arrangements for the ride today. Once the tea came in, we took the cup outside, had some fantastic view of the mountains and the surroundings in front of us, clicked some pictures, and spent some half an hour here and then decided to start gearing up. Atul got up somewhere around 6:30 am and clicked some great photos of the morning frame of the layered mountains.

We took shower, got geared up, loaded bags onto Hulk, Atul finished all the check-out work, and around 10 am we left the hotel and started our ride for our destination today, Pauri. This was a place recommended by one of Atul’s office colleague, and he assured us that we would like it here. He also spoke with one of his friends and made arrangements for our hotel stay. In between, we would come across a lot of places today that would have great significance, and to stop and click pictures was inevitable. I feel each nook and corner of this marvelous state of Uttarakhand is worth stopping by, admire its beauty, and get lost amidst its magical spell. The morning ride was so blissful through the curvy hill roads, and at each turning the snow-crested peaks of Trishul, Nanda Devi and others were visible.

After a while, we reached the town of Baijnath, which houses a cluster of 18 Hindu temples along the bank of river Gomti. As per locals, these temples are very few of those temples where Parvati is depicted with her husband Shiva and pilgrims arrive here during the time of Shivratri and Makar Sankranti. Though we wanted to stop by and visit the temples, we decided to give it a skip and come back some time later. Some parts of the temples can be seen when one crosses the town and head towards Gwaldam. As we moved ahead, the road branches off to take us through a fascinating route amidst thick pine forests with the Himalayas in the back-drop playing peek-a-boo. The valley that stretches for miles has the river Pindar flowing through it, and this area with its far spread is one of nature’s joys. To take a halt and click some pictures was a must.

Around 11 am we entered the town of Gwaldam. There were traces of snow on each side of the road, and because of sunlight melting them, there were thin layers of black ice on the tar of the road. Atul had to be cautious riding through these surfaces as the tyres were continuously losing grip and running in every direction. He mostly followed tracks left behind by vehicles. We also came across this vantage point from where the Trishul peak was quite vividly visible in its full grandeur. The place was full of Deodar trees and clean, green, and incredibly refreshing scenery. We stopped here for a while to capture some clicks, drink some water, rest for a few minutes, and then move ahead. It was almost late morning, and we haven’t had anything to eat. Our next task was to look for a place to have some quick bites. As soon as we crossed the town limits of Gwaldam, the roads started deteriorating with uneven surface, mud, and slush all over the road, potholes filled with water puddles, loose gravel at some parts and this was mostly because of road construction. In this ride, these were our first experience of bad roads. However, we kept moving ahead and decided to stop only when we find someplace to eat. We went on riding for a while and finally came across a small food stall where they were serving limited food. We agreed to eat here as we were not sure if there would be any good place ahead to eat because the road conditions were not going to be better for quite some time, as mentioned by the guy in the food stall. We settled for aloo parathas, chutney, curd, also a sabji which I couldn’t figure out was made of what, and some tea. Luckily, the place had a clean restroom as well, so after we were done with food, we quickly freshened up, took bio breaks, and after some 20-30 mins, we resumed our ride through the bad roads. From here, our destination was another 140 km away.

For the next couple of hours, we kept moving ahead and covered a lot of distance. The roads were not helping at all as to maneuver through the mud, and slush patch was tough, and on top of it, the uncertainty of black ice on the way, though after some point of time, we couldn’t see any more snow on the way. We crossed many small villages, towns, market places, and also the cluster of peaks started to get hidden as we moved downhill. I guess the terrible road continued for around 25-30 km till we reached a place called Simli, and from here on, the highway wasn’t that bad, with good tar road. All along the Pindar river kept flowing with us, always towards our right, and the view of fresh green crop fields by the bank of the river was mind-blowing. The ride now started to open up, and we would cover more distance at lesser time. This continued for another hour, and finally, around 2:30 pm, we reached the famous town of Karnaprayag. From the highway, a special place was constructed for tourists and passers-by to stop and have a look down at the mighty Sangam. We parked the bike, went to the edge of this place (surrounded by waist-high walls and iron railings), and started to admire the holy confluence of rivers.

Bedecked on the confluence of river Alaknanda and river Pindar, Karnaprayag is known to be one of the Panch Prayag or one of the five confluences of River Alaknanda. This is where Garhwal and Kumaon regions of Uttarakhand connects. The town is famous as ‘The City of Karna of Mahabharata’ and also was visited by Swami Vivekananda along with his gurus for meditation. The panoramic views of the towering hills, thick, lush green vegetation, and the river confluence, makes it a truly remarkable destination for the travel enthusiast. Spending some time processing the views, clicking some pictures, changing GoPro batteries, sipping some water, and with a fresh mood, we resumed our ride once again. Now was the time to have lunch and the search for finding a right place to eat began.

We rode for another 35 km, and the next town to come was Rudraprayag, commonly known to home the holy confluence of river Alaknanda and river Mandakini. This heavenly town is encircled by the emerald lakes, glaciers, foaming rivers, and silver streams. For some reason, we couldn’t spot any place from where the holy Sangam could be seen from the highway. Since it was already 3 pm and we wanted to reach Pauri before darkness, we decided to keep moving ahead and not waste time searching for the spot to see the confluence. Another few kilometers of the ride, and we came across a place to have our lunch. Though the choice for food was limited, yet we agreed to have lunch here itself, while I ordered a simple veg thali, Atul settled for a fish meal. This was the first time on this trip that the food we ordered was terribly prepared and had absolutely no taste. Sabji was raw, dal was watery, rice half-cooked, and the fish curry was red water with a tasteless piece of fish dipped in it. Though we both are against wastage of food, this was something that was not worth gulping down our throat. It was better to waste than to make our stomach get upset. We wanted to flush down the horrible food by drinking a cup of hot tea, which turned out to be good, fortunately. This was a much-needed break as both of us were dying of hunger and couldn’t go a single kilometer without food. It was 3:45 pm, and our ride started once more.

Just 25 km from the lunch spot, we came across the city of Srinagar (no, not the J&K one but the one in Uttarakhand). Known for natural beauty and several temples, this historic town is located on the bank of river Alaknanda. It is known to be the last city on plains, after which, the mountains begin again. The white sandy banks right beside the pristine waters of river Alaknanda, surrounded by the lower and upper Himalayas, make it for a perfect nature getaway. The famous Dhari Devi temple can be seen from the highway as one crosses the town and moves towards Pauri. The blue sky and its color getting reflected on the river water, the green hills surrounding the landscape and snaking river, it was a blissful view for an eye indeed. While on our way, we could also see a glimpse of the Srinagar Hydro Electric Project power plant built on river Alaknanda. We stopped and clicked some pictures of the beautiful curvy road, the dam, the river, the landscape, and anything that fascinated us. We had another 30 kms more to reach Pauri and relax for the day. Meanwhile, in between, Atul confirmed with his colleague and got the address of the hotel in which our booking for the night was done.

Attachment 1991305

As we crossed Srinagar, the climb uphill started, and it was almost 5 pm, Google suggested a time of 90 mins to reach Pauri, and this would still mean we will be arriving at our hotel just about time before dusk. The last 30 kms ride was pleasant as the Sun went behind the hills, cooling the temperature a bit, the gentle flow of wind, and the nature around us, all provided a soothing experience and helped us keep moving ahead. The weather today was altogether pleasant, not too cold, and not very warm either. The traffic towards Pauri was bare minimum, and the road condition was good also. From a distance, as we kept climbing higher and higher, the Himalayan ranges started to be visible again, this time a blurred view of snow-capped mountains sprinkled with a touch of golden color from the setting Sun.

As daylight started to fade out, and it was slowly getting dark, right at that moment, we entered the city limits of Pauri. From the very first look, I was sure we would like this place a lot. Around 6:30 pm, we reached our stay Hotel Umesha, almost in between the market place of Pauri. The hotel manager was already waiting for our arrival, and he helped Atul park Hulk right opposite the hotel across the road, a designated parking lot for the hotel guests. It was a relief, as for the very first time, Hulk was appropriately parked inside a gated area. Atul completed the check-in formalities and requested a mountain view facing room. Hotel Umesha looked like a budget hotel but well maintained, clean one with an in-house restaurant preparing fresh home-made food. Our deluxe room for one night cost us Rs 1500, including breakfast for the next day. The best part was the view from our room, a bright and vivid frame of the snow mountain ranges, but since it was already dark, nothing could be seen now, once it is morning, the hotel manager assured us of a splendid panoramic view. The hotel did provide all the necessary amenities for stay, like all-time running hot water, enough quilts to beat the winter cold, a room heater to keep it warm, etc. Once we got the room keys, Atul and the hotel guy got all the bags to the room, we settled in, freshened up, wore some comfortable warm clothes and decided to talk a short walk in the marketplace.

While leaving the hotel, Atul placed the order for dinner as well since the restaurant would take some time to prepare fresh food. Keeping it simple, we ordered rotis and chicken curry. At 7:30 pm both of us went out, explored some parts of the town, mostly the market area. Most of the shops were already bringing their shutters down and closing the shops for the day. The temperature here was close to 2-3°C and expected to go down towards night. I badly wanted to drink a cup of coffee, so we went inside a restaurant, but ultimately ended up ordering coffee, a bowl of maggi and a plate of chicken chowmein, because our lunch was a complete disaster. Here the food served was good and being famished from a long time, we both hogged down everything quickly. It was almost 8:15 pm, and the restaurant was just about to close for the day. We paid the bills and started walking towards the room, on our way, we took some roasted peanuts to munch inside the hotel room. With our stomach already full, Atul checked with the manager if we can cancel the dinner order, but the chicken was already being made. We, however, asked him to reduce the number of rotis than what he ordered earlier.

For the next few hours, we spent time in the hotel room, under the quilts, munching peanuts, looking through the day’s photos, videos, and hoping that the dinner comes in late as we both were already full. I also cleaned up some of the dirt from our luggage, gears, and boots, tried to keep most of the stuff packed so that we don’t have to re-work on packing again for the next day. Around 10 pm, our food came into the room. Atul had to finish most of it while I tried eating at least a little. The chicken curry was good but had a lot of salt in it, and as such, Atul and I prefer eating very less salt with our food. Nonetheless, done with dinner, we cleared our plates, freshened up and immediately jumped inside the bed. Hoping to get an impressive view of the mountains in the morning when we wake up, time was 10:45 pm, and both of us went for a goodnight's sleep.

Watch the Day 3 video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx4hhXIcknw&

[nandita_bayan21]

Day 4 – 31/12/2019 (Pauri to Rishikesh – 110 km, route followed Pauri > Devprayag > Sirasu > Rishikesh)

It was 9 am, and I woke up. Atul woke up a little early today to have a view of the mountains from our hotel room. The way he described it looked like a beautiful scene and something that I might have missed while sleeping to my glory. And by the time I woke up, the view was partly spoilt by the white clouds that were hovering today in between the mountains. The last three days had clear skies with no clouds, but today as predicted by the weather forecast, there was supposed to be some amount of rains, and maybe because of that, the clouds started to prevail. Anyway, the sight was still breathtakingly beautiful. The colorful homes of Pauri at one side and the mountain ranges running along the horizon, on the other hand, the layers of hills cascading over one another and the slow movement of white fluffy clouds. We both spent hours staring at this site, clicking pictures, capturing videos and admiring the landscape. Pauri is a paradise, and needless to say, we will come here again, to spend some more time and explore some more nearby places.

Around 8:30 am, the hotel manager gave us a call in the room to check on what breakfast we would have. I was utterly bored eating aloo paratha from so many days, so we requested for simple bread omelet and two cups of tea. While the food came in, both of us did most of the packing, got our bags ready, and looked into the route that has to be taken today. We will also be meeting our friends from Bangalore today, who must have already reached Rishikesh after venturing across Munsiyari and other places in Uttarakhand on their bikes. So, our destination for today’s ride would be Rishikesh, and we were planning to spend our New Year’s Eve there with our friends. 30 mins later our food came in, and we didn’t spend much time eating as it was already 9 am and we wanted to leave as soon as possible. After food, we both took a shower, got geared up, since bags were already packed, Atul went down to load up Hulk while I finished off with the remaining tasks. So, it was time to head out, and before that, we had to pay the hotel guy the room amount and tank up Hulk for the journey. Unfortunately, the manager was accepting just cash, and we were running some amount short. Atul had to go looking for the nearest ATM, which took a while as a couple of ATMs didn’t have cash. Then he had to go the bank above the ATM to get some cash. There was a really long queue in the bank so Atul came back explained it to the hotel guy if there was any option to pay via Google Pay or PayTM. Finally, the hotel guy said that he has a working card machine and he can try using that. And voila, it worked. Having lost around an hour there, our next task was to find a petrol station and fill up the bike. Got an HP bunk, tanked up Hulk, and we finally bid goodbye to Pauri and started our ride towards Rishikesh by 12:00 pm.

Riding through every part of Uttarakhand is bliss for the soul, and so was the Devprayag – Pauri Road. The snaking road goes through tall green trees as if they are stretching their branches and trying to reach the clear blue sky. The road was well maintained and didn’t give us any hassle while riding. The population was very thin, and we must have crossed many small, silent, and peaceful villages/towns. For many kilometers, it was only both of us riding on those roads, enjoy what nature had to offer us, and being grateful, letting us see such marvelous places. Weather was pleasant too, with winter Sun’s warm rays of sunlight on us, cold breeze flowing through the valley, and the smell of lush green vegetation. For some time, the mountain ranges of Himalayas were visible, but after a point, it got hidden when we took a turn and started our descent towards lower altitude. There was also a stretch on the highway from where one could see the spreading town of Srinagar down in the plains. We stopped at a few places to click some pictures, admire the Himalayas for one last time before we ride further down. As mentioned earlier, the mountain ranges were not properly visible today due to a layer of white clouds wandering over the peaks.

Riding continuously for some time and we finally reached the city limits of Devprayag around 2:00 pm. Just before entering the town, some cops made us stop the bike at the check-post (mostly because of the KA registration number plate) to look at our papers. Luckily, whenever we travel, we make sure to carry all the documents of the bike along with us, the best practice I guess most of us here follow. Their main motive was to try and see if they can mint some extra money from us, but then with all the required papers with us, even the emission certificate, the only option left for them was to let us go. The main police guy did instruct Atul to get a new DL as his photo was a bit faded on it (the picture seems to be fine for everyone), just so he could have the last say. We politely obliged and resumed our ride towards the vantage point of Devprayag from where the confluence of rivers can be seen.

A couple of kilometer from the check-post, there was an area constructed for tourists to standby and have a look at the confluence from the highway from the top. Devprayag is one of the Panch Prayag of Alaknanda river (probably the last one) where Alaknanda, Saraswati, and Bhagirathi rivers meet and take the name of Ganga. This minion town is known for having a divine aura and holy significance. Devotees come here from across the country to take a holy dip in the ghats. At the same time, adventure lovers can get involved in various water activities like river rafting, kayaking, rock climbing, rappelling, and trekking. We parked Hulk nearby, witnessed the holy Sangam and formation of the mighty Ganges, and the change of river watercolor and converting into greenish-blue. Clicked some pictures, took a couple of videos, and started our ride ahead towards Rishikesh. From here, our hotel at Rishikesh was just 66 km away, but we had to finish off with our lunch on the way as well.

Right after crossing Devprayag, the road was not in good shape as there was construction work happening in this highway, and this followed all the way up till Rishikesh with few sections being proper and completed with construction. There were a couple of places where the road authorities were clearing out the debris from the highway using JCBs, and so we had to wait in both the places till the time the road was cleared, and we can move ahead. While on our way, we also stopped at a roadside dhaba to have a quick lunch, and the time was almost 3 pm. Kept the lunch quite simple with just two plates of Rajma Chawal and two cups of tea. Done with eating in only some 20 mins, we started our journey ahead. The road construction made us lose a lot of time because of diversions, excessive mud at some places, and too much dust from heavy trucks at other places. All in all, it wasn’t a great ride till Rishikesh. But the scenic landscape was too admirable, though the Himalayan ranges were no more visible now, the green hills surrounding the area, the Ganges flowing on our left, the water flowing through the river, tall trees, and the lush vegetation made the ride worthwhile. Around 5 pm, we entered the city limits of Rishikesh. On our way, at one spot, we could see the famous Lakshman temple on the bank of River Ganga, the Lakshman Jhula and the surrounding green hills – it was a mesmerizing sight, couldn’t help myself but to stop and click a picture.

From here, we went on to our stay, Kamakshi Residency on the Badrinath road. This is a decent budget place for travelers coming to Rishikesh. We wanted to get a room at Zostel Rishikesh, but it was full, and bookings were made almost a month back. Nonetheless, the place we are staying in now is well maintained, had a gated parking area and good rooms. A Deluxe AC room was around Rs 1700 for one night, and we felt it was a good deal. Atul finished all the check-in formalities and post that we got all our luggage inside the designated room and settled in. In between Atul checked with our friends as well on where they are and what would be our plan for the night. We agreed to meet all of them around 7 pm for a quick chai and then discuss on the possible plan. This gave us some time to get freshened up, wear some comfortable, warm clothes, order some coffee (for a change), and relax a bit till we went out to meet our friends. Weather was pleasant here though the temperature still showed as low as 5°C, and there were predictions of mild rain towards the night.

By 7 pm, Atul and I stepped out from our hotel room and walked towards the nearest tea stall where Bharath, Anup, and Nataraj (our friends) were supposed to meet us. They were staying in a guest house just 800 mts away from our hotel. Within 5 mins all of us met, it was great seeing Bangalore friends here in Rishikesh, and it was an emotional moment, getting to see familiar faces after such a long time (though it was just three months since we left Bangalore, but it felt like forever). We ordered tea, and over tea, we discussed all our journeys so far, about our experiences in Delhi, what’s new happening in Bangalore, etc. We didn’t realize, finished second round of tea, kept chit-chatting, and the time just flew by, it was almost 8 pm, and we had no plans on how to spend the New Year’s Eve. Bharath suggested that we can go to Zostel, relax, have some good food, and enjoy the live performance that was supposed to happen tonight by some local artists. We readily agreed as we wanted to avoid too much noise, the hustle-bustle, over-crowded places, and instead spend some relaxed and peaceful time at a relatively quieter place. So the plan was set, from here we directly went to Zostel, which was just 2 mins away from the place where we were having tea. Weather was fine, not freezing, manageable, and Atul and I were adequately dressed to beat the cold and comfortably spend till midnight.

All five of us reached Zostel and took the best sitting area from where the live performance could be easily seen and heard from. And for the next five hours, we would be in this place, waiting for a brand New Year to begin and bring it in. Over time we kept ordering our snacks and beverages while three different artists played some soulful songs – a mix of Garhwali folk, Bollywood, Rock, and Pop genres of music. We sang along with the artists for many songs, danced to the beat for songs where it was possible to tap our feet. A small fireplace was also lit so that visitors can come in and enjoy the warmth of the fire in that cold weather. Slowly the place started to fill in with people, yet it was still manageable. I loved these moments spent together with friends, something to cherish for the rest of our lives. Knowing that the next day we all would get separated and go our own ways but to live at that moment, celebrate the time together and enjoy every minute was significant. We spoke, ate, and enjoyed the music with the singers and dance sessions with the drummers. The singers were amazing, had melodious voices and knew how to keep the audience engaged. Happy time passes real soon, and in no time, it was almost a few minutes away for it to be midnight and the beginning of 2020.

As usual, when it was 10 seconds from New Year, everyone present in the area started the count down, and then at the stroke of midnight, we all shouted “Happy New Year.” End of a year and the beginning of a brand new one. Calls and messages started to pop up on mobiles, everyone celebrating the New Year, dancing, enjoying, and embracing each other. All five of us wished and hugged each other and appreciated the fact that we could be together today. For the next some time all dance tunes and songs were played, and everyone kept dancing, even the one who could hardly dance, someone like Atul. Around 1:30 am, the music stopped as there were instructions by local authorities to turn off all loudspeakers latest by 1:30 am. Once the music stopped, most of the people started to walk out of the Zostel. We, however, decided to stay a little longer and have our dinner here itself. The restaurant of Zostel was still serving food, though limited. Already tired and exhausted, five of us took a table inside the restaurant and placed our order – tandoori rotis, matar paneer, dal fry, and some chili paneer. It was very windy outside, and there was a slight drizzle as predicted by the weather forecast. The food took some time to come as there was a shortage of ingredients and quite a few tables to be served. Once the food came, we ate quickly as we didn’t want to wait longer, till the rain becomes heavy and reaching the hotel room becomes a challenge, though it is just a 5 mins walk. It was almost time for the restaurant to close and Zostel to close doors for the day.

Around 2:15 am, we paid the bills, bid goodbye to the Zostel manager for being such a good host, a wonderful musical evening, and providing dinner so late. The rain started to get a bit heavy, and it was time to say goodbye to our friends. The next day's plan for us was to head towards Delhi and for them to ride towards Bangalore. Maybe if all goes well, we decided to ride together till Meerut, after which we all go our ways. With the hope of meeting the next day, we all said goodnight and went to each other’s hotel. In some 5 mins, we reached ours, the main gate and door still open with the security guards waiting for people to come in after partying. We wished him Happy New Year and headed to our room. Quickly freshened up, changed clothes, and immediately jumped inside the bed. It was around 2:30 am and time to sleep. The new day of a new year….!

[nandita_bayan21]

Day 5 – 01/01/2020 (Rishikesh to Delhi – 260 km, route followed Rishikesh > Haridwar > Roorkee > Modinagar > Dwarka)

And here is it, the last day of our ride and we should go homebound. But above all, it is the beginning of a brand New Year – 2020. 2019 wasn’t a very great year for both Atul and I. We hoped that this year would bring in new fortune, better luck, more trips, and enough happiness in our lives (now when you are reading this, little did we know that we all will be stuck at home for so many days due to the coronavirus pandemic – hope God have mercy on us all and we overcome this challenge real soon). Having slept around 2:30 am, we were bound to have woken up quite late today. However, we somehow managed to get up by 9:30 am. Though there weren’t many kilometers to munch on today, it is always better to reach home early, safe, and sound. And since it is winter, it is better to avoid the night cold while riding. Heard back from brother from Delhi (while calling him to wish for New Year) that the weather is still too cold, temperature running around 4-5°C, and we should try getting home as early as possible.

Our initial plan was to have breakfast, head towards the famous Lakshman Jhula and get a glimpse of the mighty Ganges, spend some time there, reach the hotel, pack up, and then head home. But then it looked like this will take a while, and we wouldn’t be able to leave Rishikesh before 1 pm. Atul and I decided to give the plan a skip, rather have breakfast in the hotel itself, check with Bharath and others if they would be riding with us, pack up, and then ride towards Delhi. Since Rishikesh isn’t very far from Delhi, we agreed to come here sometime late again. Atul gave few calls to Bharath, but he wasn’t responding, probably still sleeping. We wanted to utilize this time, packing our luggage and order the breakfast. Atul requested for some puri bhaji, poha, one aloo paratha, and two coffee. It took some 20 mins for the food to come, and in the meanwhile, Bharath did call us back, they planned to do some shopping before leaving Rishikesh. They would be riding to Aligarh today, and from here, their journey towards Bangalore would begin. Since they planned to leave Rishikesh only around 12 -1 pm, this would be late for us, Atul and I agreed to have breakfast and then head home.

By 11 am, Atul and I were ready with loading Hulk with the bags, taking a shower, and gearing up. While I did a quick last time check inside the room so as not to leave behind anything, Atul cleared all the check-out formalities. We gave the last call to Bharath to let him know that we are leaving Rishikesh, and if they are fast enough and could meet us on the way, we can plan to meet somewhere near Meerut. And so, in the next 15 mins, we were ready to hit the road and complete the last leg of our journey towards home.

The weather was delightful today, the warmth of morning sunlight, cool flowing breeze, a mild sense of winter cold and a brand new day of a brand new year, everything seemed to be special today. There was a brightness in everyone’s face, and everyone looked happy. It took us some time to cross the city limits of Rishikesh because of traffic, tourists rushing to various religious sites in and around Rishikesh, and the narrow lanes of the city. But once we hit the highway, it was a smooth ride, good highway roads, and not much traffic. We kept covering the distance as much as we could, and in no time, we crossed the city of Haridwar, just 28 km away from Rishikesh. On our way, we saw the famous Har Ki Pauri Ghat and the majestic Shiva Statue on the bank of mighty Ganga. Hundreds of tourists were present in the ghat, taking a holy dip, praying, providing their offerings, and it looked so divine. Both of us promised to come here once really soon, clubbing the trip with Rishikesh.

We stopped for a quick petrol break just before reaching Roorkee, tanked up Hulk, and from here on kept moving ahead with as fewer breaks possible. It was a usual highway run to keep covering distance and trying to reach home soon. Crossed the city of Muzaffarnagar, and after a while, around 2:45 pm, some 10 km before reaching Meerut, we decided to have our lunch. A quick check with our friends, and we got to know they still haven’t reached Roorkee. It looks like they are running slow, and waiting for them wouldn’t make any sense. We both gave them a final call, wished them a safe journey for their ride back home, with a promise to meet again soon. Atul stopped the bike by a roadside dhaba to have our lunch. Agreeing to keep the lunchtime short, we ordered some shahi paneer, tandoori rotis, masala chaas, and sweet lassi. Food came in the next 20 mins, we ate soon, paid the bill and by 3:30 pm we were again on the highway for the last part of our ride back home.

We reached Modinagar around 4:30 pm but encountered a very heavy traffic while trying to cross the town. Not sure what was the cause of the massive traffic but it was pretty bad and we lost almost an hour trying to squeeze through the gaps and making our way out of it. After this traffic was passed, we entered Ghaziabad from where the usual city traffic of Delhi started. Being the New Year evening it was inevitable that people wouldn’t come out from their home with their families and enjoy the day, hence we were sure to get some traffic on the way home. Nonetheless, crossing all the traffic, and all the signals, around 7:30 pm we reached the parking lot of our society. The ODO of Hulk read almost 1200 km for the trip. Both of us unloaded the bags, and walked towards home.

End of yet another marvelous bike trip and the first long one from Delhi. Uttarakhand is definitely a beautiful state and has so much to offer to travelers and adventure seekers like us. Just one trip is surely not enough to explore this magnificent state completely but good enough to provide us a glimpse of its mesmerizing beauty. To many trips that will follow…

Watch the Day 4 and 5 video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FaMzRPHy9Q

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Ironhide]

A very well written travelogue indeed -
Good show ! And the pictures are beautiful too. I hope the camera turned out fine later.

Uttarakhand has its own share of beautiful places - mountains, rivers, valleys, forests, temples, heritage sites coupled with simple, hardy people. What's more is that it's just a stone's throw away from Delhi / NCR. The most convenient access to Kumaon is the Hapur- Haldwani - Nainital axis. Though the Meerut- Roorkee - Dehradun - Mussoorie or the Meerut- Roorkee / Roorkee bypass - Rishikesh route is also convenient except a few places where road widening work is going on. All said and done NCR lends itself to ready getaways in all directions - hills of Uttarakhand / Himachal , desert sands of Rajasthan, weekend destinations in UP /MP or even Punjab.

There are a host of places both in Kumaon and Garhwal that you may like to explore in your forthcoming sojourns after this Covid-19 lockdown is lifted (though one would need to be extra careful during these uncertain times). In Kumaon Nainital, Ranikhet, Kausani, Almora, Bageshwar, Jageshwar, Munsiyari & Corbett come readily to mind, amongst others. Garhwal has its own share of beautiful places - the Chhota Char Dham (Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri & Yamunotri) Mussoorie, Auli, Lansdowne, Chopta are some of the more popular destinations.

Do read up your Ruskin Bond and Jim Corbett to get an insight into the history, traditions, beliefs, places, people, fauna & flora of Uttarakhand. Both authors write simply and lend an insight into the culture and heritage of Uttarakhand amongst other things. And the stories make for light yet entertaining reading.

Once again, a well written travelogue. The videos are nice too - subtle, without being loud. Though I don't know how it works, but the light settings in your Nainital - Kausani video possibly caused loss of detail in the dark areas. What was apparent to a noob viewer like me is that the dark areas could not be seen too well. You might like to look into it. All the same it was a decent effort and I'm sure countless hours of hard work would've gone into it.

Cheers !

[blackwasp]

Lovely trip report there! Enjoyed going through it. A nice 5 day ride to get away from the chaos of the city into the serene hills.

Originally Posted by nandita_bayan21

What’s the point of shifting to Delhi, staying so close to mountains, and not going out to explore the Himalayas?

Bingo, thats the best part about Delhi - the closeness to the mountains. Funnily, we lived in Noida for 2 years but never went to the hills in those 2 years. All our Himalayan trips happened either before or after our Delhi stay.

[alphadog]

Fantastic write up, with lots of good photos and ride vlogs thrown in as well.
Uttarakhand truly looks to live up to its name as Devbhoomi, with all those amazing temples and culture with the backdrop of the Himalayas and umpteen rivers and small lakes. What I have particularly liked about your travelogues are the pictures of the simple but yummy looking food that you post on the write up. Of course, the pictures of the snow capped mountains, roads and rivers are amazing as well.

Is it possible for you to share the approximate costs incurred and also what are the essentials that you carry on a bike trip such as this.

Thank you for sharing and looking forward to more such travelogues on your Hulk.

Cheerio!

[Laxman9192]

An amazing travelogue! The pictures were amazing too and will soon become new wallpapers for my desktop and phone!

[nandita_bayan21]

Originally Posted by Ironhide

A very well written travelogue indeed -
Good show ! And the pictures are beautiful too. I hope the camera turned out fine later.

Thank you. Camera body has been repaired but the lens need to be examined once the lockdown is over.

Originally Posted by Ironhide

Uttarakhand has its own share of beautiful places - mountains, rivers, valleys, forests, temples, heritage sites coupled with simple, hardy people. What's more is that it's just a stone's throw away from Delhi / NCR. The most convenient access to Kumaon is the Hapur- Haldwani - Nainital axis. Though the Meerut- Roorkee - Dehradun - Mussoorie or the Meerut- Roorkee / Roorkee bypass - Rishikesh route is also convenient except a few places where road widening work is going on. All said and done NCR lends itself to ready getaways in all directions - hills of Uttarakhand / Himachal , desert sands of Rajasthan, weekend destinations in UP /MP or even Punjab.

There are a host of places both in Kumaon and Garhwal that you may like to explore in your forthcoming sojourns after this Covid-19 lockdown is lifted (though one would need to be extra careful during these uncertain times). In Kumaon Nainital, Ranikhet, Kausani, Almora, Bageshwar, Jageshwar, Munsiyari & Corbett come readily to mind, amongst others. Garhwal has its own share of beautiful places - the Chhota Char Dham (Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri & Yamunotri) Mussoorie, Auli, Lansdowne, Chopta are some of the more popular destinations.

Thank you for the information. Will try the other routes and places once things get better.

Originally Posted by Ironhide

Do read up your Ruskin Bond and Jim Corbett to get an insight into the history, traditions, beliefs, places, people, fauna & flora of Uttarakhand. Both authors write simply and lend an insight into the culture and heritage of Uttarakhand amongst other things. And the stories make for light yet entertaining reading.

Looks like a nice read, thanks!

Originally Posted by Ironhide

Once again, a well written travelogue. The videos are nice too - subtle, without being loud. Though I don't know how it works, but the light settings in your Nainital - Kausani video possibly caused loss of detail in the dark areas. What was apparent to a noob viewer like me is that the dark areas could not be seen too well. You might like to look into it. All the same it was a decent effort and I'm sure countless hours of hard work would've gone into it.

Thanks for the feedback. We are still learning with the video work. Now we have purchased a dedictaed camera for video work which should improve the overall quality.

Originally Posted by blackwasp

Lovely trip report there! Enjoyed going through it. A nice 5 day ride to get away from the chaos of the city into the serene hills.

Thank you. Hope we explore more of the Himalayas once everything is back to normal.

Originally Posted by alphadog

Fantastic write up, with lots of good photos and ride vlogs thrown in as well. Is it possible for you to share the approximate costs incurred and also what are the essentials that you carry on a bike trip such as this.

Glad you liked the travelogue. As you rightly said, Uttarakhand is an amazing state, with lovely people, landscapes, roads, natural beauty, and last but not the least, simple yet lip smacking local food.

As mentioned in the prologue of this thread, we incurred approx. Rs 20,000 for five days. Here is a break up - "Total Expenses – Hotel Rs 8175, Petrol Rs 3900, Food Rs 6600, Extra (shopping, parking, etc) Rs 800 and total Rs 19475".

Since this was just a five days ride, we took the usual items such as clothes, gadgets, tool kit, medical kit, and puncture kit. However, for longer rides, apart from the ones mentioned above, we carry some snacks, energy bars, and extra clothes depending on the weather of where we are riding (this might include rain gears as well).

You can get a better idea from this video (this is from our Chole Kulche ride Dec 2018):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7--zbQ-OfiE

Originally Posted by Laxman9192

An amazing travelogue! The pictures were amazing too and will soon become new wallpapers for my desktop and phone!

Thank you so much, Laxman.