[raptor_diwan]

Ladakh!!!

The mere mention of this name is enough to stir up our wanderlust and awaken our inner adventurer. The rugged terrains, picturesque landscapes, and the thrill of experiencing snow for a deep south guy like me - it's a dream come true!

Teaser photo



Although I had been planning this trip for the past 3-4 years, I kept postponing it because of my age in the way. However, I mean, I was practically a fossil at 23, you know? I finally went on the trip in 2019. My mom, of course, was freaking out about me traveling to the North without proper Hindi skills. But hey, I'm a millennial - I can figure out anything with just a smartphone and a WiFi connection, right? *

Yes, I don't know Hindi and I have to do this trip with only English and a few friends who know Hindi. I've asked 3-4 friends to be ready to help me over the phone in case I need assistance. I'll just call them, tell them what I want to say in Tamil, and they'll translate it to Hindi for me. It's going to be a hilarious trip - imagine the confused looks on people's faces when I speak in Tamil and my friends translate it into Hindi!

On my Birthday, I did a Solo trip to Munnar and was returning from Munnar to Chennai. As I was driving back, I couldn't help but think that I'm already 24 and my life is still as exciting as a loaf of bread. So, I decided to spice things up and embark on my dream journey to Leh-Ladakh before I turn 25. I mean, I can't keep living like a retired sloth in my mid-twenties, can I?

I called my friend as soon as I got home and asked him to join me. To my surprise, he agreed! And, he even brought along another friend. We planned to go in August, but then realized it would be too crowded with tourists. So, we postponed it to October, the season of the 'tourist exodus'. Let's hope we don't get lost in the 'crowd' of two people.

It was a piece of cake to convince my mom! All I had to do was mention that I wanted to go to the Himalayas, and throw in my friend's name - the same guy who always leads me astray! But hey, every family has that one friend who our mom trusts more than us. Can't fight it, might as well use it to our advantage! He's even joining me on the trip, along with one more friend. The only problem is, all three of us don't know Hindi. We'll have to rely on hand gestures and Google Translate to get by!

Now it's my turn to start planning. My other friends said, 'Just choose the location, let us know the amount to chip in, and give us the dates to block off for leave. You take care of everything else.' But now I'm worried - what if they agree at first, but then drop out at the last minute? I've had so many failed attempts at planning a Leh trip - people always say they'll join, but when it comes down to the nitty-gritty, they chicken out. I need to come up with a plan to keep them committed.

How did I solve the problem of people dropping out at the last minute? Simple - I booked the air tickets in advance! Sure, they're non-refundable, but that just means my friends will think twice before bailing on me. I chose to book the tickets for the end of September and the start of October - the off-season when everything will be closed for winter. That way, we won't have to deal with crowds, and we can have a hassle-free trip!

I booked a flight ticket on May 22nd for September 28th and collected money from my friends faster than a cashier at a Black Friday sale! I made sure to emphasize that it was non-refundable, so they better not even think about dropping out. Haha, I'm not taking any chances on this trip!

The next day, I managed to plan the entire trip in just 3 hours. All I did was open Google Maps and make a few calls to hotels in Manali, Ladakh, and Srinagar to get the idea abotu travelling time and status of the roads and prices. I even created two plans - Plan A and Plan B - just in case. Plan A involves the usual route from Delhi to Manali to Ladakh, but if the roads get blocked due to snow, we'll take Plan B - the Srinagar route from Delhi. And now, I proudly present to you the blueprint for our route!





And then, an important and surprising thing popped up in the news and went viral. In August 2019, the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, Article 370, was revoked. I was very worried that I might not be allowed into Kashmir due to the protests and riots, and there might be tension over there. However, I didn't cancel the plan and hoped that the situation would be resolved by September. Fingers crossed!

But I didn't wait for the problems to settle down. I created a plan C. In any case, the flight ticket is from Chennai to Delhi. In case there are any issues here, we can proceed with the following plan.



I didn't give a hoot about Plan C and decided to stick with Plan A like gum on a shoe. I geared up for some serious planning, and being the bike enthusiast that I am, I had to make sure my trusty two-wheeler came along for the ride. Now the real dilemma - do I train my bike to Delhi or book a rental? Decisions, decisions. .

Then my other friend was not ready with their vehicle. They wanted to take a rental as their bike was not in good condition for a long ride. To make matters worse, one of those friends had never ridden a motorcycle for more than 20 km, and now we're planning a 3000 km ride. Now, I have two options. Either I put my bike in a *train and pick it up at the Delhi railway station, while my other two friends find a rental. But since none of us know the language and we're all new to the North, we didn't want to split up.

So I decided to go ahead with renting bikes for myself and my friends. I asked for their bike preferences again, and the friend who had never ridden a bike before requested a Pulsar NS 200, while another friend and I chose an RE Classic 350. Now, I need to find a trusted rental shop in Delhi. I searched for 'rental bikes in Karol Bagh' on Google since I remembered seeing this in a few YouTube videos. I found a list of a few shops and chose a highly rated one after checking a few ratings.



This had fantastic reviews, so I called them up and spoke in English. I asked for a rental price and informed them of the date. The first thing they replied was that the roads would be closed during that time, so they didn't think we could go to Leh. October is the time when the roads are closed due to snow. However, I told them that i will take care of it because I needed the bikes. They said that last year, some people had taken bikes on the same dates but had to return them due to the road closures. They asked me if I was sure I wanted to go on those dates, and I confidently said yes. They said they would check and WhatsApp me, but they didn't share any price. Although they had a website with prices, I asked if that was the price and if I should book through the website. They asked me to wait and let me know via WhatsApp.

Here's the site :- https://rahulmotoz.com/bike-list.php

Later that night, I received a WhatsApp message from a different person asking about the details of our trip, such as how many of us were going to come. They also shared the documents required with me and informed me that they had both NS 200 and Classic bikes available on the days we requested.

Documents required :- There are 3 options for security deposit. We needs to select one out of these three.

1. Zero Cash Deposit – Post-Dated Cheque (Customer’s own cheque) + Original Passport + Copy of Driving License
2. Rs. 1,000 cash + Post-Dated Cheque + Copy of Driving License + Any govt ID proof (Adhar Card or Voter ID).
3. Rs. 2,000 cash + original passport + copy of license.

We opted for the second option since the other two required a passport. I informed them that I would be ready with it. Now, regarding the pricing, according to their site, the Classic 350 costs 750 per day, and they confirmed the same price to me. The NS 200 costs 600 per day.

Since it was the off-season, I bargained with them and asked for a reduction in the prices. They initially refused but later offered the NS 200 for 550 and the Classic 350 for 650. I requested a further reduction of 100 in each and asked for the prices to be 600 and 500, respectively. After some negotiation, they agreed. However, there were additional charges for the Ladakh carrier in the Bullet, which cost 50, so everything came out to be the same.

They asked me to make an advance payment to block the vehicle. However, I had concerns about their reliability and the possibility of being cheated. I did not want to go to Delhi and confront someone without knowing the language or having any local contacts. So, I asked them to share photos of the vehicle to check its condition and the RC book. They agreed to share the photos within 24 hours, and only then would I make the payment. In the meantime, I collected some money from my friends and also searched online for other cheaper prices and reliable shops.

I have received the images of the vehicles along with the RC book, and also a few WhatsApp videos showcasing the acceleration, engine sound and overall condition of the bikes. I am impressed with what I have seen and am ready to make the payment now.

As per Plan A, I have rented the vehicles for 14 days, and the final cost for all three bikes would be approximately 27,300/-. I paid only 4k as an advance, and they have agreed to it. I have requested them to acknowledge the payment via email, but instead, I received a WhatsApp message confirming the payment.

Preparation time :-

Now that I'm done preparing for the north, it's time to get my 'southern' game on!

List of things I had to carry and I carried :-

1. Riding jacket
2. Bandanas
3. Helmet
4. Action Cam ( SJCam 9 ) ( Addtional 4 batteries & 3 powerbanks )
5. Riding gloves & thermal/wollen gloves
6. UV & Polaizred sunglasses.
7. medicines ( Bandaid, painspray, diamo and few other tables for fever cold etc )
8. 5 Socket power Extension Junction
9. Document pouch ( Aadhar card, License, flight tickets - Copy of all and original ) ( Also soft copy was in email )
10. Mobile holder ( Bought it in karol bagh )
11. Tripod
12. Laptop
13. Pocket knife
14. Raincoat
15. Sunscreen, lipbalm

( And other times such as cloths and garments )

I've watched countless videos of people taking permits online, and even read about it in BHP travelogues. But when I tried it myself, I ended up filling the form wrong and didn't bother trying again. So I thought, why not just wing it and go there without any permits or room bookings? Who knows what kind of crazy adventure we might have, like sleeping under the stars or getting chased by wild animals! Plus, I never book rooms in advance because bargaining is half the fun - I mean, who doesn't love getting a good deal while haggling with the hotel manager like a pro?

One week before the trip, the situation in Kashmir was still out of control. The entire Srinagar side was on fire with lots of protests. The mobile internet was dead, you guys might remember this incident where all of the internet was shutdown and mobile phones signal too, it's like a lockdown! Remember my plan A? I was not sure how I am going to complete that! So, before one week, I called a few hotels in Ladakh and Manali to check on the status of hotel bookings and asked them if they can pick us up from the airport. Is it open? Is there any problem? Out of five calls, only two people answered, and they said it might not be possible for us to come during those days as we are not allowed to enter Srinagar or Sonmarg. I was worried, but I was hoping that the problem would solve before we go there.

The much-awaited day had finally arrived!

Day 1 :- Chennai to Delhi — Punjab ( Patiala )

The plan is to reach Delhi from Chennai by flight, with a landing time of 9:55 AM. From there, head directly to Karol Bagh to pick up the bike and then head towards Shimla.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as expected. I had planned to leave Delhi for Shimla by 11 AM at the latest, but the actual events turned out completely differently.

I asked my dad to drop me at the airport while I picked up my other two friends from their homes. As my dad was driving the car, I felt a bit nervous and sad at the thought of being away from my parents for more than a week. I had never stayed away from home for that long before. Nevertheless, I bid farewell to my family members, and it was time to leave.

We reached Chennai airport at 5:20 AM and boarded the flight as scheduled.















We flew all the way across to the northern part of India and landed there 30 minutes ahead of schedule.

We claimed our luggage and set out to meet our pre-arranged travel companion, which was actually our bike. By 9:30 AM,

We asked a few auto and taxi wala for the price to Karol Bagh and found out that it would cost us more than our kidney to get there! We realized that we might have to sell our bike just to afford the ride. So, we said goodbye to our crazy transportation ideas and booked an Uber instead and reached our point. Thank god for technology! Maybe they thought we were foreigners since we spoke in English or whatever. This is all expected.









Once we reached Karol Bagh, the shop worker had just opened the store. I had planned to pick up the bike and head directly to Shimla, but that was not the case. I had to wait for several formalities to be completed, and unfortunately, the bike was not available at the shop. We had to wait for the manager, and of course, there was a lot of paperwork to be done.

After thoroughly inspecting the bike and completing all the necessary paperwork, we created a checklist and conducted a short test drive. The bike passed with flying colors and was in perfect condition.



















It took almost half a day to complete all the formalities. By the time we finished, it was already 12:30 PM, and we were all extremely hungry as we hadn't had any breakfast yet. We searched for nearby restaurants in Karol Bagh and found a place called Janta. We ordered biryani, but unfortunately, it turned out to be the worst biryani we had ever tasted. It didn't live up to our expectations and didn't even taste like tomato rice. We were quite disappointed, but I had no choice but to finish my meal as my stomach was growling due to hunger. After lunch, we headed towards Karol Bagh Road to buy some spare parts for our trip.

[raptor_diwan]

After taking all our vehicles, we drove for 2 km and one of my friends' Classic 350 was wobbling heavily and the tire had poor grip. Even at a speed of 40 km/h, the bike couldn't handle the trip. So, we turned back to the shop and asked them to test drive it. They said the luggage on the carrier was causing the issue and it was normal. However, my Classic 350 didn't have that issue. We requested them to change the rear tire of that vehicle, which they did immediately. They also tied our luggage with a rope and we found that the wobbling was still there, but not as severe. Since it was already getting late, we started our journey. There were no issues with the other two bikes, my Classic 350 and NS200.

It was 3:45 PM already and there was no way we can reach shimla on the same day. It would take almost 7-8 hrs to reach Shimla.



We started again, but we were already behind schedule and all the plans we had made earlier seemed like a distant dream now. Finally, I called my mom to update her on our status and let her know we had started our dream trip. Despite the setbacks, we were still filled with excitement and enthusiasm.

1st pitstop - To load some water bottles & snacks and clicked some pictures.

It was 6:30 PM and we were already feeling exhausted. As we drove along the highway, all we could see were rows of beverage shops lined up one after another.







The person taking the selfie is me ( Diwan ), wearing a sleek black leather jacket, and riding the Blue beast Classic 350. Standing in the middle, looking like he's ready to race, is Sangeer and his Pulsar NS 200. And last but not least, we have Govarthan, rocking the orange gear and his trusty Red RE Classic 350 - the most fashionable of the three bikes, if you ask me!"





Our second pit stop was around 8 o'clock, though we weren't quite sure about the exact location. Despite the uncertainty, it was an awesome ride on the very first day of our trip. We encountered scattered rain showers along the way, which made the experience all the more thrilling. The new place and new road were invigorating, and I couldn't help but feel overjoyed as I rode happily into the rain. It was a moment of pure happiness and bliss, and I found myself constantly smiling throughout the journey.



I arrived in Bapraur, Punjab with a stomach growling louder than my motorcycle's engine. So we set off on a quest for the ultimate dhaba experience. But as we rode, a minor miscommunication ensued between us three musketeers with me sandwiched in the middle. I instructed my friends to stop if they spotted a dhaba, which they both understood. However, our lead rider missed one, and we had to resort to honking like a bunch of crazed geese to get his attention, to no avail. Eventually, we caught up with him, and we gave him a piece of advice that even his grandmother would have known - if we honk continuously, stop! We resumed our journey, but then he suddenly halted while I was honking for the lorry drivers, causing yet another miscommunication. That's when we came up with our ingenious 'honk code' - a pattern of sound that meant stop for help or emergencies. It may sound silly, but it saved us more than once on our epic adventure!

Let me remind you once again, this happened to our newbie rider who had only ridden 20 kilometers in the city on a motorcycle and had never experienced a long-distance ride before.

At last, we stumbled upon this authentic Punjabi dhaba at 9:15 PM. It felt surreal to be in the midst of these boisterous yet friendly Punjabi folks, all sporting sharp knives on their waists. They greeted us with warm smiles and inquired about our trip, congratulating us on our journey so far. And, I have to admit, out of all the places we had been to, this was the only spot where I savored the most delicious food.









After our hearty meal, we were brimming with energy and made a pact to ride until midnight or beyond. Little did we know that just an hour later, the weight of the sumptuous Punjabi food we had consumed had taken its toll, and we were all fighting to keep our eyes open. In our drowsy state, we struggled to locate any hotels in the vicinity, feeling lost and unsure of our location. We decided to fill up our tank and continue the search in a sluggish, sleepy manner until we stumbled upon a hotel.





If anyone here has OCD, please bear with us and our slightly messy room throughout this ride. I have to admit, I haven't been able to take a good picture of the room once we've settled in - blame it on our tendency to throw our bags wherever there's space! But fear not, as soon as we're in the room, our top priority is setting up our charging station for three mobiles, an action cam, and a laptop. It's a bit of a routine for us, but we're pretty proud of our organization skills. And of course, we'll take turns freshening up so we can all look and smell our best. Just try not to judge us too harshly for our quirks!





The hotel turned out to be a great find, with an accommodating staff that made our stay comfortable and memorable. We slept soundly that night, dreaming about the exciting adventures that awaited us on the remainder of our journey.



This hotel is adorned with a select few paintings, and I must say, this particular one has captured my heart!

Overall Day 1 Report:



Hotel Name: Hotel Sun Park
Room Location: Click here

Room Cost: 1300/- per night - divided by 3 of us, so each cost 433/-
Fuel: 1537/- (for me)
Lunch: 180/-
Dinner: 90/-

Overall, we had a great start to our trip and are excited to see how the rest of the journey unfolds. At the end of the trip, we were pleasantly surprised by how cheap our budget was, and I will share the detailed budget report with you all.

And with that, we conclude our exciting Day 1 of this journey. Time to hit the hay and recharge for another day of adventure ahead. Sleep tight, dream big, and see you all bright and early for Day 2!

[raptor_diwan]

Day 2 - Punjab to Mandi

I woke up at 7:30 AM and headed to the porch to take in the view. As we had arrived at our destination during the night, we hadn't had the chance to see our surroundings before. However, the refreshing air and gentle breeze made up for it.



The view I was greeted with was exactly what I had hoped for, and it truly was a spectacular sight to behold.

We cranked up the tunes and recorded a few videos, and the combination of the music in the background and the visuals turned out fantastic.

http://youtu.be/MtXXaEbWsbw

Our room was in this state every day, without fail.







With some spare time on our hands, we decided to take photos of our bike papers just in case of an emergency. After loading up our luggage onto the bike, we set off from there at 9:30 AM.





Due to 30 minutes of non-stop rain, we made the decision to take a break and stopped at a dhaba to have breakfast.










After fueling up with a satisfying breakfast and feeling energized, we were ready to take on the road ahead towards Manali. We didn't need to stop for fuel since we had topped up the tank the night before, so we were unstoppable.

At 11:30 AM, I made a stop because I had lost sight of the two guys I was traveling with. Despite my attempts to call them, they weren't answering, likely because we were all wearing raincoats due to the heavy rainfall. After waiting for a while, I decided to continue my journey, assuming they might have gone ahead without me.



At 11:50 AM, I decided to increase my speed and was cruising at 90 KMPH for quite some time, but I still couldn't locate my travel companions. Once again, I stopped and checked my phone, where I saw two missed calls from them. I attempted to call them back, but they didn't answer. Even after waiting for 10-15 minutes, no one arrived. I left a message and shared my location on WhatsApp before deciding to continue on my journey.





At 12:30 PM, I was still riding alone on the highway towards Manali, and I hadn't yet spotted my travel companions either behind or ahead of me. I began to worry and questioned whether they were behind me. Despite my concerns, riding solo was an enjoyable experience. I decided to take a break and checked my phone, where I discovered six missed calls from both of them. I knew they probably wouldn't answer if I called, so I instead called my mother to update her on my current situation and recount the adventure from the previous night.



As I was chatting with my mother, I received a call from one of my travel companions informing me that they were already ahead of me by approximately 8 kilometers and waiting near a bridge.



After finally meeting up with the rest of the team near the bridge, we took some pictures together and enjoyed the breathtaking scenery.

http://youtu.be/0zLWRdVPpSk

As we continued our journey, we encountered an issue with the acceleration on our Pulsar NS bike, which made it difficult to move forward. After locating a mechanic, we struggled to explain the issue due to language barriers. Thankfully, I was able to call a friend who was fluent in Hindi and he assisted us in communicating with the mechanic. I explained the issue to my friend, who then spoke with the mechanic over the phone.









Unfortunately, the issue with the bike's acceleration could not be immediately resolved. The mechanic suspected that there was an airlock in the carburetor and informed us that it would take approximately 1.5 hours to fix the issue.

Since we were pressed for time, he did some temporary work to fix the issue, but we later noticed an engine oil leak in the Pulsar NS. Unfortunately, we couldn't find a mechanic along that route to get it fixed, so we decided to refill the oil when we reached Manali.

[raptor_diwan]

As we approached the Shimla route, the weather took a turn for the worse, with heavy rain and fog blanketing the surroundings. Sadly, this meant we couldn't take many pictures of the scenic route.







Had a hearty lunch in Halfway House, Nal, Himachal Pradesh, and hit the road towards Manali. Despite the heavy downpour, we trudged along at a steady pace of 40-60 KMPH.







































6:00 PM - We stopped for a tea break and that's when I realized how cold my hands had become. After having some soothing tea, I used my lighter as a makeshift bonfire to warm up my palms for a while.





The road was in poor condition, with many potholes and disconnected sections that required a lot of concentration to stay on track and avoid veering off-road. Adding to the challenge, it was dark with no street lights, and we were constantly tired from the glare of oncoming vehicle headlights.

We stopped in the middle of nowhere and checked Google Maps. We found out that it would take us 6 hours to reach Manali, which meant we might reach around midnight. People suggested that the road from Mandi to Manali was in very bad shape, especially at midnight. We didn't want to take the risk, so we decided to halt at Mandi.







We booked a room and it cost us only Rs. 800/- . We kept our belongings in the room and went for a little shopping. We bought one important thing after I saw my hand in that condition. My riding gloves were not at all waterproof, so I made a mistake. I should have bought waterproof gloves. Anyway, it was too late to regret.

Bought a pair of surgical gloves for the trip and they turned out to be a game-changer! Not only were they super comfortable, but I could also use my phone with ease and scratch any pesky itches without taking them off. They were like a Swiss Army knife for my hands!

[raptor_diwan]

We were walking around till 9:30 PM and decided to have dinner. We went to a nearby local food shop and asked for the menu. The vendor suggested that chicken rice would be good and we assumed it was chicken fried rice and ordered it. However, it turned out to be a different dish altogether.









In Chennai, we can have chicken fried rice and call it chicken rice, but here, chicken gravy and boiled white rice together is also called chicken rice.

This is basically a meal with chicken gravy, but there it is called chicken rice. We ate it and then moved to our room after updating our parents about our location and condition.



Moved all the videos and images from action cam as well as from mobile to laptop and went to sleep at 10:00 PM.

Day 2 Overall Report :-



Stay-

Hotel Name :- COMFORT IN

Room Location :- Click here


Room Cost :- 800/- per night - divded by 3 of us, so each cost 267 /-
Fuel :- No refuel today
Food - 305/- ( Included breakfast, lunch & Dinner and 2 Water bottle )

Well, that's it for today's adventure folks! I rode my bike all day, ate some delicious food, and saw some breathtaking scenery (and some interesting chicken dishes). Now it's time to hit the hay and dream of new adventures tomorrow.

Sleeping peacefully after a day filled with riding, here's to more exciting and memorable adventures on the road! Good night and sweet dreams!

[raptor_diwan]

Day 3 :- Mandi to Manali


It was a bright and sunny day. I woke up at 9 AM to the thumping music in the room, scrolled through some feeds, and sent some pictures to my mom and dad. We set off from Mandi at exactly 10 o'clock and loaded our luggage onto the bike. It was quite a task to do every morning, but it was worth it.









After taking some photos at the hotel entrance, we started our journey towards Manali.

After an hour, we realized that we needed to refuel the tank. We did a full tank refill at a nearby petrol bunk and inquired about the road conditions leading to Manali. We were informed that the roads were pretty bad and that we needed to be extra careful on that trail. To make matters worse, it was raining heavily.





We stopped at a small restaurant at 11:00 AM to have breakfast. We ate some delicious parathas and a local dish called Burji. The weather was rainy and there were clouds and mountains all around us. It was so nice that I wished I could sit there for a long time, drink some tea, and enjoy the peaceful weather. If I was left alone, I could have stayed there for hours, enjoying the calm surroundings.





At every North Indian restaurant, it usually takes about 30 minutes to prepare the food. However, in South India, the food is usually ready within 5-10 minutes.

Today, we couldn't take too many photos as we had a long way to go before reaching manali before sundown. We had been riding for almost an hour and a half, but we were still somewhere near Mandi. We hadn't even covered 10% of the entire route yet.

As everyone was rushing, I decided to order a cup of tea. However, it took exactly 20 minutes for it to arrive and by the time I finished it, it was already 12:00 PM. Half the day had passed, and yet we hadn't made much progress on our journey.



The location where we stopped was simply perfect. The climate in the hills was so pleasant that we lost track of time while enjoying the surroundings.













The location where we stopped and sat was absolutely perfect, with a scenic route and beautiful views. The climate in the hills was so delightful that we lost track of time and ended up spending more time than we anticipated.

When we resumed our journey towards Manali, we were struck by the sheer beauty of the roads. The valleys stretched out before us, as if following our every move.



It started to rain heavily and no one wore raincoats. So, we halted at the petrol station and put on our raincoats before taking more pictures. Can you see my raincoat? Take a look and keep in mind that its condition will be completely changed in a few hours, like I am in a war movie like Fury.







It was 1:00 PM and nobody was in a rush to reach Manali on time. The routes we took were beautiful in their own way and we thoroughly enjoyed the ride. The scenery and roads were unlike anything we had ever seen in Tamil Nadu, but Himachal Pradesh had its own unique and charismatic views.

We clicked pictures along the way.

[raptor_diwan]

I must say, it was raining heavily and my gears and motorcycle were covered in mud. It was so dirty that it looked like we had been off-roading. However, out of the entire Leh-Ladakh trip, this particular area had the worst roads we encountered. It was quite challenging for me, as a rider, to navigate these treacherous roads.















This is how we felt after getting covered in mud, not just in our boots, but all over our bodies and motorcycles.



This was our first tunnel ride on the trip and our first time experiencing riding inside a tunnel. After taking some pictures, we continued on our journey. I must say, it was an awesome experience."

[raptor_diwan]

Riding on these roads was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I couldn't decide what to enjoy more - the breathtaking scenery of the valley and mountains or the thrill of riding the vehicle. The location was absolutely stunning, and the entire day was filled with wonder. Now I understand why people speak so highly of Ladakh.





Take a look at the raincoat and the motorcycle now. As I mentioned before, this was truly an unforgettable experience, like something out of the movie Fury, and we kept on pushing forward with our Classic 350, fueled by our determination.









At 4:00 PM, we realized that we had forgotten to have lunch. After entering Balh in Himachal Pradesh, we found it to be quite crowded, almost like T Nagar in Chennai. We were extremely hungry and started looking for a restaurant. We found one and an employee warmly welcomed us and asked about our plans before taking our order. While looking around the restaurant, we discovered that the employee was also a traveler who loved to explore new places.

After ordering our food, we were mesmerized by the spectacular view from the restaurant, with streams flowing along the valley. While we were there, one person was on a call and another was in the restroom. I took the opportunity to go outside and admire the stunning scenery and the natural beauty surrounding us.





















While we were taking photos of this beautiful location, the restaurant staff waved a signal indicating that our food was ready. The taste of the food was absolutely great, so we ordered more and more until we were finally so full.









Guess what? We entered the restaurant at 4 o'clock, but we didn't leave until 5 o'clock. It took a long time to prepare the food. Anyway, we moved on.









Finally, we saw a sign spelling the magical word we had been waiting for: LEH! We stopped to take some pictures there, as it was our dream destination located 512 kilometers away from us.







As we moved forward and almost entered Manali, we started seeing parachutes everywhere. It was an incredible sight, with clouds and mountains all around. I decided right then and there that by this time tomorrow, I should be flying too (paragliding).

[raptor_diwan]

As the three of us were standing there, a man approached and asked if we were looking for a place to stay. We asked about the price, and it was surprisingly cheap. So we booked a room in Manali. I will mention the entire trip cost at the end of the blog. We checked in at 7 o'clock and took a headcount of our luggage, most of which was wet.



We found out that even our wallets and all the money we had packed in a bag were wet, despite being covered well. The rain was heavy, and we were soaked to the bone. Fortunately, we had an iron box that we had bought on the go in Manali. Since we were well aware that all our clothes were wet, we thought we might need the iron box to dry them. However, we never thought we would have to dry our money using it.

Nevertheless, it worked well. We started to heat up everything. It was working perfectly fine, and all our money became crisp and dry after ironing.





We headed towards MG Road and explored the area. We ended up buying a lot of things that we didn't really need, but they were cheaper and not easily available in Chennai. Manali had its perks, but it was still different from what we were used to.
























After having some food for supper, we moved on with our evening. We spent the whole night ironing our clothes, and surprisingly, the internet connection in our place was perfect. Airtel worked fine, but unfortunately, Jio's connection had died.

We realized we forgot to take a printout of our permits. Nevertheless, we decided to spend tomorrow sightseeing locally.

Despite spending the entire day riding through the roughest roads, enduring heavy rain and mud that covered us from head to toe, we still managed to have an amazing time. We enjoyed fantastic food, and even better, we were in great company with friends who shared our sense of adventure. We soaked up the new culture and experiences with open hearts and minds. As I lay in my bed, exhausted from the day's events, I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for this incredible life that I am lucky enough to lead.

Day 3 Overall Report :-





No one would beleive us right now, if I say it took one whole day to reach manali from mandi, now its just a 2 hours drive but back in 2019, it took us whole day and the road were not that easy.

Stay

Hotel Name :- Whispering River

Room Location :- Click here

Room Cost :- 700/- per night - divded by 3 of us, so each cost 234 /-
Fuel :- 670 /-
Food - 195/- ( Included breakfast, lunch & Dinner )

As I drift off to sleep, I bid you all a good night, grateful for this memorable day filled with adventure, good food, and even better company.

[raptor_diwan]

Day 4

Manali Stay

Woke up late because we decided to spend the rest of the day in Manali. We made it clear that we wanted to take a break from all the riding and just enjoy the day, because from tomorrow onwards it's going to be an adventure for all of us.

Actually, I should say that from Punjab to Manali was the most adventurous trail on the entire trip. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has put in a lot of effort to make perfectly smooth roads throughout the entire Kashmir region, possibly due to the war-like situation that occurred a few months ago.



This was the view from my room in Manali.





It was almost 11:45 AM, and after having my morning tea, we started towards MG Road. We were so hungry that we decided to hunt for a South Indian dish, and we found poori, but it tasted awful. I just ate it because I had paid for it, but it wasn't even close to the taste of authentic South Indian food.





And then we tried a sweet. We thought it would be great, but once again, it was a big disappointment. Nothing can seriously beat the taste of sweets from Sowcarpet. In Manali, there weren't many good food options. It didn't make any difference as the taste of the food wasn't up to the mark.



After having brunch, we decided to go paragliding. We saw many counters for paragliding and river rafting along the roadside and inquired about the prices. The cost for three people was around 3,000 rupees, but it was 2,000 rupees per person if only one person was going. One of our group members was not interested due to uncertainty. So, we negotiated with the provider and agreed to a price of 1,200 rupees per person for two people.

The provider called a few more people, and a Tata Sumo vehicle arrived to pick us up. There were other travelers in the vehicle who paid up to 3,000 rupees for a ride.









I remained energized and exhibited minimal indications of apprehension.













We were equipped with jumpsuits, belts, and cameras.

It took around 25 minutes to ascend to an altitude of 6000 feet and another 25 minutes for the plane to come back. As a result, groups of people would depart once every hour.

I was assigned to the third flight, but my nerves began to kick in after witnessing the mishap during the first flight. The person on that flight crashed into trees and bushes due to unfavorable wind conditions, but they were eventually rescued and taken back up. This incident left me feeling a bit uneasy.

During the second flight, a woman successfully completed her jump without any issues. As a young man in my late 20s, my pride was now on the line. It was time for my flight, and we proceeded onto the runway to prepare for takeoff. However, I was held in place for about 10 minutes, as there was no wind at all. If I were to run and jump at that moment, I would not be able to fly, but rather, I would simply fall straight down.





After waiting for a while, the wind conditions finally became favorable. As soon as I jumped, I was immediately airborne. The sensation of freefalling completely overpowered any fear I had previously felt. For the next 15 minutes, I had the pleasure of witnessing breathtaking views and experiencing the thrill of soaring through the air. The descent was equally exhilarating, and the aerial perspective was truly spectacular.

I was fortunate enough to have the "crazy guy" pilot as my guide, who kept me entertained with his laughter and jokes during the ascent. While I remained silent, he performed some stunts that added to the excitement. Throughout the experience, my jump master periodically checked on my well-being, and I gave him a reassuring nod in response.









After spending 25 minutes in the air, we finally touched down on the designated spot. As soon as I hit the ground, my friend captured the moment on video while my eyes were wide with exhilaration. The jump master tightened my equipment and I made my way over, jumping with joy as I realized I had successfully completed the jump. When my friend asked me how it was, I replied with a huge smile on my face, "It was absolutely insane!"

After a while, I came to the realization that I had lost my mobile phone. It was as though my happiness had vanished in an instant, and I felt a sense of panic akin to a heart attack. We had not brought any DSLR camera on this entire trip, so our only hope was my POCO F1 - and now it was lost. I rushed back to the landing spot, sifting through all the parachutes in a frantic search. Eventually, I found it, and my breath returned as I realized that I was okay. Strangely, this incident gave me more of a shock than the actual paragliding experience.



The spot where we landed had a wonderful place to grab a snack, with a variety of options such as puffs, burgers, and sandwiches available. I decided to order a black coffee to refresh myself before we set out to explore Manali once again.



We made our way back to our room where we ordered Maggi to be delivered from home. Once we had finished eating, we set out once again to explore Manali. Although we didn't have a specific destination in mind, the beauty of the entire place was simply amazing. We spent the day chatting, finding nice spots to sit and enjoy the scenery, and overall having a great time.



Afterwards, we returned to our room and ordered Maggi from home. Then, we headed out to continue exploring Manali without a specific destination in mind. The entire place was so breathtaking that we simply kept talking and found a nice spot to sit and enjoy the scenery. We had a great time throughout the entire day.



We had dinner again near mall road and had a great dinner, and went back to room and had a good night.

Day 4 Overall Report :-

Stay

Hotel Name :- Whispering River

Room Location :- Click here

Room Cost :- 700/- per night - divded by 3 of us, so each cost 234 /-
Food - 240
Paragliding - 1200

That's all for the day!!!

[raptor_diwan]

Day 5


Manali to Sarchu ( Via - Rothang pass )

I woke up at 4:30 AM. This was the only day we woke up this early for the ride because we couldn't afford to waste any time. So, we started as early as possible and headed towards Sarchu via the much-awaited Rohtang Pass. I checked the online permit status again, and it was approved. I took a screenshot for safety.

We were very aware of the risk of altitude sickness, so we bought nine water bottles and each of us drank one liter on the spot while stocking the other two on the bike before proceeding. This was the first view of Rohtang Pass from Manali.





It was 6:45 AM when we stopped for a tea break at this shop. We took some photos, enjoyed some good tea, and then continued our journey. Along the way, we stopped at unique spots to take some more photos.







Finally, at 8:15 AM, we reached Rohtang Pass. It was one hell of an amazing trip, but contrary to what we read online, the road wasn't that rough. In fact, it was normal, like the roads in Chennai during the rainy season. We reached the pass, took some pictures, and enjoyed the moment to the fullest. It was the first time we saw snow on this trip, and I was quite excited to see the snow-covered mountains. It was truly an epic experience.













After reaching Rohtang Pass, we started moving towards the other side of the Himalayas. Most of the people we encountered were tourists who had traveled from Manali to Rohtang. Only bike riders, trucks, and military vehicles crossed beyond this point. I thought to myself that this was going to be the toughest off-road journey I had ever undertaken.



As we took a U-turn, we stumbled upon a wonderful place to eat. We had maggi and bread omelet, took some photos, and then continued on our journey. I must say that the roads from here were incredibly smooth and beautiful.



















We stopped at a hotel around 10:20 AM to buy more water bottles, as we were getting dehydrated faster than in other places. While we were there, we took a photo of a kid before setting off again.





At 11:30 AM, we finally arrived at the famous spot. We were not aware of the fuel situation beforehand, but since the road was in good condition and the bike was giving decent mileage, we thought that an extra 2 liters of fuel per bike would be sufficient. However, when we stopped at a petrol bunk, the staff advised us to get a can that cost Rs. 100. The shop was located 100 meters away, so we bought two cans (each containing 5 liters) and filled up our tanks.





We continued our journey, stopping at interesting places to take pictures. In some places, we didn't take photos, but instead, we simply sat there for a moment and appreciated the beauty of the surroundings.

[raptor_diwan]

At 12:20 PM, we weren't particularly hungry, but the road was so empty and the sight was so rare that we didn't want to miss the opportunity. We came across a hotel and decided to have lunch there. The menu card had a wide variety of options, including chicken, fish, beef, pork, crab, prawns, and more. We were amazed to find such a well-stocked restaurant in the middle of nowhere. After finishing our lunch, we resumed our journey towards Sarchu.











After riding continuously for almost three hours, at exactly 3:30 PM, one of my friends lost control of his bike and fell on the left side of the road. The accident occurred because he was distracted while trying to set up his action camera on the go, and he lost his concentration. Fortunately, there wasn't any serious injury to either the rider or the bike, and we were able to move forward. Despite the incident, we remained optimistic and continued our journey.











The road had been breathtakingly beautiful so far, and we hadn't encountered any off-road trails until after six hours of riding. When we finally came across an off-road trail, we decided to have some fun, but unfortunately, it didn't last for more than 5 kilometers. However, we soon came across a stunning highway that lay ahead of us, and we eagerly continued our journey.







Unfortunately, one of my friends was hit by AMS and wasn't feeling very well. He was feeling dizzy, but thankfully we were almost near Sarchu, which was about 30 kilometers away. Two of my friends started a non-stop ride towards Sarchu to get help due to his sickness, while I stopped at every board I could find and took pictures along the way. Eventually, I made it to Sarchu.

[raptor_diwan]

When we arrived at Sarchu, we found that there were only two tents available, and we didn't encounter any other riders throughout our entire trip, except for a total of eight riders. The tent owner had an oxygen checker and offered us a hot cup of tea and Maggi noodles. He checked me and my friend, Govarthan, and confirmed that we were fit enough to acclimatize to the weather, but my other friend had low levels of oxygen. Before embarking on this trip, I had consulted with my family doctor and obtained some medicine for AMS, which came in handy at this point. I gave my friend a tablet, and he slept for two hours and felt better afterward. However, the cold was harsh, with the temperature dropping to -12 degrees Celsius.







I must say that seeing pictures of the place on Google a few weeks ago was exciting and made me happy. However, experiencing the -12 degree Celsius temperature at an elevation of 4000 meters was a completely different story. It wasn't as easy as I had expected it to be.

















After having dinner, we tried to talk and sleep but to no avail. In fact, I cannot say that I started to dream that night. The proper word to describe the situation would be that "I managed to survive the night".

Overall Day 5 Report:



Hotel Name: Camping Tent
Room Location: Click here

Room Cost: 100/- per night
Fuel: 1537/- (for me)
Lunch: 800/- ( Including that extra can refill )
Food: 385/-

This night was the hardest to survive due to the cold, but I somehow managed to survive.

[raptor_diwan]

Day 6

Sarchu to Ladakh

Somehow, I was able to sleep comfortably last night after finding a good position. I woke up at 8:45 AM, and it was a little warm since the sun had come up.







Last night, I was not able to take many pictures. Here are some pictures of the tent we stayed in. After waking up, I had some tea and maggi for breakfast. This was the condition of the water over there: frozen!











After having breakfast and tea, we began our journey towards Leh-Ladakh. I must say, the route was perfect. We encountered off-roads quite often, and we all loved it. It was kind of challenging, but in a good way.

















After an hour of driving, we arrived at a place where we found that the bridge had collapsed, and the Indian army personnel were working to fix it. We had to wait here for almost an hour, sitting in the exact same spot.







This place is the famous Ghata Loops & Bottle Ghata.

There is a story about Bottle Ghata, for those who have not read it, here it is: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/stree...-vehicles.html (Superstitious / Mythical places in India (with stories of roads & vehicles))

Source







We spent some time here and then moved on.







The entire highway is now so well-maintained that even F1 tracks around the world would be ashamed in comparison.

At every landslide-prone area, a dedicated JCB is stationed. Every few kilometers, you can see construction workers either adding a layer of tar or sweeping the road with a broom to ensure a smoother drive.

[raptor_diwan]

I met a few Tamil soldiers here and had an interaction with them. Some Malayalis also came forward and spoke well of us. They were eager to meet the riders and talk to them. It was fun to interact with them.

































We reached Pang and were very hungry. The place was completely dry and it was difficult to find shops. Luckily, we had packed water in the morning, but we were still hungry, so we decided to have lunch there. We found a nice place that seemed like a place to stay.







After finishing our Lunch, we were supposed to go directly to Leh for dinner. So we started from here, bought 10 bottles of water, stored them in our bags, and continued our journey.





The roads were incredibly smooth. It's hard to describe just how smooth they were. I don't have words to do them justice. These roads were absolutely perfect.