I have just been back from Leh. An exciting 15-day long trip. Accompanying me was Deepak, my college friend (and an yr senior). If you'd hand me a long list of must-visit places in and around Leh, and ask me to put a tick against those that we managed to visit, the list would turn up almost blank. This has been the subject of irritation for some of my friends. What the hell were we upto, after all? 15 days for nothing? Where was the fun?
Actually, by the time we reached Leh, our trip was officially over. Over, for it was a trip from Manali-Leh. On bikes.
Bikes = Mountain Bikes ~ Cycles
The last line managed to evoke some very amusing reactions. Not many people do this kinda stuff, least of all the Indians - no offence, but they prefer to fly to Leh; or at the most extreme ride on motorcycles. I'll commend the foreign crowd for such efforts, but even they have expeditions in groups of 4 or above, with the support crew right behind in huge SUVs and all their equipment neatly tucked into those monsters. In comparison, there were just the two of us carrying everything that we required for the next couple of weeks - clothing, sleeping bags, tent, food, cooking equipment, cutlery, spare parts, electronic gadgets - on our backs and bicycles. That puts us in one small family, for very few others share similar experiences. Couple that with the _extreme_ (I'll assert) shortage of cash that we faced, and our circle becomes even more isolated.
Our experiences are almost overwhelming. We dissected through the highest and the least inhabited regions of the planet. We pitched our tent in the middle of nowhere on many nights, and nervously went off to sleep under the most clear of skies we had ever seen in our lives. We spent time with people from different walks of life and with different tribes. We were also witness to a cruel incident involving the majestic wildlife.
I am in Delhi now, having good food and good meal, assured of a comfortable sleep. But I still recall the evening I was all alone on the second highest motorable pass of the world, all exhausted with any remaining will to move ahead gone with the last drop of water in my bottle. Something kept me inching forward, until I made it all the way. The thoughts of glory that lay ahead, perhaps. Survivial insticts - that seems more logical (and less poetic).
Me and Deepak have plans to compile our experiences under a single domain and put that online in the form of a Travelogue, or better - an ebook of some sorts. I will start work on it as soon as all our pictures are compiled and arranged. I did start with a diary at Manali but as the days went by, it became more and more difficult to maintain it, so that is would be kinda backlog that I'll have to finish up. Nevertheless, I'm not letting this one go down my priority list too soon.
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