The Perfect Road Trip - A pan India trip on bikes

It was 1982 and India hosted the ninth Asian Games in Delhi from 19 November 1982 to 4 December 1982.

The five of us, good friends, were sitting together on a beautiful October afternoon when a bright spark woke us up. I suggested riding a Yazdi (a motorcycle from the 80s) across India. And according to all the actions or reactions we have done these days, everyone reacted positively and decided to attend the opening ceremony of the Asian Games in Delhi. But we will reach Delhi in a roundabout way.

So 3 rides and five friends, all (except the rides) in their twenties, started preparing us and the bikes for the perfect ride. Back then there was no internet, no google maps, no cell phones, no mobile operators in Ladakh. In preparation, we bought paper maps of India, backpacks, sleeping bags and bike parts. The bikes were taken care of and we were ready. We had planned a rough route and had not decided where to stay. Neither of us wanted to drive after dark, so it was decided to find a hotel where we were arriving after dark and sleep. This reaffirmed our motto that the journey is as important as the destination. Our driving pattern was to get up early and drive a hundred miles without much rest and then have breakfast. I want to remind you that there were no six-lane highways. Most of the roads were one or two lanes, and our bikes were going 60 km/h. Our top speed will be around 80-85 km/h. Anything else would ruin the bikes that would shake our shoulders and backs. After breakfast we got back on the road and continued leisurely until we found a decent dhaba for lunch. We'll have lunch on the cots and then lie down until the daytime temperatures drop to comfortable temperatures, because we all know how terrifying the October heat can be. Then drive until sunset, find a hotel and check in.

Arriving at the motel, we asked the locals (administrator, waiters, etc.) about places to visit and then decided how long we wanted to stay there. If it doesn't cost anything, we start early in the morning.

Unfortunately, we don't have any photos from the trip, because there were no digital cameras at the time, so we took the photos on film and printed them on paper. The infamous Mumbai floods of July 2005 washed away all those cherished memories with the rains. However, since the trip is perfect, we remember all the great moments of the trip very well and we don't need pictures to remember it. We will try to describe these moments as clearly as possible, so that you can see them and be part of our journey.

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We had the perfect start to the first day of our epic journey.

One bike had a problem and our departure was delayed for several hours. This did not worry us, we consoled ourselves with the words “Panvati nikal gayi” (bad luck caused it), and we have a pleasant journey ahead. By evening, we realized we were in the middle of nowhere, and had to drive at least another hour before reaching civilization. Suddenly one bike's headlight went out, so we put it in the middle of our group so it could follow and use the bike's tail light. 10 minutes later, the light came on and I was left behind. No, we didn't have bulb parts, just wires. It's like driving in the dark without a light on the steering wheel! Trust our luck. Seeing the ambassador's car in the distance, we thought about what to do. We decided to follow him to where we could find a place to sleep, and ran after the ambassador. The motorcyclist must have been scared when he was being chased by 3 motorbikes without headlights in the dark and started to accelerate. We also kept up the pace because we didn't want to lose. After following him for a few kilometers, we saw how the gas station was transformed, and we also followed him to thank him. The look on his face was priceless when we explained what was great and thanked him. She smiled shyly and wiped away the sweat as we said our goodbyes. The fog was less than a hundred yards away. We thanked our stars (many of them on a dark night), had dinner and fell into our cots.

Then one day we were riding through a forest area in Kerala and a bike had a flat tire. So we rented a motorbike and two drivers went in search of a repair shop. On their return, the ex-soldier of the Indian army befriended us, took us to a neighbor's house and served us delicious food! He said he is proud that young people travel around the country to learn more about the people. This was just the beginning of a series of events that showed the hospitality of our countrymen.

This trip was an eye-opener, revealing not only the beauty of our country, but also the amazing nature of our people and the concept of Atiti Diva Bhavu (Divine Guest).

It was a perfect trip for me and my friends.

This travelogue was created as part of a competition organized by Indiblogger and Ambi Pur India .

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