Preface: K2K in the making.

K2K on my motorcycle: Did i think about it yesterday and make it happen today?

Its been 7 years of saving up and trying at every company i worked in to get a month of leaves sanctioned. The first time i shared this desire of mine, i was tagged as a mad person and the most blunt criticism was "Why. Do you want to show off?" This actually made me sit back and think that night - did i want to do this because i wanted bragging rights? All the while, i was staring at a pic of a pulsar 150 looking at Pangong-Tso - this was my desktop background on my computer. So, i jumped on the computer and voila - i actually gave words to the emotion i was feeling then. I am so happy that i safeguarded it and am referring to it after all these years.

The Reason:
Sitting in front of a white screen on the computer. Not knowing where and how to start off. Close my eyes and see flashes of my past whizzing too fast and i am trying hard to grab on to the ones that have made me what i am right now. It makes me wonder where does that excitement come from, when ever i get ready for a bike trip? Why does that fever which i had the previous night mysteriously disappear as soon as i wring that throttle heading towards mother nature?!

Aaaha! Mother Nature, yes that might be the answer. 

Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe - Anatole France
Could not put it any better than this.

The thirst for nature in all its glory and the passion for biking is one sinful and very satisfying combination. This has kept me going, helped me in soul searching, given me new perspective, answered unknown questions. Yet no matter how much soul searching you do, daily life makes you forget most of it. And is there any better way to recharge your batteries than getting on a bike trip? Not for me.

I've travelled to beautiful places in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The saying "Its the journey and not the destination that matters" holds good most of the times, but not always.

Being a biker, you interact with like minded people. You share information, experiences, make friends for life and get a glimpse into territory unexplored by you.
At this point of time, if i were given an opportunity to choose my destination it would definitely be Leh. The very mention of the place reminds me of the divine waters of Pangong Tso, the arid landscapes which lead you to nowhere but take you everywhere, mother nature in its most unblemished state and above all, the challenges it poses to get there in one piece and be able to absorb all this. The cherry on the cake is, you get to ride on the highest motorable road in the world! 

This destination is the Holy Grail for any Indian biker worth his salt.

But something just does not make me settle in for just the destination. Given its grandeur who would not want a befitting journey too? And what would be more apt than visiting the northern most tip after riding through the southern most tip of India.

I've been pushing my boundaries on every ride. Every time, there is one or the other parameter where i have upped my ante and touched new heights. Some are rewarding experiences and some are not. But past experiences are very valuable in our present experiments to achieve our future expectations in life.

I believe there is a special purpose for everything that happens. I believe that this trip would make me explore my limits, talk to them, coax them, conquer them. This would change something and what excites me most is that i do not know what that is.

When you wish for something intensely and truly, the world conspires to get you what you wanted. I see it happening in my life right now...



So tourers,
I welcome you to be a part of the amazing 1 month of 2012 i've experienced.

I'm breaking up the journey to below bits so that the log is compartmentalized and folks who are already bored with such a big intro can jump into what they are interested in.

Please give me some time to fill these up with logs and photos.

Bangalore - Kanyakumari - Bangalore
Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai - Gujarat - Rajasthan - Punjab - Jammu - Srinagar - Sonamarg
Sonamarg - Kargil - Lamayuru - Leh
Leh
Leh - Khardung La - Hunder
Hunder - Turtuk - Hunder - Wari La - Leh
Leh - Pangong Tso - Leh
Leh - Chumatang - Pang
Pang - Sarchu - Rohtang Jot - Manali

Manali - Delhi - Rajasthan - Gujarat - Mumbai - Pune - Bangalore