5 Whole Months - Goes By In a Blink.

When I first looked at the expiration date on my visa stamp, I shuttered to think that I might be away from the comforts of my own home for that long. 3 months tops I thought. Fast forward five and here I am, at a cross roads with infinite choices and an endless supply of freedom at my disposal.  I can actually visualize that very fast forward too, it plays out like a reel of film in my mind. I see images of places and of people; that is what traveling boils down to after all, the places you've visited and the people you've met. It's memory overload when I think of this past 5 months in India, so many damn memories of places and people that they're fighting for first place in line. Each one wants to give me that wave of euphoria, that rush of excitement and joy that occurs when you recall that very moment and how it made you feel.

I had a rough plan of going to Nepal after India to continue my Himalayan adventures for a few weeks, but it's as if my internal weather alarm is beeping, signalling it's need for Vitamin D and ocean breezes. For the past 31 years every July has been spent on the coast; my body knows nothing else but sunshine, beaches and bike rides this time of year. I know the whole point of traveling is to experience new things -out of the norm adventures that you can't get back home. But dammit I miss the ocean.


Home is a possibility; one more unforgettable summer spent camping, riding my bike, and lounging on restaurant patios with friends I love. Definitely a great choice indeed. But the fact of the matter is that I'm already in Asia, I have no current grown up obligations at home, and I'm not getting any younger. Add to that I don't even think I'm ready to go home yet, it's like the tables have turned and traveling is now easy, going home is what brings anxiety now.

I've decided to extend my journey to the archipelago of Indonesia. I've done the pros and cons of this decision, and as I listed the cons I realized that they don't really exist in my mind. More so they'd exist in the minds of others who'd think a 31 year old should be doing something a little more productive with his life than bumming around Asia with a backpack. But I don't think there's anything wrong with it, and that's all what really matters at this point.

India has left me mesmerised. From the Southern beaches of Kerala to the peaks of the Himalayas, it has everything you could ask for in a destination and some things, that if were jotted down on paper, you wouldn't wish for in your wildest dreams; that is until you come here and give this place a chance. It's hot, filthy at times, loud all the time, and the touts and beggars are relentless. My patience and sanity were tested almost daily, but whenever I went to sleep and pondered the days events I'd just laugh at how trivial the situation was in hindsight. We never went to bed angry at each other -the key to a long lasting relationship. I love everything about it here, including the stuff that at times drove me mad. To take away anything from the Indian experience-good or bad-would just make India less.....Indian.

It was love at first Rickshaw dispute I guess you could say. I know I'll return here in the future, and until that day arrives India will forever be in my day dreams.



A few shots of my time spent in Kolkata, a place that grew on me by the hour. A sprawling city that can get downright nasty during monsoon, and when I arrived it was just that- a torrential downpour causing some pretty grimy flooded streets. The blistering sun did eventually break through the clouds leaving me begging for rain again, but with sight seeing friendly weather at hand I immediately saw the beauty of this 'old school' city. Derelict buildings, human powered rickshaws, old taxi cabs and an antique metro system -India on Vinyl!

Farewell Ladakh.

There's 8 days left on my visa, and as each day ticks away so does a bit of my motivation and energy to keep on cramming activities into my remaining time in this country. There was no shortages of activities in Ladakh and Manali, but my time spent in these places was mostly of the 'take note for next time' variety. Weather played spoiler for a good chunk of the time, but there's definitely worse places to kill a rainy day than a cafe in picturesque Leh.

Not a spec of doubt exists in my mind about returning to Ladakh. I'll come back prepared with more time and better motorcycle skills, because it is in fact the roads that snake through these mountains that I will really remember Ladakh for. The highest and seemingly most dangerous roads on the planet are here, and they're readily available to anyone wanting to challenge them. I challenged only one of dozens, and looking back at that 2 day motorcycle trip to Pangong Lake gives me butterflies.

Words and pictures can only do justice to an extent, to experience Leh you just need to come here, and come here by road if you can. It's the Wild Wild North and every piece of the puzzle for you to do what you've always dreamt of doing is right at your finger tips. From trekking, climbing, rafting, cycling, and motorbiking -it's all here and no one will say you can't do something.

It's this sense of adventure in the air, the beauty of the landscape, and friendliness of the Ladahki people that really did it for me.

It turns out I unknowingly saved the best for last.

Farewell Ladakh, until next time.



Few shots of Leh and Manali. I wasn't up for anything adventurous upon arriving in Manali from Leh; I was completely drained and pretty much spent a whole week 'getting back to my roots' so to speak. By that I mean drinking the night away with friends and spending hungover days in laid back restaurants - just like I do back home on my days off!

A Trekking Failure of Epic Proportions.

My 6 day solo trek through the Markha Valley spiralled into a whirlpool of failure within hours of hitting the trail.

"This bag's kind of heavy" I thought to myself after the first 15 minutes of walking.

Stok trekking point is the lonely bridge where my taxi driver dropped me off, it was about a 6-8 hour trek from the village of Rumbuk which was my first homestay point on the trek.

The key point in homestay trekking is actually making it to the village containing the homestay, otherwise you're sleeping under the Himalayan stars with out a tent. You don't carry a tent because in these altitudes every gram counts; I foolishly looked at the free space in my 60 litre backpack as an opportunity to bring more comforts. Things like 750 grams of Nutella, 2 kg's of trailmix, a 1 kg thermos, and not that the weight matters but a pair of friggin flip flops. Who brings flip flops on a Himalayan trek?

Long story short I never made it to Rumbuk, I reached about 4600m and became a breathless mule with a 20 kilo rucksack strapped to his back. I can actually ballpark my altitude because I could see the summit of the pass I was supposed to reach. I tried with all my might to crawl up the gravel slope where it would've been all downhill to the village but failed in dramatic  fashion- on my knees cursing myself and the mountain I was on.

All the while this was happening it was raining, hailing, and snowing in that order. Each one progressing to the next as I neared the 4800m pass. But I don't blame the weather, I blame myself for packing too much and biting off more than I could chew for my first high altitude trek. After repeated attempts of reaching the pass I gave up and tried to sleep in a filthy, cow dung littered, Shepperd's hut.

I spent 1 hour huddled in a sleeping bag with blizzard like winds blowing into my shelter, I eventually regained my wits and decided to kibosh the whole trek; there was simply no way I could trek 6 days with the amount of stuff I brought. I ran down as fast as I safely could to where I began my trek 8 hours prior, just in time before the sky turned dark.

Needless to say the next morning I was feeling a bit defeated... embarrassed even. So I did what any man would do to heal his broken ego.

I rented a Royal Enfield.

Getting Leh-d

Ladakhi style of course.

After soaking in the vibe of Leh town proper for a few days I figured it was time to start doing something Leh-ish, so I embarked on a bit of an adventure. My destination was Pangong Tso, a pristine lake sitting 4300m above sea level in the mountains of Ladakh. It's a 144km trip from Leh to reach Pangong, and aside from some real nice tarmac sections nature has pretty much taken back almost a 1/4 of the road there. Rocks, potholes, streams, dizzying heights, and insane Indian taxi drivers are just some of the things you encounter on route. Perfect learning environment for a first time biker don't you think?

I consider myself a fast learner, but conditions on the way back over the 5360m Chang La pass proved  almost too much for my rookie motorcycle skills. Six inches of fresh snow and blizzard like winds tested both me and my fellow motorcycle in arms to the limits. Yes, I was not foolish enough to embark on this journey alone, on the jeep up to Leh I made good friends with a Swede named Hans, and it was over a beer that we conjured up this idea. His motorcycle credentials assured me I was in good hands though! The plan was to drive 8 hours to the lake, find a place to sleep (which turned out to be in a fantastic Ladakhi home stay), then return to Leh the next morning with all of our limbs in tact. That was the plan anyways and it all worked out well health wise, but mechanical troubles and a relentless Summer snow storm gave us a pretty good mental and physical beating.

But it was almost as if it was all to be expected. I was so nervous the night before because I somehow knew we'd encounter troubles on the way; but with the same confidence I was positive we'd both make it back in one piece and laugh about it over a Kingfisher. And laugh we did.

Next up something a little less risky, a 6 day home stay trek through the Markha Valley. I'm really enjoying these nights spent in local villager's homes; as if the journey to these destinations isn't awesome enough, ending off each day eating home cooked meals in Ladakhi kitchens just makes it all that much more memorable!

On Top of The World

In every sense of the phrase.

A 2 day road trip through some of the most rugged and beautiful scenery this planet can conjure up brought me to a place I never thought I'd get to. Not sure why I doubted myself that I'd make it to Leh; not sure why I doubt myself that I can do anything for that matter. All it took was a bit of time, courage, and money (a pittance for the nerve rattling 440 Km journey by the way).

As you leave the Kashmir valley the lush green slopes disappear in almost an instant. Entering Ladakh is like a turning off a light switch; the landscape turns almost lunar like, and the trademark mountainous desert that this area is famous for leaves no doubt in your mind about exactly where you are.

Traversing The Zozi Pass is an adventure all in itself with sheer drops of hundreds of meters to your right and precarious boulders high above you on your left.  A quick glance back towards the switchbacks that your cab driver just navigated makes you just shake your head and grin. "Did we just drive up that?"

But it's the shade of blue in the sky that I continue to be dumbfounded by, it makes the contrast between mountain and sky just that much more profound. Postcard quality photos take utterly no skill to shoot here, just point your camera and hit the button. It's just so damn blue!

I've stationed myself here in Leh and in front of me is a smorgasbord of do able adventures right at my finger tips.

Want to ascend a 6000+ m peak? Give 3 days notice and someone will put it all together. Meals, equipment, and permits included.

Feel like driving up to the (alleged) highest motor-able road in the world? It's about a 2 hour drive from here, just hail down a jeep or rent a motorcycle.

The energy emulating from the people of this city just makes you want to push yourself to the limits and do that thing you've always dreamt of doing. From the people driving in on mud encrusted Enfields after just completing the Manali to Leh highway, to local porters loading jeeps with supplies for next mornings 12 day trek to god knows where. Being immersed in this environment just fuels the flames of your own burning desire to seek adventure.

Now that I've arrived it's just a matter of choosing what to do, and  I can barely sit still from the excitement.