Long Ride-8: Hyderabad - Sikkim Round trip (Bike Ride)

Caution: Mature content ahead. Readers must be 18+ years old, physically and mentally to proceed.

This is not your typical travel blog. It's raw, mostly unfiltered, and filled with personal emotions, thoughts, and experiences... Some might make you laugh, some might make you think, and a few might even make you uncomfortable.

You'll find honest opinions, real-life struggles, unexpected encounters, and deep reflections throughout this journey. The language is casual, the emotions are raw, and the details are plenty. If you want to experience the ride as it happened, well, nice... Please do continue, if not, please do not.

As said... Ride along at your own risk.

The Solo Ride Philosophy & The Beginning:

If I have to be honest, this has been my toughest ride so far, and It took me almost 18 days to complete this blog... something that has never happened with me before. I mean, usually, I finish writing in three or four days when it comes to my rides... but this time, it felt different. Maybe it was the depth of emotions, the unforgettable challenges, or just the overwhelming experiences I had on this ride. Every time I sat down to write, memories flooded in, making me relive the journey all over again.

I faced more emotions and challenges than in any of my previous rides. Hmm... where should I start?! Well, people often suggest that I should ride with a group instead of solo to minimize difficulties. But the truth is, I hate group rides... let me be honest...

Why? Because I love the freedom of choice... the freedom to stop, eat, enjoy, or simply take in the moment without any restrictions or second thoughts. Sometimes, these moments come after riding thousands of kilometres; sometimes, it's just after 1 km. I still remember one of my past rides when I slept on a beach, leaning against my bike, gazing at the moon. Do you think that would have been possible in a group ride? Maybe, yes/no... and sorry, I am not ready to take a chance... Solo rides work better for me, for my needs. There's no need to match someone else's pace or desires.

In one of my previous rides, I spent an entire day at a single spot, waiting for the perfect sunrise picture because I missed capturing it the first time. That decision changed my whole trip plan, and I was perfectly okay with it. These are the kind of experiences I cherish... the ones that wouldn't be possible if I had to consider a group's schedule.

Honestly, I don't have many friends... maybe 3 or 4, and we rarely talk... Maybe once or twice a year. If you ask me whether I'm an introvert, I'd say no. Am I selfish? Maybe yes... but I believe my selfishness has purity, and I'm proud of that.

Well, back to the point, group rides have their own advantages, companionship, shared experiences, and a sense of security. But I prefer solo riding... because it's not just about the journey; it's about how I experience/handle it. Let me face the challenges alone... let me be prepared for what lies ahead. Let me stop wherever my heart desires... let me soak in the beauty of a place with pure emotions. Let me meet different people, understand their struggles, and in a way, become part of a larger group indirectly. Let me enjoy the bliss of the ride... let me win, and let me help others win too.

Getting My Bike Ready for the Challenge:

Anyway, coming back to the main topic... after servicing my bike... it took me three full days to get it ready. It wasn't just a regular service... I made a few modifications to handle the ghats and snow-covered roads better. Those three days were intense... I mean, office work all the day, bike repairs and servicing all the night, and barely a couple of hours of sleep in between. But that's what makes the journey exciting for me...

Exploring New Routes, New Experiences:

With the bike ready, it was time to plan my route. My goal was to reach Sikkim - Explore - Experience - Return To Hyderabad. I can cover 800 km a day, but do I really need to? My brain said maybe yes, because I have less leaves and more KMs to cover. I checked Google Maps, and it suggested the Nagpur NH 44 route. But no way please! I had ridden on that highway so many times before... I just couldn't do it again. I needed a fresh route, even if it meant covering a few hundred extra kilometres.

That's when I found the Vizag route. People warned me about the bad roads and suggested sticking to Nagpur, but I chose Vizag anyway. What's the point of a ride if not to explore the unknown? 

The original plan was something like this:

Onward route: HYD -> Visakhapatnam (not exactly vizag, but a parallel road may be) -> Balasore -> Malda -> Siliguri -> Darjeeling -> Gangtok

Return: Gangtok -> Yuksom -> Pelling -> Gangtok -> via Raipur -> HYD (500 kms per day)

Start Date: December 12, 2024

Number of days planned: 15

Buffer days: 2 

WTF?! I'm not sure what I was thinking when I planned this, but it's probably the dumbest plan to consider for people who really want to explore emotions and essence, instead of just places like a tourist...

Anyway, as always, things didn't go according to plan for me... and I'm always happy about that. I believe a plan should only be a last resort... a safety net when there are no other options left. That's the beauty of solo rides... Every unexpected turn becomes part of the adventure.

Day 1 - The Journey Begins:

So, finally, Day 1 arrived... December 12, 2024. I woke up at 4:30 AM, started packing up all the mess. Normally, I never leave things to the last minute... but this time I did. I managed to pack all my luggage in an hour, locked the panniers, top box, and everything else I needed. The excitement was kicking in... but there was still one last thing to do...

Before leaving, I tortured my dad to take a few pictures of me from different angles... that's a tradition I never skip... 

Okay... need petrol, it seems. Dude, why the fuck didn't you do this yesterday? Anyway, filled the tank near home.

With the tank full, I finally started heading towards Vizag. Google Maps showed around 10 hours to reach... I kicked off the ride, sang songs, and shouted my heart out with happiness on the highway. That feeling of freedom hit me once again... after a whole year. Honestly, I feel the same excitement every year during my long rides. I took a few shots with my GoPro and DSLR here and there, mostly of my bike. And in what felt like the blink of an eye, I was in Vijayawada.

But that "blink" actually gave me a mini heart attack. See the guy waving at me in the picture below?

He started chasing me... I didn't notice him for a couple of kilometres. Then, I got a doubt - someone seemed to be following me because an auto-rickshaw was constantly near my pannier. The same guy, breaking all possible traffic rules to catch up with me... but why?! I slowed down to find out.

He pulled up beside me and took a few photos of my bike from the moving auto. I asked him, 

"Edyna problem a anna?" (Is there any problem, bro?). 

He replied, "Ledu ledu, all the best thammudu, photo kosam vocha." (No, no, all the best, brother! I just came for a photo.)

I laughed and asked, "Bike aapana?" (Shall I stop the bike?). He just laughed and didn't answer.

Inner me: "Navvuthav entra saami... almost gudhi dobbi!" (*!)

Anyway, we parted ways...

Then I picked up my phone and called a few people. First, I tried Bharat one of the few close friends I have. He's from Eluru, a married man now, but unfortunately, still one of my closest people. No answer. Then, I dialled Manikanta, people used to call him "Paddathi Manikanta," the guy who always sticks to values. He's not among the 3 or 4 friends I mentioned earlier, but I always look up to him when I need a different perspective on society. He's honest (as far as I know) and has a good amount of knowledge. No answer from him either.

Finally, I called Mouli, another one from my small circle. Most of my friends stay in Eluru, where I completed my graduation. It had been almost a year and a half since I last spoke to him. I rarely call anyone frequently... to be honest, I don't see much meaning in doing so.

Mouli picked up and said, "Era inka bathike vunnava?" (Dude, are you still alive?)

Me: "Vunna, vunna, ekkada vunnav?" (Yes, yes! Where are you?)

Mouli: "Intlora." (At home.)

Me: "Sare, nenu ride lo vunna... college vyapu nunche vostha, kalsdama?" (Okay, I’m on a ride... will pass by the college, shall we meet?)

Mouli: "Sare." (Okay.)

He told me to meet him at a bypass I had to cross. We met, caught up on life, cracked a few jokes, laughed, and parted ways...

Wait... can I really miss my college? Before meeting Mouli, I stopped by my college and got emotional.

The building was the same, but the faces were all new... except for the watchman. A new uniform, new student facses... and most of the students going In/Out were staring at me, probably because of my riding gear?!

Standing there, I couldn't stop my emotions. This was the place where Janaki Rajesh met Krishnarao garu, my HOD, the man who shaped me in many ways. If I start writing about my college days or about HOD, it would take pages.

Anyway, after meeting Mouli, hunger kicked in. I hadn't eaten anything since morning. I usually skip meals or eat very lightly to avoid drowsiness while riding. But now, I needed food... something light but with the local street flavour.

Do you know? Street food always carries the essence of a place... the same greetings, the same taste, and that nostalgic feeling you may not get anywhere else. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a purely vegetarian place. I have nothing against non-veg eaters... Growing up in a vegetarian family and following the same diet for 28 years makes it really hard to eat where both veg and non-veg are served.

Finding a only veg place in the morning is easy, but by afternoon or evening, it gets tricky. Eventually, I found a dhaba on the highway. They serve both veg and non-veg, so I asked if they cook separately. The aunty at the dhaba assured me that I was their first customer of the day, and they hadn't prepared anything yet. She promised that they can clean utensils one more time if I need.

I said, "Haha, not required, as long as the smell doesn't mix and the utensils are clean, I'm okay with it." She smiled... I smiled.

I ordered some fried rice and paneer curry. It tasted amazing.

After the meal, I hit the road again. Slowly, darkness came in. It had already been 11+ hours since I left home, and I was just 15 km away from my planned stop for the day. But something felt off...

There were no street lights, just a single road for two-way traffic. The dust on the road was at its peak, and it was already around 10 PM. My gut feeling told me it wasn't safe to continue. Turning on my fog lights wasn't an option with oncoming vehicles, and I didn't want to risk riding further.

I decided to stop and find a place to sleep instead of pushing on to Vizag. This time, I am not carrying my camping tent... I have enough luggage already and planned to stay in hotels or Airbnb.

After a lil stretch, finally, I found a hotel named Ram Nivas in a place called Lankelapalem, its a less trafficked stay. The owner was about to leave, but luckily, he saw me coming and checked me in.

The room was... okayish. They charged Rs.1500, but it was fine. All I needed was:

A place to sleep without mosquitoes

A clean bathroom

No suspicious stains on the blankets

No leftover condoms in the dustbin

No mixed smell

Hot water, if possible

Thankfully, it met all my requirements. I left my panniers and top box locked on the bike, went to my room, and called it a day.

Good night for now.

What a day it was!

Day 2 - Revisiting Memories and Making New Ones:

After riding 600 km for over 11 hours, sleep felt like heaven. I crashed on the bed and woke up around 6 in the morning, feeling refreshed, but still a bit of body pains, and its quite natural for me in most of my day 1s.

What's the plan for Day 2? Honestly, not much. Vizag carries too many memories... far too many. Back in my college days, I wandered through this city with my ex girlfriend like anything, and even after seven years since the breakup, as I was reaching the city, I felt those emotions.. That's why I usually try to avoid Vizag whenever possible. This time was no different... I seriously thought about skipping it altogether. The idea of bypassing the city was tempting, and I even found myself searching for alternative routes on Google Maps... many times... even before the ride had even begun.

But then I asked myself... Dude!! Do I really need to skip it? Am I a kid or what, haha?

Screw it! Let's enjoy Vizag... RK Beach Road, AU and all. That's okay...

I called Ramya, my childhood friend. She's one of those rare brilliant minds I turn to whenever I need self-reflection. But here's the thing... I only reach out to such people when I hit a failure after failure after failure after failure, which happens maybe once or twice a year, or sometimes, not at all. She's part of that close circle of 4 friends I mentioned earlier. As expected, it had been almost a year since our last conversation, but with people like me and her, there's never an awkward silence. We just pick up from where we left off.

Fortunately, she was in Vizag at her home, not in the city where she works. We decided to meet at RK Beach Road... It was about a 50-minute ride for me and 30 minutes for her. Without wasting any time, we both set off. Crossing all the traffic, I was able to reach the spot on time... and here we go... THE VIZAG BEACH... the waves that has my past...

Beautiful no?!...

and finally, after over a year, I met this idiot again! (This picture is from Thotlakonda Beach, Vizag. We'll be reaching there soon.)

We had some honest talks, catching up on life and everything in between. As we were talking, I noticed some navy officers in uniform doing drills... Dude, when it comes to things like that, my mind races at 1000 km per second. If it is anything related to those who protect my country or about country... So, how could I possibly miss it?!

I couldn't resist. I asked their permission and took a few videos and pictures.

By now, it was around 10 AM, and I needed to start moving. I realized my riding shoes were in bad shape... not something I should carry forward on such a long ride. Should I get a new pair or find a fix? Maybe both? 

Before making any decision, I thought... let's explore Vizag a little more. After all, it's been a while.

Ramya and I planned to head to Bheemunipatnam Beach. I handed over my DSLR to her... She already knew how to handle it.

On our way, I spotted statues of Periyar, Bhagat Singh, and other great personalities opposite RK Beach Road.

I was surprised and asked, "Ramya, how come Periyar is here? Do people here know about him? And how the hell did I miss this all those times I visited with my ex?"

Maybe I was too young and immature back then or may be I was blind folded in love or may be I was too young to understand the value of them... and as I grew, I started understanding society more deeply, noticing these details and great people like Ambedkar garu, Periyar garu?!! Who knows?!

After a quick discussion about this, we headed to Bheemunipatnam Beach, riding along the coastline on my bike... Its bit difficult for pillion on bike that has panniers, but manageable. 

I asked Ramya, "Every beach from here looks almost the same, and there no crowd as well, right? Shall we stop somewhere instead of going all the way?"

She suggested we stop at Thotlakonda Beach, saying it's peaceful and less crowded. I agreed, and we pulled over...

I'm not really a beach person, to be honest. I like beaches, but the salty wind and water bother me a lot... It feels like touching oil under the sun. The only time I ever enjoyed a beach was when my girlfriend was there with me. After that, I started liking the beach only when it was under moonlight, surrounded by darkness. But that day, even under the bright sun, I actually enjoyed the beach... Something I never thought I would.

Of course, I made Ramya take a few pictures of me. Poor soul, she had to bear with my demands! and here are some of her captures...

As we walked closer to the water, I saw a big dead sea turtle on the shore.

Did you know? When sea turtles get sick or old, they sometimes struggle to swim and end up on the shore, as they lack the energy to stay in the water. Seeing it lying there made me think... they might not have moral awareness, but the way it chose its resting place felt so dignified... isn't it?!

Simplicity, Dignity... even in death.

Do humans really get to choose that? I'll leave that to your imagination and experiences. If you ask me, in my opinion... we, as humans, complicate things far too much. We plan, we prepare, we create rituals, we "discriminate", we disturb the Mother Earth, we worry about money, and we even worry about how we leave this world... why? No other creature does this. They simply live, and when their time comes, they quietly move on.

Do we really need to do so much? Or have we trapped ourselves in a web of unnecessary complexities, making life harder than it ever needed to be? Maybe, just maybe, we could learn from nature....

When it comes to these things, I liked Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi. I'm not saying it's perfect or that it meets all expectations, but compared to everything else, I felt its closer... better in its own way. There's a certain rawness to it, an acceptance of life and death that feels more simple, may be less complicated I should say. As said, it's not without its flaws, but in a world where we complicate even the simplest things, Manikarnika Ghat stands apart... offering a sense of simplicity and truth that's hard to find.

Anyway, it was already around 11 AM, and I needed to get going. Balasore in Odisha was my next destination... another 600 km. But starting this late? Could I make it?

My brain had a simpler suggestion: Eat something first.

Ramya suggested we order shoe fix via Blinkit and head to her home. It was just 20 minutes away. Sounded like a good plan...

By the time we arrived, the order had arrived. I tried fixing my shoes but failed. Ramya, being Ramya, laughed sarcastically and said, "What kind of skill is this? Some people can't even draw a straight line with a scale!"

I laughed out loud.

Meanwhile her mom came up to me with dosas and chutney, assuring me, "Don't worry, I made it on a neat pan!" We laughed again. She also packed some sweets and bananas for the journey... how sweet, right?

Finally, it was time to leave. By the time I started, it was already 1:30 PM. Where should I stop for the night? I didn't know... but I aimed to slash some 500 km at least; and started moving...

After a few pit stops, it was time to enter another state. Odisha.

Odisha... a state that often ranks low in ease of doing business, per capita income, and human development index. That's what I read in newspapers, at least. But honestly, I loved the state.

Yes, my experience was limited, but I saw hardworking people striving to push their state forward. The roads were okayish, the landscapes scenic, and there was a certain warmth in the people I met. Despite what the statistics say, my personal experience told a different story.

Finally, I decided to stop in Bhubaneswar for the night and booked a stay via Airbnb.

The host was incredibly sweet and kept calling me to share safety precautions and tips. When I reached, he helped me with my luggage but was visibly shocked when I removed my helmet.

He asked, "You booked the stay from your wife's account?"

I laughed and said, "No, I'm not married. Oh... wait.. wait, all along, he actually thought he was talking to a female? ahhh fuck."

Thanks to my name, Janaki Rajesh, most apps end up displaying only the first word as my name. Airbnb did the same, I guess. And to make things even funnier, my voice doesn't help either. Telecaller agents often assume they're speaking to an invisible female and keep greeting me with, "Hi madam," "Hello madam," "Hello Janaki ma'am," and even, "How are you Janaki Ma'am" - Janaki Ma'am is doing well, now tell me what do you want.

Once, a delivery guy even tried to steal my heart by persistently sending "Good morning, Janaki Ma'am" and "Good night, Janaki Ma'am".

So, my Airbnb host had assumed I was a woman all along! When I finally told him the truth, he was so shocked and just said, "Oh!" We both couldn't stop laughing after that. But honestly, he was really sweet... his kindness didn't change even after knowing my real gender. He still offered me food, helped me knowing about the place, and treated me with the same warmth

Day 3 - Lessons the Road Doesn't Prepare You For:

I couldn't wake up early as planned. My idea was to start a bit early to escape the traffic of Odisha's capital city, but unfortunately, that didn't happen. On the bright side, I got some time to chat with an old man... the father of the person I spoke to yesterday on call.

We had some healthy discussions... During our conversation, he said, "Not sure, Mr. Rajesh, where we are lacking. People are really trying their best to lift Odisha, but we still aren’t climbing the rankings as we should."

We ended up discussing the government, Naveen Patnaik ji, BJP, Congress, and a lot more. Of course, I'm not going to reveal all the details here as harm of it is more if I reveal, but let's just say it was a healthy discussion about the mistakes governments and political parties... especially about local bodies. I got his point.

Anyway, it was time to freshen up and hit the road as soon as possible. I got ready, and just before leaving, Uncle patted my shoulder and said, "If you're recording, don't forget to showcase the positive side also of my state." (But sorry, uncle, I record these moments for my memories, not for vlogs - at least for now.)

I could sense his pain. I smiled, and he did too. We parted ways.

By then, it was already around 9:30 AM or so if I am not wrong... Finally, I started moving… and then I saw this Pushpa Hotel... haha! looks like many states liked the character...

Well, I have seen many Pushpa hotels and lorries after this... Anyway, I kept moving...

Ahh... hunger kicked in. I needed to find a place to eat, but I was already on the highway. After a while, I finally spotted a small roadside hotel. As I parked, a guy came out and started staring at me... thanks to the riding gear and all. I guess this setup looks a bit alien to most people.

He asked, "What do you want?"

I said, "Bring me something special from Odisha."

He thought for a moment and replied, "You'll like aloo paratha."

I said, "Okay" 

When the paratha arrived, it looked amazing, and honestly, it tasted too good. I really enjoyed it. But, after finishing it, I slowly started getting a cough. At first, I didn't think much of it, but the cough stayed with me… all the way till I reached Sikkim... Looks like it had passed its test and made way for the cold.

Anyway, after that delicious meal, it was time to hit the road again. I had set a target of covering 700 kilometres for the day. It felt like a long stretch, but I was ready.

Alright, let's get started!

As I rode through the beautiful landscapes, I found myself lost in the moment. It had been almost four hours since I last took a break. Remember, from now on, I'll have to keep some place names and state names hidden due to the events I handled and faced. 

Anyway, my body was asking for a break, and I realized... 

Why didn't I lube my chain after all these kilometres? Well, it's the perfect excuse to take a pause and relax for a bit. I stopped and soon faced a challenge... because of the panniers and top box, the rear wheel was touching the ground. I needed someone to push down the front wheel so I could rotate the rear for cleaning and lubing.

I spotted a man nearby, dressed in what looked like a traditional yet simple cotton grey long shirt and slightly dusky pants, carrying a side bag. He seemed well-educated, so I approached him for help. Without a second thought, he said, "Because of people like you, India's image is being tarnished"

For a moment, I was stunned. All my circuits just blew out... what?! Dude, I'm just asking for a little help with my bike, that's all. I didn't say anything offensive... did I? Before I could respond, he asked me, "What did you study?"

I was still processing everything. I mean, I got his point, but how on earth does my education have anything to do with my country's image? I asked him the same. He cut me off, saying, "Your father is rich?"

Yeww... Okay, I replied, trying to stay calm. "BTech," I said.

That only fueled him more. "People here don't even get proper food and water, the ones in power are kicking them around, and you educated people are just enjoying life without caring for anyone else. What's the point of your education?"

I could sense his anguish. In fact, deep down, I was glad to meet someone so passionate about these issues. But at the same time, I couldn't agree with his approach. You can't just shoot accusations without knowing anything, right?

I tried explaining my perspective and listened to him carefully. After about ten minutes of back and forth, I realized he wasn't in a state to hear me out. So, I decided to move on, riding away slowly, but my mind couldn't digest the situation.

What must have happened in his life to make him think this way? What led him to carry such frustration? So many questions ran through my mind.

Eventually, I stopped again after some time, still trying to process everything. Luckily, I found a group of young guys who were more than happy to help me lube the chain.

And with that, I was back on the road, but the conversation disturbed me…

I was hungry... ahh, I remembered the laddoos in my top box that Ramya's mother had packed for me. I grabbed a couple and ate them. But my cough was getting worse because of those...

Still, his image wouldn't leave my mind.

Why did he say those words? What happened to him? What made him speak like that without knowing anything about me? I searched Google about the place, hoping to find something related to Naxal activity, but found nothing, any universities, nearby? nothing, Law colleges? No... 

Then who was he? What pushed him to say such harsh words?

Even after riding for a while and taking pit stops, his words kept echoing in my head. The beautiful clouds above couldn't distract me. But slowly, my brain, which has faced tougher thoughts before, started ignoring it bit by bit...

I mean, while riding, another reality hit me.

People often call some states in India "communal," but during my past rides, I never saw "Hindu" or "Muslim" hotels openly displayed even in such states. Maybe they exist, maybe even in my place also, but I never noticed them... Maybe, not many?! Not sure... But here? I saw them many times. It felt different.

I also remembered my ride to Varanasi. The honking there was insane, and I felt the same here. Even though people looked educated and well-dressed, they were honking non-stop. It was giving me a headache. The traffic police were trying their best to control, but people had lost their patience.

Anyway... it was getting dark.

"Rajesh, where are you planning to stop? It's getting late!"

I had been riding for almost * hours, and I was feeling sleepy. Riding further in the dark didn't feel safe. I stopped at a hotel and asked for a room.

"Sorry, no rooms available."

I tried at three more hotels, and all said no.

Damn, this is a big *. How did I expect to find a room without booking in advance?

I saw a fancy three-star hotel. Do I really need such a costly place for just a few hours of sleep? But I needed rest, and no luck till now, so it is better to choose earlier... as Google is also not showing any nearby...

I walked in and asked for a room. The receptionist said, "Yes, sir. Available. The cost is Rs.4500. (I forgot the exact price)"

I hesitated... Rs.4500 for just a night?

I walked back to my bike, hoping he would call me back with a discount. But he didn't.

Screw it, I thought and went back in.

I agreed, and the staff welcomed me well. They carried my luggage inside. The hotel looked nice, with families coming in and out.

Once in the room, I took a bath, thought of ordering aloo paratha, and sat down to relax. Then someone from the hotel knocked on my door.

He asked me whether I am satisfied with the room or not and all... We talked casually for 5 minutes about my ride. Then suddenly, he said:

"Looks like you're tired... you can try some special services if you want."

"Special services?" I asked.

"We have Chinese and Russian girls available," he said with a smile.

What the fuck... A three-star hotel has this?

I smiled awkwardly and said no.

"Feel free to ask, sir. No hesitation, everything is safe" he added.

I shook my head, but he continued, "We also have local girls if you're interested."

I said no again and smiled. Families were walking in and out of this place, and this was happening?

Anyway, I decided to step out for a walk.

I walked around the slums and met a guy, my age (maybe). We started talking about the place. I told him about my ride and all... Slowly, I asked him, "Can you show me the real side of this place? I'll pay."

He agreed and asked, "What do you do for a living?"

"I work a job," I replied.

We went to a small food stall; he ate some non-veg while I had tea. Then he asked, "By real side, do you mean... sex?"

I laughed and said, "No, not really."

He laughed and took me to a building. As soon as we entered, a strong smell hit me... cheap perfume mixed with sweat, cigarettes, masalas, navaratan oil and alcohol.

We climbed a narrow staircase to the first floor. The moment I stepped in, I felt like I was in another world.

The music was loud, the disco lights were blinking, and the air was thick with a weird smell. Drunk men were dancing and shouting.

On the small stage, barely a two-foot high, teenage girls (mostly) were dancing... almost naked. Their faces were covered in pink blush, and heavy red lipstick or vice versa, and their expressions were lifeless (at least for some)

People were throwing some currency notes and coloured papers at them (mostly coloured papers). Some men went up to the stage and touched them. A few girls looked fine with it, but some had helpless faces.

I saw an old, fat man sitting on a chair, eating some shit, and pinching an young girl's thigh. She was smiling (real smile?!) and said something to him that I was not able to hear.

Behind a curtain, I saw another drunk  FATTY BELLY man lying on top of a girl. I wondered how she was even breathing.

I felt my eyes filling up.

The guy with me asked, "Enjoying?"

I nodded.

He whispered, "If you pay, you can take a girl upstairs."

I asked, "Does the money go to the girl?"

"Not sure, bro"

I told him I wanted to leave. He agreed.

As we walked out, I thought of reporting this. But I felt it was pointless and I felt shieldless (at least for now).

Yeah... no point in reporting it here. 

I asked him about daily wages, literacy, communism and all... He tried answering them that he knew...

Back at the hotel, I couldn't hold it in anymore. I cried. I don't know why, but my eyes were red and swollen, my nose was running... I couldn't digest what I had just seen. I may not be a mahan insaan, but seeing such a such makes even Veerappan cry.

I kept asking myself questions... How true am I? How real is the world?

After struggling with my thoughts for a while, I finally fell asleep at 1 AM.

Day 4 - Mishaps, Encounters, and Lessons Learned:

I woke up early. I didn't even take a bath. I just wanted to leave the place as soon as possible. I packed up and hit the road at 7 AM (If I am not wrong).

As I rode, my cold and cough got worse. Yesterday's emotions messed up cold and then eventually made everything worse.

Anyway, on the roadside, I saw an old vendor selling a strange fruit. I stopped and asked him about it. He peeled one and gave it to me. I didn't really like the taste, but I still bought some of 20 rs.

I continued riding, trying to shake off last night's thoughts.

The journey is going on... It's already day 4. I have been riding for a maximum of 6 hours with many stops... my body is not supporting the ride anymore. I noticed something troubling... My front brake calliper had lost oil from the calliper nipple. Ah, fuck! Why didn't I tighten it properly when I changed it? I blamed myself a lot for this mistake.

Because of this, my front brake wasn't working well. Since I couldn't find brake oil in this remote place, I managed a jugaad with engine oil. Not the best solution, but it worked for now. Darkness started setting in much earlier than expected...

Then I called a guy there in Gangtok. I got his number from a fellow rider I met during my Varanasi ride two years ago. He had done a Sikkim ride before. When I asked him about Sikkim, he told me everything about the region, and the required passes, and even shared a contact for accommodation. You can't visit all places in Sikkim without proper passes, and having someone to help makes things much easier.

I called that Gangtok guy and asked if he could help me with a hotel stay if I reached by 2:30 AM. He said no and suggested stopping at a place called ... It turned out to be a great decision. The road from Silliguri to Gangtok is not easy... Riding at night would have been very difficult, and I wasn't even aware of that. His advice really helped me.

I decided to book a stay... I opened Airbnb and found a hostel ... Well, that works for me. I just needed a few hours of sleep. It was getting really dark. After riding for four more hours, I was nearing the place, but then I made a mistake. Instead of taking the downward road, I mistakenly took the national highway. Because of that, I missed my route by 7 km... which meant 14 km extra in total.

I was getting confused again, so I called the stay. They helped me with a lot of patience. While I was trying to reach the place, a group of youngsters started riding behind me... They kept asking where I was coming from and other questions. Honestly, I wasn't in the mood to answer. My body and brain were already struggling. I didn't reply to them. They honked a few times and then rode ahead, doing some bike stunts in front of me.

Finally, I reached the stay. The owner looked young and welcomed me warmly. He mentioned that he was also a rider and that they had recently started this hostel. My inner thoughts? Dude, that's great, but I just need to sleep.

I went inside, washed my face, and without even removing my riding pants just the other gear... I fell asleep. What a night! I slept like anything...

Day 5 - The Road to Gangtok:

Around 7 AM, I woke up and noticed a rack of books nearby in the stay. One book caught my attention... The Call of the Wild. (I suggest you all read it)

I didn't finish the book completely, but I really liked it. It was another emotional rollercoaster... but that's okay. I enjoyed it.

While I was sitting there, I got a chance to talk about my ride with one of the managers. She added her thoughts too... but I had to start moving soon. I hadn't taken a bath, but I decided to leave anyway. And then... ahh, the bike wouldn't start... Bike's battery was drained...

Well, no worries... I could manage with the kick rod. I thought I'd find a battery shop and get it changed there. That was my plan for day 5, but I never got a chance to find it in the next few days. I managed with the kick rod all the way.

Anyway, I started riding, and soon enough, my stomach started rumbling with hunger. I found a roadside hotel and had aloo paratha again. Did I like it that much? Not really. But the rest of the menu was unfamiliar to me, and I couldn't eat rice... it makes me feel heavy and drowsy if I take heavy like rice. So, I went with Paratha again. I ate... but am I really eating just once a day? Yeah, that's true. Somehow, during this ride, I've been managing with one meal a day.

Anyway, I slowly started experiencing the ghat roads for the first time on this trip, after three or four days of riding. The Siliguri Road... it's really beautiful. I started enjoying it... those lovely curves with water flowing by the side.

And I took a few more pictures along the way... mostly using the GoPro...

I was so glad I didn't complete the journey last night. I would have missed all this in the darkness. Thanks to John... the guy who helped me with the passes... he had suggested not to ride at night.

And then...

The Teesta River... flowing above, surrounded by towering mountains, winding curves... Isn't this what life is all looking for? What a place! I felt like I was riding in Nepal's Mustang again, but with beautiful, vibrant houses on the hills...

After riding for a few more kilometres, I finally crossed the road. Why not take a picture? I saw a couple enjoying the view, how can they? disturbed them, and asked them to click a picture for me. Haha...

After enjoying the view for a moment, I started riding again... and finally, I reached this milestone... Yesss... achieved it...

Humans are bound to make it... yep... Now what? Time to meet John.

The road ahead had too many slopes. This meant relying heavily on engine braking. Trust me, I've seen many accidents... Especially in Sikkim... Mostly people rented bikes from Siliguri and depended too much on their brakes. Dude, on such steep slopes, never trust brakes completely... they fail. You have to rely on engine braking more.

Anyway, after so many curves, slopes, and steep climbs, I reached Gangtok.... the capital of Sikkim. 

Very neat and clean than I expected... 

Anyway, I called John, and he sent me the location. Well, most of the roads in Sikkim are full of sharp 140, 30, 20, and 60-degree up-downs. Since Sikkim is in the mountains, you can't expect flat roads for long distances. Anyway, I finally reached the place but still got a bit confused. John guided me, and yeah... finally, we met.

Now, what's the plan? Can I actually follow the plan I had in mind? Let's see...

After a quick greeting, John handed me the keys to the room and some hot water. Honestly, I didn't like the room. 

I can adjust anywhere, but after such an adventurous ride, my brain needed some peace. I thought about saying no, but since he was the one who helped me with the passes, my heart didn't let me. So, I parked my bike and decided to stay.

Anyway, it was time to freshen up. The temperature was really cold... maybe around 8 degrees Celsius? Not sure, but it was freezing. Time to unload myself and get refreshed.

After that, I called John and asked him to help me explore Gangtok. He suggested visiting places like Hanuman Tok, Ganesh Tok, a few monasteries, the ropeway, Tashi View Point, MG Road, and all. He also mentioned that he would give me the pass copy tomorrow, as he forgot to include one of the places I needed. That was fine since I wasn't planning to visit everything today.

I checked all the places he mentioned on Google, along with a few extras... they looked nice. It was just around 3 PM, so If I am not wrong... Let's see how many places I can enjoy instead of rushing through them. I wore my jacket, geared up, and came downstairs. There, I met a young guy who suggested the best order to visit places to save time.

I pinned everything on the map and started exploring. I managed to visit most of the places except the ropeway. People told me it closes by 6 PM, which made me a bit sad... but what could I do? At least I enjoyed all the other spots.

The roads, though... Dude, how do people even manage here? It felt like I was constantly climbing up and going down massive hills. But I enjoyed every bit of it. Some of my fav pics (I included some pictures that I missed above, but I liked)

My last stop for the day was Mahatma Gandhi ji Road in Gangtok. But where should I park my bike? I saw an elderly man nearby and asked him. He told me that bikes aren't allowed on MG Road. I asked him if he could help me, and when I told him I had come all the way from Hyderabad on a solo ride, he smiled and said, "This is my shop, you can park here... but only for an hour or two, I need to close my shop." That was more than enough for me.

I thanked him and started walking. I really liked the vibe of MG Road... fancy places, new faces, stylish outfits... everything looked so neat and clean.

I took some pictures here and there...

Then I tried Momos... From this point on, my journey was mostly filled with momos and Maggi. God knows how I managed with just these two... Why not other food? Well, this was the only thing I could find everywhere. I’m still wondering why and how.

Anyway, it was time to return to the hotel. I thought of thanking the uncle, but I wasn't able to find him... rode back. My heart kept saying, Rajesh, why did you miss the ropeway? But well... what could I do?

Back at the hotel, I had a small chat with John. He asked me how I felt and about my journey so far. We had a great conversation.

Finally, it was time to sleep. As I lay in bed, I kept thinking about where to go next and how to plan the coming days in Sikkim. I did a bit of Googling and finally said goodbye to the day.

Day 6 - Passes, Plans, and Priorities:

The plan was simple. I needed to leave Gangtok and explore other places in East Sikkim (where Gangtok is located) or head to North Sikkim. Most areas in East and North Sikkim require a pass, and foreigners aren't allowed as they are restricted zones near the India-China border.

I called John about the pass, and he confirmed it was ready for the dates I requested, 17th to 22nd. He got the passes for the places he suggested and the ones I mentioned to him. After some thought, I realized it's better to explore North Sikkim first and then East Sikkim. That way, I could take a different exit route instead of riding back on the same road.

If I chose North Sikkim first, my journey would start from Mangan (3,900 ft), the last place to fuel up. Beyond that, there's nothing... so carrying a jerry can for extra fuel was a must. I also learned from blogs and videos that it's better to travel with less weight, as the terrain is tough. The network is unreliable, GoPros are not allowed, and it's a remote and highly restricted area.

After Mangan, the next stop would be Chungthang (5,300 ft), from where I could take two routes... right to Lachung (8,500 ft), leading to Yumthang Valley (11,500 ft) and Zero Point (15,300 ft), or left to Lachen (8,400 ft), which takes you to Thangu Valley (12,500 ft), Kala Patthar (13,500 ft), and the famous Gurudongmar Lake (17,800 ft). Altitude sickness can hit as early as Mangan... I had seen people vomiting on the road in some places. Oxygen cans, a first-aid kit, and bike tools were a must... especially for a solo rider like me.

However, I decided to go to East Sikkim first. Why? Because I wanted to explore the same road multiple times if I got a chance. If I did North Sikkim first and then East Sikkim, my body might force me to exit without exploring the East roads again. So, by choosing East first, I kind of locked my plan.

In East Sikkim, my plan was to visit Nathula Pass, the beautiful lakes, slopes, the Himalayas, the famous Silk Route, Harbhajan Singh Mandir, museums, and many other amazing spots. I packed my panniers, got my pass, and started my ride.

Day 7 - Lost Gloves, Found Perspectives:

At the first checkpost, they check my pass and stamp it. It was now Day 7 of my ride... and here came the first problem. John had forgotten to give me an additional paper required at the checkpost and I was not aware. I called him, and he quickly sent it via WhatsApp. Luckily, I found a nearby Xerox shop and got a printout.

While handling this, I realized something... I lost my right-hand riding glove. Well, it's almost a ritual for me. In almost every yearly ride, I somehow end up losing the right glove! Anyway, I got the printout and returned to the checkpost.

As they were checking my papers, one of the officers asked, "Are you not an Indian? You have the Indian flag stitched on your jacket, but you're not speaking Hindi." I replied, "Our first language isn't Hindi, so it's a bit difficult to communicate."

He responded, "It's the same for us too, but aren't we speaking Hindi? Why can't you? Hindi is the national language; it's a shame." Then he added something like, "Are you ashamed to speak Hindi?"

I just smiled and moved on without arguing. I knew picking a fight without weighing the situation could ruin the entire ride. Remember... A true fighter who wants a solution isn't the one who jumps into battle just like that... but the one who knows when to strike and when to step back. But staying silent? That's not who Janaki Rajesh is... The Indian in me never let it slide when it comes to my country especially. I took it where it truly mattered - submitted a formal complaint to the SP and DIG, armed with recorded evidence.

I have to hide a few details here as the ball is still with them...

Anyway, let's enjoy some views.

Then, I came across this sign...

and this?!!

It hurt me a lot - "Welcome to China?" What the... This is India, and it will always be.

Here are some more pictures...

Everything around was so scenic. I'm not mentioning any specific lake names because each one is named after its shape... elephant, heart, etc. But trust me, they’re all breathtaking.

Above picture was taken by a Sardar Ji uncle I met there. He was exploring Sikkim with his family. When I asked him to take a photo, he asked, "Where's your gang?" I said, "I'm a solo rider."

He smiled, patted my shoulder, and said, "All the very best, my boy. Jai Hind!"

Wow... that tap on my shoulder filled me with so much happiness. I was blushing, smiling, and feeling proud. I saluted him back by keeping hand on my heart and bending a bit down... Jai Hind, sir.

Sardar Jis are built differently... I always feel they are one of India's strongest pillars. These days, some people disrespect the Indian flag in the name of Khalistan, but true Sikhs are different. They never let their country down. There's a big difference between them... both may be Sikhs, but a true Sikh follows their guru with full devotion and never disrespects their land.

Moving on, I reached Nathula Pass...

Nathu La is a mountain pass in the Dongkya Range of the Himalayas, connecting China's Yadong County in Tibet with the Indian state of Sikkim. It stands at 4310 meters and links Kalimpong and Gangtok to the villages of the Chumbi Valley.

Hopefully, I didn't take any pictures in restricted areas (Atleast intentionally, I didn't for sure), but here are some from the non-restricted zones...

Next was Harbhajan Baba Mandir...

I heard the story from an army officer there. Sepoy Harbhajan Singh of the 23rd Punjab Regiment went missing while leading a pack of mules from Tukla to Deng Dhukla, both remote areas in East Sikkim. A manhunt was launched, and after three days, his body was found. 

It is said that soon after his last rites were performed, soldiers in the regiment started experiencing strange occurrences. Some claimed to have seen Harbhajan Singh in their dreams, guiding them through the treacherous terrain and warning them of potential dangers ahead. His presence was so strongly felt that reports of his spectral assistance grew frequent.

The legend took a more profound turn when one of his fellow soldiers reported receiving clear instructions from Harbhajan Singh in a dream about the exact location of an impending landslide, which helped the army avoid a major disaster. Word spread, and over time, the belief solidified within the regiment that Sepoy Harbhajan Singh's spirit continued to serve the Indian Army even after his death.

In recognition of his unwavering dedication, the army set up a shrine in his honor, known as Baba Harbhajan Singh Mandir. 

This place is more than just a memorial; it's a symbol of faith, devotion, and patriotism.

Anyway, after exploring a few more places and taking some pictures... Finally, I reached the famous Silk Route.

I skipped a few spots because, as I mentioned earlier, I planned to return the same way. Today's destination was Zuluk, a small village known for its scenic beauty and available stay options.

The ride to Zuluk was truly an eye feast... and all the curvy curvy roads...

I met a few riders here who were also searching for a place to stay. One of them mentioned that if we went beyond Zuluk, we could find better stays with mobile signal availability. They were discussing it, and I asked if I could join them.

I needed a mobile signal because, somehow, I had lost track of my cash, and since leaving Gangtok, I hadn't found a single ATM. The plan was simple... once I got the signal, I could transfer money via UPI and get some cash from them.

We started riding together... it was getting dark, and the roads were in bad shape. I kept thinking, Did I make a mistake following them? But with limited cash, I really didn't have a choice.

After about 30 minutes of rough riding, we finally reached a place called Padamchen. We found a stay right next to the police station, which also served as a checkpost where we needed to get our passes stamped.

Ahh... Finally, my fat boy could get some rest...

By the way, below was the room I stayed.. and costed me just RS.800, including Wi-Fi, dinner, lunch, and hot water, everything. Honestly, this was the best stay I had during my entire ride.

After freshening up, I had a chance to talk to the girl who brought me above rotis.

"Are you studying?" I asked.

"I've completed my degree" she replied.

"Looking for a job?"
"Yes," she said.

I asked if she had a minute to talk because I was curious to know more about the place. She agreed.

I asked about life there... how the army treats them, if she had travelled outside Sikkim, how the government function, and if there were any notable personalities from the region who made it to history books, not just Instagram.

She shared what she knew and then spoke about their religious beliefs and the importance of reservations for their community. Then I asked,

"As an educated person, do you ever feel that many Indians don't consider you as part of the country?"

She smiled and said, "Yes, we know that, I mean because of small eyes, right..., but idiots can be anywhere... what anywhere what we do?"

"Does it hurt when you hear such comments?" I asked.

She responded, "Do we really need to take them seriously? I have the same rights as those people. Just because my brother doesn't like me, it doesn't change my relationship with my mother."

Wow! That hit deep. I asked her to repeat it, and she did. It made me proud to hear such a strong perspective from her.

One honest realization hit me... these people are like elephants of the jungle... they don't care about barking dogs. That thought gave me a sense of satisfaction.

It was time to sleep, but I was still filled with emotions from our conversation. What a girl!

I noted everything down in my diary with pride and then joined the other riders in their room for some fun. We talked for almost two hours, sharing our experiences.

I brought up the Hindi debate again, to understand their stand and to explain my perspective, but they weren't fully on board. Two guys from Odisha were also there, slightly supporting my views but still had their doubts. We discussed a lot... our rides, our work, and our life experiences.

These guys had already completed North Sikkim and were now in East Sikkim, planning to exit today. I still had North Sikkim ahead of me, and I had many doubts. They were very patient explaining the best routes and what to expect.

Not only that, they also lent me their jerry can for extra fuel and shared contacts for good stays in Lachen and Lachung. Their guidance was really helpful, and it gave me much-needed clarity on the route ahead.

I thanked them, feeling much more prepared for the next part of my journey.

Ahh, now I have a clear picture. Anyway, it's time to sleep now. I thanked them, said bye, and wished them good night.

By the way, this was the position of my Orazo.. I need to find a new pair...

Day 8 - Hunting for Riding Boots in Gangtok:

You must see this view, from the room balcony...

Anyway, I need to head back the same way and reach Gangtok, and then my plan is to go to North Sikkim. Woke up early, had my usual breakfast - Maggie and lemon tea. While getting ready, I noticed my bike had lost a few bolts.

Whenever I ride, I always carry a proper toolkit and spare bolts, and it really helped me this time. I fixed the bolts, lubed the chain, and started packing up. Pulled out all the chargers, secured the luggage, said goodbye to the guys there after having my fav maggie and tea, and got ready to leave. But man, Fat boy didn't start for almost 15 mins, and as I do not have power start now, it became more difficult to convince him, anyway, after that, without wasting any more time, I hit the road, revisiting all the places I had missed earlier.

As you know, I noticed that most of my shoe sole was almost worn out. I really needed to buy a new pair in Gangtok. At first, I planned to go straight to Mangan and stay there, but I wasn't sure if I could find riding shoes in Mangan. Also, I found out that there can be a stop before Mangan and that closes early in the evening, so there was a high chance I wouldn't make it on that day, especially since I needed to find riding shoes and that too, in size 7.

Anyway, I rode very slowly, enjoying the surroundings, and pinned down the address of a shop called Wheelerzhub that sells riding gear. Reached there by afternoon, but my luck was bad... they didn't have my size (size 7).

Just then, I met a guy near the shop who was also into biking. He told me that there are only two or three shops in Gangtok that sell riding gear, and this was the best bet for boots... I was like.. WHAT THE FUCK?! In the capital city?!. Well, if I couldn't find my size here, the only other option was the Royal Enfield store, but it had shifted to a new location, he added. He explained the way, and just as I was about to leave, I heard someone honking behind me... it was him again.

"Follow me," he said and led me to the RE store in Gangtok. He had recently bought an RE bike, so he seemed to know people at the store. He talked to them, bargained a lot for some stranger like me, and they applied some coupons. Finally, I got a pair of boots originally priced at 15K for just 9K. Still pricey, but I had no other option. When it comes to RE - accessories, we find too much of price difference between online and offline, was the point I got to know there... I mean, I found the same boots around 8.5K in the internet, when I asked them the same, they said so many invalid reasons... 

Anyway, I thanked him, and we followed each other on Instagram. He shared stories about his first ride to Nepal, and we chatted for a while. Before parting ways, we hugged, and that was it.

Honestly, these boots were a lifesaver.

Honestly, I felt something slipping away when I left my Orazo boots in the dustbin. Those boots had been with me on every ride. I wasn't ready to throw them away, but I had no space to carry them. I tried a lot, but it just wasn't possible. So, I hugged them one last time and left them in the bin.

I set the map to John's place again and told him I was coming back to the room. Checked into the same hotel, but this time, the room was far worse than the previous one. Took a bath, had rice and dal from the same hotel, and sat for a while.

The girl working there is from Nepal... just a kid, maybe in her 20s. The opposite room was filled with drunk guys, and I told her not to come upstairs alone. She just smiled and said, "Don't worry bhaiya, my brother works here too. If anyone dares something, he won't give them a second chance." Haha, crazy girl.

I mean, I'm not saying I'm some saint who doesn't look at women. I do. I turn my head like many others, I feel it too... but I know my limits. And I think it's those limits that keep many things in civilization, isn't it?!

Anyway, it was time to end Day 8 of my ride. Oh, before I slept, I called John and asked him to keep my panniers with him. I planned to carry only the top box, toolkit, some clothes, first aid, DSLR, chargers, and the jerry can. He said okay, and that was the last word for the day.

Day 9 - When the Road Strikes Back:

It's a good morning again... There's still so much to do and so many places to cover. I realized I might not be able to finish everything within my planned leave. To be on the safe side, I messaged my manager and informed her about it. Honestly, she's one of the rare managers I've come across... friendly and understanding. Many teams and companies would dream of having someone like her. She replied, "Sure, no problem. Safe travels, have fun!" And honestly, I'm not just saying this because of her response... she genuinely takes care of things when we deliver what's expected. 

Anyway, since I had a few extra days now, I decided to start early. The plan was to stop at Mangan, fill up the tank and the jerry can, and also get a bag. It looked like there would be complete off-road sections ahead, and if my top box gave up due to being overweight, it would be a big headache.

So, I rode slowly towards Mangan. My new boots were also causing a lot of discomfort, and because of that, I got water blisters on both legs after just a day of wearing them. Anyway, ignore those... I continued enjoying the ride...

Now, the point is simple... once I leave Mangan, it's a complete restriction zone. I had to decide where to go - Chumthang -> Lachung or Lachen. I chose Lachung, and well... that turned out to be a big mistake. You'll understand why soon.

Anyway, I reached Mangan, bought a bag, packed some luggage in it, and secured it with bungee cords. I filled up the tank and the jerry can, then called my parents to let them know I might not be able to call for the next two or three days, so they shouldn't worry. After that, I started riding, and soon the bad roads began. I found out that many roads were completely washed away by last year's floods. People warned me to ride carefully because it was going to be tough.

(I changed the place of the jerry can after this pic, you should never keep it above the silencer, JFYI)

And then came another hurdle. Bikes like the Classic 350 do have low ground clearance and that is one of the reasons to not to carry him on off roads... So what happened you know? One big stone hit my rear brake from underneath on that off-road stretch. Ahh, that was it... the rear brake lever bent completely, and the bike wouldn't move.

Now I had two problems... first, I needed to find a slope, and second, it was getting dark fast. I had maybe 30 minutes to an hour left for natural light access, and there was no chance of finding a repair shop in such a remote area.

I know how to fix it, all the tools required were also there with me... but I need hammar too, to reshape the bent lever... I found a guy who was fixing his JCB (Works for Border Roads Organisation)... I badly need a hammar to reshape the lever.. I kept the bike aside and went there and asked him whether he has... He had, but it was a big hammar... and said me to drag the bike near his place if I want it...

Somehow, I managed to drag the bike, removed the silencer, and tried to straighten the lever using a stone, and the cylinder rod as well. The hammer he had was way too big to handle, so a stone was my only option... but I managed.

Anyway, remember this ... if you're planning a long ride, first learn everything about your bike. You might have managed so far without knowing much, but one situation like mine could land you in the worst trouble of your life.

The brake wasn't fully fixed but was good enough to manage. If it acted up again, I thought of removing the lever completely. After all, I had the front brake and could use engine braking on the slopes, but it was risky. And another problem... since the spring lost its strength, the lever kept going down, which meant a high chance of hitting another stone and also, because of no strength in the spring the brake was slightly being applied. So, I had to keep pulling it back up with my shoe while riding. I tried to adjust the existing spring, but it didn't work well, and with darkness approaching, I decided to handle it later at a stay.

Finally, after crossing these terrible roads, 

I reached a checkpost. They checked my pass, explained the restrictions, and were selling oxygen for money. They didn't accept outside oxygen easily. I mean, they did but warned me not to bring it next time. They even tested my can to see if it was real oxygen, I felt good.

After the checkpost, I saw a lot of army vehicles, which meant I had reached Lachung. Found some rooms too, and the guys I met earlier had told me about a place with a great view. But the road was jammed with army trucks. That's when I met Srikanth, Vyshnav, and Anand. We just greeted each other while on our bikes and realized they were also looking for a stay.

Vyshnav and Anand looked like young students with a Dominar bike, and they were from Namchi in Sikkim. Srikanth, a well-built guy in his 30s, had rented a bike from Siliguri. All three proper are from Kerala. Vyshnav and Anand said they couldn't afford a stay beyond 1000 Rs. I told them, "I'm heading to this place, if you want, we can share and split the cost."

We reached the stay, and the owner was Ali. He had taken the place on lease from the house owner, as only locals can own houses there. Outsiders with money lease them and run businesses. Ali was a friendly guy. He offered us a room for 1300 Rs with a view or 1000 Rs without it. Srikanth and I chose the one with a view, while the other two settled for the 1000 Rs option.

Srikanth is a name that fed in my brain so hard. He challenged my views with his proven facts and logic, and even though I didn't agree with everything, he's a knowledgeable guy.... a leftist, as I later found out.

We had a long chit-chat with Ali. The house owner was also moving there, greeting here and there, a cool lady with two kids... a mid-school girl and a cute little 2-year-old boy.

Later, we (Rajesh, Srikanth, vyshnav, and Anand) four decided to take a walk around Lachung. Srikanth and I walked ahead while the young guys followed behind. We had a deep talk about society, why he leans towards leftist ideas, his love for Lord Shiva, Kerala's culture, religious beliefs, football, cricket, Sunil Chhetri, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, language issues, Che Guvara, Indian Flag and many more. He had some strong opinions, and I disagreed on a few things... like tax money allocations to states by central, Karnataka's language issues, BJP in Kerala, CPIM, and governance in some states.

After walking a good stretch, we decided to grab some food. And that's when we found this restaurant...

The food here was really nice... everyone loved it, especially the coffee. We ordered French fries, potato wedges, and a lot more. One funny thing I noticed was that, unlike Hyderabad or any other place I've been to, where they serve tea or coffee after finishing the food, here they just bring everything at once - no rules, haha.

After finishing our meal, we headed back to the room and I decided to walk alone for some time, there Some kids after seeing my riding pants, curious about my ride and plan asked me whether I was doing any vlogs, what my YouTube channel... when I said no... asked for my Instagram account. They were all below 15 years old and followed me. Somehow, I always seem to attract the attention of kids or elderly grandpas - this has happened on all of my rides. And whatever I post, those kids still DM me with messages like "nice," "wow," "butipull," "100 emoji", and "Yes"... innocent souls.

Anyway, after spending some time alone, reached the room... I and Srikanth discussed some plans for tomorrow morning, basically, we dug a bit to understand how to reach Yumthang and Zero Point, about photos, and all. I forgot... once we reached the room, the view was breathtaking even at night, so I tried capturing a few low-light shots with my DSLR.

It was time to sleep, but man, it was freezing. Even with so many clothes and blankets, I couldn't manage. But despite the cold, our debates went on. Slowly, we dozed off.

Day 10 - Right Where I Felt the Most Alive:

Day 10 started with an amazing view. Early in the morning, I captured a timelapse of the sunrise. Around 7:30 AM, anddd I saw something incredible... both the sun and the moon at the same time.

It was the first time I had ever seen such a scene. After taking a few more shots, we got ready to leave for Yumthang and Zero Point. We ordered breakfast ... Ali made it for us. The guys had omelettes, but for me, it was my love of life - Maggie.

Just as we were about to leave, we saw that Srikanth's Himalayan had a puncture. We found out that there was a guy who could fix it, but he'd come a little late. So, we decided to leave his bike there and go on mine... Me and Srikanth on my fat boy RE, and the young guys on their Dominar.

Before leaving, I noticed that their bike's rear tyre had completely worn-out treads. On my way to work, I've often observed that many teens and young riders tend to speed up when others are around. With those bald tyres and no proper riding gear, if these blokes do the same, any fall could turn serious, especially if they went down in a group. So, to avoid any potential risks, I intentionally suggested that we split up. They left first, and we followed 15 minutes later.

On the way, I wanted to buy woollen hand gloves because the cold here was brutal... felt like knives cutting through my skin. I bought a new pair, but even then, I couldn't ride comfortably. Srikanth gave me his gloves also and kept his hands inside his jacket. It helped a little, but the roads were too curvy and slippery, and the cold was just too much.

And then, boom!!!! We fell on black ice. It was an uphill stretch, and the ice made it impossible to get traction - my tyres weren't made for such conditions. Srikanth started pushing, and after a very good number of attempts, we finally managed to move ahead.

Then, we saw this one idiot on a Ninja H2 SX with his girlfriend or wife... I'm not sure.... He couldn't move ahead and was struggling while she was recording a video of him, probably for memories. Instead of figuring things out, he started scolding her and those all are shittiest words. What he didn't realize was that low-traction bikes like his aren't meant at all for such roads. It was his lack of skills, not completely his bike's fault too. Srikanth and I were talking about him, a lot.

Anyway, I decided to put chains on my tyres because handling the bike without them would be too risky; with those tyres...

We started moving again, by stopping here and there...

We didn't stop at Yumthang's viewpoint because we had to come back the same way while returning, so we went straight to Zero Point, enjoying all the views and taking pictures along the way.

After a while, we realized that the chains on the tyres weren't needed anymore, so we decided to remove them and keep them for later, just in case we faced tougher roads ahead. But the challenges weren't over yet.

Someone told us that we could go beyond Zero Point to see another frozen lake. Oh, and I forgot to mention... we met two more riders from Kerala. They had ridden across India and were ending their trip in Sikkim before heading home to Kerala. One of them was riding a Himalayan, and I forgot the other bike. Anyway, the four of us decided to check out the frozen lake, but the black ice and risky slopes were too much to handle. So, we turned back to Zero Point.

Ahh, what a beauty. We walked on the ice with the Indian Flag, we took some pictures and felt the effects of low oxygen, but we managed.

And look at this...

Some idiot had done this. When only a few have common sense, what can you expect? Anyway, we reached a spot where tea was being sold. Man, having tea in such cold weather is like heaven. They were also serving alcohol also... it's up to people to choose what they want.

After spending some time there, we started back and stopped at several places to take more pictures before reaching Yumthang.

Honestly, we didn't even stay at Yumthang for five minutes. It wasn't as impressive compared to what we had already experienced. We moved on, and by now, the oxygen levels didn't feel like an issue anymore.

When we reached the spot where Srikanth's bike was supposed to be fixed, the guy who was supposed to hadn't touched it yet. When we called about it, he said he'd do it by tomorrow morning. Well, what could we do? In such remote places, he was the only option, and with Enfields having tube tyres, it's always a headache. If you want tubeless tyres, you have to buy them separately. Anyway, a different problem for another day.

Finally, we completed the Zero Point trip and returned with a lot of memories. When we reached the stay, the young guys were already there. Turns out, they had fallen on the way, and their bike had lost most of its plastic front. We decided to remove the damaged parts but not today.

We freshened up - not a full bath, just a basic wash... and went out to roam around again. We visited the same restaurant and tried Momos and my fav Maggie.

Back at the stay, Ali dropped a bomb on me... Lachen was closed for the next 20 days! Dude, why?! Landslide. They had opened the road just 10 days ago after two years, and now it was closed again. I felt really sad for the people stuck there. I asked multiple people to confirm, and it was true. There was no way to reach Lachen.

Fuckkk... No way... nothing more, I slept for the day as if someone was dead... that's all for the day.

Day 11 - Glasses, Fog, Namchi Nights: 

Woke up early with the same dead mood, but handled it slowly, with all these views.... 

Anyway, what's the plan for the day?! I thought of going to Katao, which people call a mini Switzerland, but Srikanth wasn't ready, and it was already getting late. The roads were tough, and riding back in the dark wasn't a good idea. I considered parting ways and going solo, but my brain told me to save it for another trip when I came for Lachen.

Instead, I decided to head to Pelling in West Sikkim. It's far, but the roads there are better smooth, with monasteries, tea gardens, and views of Kanchenjunga. I told Srikanth, and he agreed to join. The young guys had to reach Namchi, which was on the way to Pelling, so they decided to ride along till Namchi.

I made it clear to Srikanth... I might stop anytime if I feel like it. Because, I wanted to do things my way without feeling tied to anyone. That's why I never join group rides. I meet a lot of riders, but I always prefer my solo way. If I feel attached, I let them know, and that's why I exactly told Srikanth.

With the plan set, we said bye to everyone. We removed the damaged winglet and front fender from the Dominar. Meanwhile, Srikanth finally got his bike fixed. And see this kid...

That's the owner's kid... such a beautiful little guy. He's handling the cold better than me, with less clothing than I have, haha.

Anyway, Lachung to Pelling is around 120 km, and we were pretty sure we wouldn't reach before dark. Ali really wanted us to go to Katao, but honestly, I wasn't interested anymore. Another reason was that I love the Himalayas when they have patches of snow, not fully covered. I fell in love with that scene during my last ride to Mustang, Nepal. If you ask me why, I don't have an answer. Well, let me tell you this... Whenever I find something I like - whether it's a song or a place... I keep experiencing it until I get bored so I can move on. But with the Himalayas and bikes, no... I don't want to lose interest. Katao would have been a repeat, and I didn't want to risk feeling less excited about it in the future.

Anyway, before we left, the house owner told us so many things about the road, what to do and what not to do. She's not educated, but she's making sure her kid studies at any cost. A beautiful person at heart. Maybe today, in the name of education, we are missing these simple life lessons like the ones she has... Do we need dedicated time to teach this stuff also? Not sure...

With a heavy heart, we left Lachung. The young guys left a little earlier than us, and just when we started, they called saying they ran out of fuel.

I was like Dudee... anyway, we had petrol in our jerry cans, but we had already poured in our bikes, so now we needed to find fuel. We got some black market petrol on the way and reached them. Before giving it to them, I schooled them a bit about planning properly when it comes to some basics. They apologized, and I also reminded them yesterday about the importance of riding gear since they didn't have any.

We started moving again and decided to stop for some food. Had my fav Maggie and coffee again, and honestly, this was the only place where I really liked Maggie.. spicy, soupy.... While eating, we met some army guys proper from Kerala who had come for tea, these guys had some discussion in Malayalam and then these 3 (Srikanth, Vyshnav, and Anand) got into a discussion about Ronaldo, Messi, and other football stuff I don't know much about.

Anyway, we rode like anything, stopping at a few places that caught my eye, like this one below.

By the way, I didnt edit this picture; the water actually looks like that.

Took some more pictures and kept moving. It was getting dark…

And here comes another problem - my glasses. The fog started forming on the glasses, and I couldn't see a thing. Since I have eyesight issues, it's difficult to ride in such a situation, and that too with just a headlamp. I could turn on my fog lights, but it was a single road in both directions, and I didn't want to blind the oncoming traffic. I told Srikanth that I might not be able to ride fast and that he could move ahead. But he, along with the young guys, rode slow for me.

The road was wet and curvy, and the bike was skidding a lot - I could feel it. The thing about Sikkim's roads is that, unlike regular ghat roads where you get some time to breathe, here it's either a steep climb or a sudden downhill, and that too for a very good amount of time then a turn comes up, repeat. Nothing, just pure focus needed.

Anyway, finally, we reached Namchi, where the young guys were staying. It was just 50 km from Pelling, and it was pitch dark by then. We decided to stay there for the night. We planned to have a final meal together as a group, but it didn't happen.

I wondered why I was even thinking about these young fellows much, I mean... "They're too young… if they do everything now, what will they experience later?" But then my real self kicked in and said "Let them do all this till they get bored. Who knows, maybe one day they'll channel all the energy into something - business, activism, or something else."

Leave it, we (From here, it's just Srikanth and Me) found a cheap, dirty room, but all we needed was a few hours of sleep. Dumped our luggage, freshened up, and planned to explore Namchi a bit and eat something.

We went to a place called The Box, which the young guys had recommended earlier. We went there and asked about how they prepare veg and non-veg food... We ordered a huge amount of food but couldn't finish it all. The food was fantastic, and I tried a cold tea that I absolutely loved - but it made my cough worse. Srikanth said, "You must come here with your wife one day to experience this place."

At first, I thought of not mentioning this place, but I felt like genuine explorers should know about it. If you've made it this far in my story, it means you have patience... the kind of patience that keeps places clean, avoids unnecessary fights, and respects the space. If not people like you, then who?

Why did I like Namchi so much? It’s just a small town. But the vibe… there's this place called Central Park, open at night. 

Street dogs have warm clothes on, no creepy uncles staring at teenagers, no cringe reels, no adults acting weird, no loud religious noises - just kids cycling, some reading books, others enjoying the place, and elderly people counting stars. It felt more European than Europe itself.

After spending some time talking about how great the place was, I told Srikanth that I really wanted to explore Namchi more. He was in too. It was just 50 km to Pelling, so why not? We googled and found some places - 108 ft Lord Shiva statue, Char Dham (replicas of Badrinath, Rameshwaram, Dwarka, Puri temples), a Buddha statue, and monasteries.

We planned to wake up early and visit them. By then, my cough had worsened, and I realized I had completely lost the rear lever spring. Luckily, I found an RE mechanic in Namchi. I asked Srikanth if I could ride a pillion on his bike, and he agreed.

Day 12 - From Namchi to Pelling... The Journey Continues:

We woke up early and covered all the planned spots in Namchi on his bike and took some pictures.

We had Maggie at Char Dham, and I had two ginger teas to soothe my cough. But it wasn't enough. On the way back, we stopped at a medical shop for some quick relief meds. I had cough tablets with me in my first aid but didn't want to use them unless absolutely necessary.

Anyway, at the RE shop, I found the spring I needed. The mechanic asked, "No one stopped you?" I asked, "For what?" He said, "Riding without a pillion helmet is a Rs.5000 fine." Oh man, I forgot! I told Srikanth to ride back while I walked the 750 meters. The slopes made it tough, but I managed.

I fixed the spring and realized the rubber pad of the lever was gone too. I could have gone back to the mechanic, but I decided to do it myself. Srikanth offered to stay, but I told him he could leave if he wanted. Got everything fixed, and the mechanic even charged my battery for 30 minutes. While waiting, he gave me black coffee with some added medicine for my cough. Whether it was the medicine or the coffee, by evening, my cough was under control.

We hit the road again... steep slopes and narrow paths all the way. Finally, we reached Pelling, but it didn't look like what people described. Turns out, we needed to go 10 km further to Pelling city.

We started riding again and finally reached Pelling city that we were looking for... The next challenge... finding a place to stay. I needed a good view, so we checked a few places. One hotel was full, so we found another on Booking.com. It was pricey, but we took it. When we mentioned we wanted a view, they raised the price, but it was worth it. We settled in, freshened up, and relaxed.

We planned to explore Pelling the next day. Had dinner, except for the idly... worst idly of my life! The chef got the shape right but completely messed up the texture and taste.

Anyway, after dinner, we took an evening walk and had a deep talk about governance, Kerala, and more. We had our disagreements but good debates. That's all for the day... nothing much...

Day 13 - Pelling City:

The next morning... We took some pictures from the room. The view was stunning... Got to know it's Kanchenjunga...

We explored Pelling city, and the Pemayangtse Monastery and Buddha Temple were my favourites.

After trying some local food and having dinner at the hotel, we wrapped up the day.

Day 14 - Parting Ways:

The plan was simple... wake up early, Srikanth would head to Siliguri, and I'd go to Gangtok. Since we had the same route for a while, we decided to part ways later. 

But, by the time I woke up, he was already ready. So, we hugged and said goodbyes....

Nice fellow... single, in his 30s, knowledgeable, working in Karnataka, and a big brother to his family. He left, and I slept for two more hours.

Once I woke up, I had breakfast and started my ride back to Gangtok - 110 km ahead. This was the real downshift... heading back home. I planned to stay at John's place again, as a note of gratitude. I reached Gangtok early and decided to visit the places I missed... like the ropeway and a museum.

Anyway, I finally experienced the ropeway. Heights make me nervous when I have to stand or walk, but whenever I feel such fear, I do it again and again until it's gone.

I took the round-trip ticket, and surprisingly, it was used as a daily commute pass for locals. Even though it was enclosed, I felt a little tense but enjoyed the ride. I saw a kid enjoying it more than me.

At the ropeway, I met some guys from Kerala who came on Thar to Sikkim. We talked about Kerala, roads and travel experiences.

After that, I visited the Black Cat Museum and saw Harbhajan Baba again... So asked about Harbhajan Baba to understand more about him...

After that, I reached John's place and settled in with a lot of questions about Sikkim. I mean, I found myself filled with questions about Sikkim. Remember this - To truly understand a place, visiting its museums and libraries can reveal a lot. So, I decided to buy some books to learn more about Sikkim. I stumbled upon a great bookstore... and after reaching it.. I saw the below pic...

Ahh.. this bookstore is meant for me... I found some really good boos... But they were cheaper on Kindle, and physical ones look fatty too so I decided to take pics and buy a Kindle version of those, later... But since I was already there and spent a good amount of time, some other books, I bought...

Buying the books took quite a bit of time, but I felt genuinely happy seeing people lining up at stationery and bookstores - it's always nice to see interest in books. Afterwards, I treated myself to some French fries and a cappuccino in the tea snack shop that's there below the bookstore. That felt like a good way to end the day...

Anyway, after finishing up, I slowly walked back to the room... As I slowly walked back to my room, I couldn't help but feel emotional. It happens every time... towards the end of every ride, this overwhelming feeling creeps in and slows me down. Once in my room, sleep didn't come easily. The dullness lingered, so I decided to open my Kindle and read The Motorcycle Diaries. Three hours passed, and it helped me settle down a bit.

Now, the plan is simple dude ... Sleep, wake up early, freshen up, start early, cover 500 to 700 km per day, and reach the source in four days. With a heavy heart, I finally drifted off to sleep.

Day 15 - A Battle with Internal Thoughts and Prejudices:

Woke up early, thanked John, had a brief chat, hugged him, and we parted ways...

I didn't take the same route or pass through the same states I rode through while coming. Instead, I downshifted and rode for about 9 hours, making a few pit stops along the way. Some pit stops are the reason that I'm not mentioning the exact route I chose.

So, here's what happened... around 3 PM, hunger kicked in, and I started looking for a place to eat. I needed a hotel where I wouldn't have to deal with constant stares, a place with almost no people. When I'm exhausted, my brain prefers silence over small talk. But every hotel I came across seemed to have people crowded, and I just wasn't in the mood for that. 

Finally, I found a small hotel with just one guy inside. "Ahh, this is my place," I thought. I went in and ordered roti with kaju paneer. The guy assured me it tasted good, and I took his word for it. He handed me a water bottle, and I couldn't help but notice the misspelled brand name - Besileri. It wasn't surprising; you find such things everywhere, Even in Hyderabad.

He kindly let me charge my phone and use an open washroom. Meanwhile, he prepared fresh food, and as I ate, we had an engaging conversation about the government and people. Curious, I asked him about the religious tensions in the area. Then, I asked if he liked Mahatma Gandhi.

He said, "No."

I am completely fine with that answer... everyone has the right to their opinion. But what he said next unsettled me.

"I like Godse," he added. "Not just me, many in my village do."

I asked him why.

"If not Godse, the country would have been divided even more," he replied.

I didn't argue. Some situations don't call for further questioning. But deep inside, I felt disturbed. A person may have their reasons for their actions, but choosing violence against someone who championed non-violence is one of the biggest mistakes humanity can make - no matter the justification.

Anyway, as I was about to drink water, I noticed the man drinking from a glass filled with visible particles. I asked him about it, and he simply said, "That's why, we are strong." My eyes filled up. I didn't drink from my bottle; instead, I handed it to him, saying I wasn't thirsty, and left the place.

Riding away, my mind was flooded with thoughts. I stopped multiple times to jot down my reflections in my diary. I began observing the villages closely... seeing malnourished children, families riding on a single bike with more than three kids... Anyway, I continued and got a chance to talk to a guy who was in his 35s... He knows * a politician from his religion), but not Maulana Abul Kalam Azad... I felt really bad, I asked him, whether he heard his name anytime.. he bluffed... It's not only his mistake... 

Anyway, looks like Puspa made its mark in many states... honestly, I saw the slogan Jhukega Nahi was plastered on many vehicles with Allu Arjun pic.

All these at one side, In stark contrast, I spotted luxury cars... Porsche, BMW, Benz... while just a few feet away, I saw people struggling with malnutrition and hunger. The glaring gap between the rich and the poor left me with a heavy heart.

...With all these emotions running through me, I kept moving until darkness began to set in. I decided to stop for the night and found a small hotel in a remote area. The room was cheap, but the way the owner handed me the change for my bigger note spoke volumes... he treated me like an untouchable.

For a moment, my brain screamed, Tell him your caste, tell him that you're a Brahmin.

Wait, what? From where you are getting this shit into your brain? Isn't this exactly what you're trying to fight against? Where did your education go, Janaki Rajesh? What happened to all the books you've read, and Ambedkar’s teachings? Remember Rajesh, If you say so, you will be the failure in my heart till you die... Remember real untouchable is one who judges others by caste and XYZ non-practical factors. 

I never want to become that person. Instead, I let him stew in his own ignorance and, just to challenge his mindset, I intentionally touched him once, making him visibly uncomfortable. I found it amusing in a way.

Anyway, that was it for the day. I fell off to sleep with a sense of closure and had a good rest.

Day 16 - Observations, Encounters, and Understanding Education and Aspirations in the Region:

I started my ride early in the morning and, after two hours, stopped for breakfast at a roadside eatery. I ordered some food, and a young boy came to serve me. 

Curious, I asked him if he was going to school.

He nodded and said, "Yes."

"Which class are you in?"

"8th."

"Can you spell 'elephant'?"

He didn't say a word..just turned around and walked away.

I had my breakfast, sat there for a moment, and then quietly left too. I continued riding for almost five hours, lost in my thoughts.

As I rode on, I recorded some good shots on my GoPro, capturing the beauty of the journey. Slowly, I noticed a long line of lorries stuck on the road - stretching as far as I could see, easily an hour's wait. Since it was a single road, I carefully navigated through the gaps, moving ahead bit by bit.

After a while, exhaustion started creeping in, and all I wanted was to take a quick nap. Near a petrol bunk, I spotted a few lorry drivers resting by their trucks. After filling up my tank, I approached them and asked if I could also rest there for a while.

I slowly started getting sleep, All I needed was some rest, maybe a quick power nap. I put my mobile on charge - thanks to fast charging, it would be done in minutes... so I just fell onto the wooden bed. 

A lorry driver was sleeping beside me, and guess what… he started rubbing my belly from the side. At first, I thought someone was trying to steal something, but when I quickly opened my eyes, he stopped and acted like nothing happened.

I closed my eyes again, and he did it again. That's when I understood his intention. I asked him where he was coming from, where he was headed, and what he was carrying in the truck. Then I casually asked him if he was married... he said yes, with two kids.

I told him, "To remove my riding gear, it'll take at least an hour for you, so don't waste your time. Let me sleep, I still have 300 km to ride today." I don't know what he felt, but he slowly left with a naughty smile, haha.

After a nap, I saw the road is quite movable... I started riding again. On the way, I met a few guys... civil service aspirants. We had a healthy discussion about their state and its challenges. They took me to a famous samosa place, and I really liked it. I saw one CPI (Communist Party of India) office, and inside one of them, I noticed a movie actor's picture on the wall. It was the first time I'd seen something like that. I searched online to see if he was associated with the party... turns out, he wasn't. He was just popular in the state, hmm okay...

We talked about why I hadn't seen any good schools, stationery shops, or libraries for miles. I also noticed many young people running on the roads... looked like they were preparing for police or army jobs. I couldn't figure it out, so I asked them what was true?! They explained the caste dynamics in the region, about the previous CM and the current and all... I got it.. you should also get it...

We exchanged numbers, and I thanked them before moving on. It was getting dark, so I booked an Airbnb stay in another state... a place very close to my heart. If you ask me my favourite ride till today, it's this one. Even though it was around 300 km away, I decided to push through and reach it.

After a long stretch, I again got stuck in the Heavy vehicles zone... I was like, dudee.. Give me one last chance, please... I finally arrived. The stay was nice. The host was a young woman in her mid-20s who had recently convinced her parents to let her start this place. She was super friendly. She asked me how people choose `stays` in Airbnb and all, and I shared whatever knowledge I had and said goodbye... Without wasting another second, I washed my face and crashed on the bed to recharge my body...

Day 17 - Nothing Much:

It was a good night... She ordered food for me via Zomato, early in the morning for me. I had it, thanked her, and started my ride, without being late... 

I still had 1,200 km to reach home, so I planned to ride 650 km that day. But after around 500 km, I felt exhausted and booked an Airbnb in Jabalpur, and seriously nothing much to update here about those 500 Km...

The owner of the stay was a single woman, pregnant, and handling another kid while working from home for a Karnataka-based company. She had just listed her place, and we talked about safety measures she might need to take as a single woman running a stay.

After freshening up, I had a good sleep and planned to start early the next day.

Day 18 - Silent Stretches That Stir Emotions, Dude, Don't They?!:

She prepared me tea and gave me some food, I was almost ready to start... But nature had other plans for me... It was raining like hell... I waited for a bit, and when it slowed down, I started. Soon, heavy rain hit again, and I got completely drenched. I stopped under a bridge for an hour before starting again. The damage was done... wet clothes and that annoying irritation. I had forgotten my rain cover, so I had no choice but to suffer through it.

I didn't want to take the Jabalpur-Nagpur road again, as I'd already experienced it multiple times. But what to do... I went in the same way... Actually speaking, I hate the Jabalpur-Seoni highway because it reminds all my experiences and emotions... One after another..  Because the road had its own charm.. I mean, these silent stretches, 

with barely any houses, mess with my emotions at the end of a ride, every ride... So, I didn't want to end my trip with this route, but I had no well-suited option.

Anyway, I found a hotel on the highway and, after a long time, had a proper meal - dal Tadka. Ahh, what a taste! And Jalebi too... you should try...

After the meal, I realized I couldn't ride much longer in wet clothes, but I wanted to push as far as I could. Somewhere near Nagpur, I met another rider. We had a good chat about the problems in the place, language, his rides, his bad experiences in Hyderabad, and all... and at the end we exchanged numbers, and he offered me tea and snacks. Slowly, I crossed Nagpur, but I was feeling extremely sleepy despite having two Red Bulls.

Luckily, I found a cheap hotel to stay in for the night.

That's it, that's all for the day then a very good sleep while listening to healthy music from mosquitos.

Day 19 - Riding Home with a Heart Full of Thoughts:

Woke up early again, feeling fresh. Just 311 km left to reach home. Every time I take this highway, I always stop at my favourite dhaba for food and a sweet paan. It feels like a ritual now. (I missed taking the picture)

I had my usual last-ride feast, enjoying every bite like it was special because it always is. Before leaving, I clicked a picture of Komaram Bheem - his story, his fight, it always makes me stop and think.

As I continued riding, a storm of emotions filled my heart. Every trip leaves me with so many thoughts... about the people I met, the things I saw, and the realities I faced... Some moments made me smile, some made my eyes wet, and some left me with questions I might never answer...

Riding back home is always different. The excitement of the journey slowly fades, replaced by a strange emptiness. The closer I get, the heavier my heart feels. It's like a beautiful dream is coming to an end, and I don’t want to wake up.

Finally, I reached the last stretch, with home just a few kilometres away. A deep sigh escaped me. This ride, like every other, has changed something inside me.

Ahh, how could I forget my favourite picture?

Last but not least, I would like to thank a few:

1. Fatboy:

Obviously, my Fatboy RE... Without him, I'm nothing. We hug many times during our rides, that's the kind of bond we have...

2. Bobo full-cover mobile holder: 

In all my bike rides till today, I had a half-framed Bobo mobile holder, and twice in my previous rides, I broke my phone because of that shit not holding the phone when it comes to the off-road. It was a headache, constantly keeping an eye on it... but this time, I didn't even care. Full-cover from the same company handled everything really well.

3. Bungee cords:

I have bought bungee cords countless times, but none have lasted as long as the ones I picked up from a local market this time. They held up like anything - whether it was the water bottle, tripod, bag, or even the jerry can. They secured everything so well that I didn't have to think twice. It was never the case before with all the pricey cords before.

4. The juggad iron to hold the saddle stay and top box: 

If you've seen my previous ride, you'd know my top rack is bent down. But this time, thanks to the juggad by Basha Bhai (the welder), it held the top box like anything... and the panniers too.

5. Panniers and top box:

Till today, I always chose saddle bags and a regular top box, but carrying saddle bags everywhere - whether at a temple or beach... was always a hassle. With panniers and a proper top box, I could just lock them and roam without worries. And this top box I have now locks and unlocks from the top rack itself, unlike the previous one, so I can completely offload my luggage whenever I want.

6. Riding pants:

Till now, I used knee guards, but putting them on every time was an extra task. But in this ride, with riding pants, I didn't need to carry multiple normal pants anymore. Since I was on the ride most of the time, one pair of pants with liners was more than enough.

7. 1+ Mobile: 

I hardly used my power bank, and even then, only to charge my Sena Parani. My new 1+ phone, with its fast charging feature, gets fully charged in 15-20 minutes and lasts the entire day. That reduced half of my usual headaches.

8. GoPro batteries: 

I bought Power Smart AHDBT-801 from Amazon for my Hero 8. Seriously, one battery lasted the whole day... something that never happened with the original batteries.

And finally, in Snoop Dogg's style...

"I wanna thank me for believing in me…"

I wanna thank me for pushing through the long roads, for staying strong when exhaustion hit, for embracing the unknown, and for never giving up... no matter how tough it got.

I wanna thank me for waking up early every day, for chasing sunsets and sunrises, for listening to my heart AT LEAST A FEW DAYS EVERY YEAR, and for taking this journey despite all the doubts and fears.

I wanna thank me for stopping, observing, and feeling everything deeply... for the moments that made me laugh, the ones that made me think, and the ones that left me silent.

I wanna thank me for finding beauty in the smallest things, for seeing stories in every face I met.

I wanna thank me for daring to dream, to explore, and to keep moving forward, year by year...

Some things never change. Some journeys never truly end.

Janaki Rajesh D.

Live. Long. India.