Darn.
I haven’t seen the sun at 6 am in like 600 years. And for what do I break this record? A dumb camel ride. This has to be the stupidest idea ever.
Leave a CommentEarning My Quarter Mile Posts
Since one of the objectives was to reach Jaisalmer (have heard too much about it), the idea of getting to Jaisalmer is at the peak of my mind. As I wake up in Bikaner and have my morning cup of tea, I know that objective is going to be fulfilled today. Jaisalmer is about 330 kilometers away. And all that is spread over those 330 kilometers is even more of the mind-numbing boring straight sand banked stretch of black tarmac that I had begun to hate yesterday. But then, this is the deal I chose for myself.
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Gyaniji turned out to be somewhat funny too. I visited him in the morning to get my chain to optimum tension for the journey ahead. He presented a photographer to me. Apparently he takes the photograph of every single one of his customers for his records. So I pose on the bike and get my imprint taken for eternity to be fixed on Gyaniji’s wall (or his scrapbook) and head out.
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After the dark night came the bright sunny but completely useless day.
Leave a CommentAs I left a still sleepy Sangrur at 8.30 in the morning, the point was clear and throbbing in my head. Need to reach Jaisalmer. That was the first mistake.
Leave a CommentMcLeodganj is a quaint little town with about 4 radial roads going out from the city cetre which end before you can say ‘kaput!’. And on those 4 roads, shops sell everything from locally made handicrafts to can’t-find-even-in-Mumbai chocolates. There are Buddhist monks everywhere. The Bullet’s roaring sounds is in the air. You hear Hindi and English the least and what you hear doesn’t make much sense. People from all over the world are here. The Dalai Lama’s home is nice and pretty. Definitely worth coming. But if I am here to “see” anything, there is nothing but disappointment. No temples. No museums. No snow filled resorts. Nothing. Which is the reason why not too many Indian tourists come here. And thank god for that!
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When I slept last night, I did not know where I will go. I wanted to go to Ganganagar but the only person I knew wasn’t responding and it wasn’t worth the effort to go all the way there for nothing. So it back to nothing.
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Amritsar is a place of many joys. Not the least of them is the amazing lassi, kebab and naan they make there. Two out of three, I had the night I arrived. Check.
Leave a CommentI was lucky to leave Srinagar on Day 23. Halfway across the route I was supposed to follow today, the Prime Minister was on his way to inaugurate a hydel power project and flag off a new train line to the state. Past Ramban, I was stopped. As was every single vehicle on the road creating the largest traffic stoppage I have ever seen with my eyes. It stretched for well over 15 kilometers (primarily because the traffic was all single file) and covered over 3 towns on the highway. Being a tiny little bike which can squeeze through the tiniest spaces, I wasn’t stopped until the very end.
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Having spent the evening on the serene Dal Lake and the night in relative peace at the nice Hotel Pine Grove, I was keen to see more of the valley. No better place to see it but at Gulmarg, I was told by many. I think this was more out of habit since most tourists end up there but it was advice well taken. Woke up royally late and started for Gulmarg with just my camera at 11.
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