Royal Enfield tour Dehli - Amristar - Srinagar - Kargil - Leh, Ladakh - Manali - Dehli

Day One - 16 September 2024

The day has finally arrived after months of planning and research, I am off to India to travel on a Royal Enfield 350 Classic. Some say I am crazy riding a motorbike in India, others say I should be sectioned! Nevertheless, it has been a desire for some years and now I have the time to do it, so, after cleaning and locking up our house in Manilva, Andalusia, I had a leisurely drive up to Malaga Airport for my 4:05 p.m. flight. Malaga to New Delhi via Doha on Qatar Airways.

Hire car returned, security cleared, and a couple of beers later, I settled in my seat for the six- and three-quarter hours flight to Doha.

After my two-and-a-half-hour layover in Doha, to my utter shock as I boarded the flight from Doha to Delhi, they upgraded me to business class! This is the first time ever this has happened to me and even though the flight was only three hours and 10 minutes, just being able to lie flat for a couple of hours was wonderful! Thank you, Qatar Airways

Day Two - 17th September 2024

After touching down in Delhi at 8:05am local time, I had pre-booked a car to take me to the hotel which who was waiting for me, and promptly drove through the mayhem, which is, the Delhi traffic!

The hotel was a bit grim but in a convenient location in a place called Karol Bagh. Checking the mattress was ok, I asked them to change the sheets, pillowcases, and towels. I have no qualms on these types of trips staying in extremely basic accommodation, even hostels, but I do insist on it being clean, even at the price of £20 a night.

Luggage dumped, room to a better standard, I headed out to find a data SIM card for India and explore the area of Karol Bagh where I was staying. I stayed here because this is where I had hired the Royal Enfield Classic motorbike from.

I found a Vodafone shop (it is called VI in India) and unlike the UK where you just pop into Tesco's for a ‘pay as you go’ SIM card, not in India. The process took well over two hours. Passport copy, visa copy, entrance stamp copy, life story told, photo taken of me, photo taken of the salesperson and they even wanted a phone number of an Indian National to vouch for me! Luckily, the salesperson agreed to do it (for a fee of course), then after a wait, finally I was done! I had data and an Indian phone number for just eight pounds for the month.

The first time I came to India many years ago, I lasted just two days. I have been to Africa and other poor countries in my life, but nothing is like the poverty, squalor and filth that comes with India. Karol Bagh was the epitome of that side of India.

Rubbish everywhere, packs of stray unmuted dogs roaming the streets, rats, drains overflowing, sewerage on the streets, jam packed roads with rickshaws, motorised rickshaws, motorbikes, and cars – constantly on their horns! Throw in carts pulled by bullocks and the cows, which are sacred and have free roam anywhere, and you have an Indian city!

 Once you raise your eyes above the squalor, you see the colour, vibrancy, and magnificence, that is India. Karol Bagh is pure example of inner-city India.

Back to the hotel and shower, I had allowed myself an hour to buy beer and flowers for a couple I was having dinner with. They lived in the Calder Valley, but through work, now live in Delhi.

Simple enough task, or so you would think, but no ‘corner shop’ sells alcohol and you must find a government approved shop to buy it. Too far to walk, so I popped into a restaurant and bought beer at extraordinary, extortionate prices! I had then ‘Googled’ Florists and found two close by, only to find they only did dried flowers. Luckily, there was a Hindu shrine close by and one of the ladies who makes up fresh garlands for the Shrine, made me a bunch of fresh flowers. By now I was late, so flagged a taxi for the 30 minutes ride and in my haste to get out when I arrived, I realized after the taxi had left, that I had left my phone in the taxi! You just do not realize how much of your life is on the blasted things!

Day 3 - 18th September 2024

Unfortunately, I only remember two telephone numbers. My mum’s in Australia, and fortunately my wife's. Elaine managed to block my UK Sim card, so I set off again, to not only buy another SIM card but a new phone as well. This took a staggering five hours and a whole lot of being pissed off with myself for leaving the phone in the taxi in the first place.

That all sorted, I went to collect my hired Royal Enfield 350 classic motorbike, which, was going to be my companion for the next six weeks. All sorted, I went for dinner, then bed for an early night. Tomorrow was the actual start of my epic road trip.

Day 4 - 19th of September 2024

Even though I always promised myself I would never drive in India at night, I was unable to sleep. I had been tossing and turning, becoming quite apprehensive about my ability and experience to tackle the journey ahead. Even though I had been planning this trip for months, questions and scenarios about, ‘What if?’ were weighing heavily on my mind. Nevertheless, at 4.00am I checked out, packed the bike, double and triple checked everything and by 4.30am I set off, still with lots of apprehension about how I would cope on the road and had I prepared enough for this Epic Journey.

As I was traveling quite a Distance today of over five hundred kilometres, I decided I would travel the national highway route up to the Atari-Wagah border for the flag lowering ceremony, after which, into Amritsar to the hotel that I had booked for the night.

When I say national Highway, forget the M1 or the M62, think more of Beirut after it had been bombed (a slight exaggeration, but not far off it!). Add in drivers with no lights, drivers coming towards you in the wrong lane and wrong direction, vehicles broken down and abandoned in any lane, no lights nor warnings lighting up the motorway, pedestrians, cows, and nobody, and I mean nobody, uses an indicator. They own and drive in whichever piece of the road they happened to be on. After 2 hours it became light and at least I could see the carnage that was around me and even, what was coming at me next.

I was at least seeing more of a rural landscape now the sun was beginning to wake from its slumber, but that did not mean the roads improved. The potholes are the size of cars, full of water and roads just suddenly end with diversions onto much poor roads. Tarmac is limited and the dust and the smog are horrendous.

After two and a half hours, I pulled in to fill up with fuel and have some chai. Nerves still on edge and just when I did not think it could get any worse, the heavens opened. I spent the next eight hours driving in torrential rain and parking in the occasional shelter, wringing myself out. My boots were full of water. The only thing I had to be grateful for was, the ‘bikers’ bag’ (holding all my clothes) that my daughter and son-in-law had bought for me, was watertight.

I finally arrived at the Attari-Wagah border with an hour to spare before the ceremony started, so I spent my hour wringing out my clothes in the toilets. If you have never heard of the ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border, then ‘Google’ it. The ceremony happens every day and it is pure Theatre and patriotism in its purest form.

Despite the tensions and wars between the two nations, this flag lowering ceremony continues everyday, each side of the border, where thousands of people come to see it. Each nation’s soldiers, whip the crowds up into a frenzy, then the ceremony begins. On each side of the border, their soldiers put on a show to outdo the other side. Goose stepping, chest bearing and pure showing off, meanwhile, each nation's crowds cheer and stomp to egg them on. Finally, with massive amounts of flag waving on both sides of the border, the gates are finally flung open, and each nation's flags are lowered simultaneously, again with much pomp and ceremony. Despite their differences, it is all done in a brilliant spirit and I must say in quite an emotional show of patriotism in a way we have lost in our own country. Here I saw patriotism in its purest form, not branded as extreme or racist. We only are proud of our country when there is a state death or disaster.

After the show I had a thirty-kilometre ride to my hotel and for all the planning I did for this trip, I had not planned on wet clothes or boots!

Quite shattered, it was shower, dinner, hang out my clothes to dry, then bed.

Day 5 – 20th September 2024

Up early for another mammoth day on the bike. Clothes that were still damp into a plastic bag and boots tied to the back of the bike to dry out. Thankfully today was forecast to have no rain and a warm 35 degrees.

As I did not get to the hotel until late last night, I decided to visit the golden temple first thing this morning and it did not disappoint. With its goldleaf domes and pure white walls, this is a fabulous example of architecture from a bygone era and central to the Sekh religion. It is open to any cast, creed, or race, to seek spiritual solace and religious fulfillment. It truly is beautiful and worth a visit.

The golden temple done; I popped into a blacksmith to fix a rattle on the bike. I had lost a bolt from the engine guard which was no surprise with the state of the Indian roads. Easily fixed for the expert mechanic but he would not take any money from me, instead saying, ‘Thank you for visiting India.’ Another humble show of how patriotic the Indian people are. Instead, I gave his four-year-old little lad a few pounds and I thought he was going to cry. He was so grateful, but not as grateful as I was for the repair.

Bike fixed and fully fuelled, I set off for Srinagar in Jammu Kashmir. Less miles today but a much harder ride, with mountains, canyons, and terrible roads too.

This was such an amazing ride with so much natural beauty. It is more beautiful than Switzerland but of course, not as developed. The Indian government have massive road and tunnel building projects happening but nowhere near finished. Whilst I have no doubt it will improve the economy of Jammu Kashmir; I suspect the Indians though, are more interested in troop movements towards the border with Pakistan. Sadly, they do not appear to think twice about the destruction of this amazing natural landscape.

The countryside truly is breath-taking, full of wild horses, troops and troops of wild monkeys, herds of goats and sheep, bullocks and of course cows. Even an exceptionally large lizard ran across the road in front of me at one point.

Quite often there were massive tail backs on these zigzagging roads up and down mountains, and quite often it was a shepherd moving his flock. The dust, oh the dust! When I arrived in Srinagar mid evening, I was black from the dust and the pollution from all the traffic.

Placing the bike in a secure car park, I went to gate nine for my small boat, to take me out to my houseboat home for the next couple of days.

Day 6 - 21st November 2024

Having arrived in the dark last night, it was difficult to see how stunningly beautiful Dal Lake is. Today was a rest day, however I had arranged for a boat trip around the back waters of Dal Lake, and I can honestly say it is one of the most beautiful places I have seen on the planet. I saw all the cottage industries from fishing, wood carving for the houseboats, houseboat repairs and paper Mache too. That is used for decorations on the outsides of the houseboats. There were fabric and carpet weavers, just a name a few. It really was a special trip.

The boatsman, having picked me up from the houseboat, dropped me back into the main town, where I had a stroll and picked up provisions for the next leg of my trip. Jerry cans, boot polish and brush, water, and other oddments. Despite being told that my Indian airtel SIM would work in Jammu Kashmir, it did not! So, off to find a mobile shop for another SIM card. I also found a shoeshine guy to restore my now very stiff and dirty riding boots which had been drying out tied to the back of my bike yesterday. They did really look as though a tramp had been wearing them. Job done; they look new (almost).

Srinagar is the summer holiday spot for Indians and is overlooked by the Zabarwan range of mountains and sits between the Pir Panjol and Great Himalayan range of mountains. Srinagar is also overlooked by the magnificent Hari Parbat fort, not that old being built in the early 1800s, it can be seen all over Srinagar.

Provisions all acquired; it was time for lunch then back to the houseboat for some updates to the folks back home. Elaine had sent me through some phone numbers and once completed, sitting on front of the houseboat, it was time to catch up with Tony Hill, a character in my novel by Val McDermid. I was deep into my book when I heard a voice from a dug-out canoe shout up to ask if I wanted a massage. Never one to refuse a massage, I opted for the neck, head, and shoulders. Tony Hill had to wait a full hour for my return, whilst the masseur performed wonders on my neck and shoulders.

More Tony Hill, dinner, and early bed for the next wonderous leg of my journey.

Day 7 - 22 November 2024

I had organised for the boat to collect me at 5:00am, to take me to the shore and my motorbike. Unlike the fancy one I arrived on, this one was a dugout canoe. Just on sunrise, the Zabarwan mountains looked stunning.

Bike loaded up, I set off for Kargil which was about halfway between Srinagar and Leh in Ladakh.

The road on Route 1 (the only road), is the best road I have ever travelled on anywhere. Single lane either side, but complete tarmac. This is down to the Indian Army who have dozens and dozens of army camps and checkpoints along the way as you enter a different region. You need to give them your passport and destination as Pakistan is only a few miles away. They do the same to their travellers, such is the paranoia.

Whilst the quality of the road was particularly good, there are dozens of hairpins as you ascend and descend various mountains, as you climb further into Ladak. The scenery here is vastly different to Jammu Kashmir, with little, to no vegetation. Massive, majestic rock formations as far as the eye can see and despite visibility of snow on the higher Peaks, the weather was glorious.

I met an English guy at one of the checkpoints called Fabian. He had left the UK to live in Goa. For him to be allowed to stay there, he had to set up a business, which was bike tours of Ladakh. He and his clients had travelled from Manali to Leh and were heading for Srinagar (so the opposite direction to me). Fabian confirmed that the road from Manali to Leh is horrendous and nothing like this one. When he came up last Thursday, it was snow and sleet most of the way. “Be prepared,” was his advice! That made me fret a little, as I had just come over the Zoja Pass, which is listed as one of the top ten most dangerous road journeys in the world!

One of the reasons I decided to break up the journey to Leh over two days, was the fear of getting Altitude Sickness. Some areas of this trip are higher than Everest Base Camp, so this would give myself time to a climatise. I was not worried about it, but it was at the back of my mind.

About half an hour from Kargil, I started to feel dizzy. I pulled over, drank some water, and rested until I felt okay again. By the time I got to Kargil and checked into my to hotel, I had a good walk around the town and found a Pharmacy. I explained that I thought I had altitude sickness, albeit mildly, and asked if he had anything to help. The chemist asked me a couple of times if I also has stomach problems, which I did not, so he gave me medication and said that if I did develop stomach problems, to stop taking it. I could not face eating, so headed back to the hotel. Just as I got to my door, I felt an almighty need to go to the loo. I just made it but had an awful night. Loo many times, projectile vomited twice and a little feverish and not much sleep.

Day 8 - 23 September 2024

At 6:00 a.m. Feeling absolutely nothing more could seep from any orifice on my body, and against my better judgment, I set off on the bike for Leh.

The road journey from Kargil to Leh is 210 kilometres and should have taken me around four and a half hours. It took me eight hours! I was shivering then self-combusting, and I had to stop several times to go to the loo. I vomited numerous times and was not in a clever way at all. I felt so ill that at one point, I pulled over and fell asleep for an hour and a half on a wall on the side of the road. I did not hear a thing and could have been robbed as I was so sound asleep.

The road surface was still superb, but so many climbs and descents, all with hairpin bends and mostly in first and second gear. It was at this point I really wished I had gone for the 650cc instead of the 350cc I was on!

I finally made it to Leh and my hotel, then straight to the doctor. He told me straight away that I had not got to altitude sickness, but a bad case of food poisoning! (good old Delhi belly). If only I had gone against all my usual advice to everyone, where I tell them to stop diagnosing themselves from Google! I checked Google and I had every symptom of Delhi belly - a severe case of food poisoning!

Loaded up with Rifaximin, Bacillus Clausii Spores Suspension and oral salts for rehydration, it was straight back to the hotel and the comfort of the bathroom.

When I first came to India several years ago, someone told me to eat vegetables, not to eat the meat and make sure that all the vegetables were cooked and to drink bottled water only – ever!

That first night when I was in Srinagar, they gave me chicken curry, which is the only thing I could think of as to the cause of my food poisoning, but who knows. All I do know, is that I was a very poorly boy! Every time that I thought of food I threw up. The night was even worse as the fever kicked in big time. Violently shaking with shivering one minute, then self-combusting the next. Several more trips to the loo and several more projectile vomits. The next couple of days were going to be very rough indeed!

Day 9 - 24 September 2024

Feeling like death warmed up today, I stayed in the hotel room. I did however manage to sleep for several hours. I also managed to wash my clothes (thank goodness for Sunlight Soap) then sleep some more. By late afternoon, I am over the worst of the fever. I only threw up once today but still trips to the loo.

I had not eaten now for over 48 hours, so I risked the trip to the mini market for some provisions of dried fruit, biscuits, and more water. It was the only thing I could face. The five-hundred-meter return walk though, did me in. I was so exhausted when I got back, and I am sure that the 11,562 ft altitude had an effect too.

I decided I would see how I felt in the morning before I decide whether to continue my journey to Manali the day after tomorrow. I have gone against my better judgment once already, so no more. I will leave when I am mentally and physically fit, because to do otherwise at these high altitudes, is dangerous. At 11, 562 feet above sea level, Leh is almost three times higher than Ben Nevis.

Day 10 - 25 September 2024

I slept well, but with some incredibly bizarre and almost psychedelic dreams! I suspect that could have been the dried fruit I bought from the local market yesterday! Despite the bizarre dreams, I was feeling a lot better today. Vomiting had stopped, loo trips minimal and the fever gone. I just feel drained an exhausted.

By mid afternoon and after more sleep, I decided that I must at least see some of Leh and sort the bike out just in case I decide to move on tomorrow.

Bike jet washed, oil and tyres checked fuel for the bike and jerry cans full, I set off around this amazing town to briefly see the highlights.

Overlooking the town and within the town is Leh Palace, which was built in 1600 for the Royal Namgyal Dynasty of Ladakh. At night it is lit up which can be seen like a beacon around the town of Leh. Buddhism accounts for 45% of people in Leh, with Hindi accounting for the next 35%. The Namgyal Tserno Monastery sits much higher up the hill from the Palace and again gives breathtaking views of Leh and beyond. After a further drive around town, I decided that after three days of not eating, I had an omelette and toast. Back to the hotel for packing and early bed for the gruelling but exciting ride tomorrow.

Day 11 - 26 September 2024

Bike all packed; I was off!

Like all early starts in the mountains, whilst the days have been glorious, the mornings are very cold. Elaine had dropped some ‘heated pouches’ into my luggage which are great for heating your gloves. With no or little vegetation, the mountains here are massive rock and sand formations which are majestic and deadly at the same time. The Shadows cast on them from the sunrise was breathtaking with no view ever the same. If you love the Earth's natural beauty at its most majestic, this is the place to be. I call it ‘emotional beauty.’ The beauty is so pure and rugged, it makes you emotionally feel at one with it. I cannot say it enough, but it really is breathtaking natural beauty and stunning at that.

About an hour into the trip, I stopped to help another biker who had lost his luggage due to a broken bungie strap. As my jerry cans were firmly lodged into the special slot on the luggage rack and quite tight in there full of petrol, I gave him my bungie which was thread between the two cans. This seemed like a good charitable thing to do at the time. That was, until I stopped after an hour further down the road for chai, only to discover, the Indian potholes had taken another toll. Both of my jerry cans were gone! If I could not blag some petrol along the way, I would be in real trouble as there is no petrol station between Leh and Manali. There is also no phone signal up there!

Unlike the gradual climb from Srinagar to Leh, the road back down, to complete the loop, is much more severe. You need to climb and ascend three mountains to get down. As well as the three mountains at various heights, the highest being about just shy of 18000 feet (the same height as Everest Base Camp), you have to ride through the Gata Loops which is below Sir Bhum Chum (it should be squeaky bum!) and the dozens of other hair pin bends, as you rise and fall each mountain valley and gully.

Unlike the roads coming up where the surfaces are brilliant because of the Indian Army, these are far, far, worse. As well as everything else in India when driving here, you must contend with huge rock falls above you. Apart from hitting you, they often block the roads. You also must contend with driving along and your side of the road has completely disappeared! Just disappeared over the cliff down hundreds and hundreds of feet. The four hundred and fifty km journey takes sixteen hours of straight driving, so I decided to try and stop overnight halfway down. I found a campsite at a place called Saracho, halfway between Leh and Manali. No hotels up here.

The Tagland La Mountain pass marks the highest point of the journey at 17,582 feet above sea level. It is also the second highest mountain pass in the world! Here it was very windy but with no oxygen, so breathing is exceedingly difficult! It plays with your mind when you can feel the wind but know there is no oxygen in the wind! You take deeper breaths than normal, so you do not become dizzy. Here the pinnacle is marked with an all-religious shrine (like them all) as well as one of the highest cafes in the world! It was great to see but you start to feel more comfortable as you descend, and the oxygen levels improve.

I limped into the campsite late afternoon for my night stay, on petrol fumes. The owner of the campsite was brilliant, as were a group of Indian Bikers who have just arrived before me. Together they sourced six litres of fuel for me, which was enough to get me to the next petrol station just over one hundred kilometres away. Phew! Talk about sweating! One of the other campers in a car, offered to drive me the one hundred kilometres to get me some fuel if I could not source it. This was a truly kind gesture but, in the end, not needed.

It had been a gruelling day on the most, bloody awful roads (already described) but with some of the most amazing scenery in the world. I would not have missed today for the world.

As the sun went down, as did the temperature, the only thing to do was hop into bed fully clothed, layered up with two blankets and something they called a mountain blanket (which by the way, weighs a ton) I read my Tony Hill novel until the battery died on my iPad, then I went off to sleep.

Day 12 - 27th November 2024

I slept so well last night. As ‘snug as a bug in a rug,’ for a solid eight and a half hours! The camp crew cooked breakfast for everyone. I opted for the omelette again, still not able to face anything else and a good cup of black chai.

After fond farewells to my newfound friends, the bike packed up, I set off for the final day down the mountain. Clear weather but very cold this morning. With just one last major mountain to climb before the gradual decline into Manali, the scenery was as beautiful as ever. The mountain was still packed with snow and ice in canyons that never got the sun, and this produced huge torrents of water for waterfalls and the mighty river.

One thing that got worse when you could not believe it could get any worse was the road. Great swathes of it just vanished down the mountain and hundreds of partial rock blockages because of the landslides. Negotiating the potholes in the non-exist tarmac was the easy bit! Wagons, tractors, cars and motorbikes, all jockeying for position on parcels of road no bigger than a postage stamp. First gear, then second and back to first again! and the dust! The dust gets everywhere.

As I scaled the final peak of the mountain road, the landscape started to change. Much more greenery with massive pine trees and the monkeys were back!

The signs all down the valley were for white-water rafting, paragliding, and zip wire pursuits.

I came down incredibly beautiful towns in valleys like, Jisper, where there is a Buddhist school, dedicated to the Dala Lama. Having now left Ladakh and entered Himachal Pradesh. Again, as beautiful as Switzerland, if not better!

The population is also greater now so there is a much higher volume of traffic. Keylong was a godsend - finally petrol! Full again, I continued down the mountain.

Arriving at Sarkhang, the first thing you see. is the entrance to the Atoll tunnel. The Indians are building these all over Kashmir, with some going for well over ten kilometres. This one was 9 km long. The biggest problem with them is that the Indians do not seem to have built any extraction for the fumes! Combine that with the incredibly polluting vehicles the Indians drive, when you enter these tunnels, the smog is so thick with carbon monoxide poison. On a bike, a mask is essential but even when you wear one, you come out black from all the diesel fumes!

As I eventually drove into Manali there were quite a few people out white-water rafting and you could see paragliders too. A real hub of extreme sporty types.

I found my hotel, showered or should I say scrubbed, then dinner of omelette. I really do need to ease myself back into Indian food.

Well, I made it down the horrendous road with fabulous weather, breathtaking scenery, and an amazing experience that I shall never ever forget as long as I live. Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh truly are the quietest kept secrets on the planet. Over 1500 km from Amritsar, through Srinagar and Leh to Manali, I have seen the most stunning, the most breathtaking pure natural beauty, which is available anywhere on Earth. I go to bed with a single blanket a very contented man!

Day 13 - 28 November 2024

Today was not a day off, but a leisurely day. I had booked a hotel in the hills above Ner Chowk, so an easy One hundred and twenty kilometres today.

Manali was a lovely but typical Indian town. Lots of actual poverty, but this one was full of thrill seeking thirty somethings, all hell bent on proving their prowess, whether paragliding, zip lining or white-water rafting. It had a real buzz about it with hippy, (That is Hippy rather than Hip!) style cafes and scruffy restaurants. After a morning of strolling around Manali, I headed off to find my hotel and catch up with my Tony Hill novel.

Booking.com said the hotel I had chosen was a quiet wilderness hotel with magnificent views and a mere eight kilometres above the nearest town, Ner Chowk. First, the distance had never been measured! Try twenty-three kilometres and the roads, oh my gosh, it was twenty kilometres of pure mud! I was caked in mud and my boots were full of water again! I almost turned around after fifteen kilometres. The only thing that made me continue, was that I would have had to retrace the same fifteen kilometres!

I eventually got there, cleaned myself up and ordered dinner and settled on the terrace with my book and stunning forest views.

Day 14 – 29 September 2024

After a great sleep, several cups of Chai, I headed off towards Ambala. The roads were much better today with stunning Lakes. Golind Sagar was one of the most impressive ones. The views were akin to our lake district in the UK but hillier with acres and acres of trees. I had booked a hotel in Ambala and for some reason booking.com only give me a choice of three. I went to the one I had booked, and it was so filthy dirty, I refused to stay. My only other choice late in the day, was four times more expensive. It did not however disappoint and was the most luxurious hotel I had stayed in on this trip!

My face and lips were an absolute mess from windburn and all the pollution and dust. Off to the chemist for the advice that, good old Vaseline for the face and lip balm for my chapped lips. I did not realize but it was strawberry flavoured, and it reminded me of kissing Donna Taylor when I was six!

Day 15 – 30 September 2024

When I was in Leh, my son rung me from Australia to say that my mum and brother had been trying for three days to get hold of me, to tell me that my Uncle Leon in Australia had died. Uncle Leon was a larger-than-life character who I loved and deeply admired when I lived and grew up in Australia. He was the last surviving Uncle I had in Australia and to say that it shook me up, was an understatement.

As my brother pointed out, I would be the first cousin ever to miss such a family affair and it weighed heavily on my mind. In the 2 days it took to descend from Leh, I decided I needed to go pay my final respects to Uncle Leon. When my father died, my cousin Bradley, finish his work shift in the mines over in Western Australia and drove for two days and two nights solid to attend my dad’s funeral. Least I could do, was hop on a plane for 24 hours and pay my respects to his father. So, I decided to postpone the rest of my trip until February next year. Today is the closest point I will have been to my starting point in Delhi. Driving South on my original trip, I am heading southwest to Delhi where I have booked a hotel for two nights near the airport, before my flight out to Australia.

Day 16 - 1 October 2024

I arrived in Delhi mid afternoon.

Some of my clothes were sent for washing and drying, the rest could wait until arrived at my Mum's in Australia. I put all my riding kit and non-essential luggage, in a baggage store until I got back from Australia. The bike still covered in mud needed a jet wash. I then found a super barber who gave me a trim and tidy before asking me if he could exfoliate my face! It really was that bad! I of course said yes, and he gave me the most amazing face and head massage too! Two hours later, I had shed several layers of skin from my face and felt fully refreshed. He charged me just £4.90 for the lot! I also decided to pop into Delhi to see Humayun’s Tomb, which, was a precursor to the Taj Mahal and really is impressive. The grounds are kept lovely, and the restoration work continues. It is amazing Heritage Site built in the 1500s and if you are ever in Delhi, it is a must see.

Next was shopping. I of course had nothing suitable for a funeral, so I felt found Ambiance mall to get sorted and have dinner.

Day 17 - 2 October 2024

The only thing on my agenda today is to return the motorbike to Karol Bagh before my flight this evening.

Bike Returned, final walk around Karol Bagh, I took the Metro back to my hotel near the airport.

More Tony Hill, a little snooze, then it was time for the airport.

Summary

After planning and preparing for this trip for months, no amount of research or previous experiences here in India, could have prepared me for one of the most amazing trips that I have ever taken in my whole life.

The sheer natural beauty of planet Earth was on full show throughout the trip, so much so in parts, it was quite emotional to see. Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh, whilst not for the faint hearted, truly are breath-takingly beautiful. I say not for the faint hearted because of the state of the roads. On this trip I drove on what are listed as two of the most dangerous roads in the world. Extraordinarily little tarmac in parts, with huge swathes of the road missing, simply fallen down the mountain side or, sometimes over half of the road blocked because of rock falls. Wagons, coaches, cars, motorbikes, and herds of goats, all trying to get through narrow passages of road with hundreds of feet drops down the mountain side, just inches away from the wheels of the vehicle.

Despite the adrenaline needed and the sheer exhaustion of hours of concentration whilst riding a motorbike under these conditions, you are rewarded with some of the most exhilarating, breathtaking, stunningly beautiful, and raw landscapes the world has to offer.

I stayed in Australia for the best part of three weeks and then returned to India to pick up my left luggage. I am now back in the UK and have booked to return to finish my trip in February 2025.

I will use the next few weeks to rejig the rest of my trip using my experiences from the first leg and look forward to returning to India, this time, starting my trip from Siliguri. As well as further planning for the adventure ahead, my next leg of my adventure takes me to Darjeeling, Varanasi, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. I also plan a train trip from Delhi to Agra in the final stages of my trip to see the Taj Mahal. Despite eight trips to India in my lifetime, it is one place that I have never managed to get to.

Watch out for my video and daily diary of that next trip.