Lady’s First

Changla Pass at 17800ft

Imagine waking up some morning after a sweet dream and spending the rest of the day under its feel-good spell. That’s exactly how I feel when I think of the blissful travel to Ladakh as I spend the days under its afterglow.

When I was asked if I wanted to join the biking expedition to Leh my response was an instantaneous and instinctive “Yes!” Questions like “Is it feasible for me?” or “Will parents allow?” dawned on me much later after the euphoria of a longtime dream coming true had subsided. But frankly, in all my longings for going to Ladakh I had never imagined traveling by a bike. At the face of it the idea was a bit unusual yet thrilling, perhaps a tad more adventurous for me. It indeed proved to be adventurous and I had my first taste of it on the way to Rohtang Pass. Weather was at its worst and roads had been damaged by nonstop rains. That is when I realized how a simple brew of effort and determination can take one through all obstacles. With the bikers’ careful maneuvers and occasional pushes by the pillion riders our team kept moving on through the tough terrain.

Thoughts of such hardships had made my folks hesitant about allowing me to go. For them such an expedition was way too risky for their youngest darling daughter. They were almost shocked when I first mentioned the plan. I still remember the expression my sister had as if she was thinking that “How am I going to talk her out of this.” To that effort my folks did try their best and put forth their apprehensions ranging from health & safety to how it would be to be out on such a long and taxing expedition with a group of people I barely knew. I didn’t have too many arguments to fight my case other than a remark that “This is an opportunity of a life time and no matter how risky it seems I can’t risk not taking this risk.” 

I had apprehensions too. Initially I wasn’t sure how the overall experience would be and there were several questions brimming in my mind. Will I be able to endure the stress of biking for hours at a stretch that too on one of the most challenging terrains in the world? How will I cope with high altitude sickness? How hard the weather conditions would be? Once we would be traversing through remote inaccessible places, how would I deal with matters of personal hygiene? And, above all will I get along with other people in the group?

My first meeting with the team put all concerns at rest. Everything had been planned and thought-through right from a checklist of items to carry and to-dos before leaving to walkie-talkies and a code of conduct! Above all everything was being carried out with a modest and cheerful approach. I think that besides scaling Ladakh’s heights another high point of our expedition was the focus on striking a right balance between discipline and fun. Our caravan of bikes moving along in harmony with all bikers dressed in blue and yellow was a sight I took pride in; be it on the roads of Delhi, the highway, or Ladakh’s terrains…especially the Gaata Loops!

The first two days of the ride weren’t very comfortable. Most of us had breaking backs, strained knees and aching bums. Yet our spirits were intact. By the third day my body had become accustomed and stamina seemed to foster with the increasing beauty and asperity of the lands we were traversing. Also growing was the bonding amongst our team. The other two female debutants Shraddha Goyal and Sukeerti Sharma have also had their share of anxieties and trouble while convincing their families. Shraddha’s parents weren’t approving. Infact they hadn’t allowed her the previous year and had almost stopped her from going this year as well. Sukeerti’s parents were very encouraging but still she had to deal with opposition from her grandparents. Despite the resistance and challenges all of us had set out for the adventure. We had a calling to answer.

Our resolve was rewarded by such spectacular sights that were far greater than our imagination and expectation. Several times I thought of the famous quote “Life is not the amount of breaths you take, it’s the moments that take your breath away.” The kaleidoscopic Ladakh landscape presented several such breathtaking moments with each pattern equally breathtaking as other. For me the most mesmerizing moment was when I saw the moonrise behind the hills that outline the shores of Pangong Tso. It was a full moon night and soon the whole place was engulfed in moonlight. No wonder Ladakh is called ‘the moon land’. It was in such a beautiful landscape that we camped for the night. It was a lifetime experience despite the discomfort of sleeping on rocky earth with the harsh winds threatening to blow the tent away at any instant. The challenges had been worth it. 

In addition to the challenges posed by Mother Nature there were other ‘natural’ problems that we had to deal with, such as Nature’s calls. We had to keep drinking water regularly to cope with the reduced oxygen levels. Needless to say, the rapidly filling bowels had to be relieved but the question was…where? Asking for toilets in a land where the basic amenities are hard to manage is asking for too much. The only alternative left was to seek refuge behind a shrub or a rock. What had to be done, had to be done. Initially it felt a bit awkward but necessity humbles you and also teaches you a lot. Another lesson that I learnt was to be satiated with the luxuries back home that we usually take for granted. I was inspired by the happy demeanor of the natives who lead a tough life yet stay contented. I felt that the least I could do was to stop fretting over trivial deprivations. The rarefied mountain air was rich in compassion and tranquility. Perhaps it was because of the Buddhist prayers that the air is believed to carry from the prayer flags to the Almighty.

This expedition has been much more than an adventure ride full of spectacular sights. It has given me several rich experiences and many of those had been due to my companions. Our team is what made the expedition a wonderful experience. Away from our kith and kin we were the family. The senior team members took particular care of us novices, sharing their experiences and guiding us throughout. Perhaps the expedition wouldn’t have been such a special experience if it wasn’t for the camaraderie we shared. 

It is said that you got to push the limits to test your true potential. I am only too glad that I did just that. I’ve returned a much more confident person and my family is proud of me. So are Sharaddha’s and Sukeerti’s parents. We are looking forward to the next expedition already and enthused enough to learn how to ride a bike and be a rider instead of pillion the next time. Once the limits have been pushed, there can be no further limits. Like Pat Conroy said, “Once you’ve traveled, the voyage never ends.” I do believe that this travel to Leh is going prove as the mother of all subsequent travels which I am now itching to do. As a reverence to this belief I wrote the following piece on the day I returned to Delhi, while I was still exhausted and spellbound by the outstanding journey.

NOTE: this article was commissioned by the biking group I travelled with – PATHFINDERS (earlier BICE) and was published in their annual coffee table book.

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