Au00a0bike tour to Ladakh leads to beautiful twists and turns up mountains, through valleys and on to unlikely dips in a river

It was my trip to Ladakh last year that did it. The vast landscape, the shivery mountains, the rough roads and raw beauty had me at the first sight. I was hooked and yeh dil wanted more. There was no doubt that I would go back. But this time I wanted to do it bike. Of course, my family freaked out hearing my plan. But I was adamant. They say all big adventures encounter obstacles. Mine was no different. Four of my friends backed out at the nth hour but I wasn't about to abort my plans just because some friends had chickened out. So it was Murtaza and I, who finally embarked on a journey of a lifetime.
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June 4, 2009
The day finally arrives. Our flight takes off at 6pm from Mumbai to Delhi. Our connecting train to Chandigarh is at 9.40 pm. And it halts at Delhi only for 10 minutes. Tension mounts. It's a touch and go situation. But we make it just in time to catch the train. And soon we are Chandigarh bound. Ho!

June 5, 2009
The 320km drive from Chandigarh to Manali is a combination of not-so-good roads and some terrible traffic jams. We travel from Ropar to Swargat to Bilaspur. Once you leave the industrial environs of Bilaspur behind, the area opens up to reveal beautiful landscape. And thereon the Sutlej river and then the Vyas river is our constant roadside companion until we reach Manali.u00a0