Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Liner
(Post 5362764)
... I am currently riding around some of the highest mountains in the world - in Ladakh, which is a part of the Trans Himalayan Range.
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Amazing stuff Red Liner. The pictures are truly phenomenal. Stunning really. The write up too is worth repeated reading.
Let us get a couple of things out of the way.
a.) Leh / Ladakh travel has become commonplace to the point where it has lost its sheen to many of us who are yet to travel there. Indeed, every other vehicle I see here in town carries some sort of Leh identification. I think I am probably the only guy I know who is yet to travel there.
b.) Given point a.) then the only way to truly elevate the Leh experience is to do what you manage to do so well. Travel in an open-ended fashion for months together with (what looks like) very little structure to the trip.
So, congratulations on building experiences for yourself that are unique, rare, and yes, as you put it so well, truly life-changing. FYI, amongst all the travelogues here, yours are pretty much the only ones that many read. The nuggets of knowledge alone make them entirely worth the time investment. So, keep traveling and keep enriching this community with more of your experiences.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Liner
(Post 5362764)
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Coming to your weapon of choice, someone I used to ride with just sold his 390 Adv for a big liter class sports tourer. For his sake, I hope he made that decision with his eyes open. Because from where I stand, the 390 Adv is the only bike that comes close to the blue print of a true blue Adv in India. Sure, it could do with an extra cylinder, more power, a bigger tank and spoked wheels; but for the money, there isn't anything close to what this bike can do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Liner
(Post 5383224)
...And when you are lying down counting your last few breaths, what would you rather remember? All the things you bought, the money in the bank stashed away, the expensive motorcycles you rode around in, and the many girl friends you entertained?...
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This line made me want to chime in, and my response to this is at two levels.
First, you are absolutely right about experiences and associations typically carrying greater meaning in life than things do. I carry those affirmations from an another lifetime from many moons ago. But, here is the thing though; experiences and associations are not the only thing, and they don't always trump a life of possession and materialism. Because a.) Life isn't static; and b.) we carry around the illusion that we have control over our lives.
Truth is that we all go through different phases when different ways of living sound right to us. What's more, when we are in one phase, other people's life choices make little sense to us as we aren't experiencing what they are at that very moment.
Here is an anecdote from a personal example. Some 7 weeks ago, I returned home after a full 6 weeks on the road for a solo road trip. It was exhilarating. I had a truly rich and unparalleled experience. Then just a few weeks after that trip, I spent an entire 5 day weekend vegetating in front of the TV. Didn't feel the urge to move a muscle. This when everything needed for a rewarding trip had aligned - I had the means, the time, and the circumstances to travel. And yet, I really didn't want to. At one point, my wife remarked, "
Do you realise that you have remained more or less horizontal for an entire week? :Shockked:"
The me from 8 weeks ago would have looked at the me from this past weekend with nothing but disdain. Conversely, from my perfectly horizontal position last weekend, I was browsing thru photos of my solo road trip and wondering how and why on earth I did that trip, and as to what made me think that that was even a good idea in the first place. Seriously, I wondered why people travel at all!!
To tell you the truth, I do this often - view my life experiences from either side. And most of the time, both viewpoints make sense to me while simultaneously sounding utterly idiotic.
So, going by the microcosm of my own world view, I can tell you that there isn't one truth to life or even one way to live our lives. It wouldn't be entirely correct to conclude that the lives of those who are busy acquiring things is devoid of meaning. I mean, if someone chooses to spend 50 lacs on a motorcycle or a crore on a car, then there is a fair chance that they know what they are doing. Even if their purchase decision is guided solely by the act of possessing said vehicle with no emphasis on experiencing it, it is fine as long as they have their bearings about them. Ultimately, all of our realities are different and it is those very differences that make the world go round.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Liner
(Post 5382493)
.. Attachment 2347810
Since I was going to sleep at a pretty high altitude for tonight, I decided to take a diamox pill as insurance for the night. The rest decided they would brave it. Well, I was the only one who got some sleep that night. Everyone else woke up with migraines. I had learnt from prior trips that AMS or altitude mountain sickness is something that has to be taken quite seriously - because once you get it the only way out is to go back down lower so your body acclimatises...
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When it comes to Leh/Ladakh travel, I find that I have dichotomies of thought. A part of me says that I would enjoy travelling there; and yet a part of me wonders what the whole point of it would be.
At this stage in my life, I know exactly what I enjoy. And sleeping in tents and using biopits don't fit anywhere on my bucket-list of things to do. I have built my life over long periods of deprivation and struggle and see no point in voluntarily accepting hardships. So, if I am going to put up with inconveniences such as lack of proper shelter and running water; not to mention the inclement weather, altitude sickness and austere food options, then the return better be worth it. Unfortunately, and I could be completely wrong here, I feel that the visual experience of Leh/Ladakh isn't enough ROI. Given that I like lush green visual scapes, I can't help but feel that there are many other uncrowded destinations in India that arguably offer a better visual experience which are easier, safer, cheaper and possibly richer at every level.
Bottom line? Sure, there is a chance that I may undertake a Leh or Spiti trip. But, there is a greater chance that I will never set foot there; and that is perfectly fine too.
In any case, we have you traveling for a whole lot of us here.
Cheers
