Ladakh 2018 Diaries - Page 1 - The roadtrip to come

I've been waiting for August for quite a few months now. It is the start of winter in the Himalayas and the high altitude plains of Ladakh and the Changtang regions. I can only imagine the snow covered mountain passes and the peaks, the white blanket on sand and grass alike for now. But in just over two weeks, I will be heading to the mountains and Ladakh. It is time for another roadtrip. A month on the road covering some of the highest passes of the Himalayas and Ladakh, taking roads that offer some absolutely stunning views of nature at her best and being at one with the motorcycle.

A harmonious merger of man, machine and nature.

I've awaited for this roadtrip for over a year now. 2017 was taken away by racing on weekends, a fractured scaphoid followed by a surgery and the wait for rehab and physio. 2018 has been a slow wait for the seasons to pass and August to come knocking. To mention that I am looking forward to the roadtrip is a bit of an understatement. I am eager, excited, glad, happy... a plethora of emotions come when I see that the date is not very far away now.

On the shores of the lake Pangong Tso. Shot in the summer of 2013 during my solo roadtrip.

I have been to Ladakh before. In summer 2013, I rode all the way to the place and back. (Check the link below for the blog and photos of that adventure). It was one heck of a ride and I did it solo over 28 days. I came back from that journey a changed person. To this day, I consider that journey to be the most defining thing I ever did for myself. It made me wiser, more attuned, empathetic and gave me a sense of freedom and joy. Since then, my perceptions and my way of looking at things and my attitude has changed for the better.

I look forward to old and familiar places, a few new ones and adventures that will remain in memory as long as I can remember.

The first thing to do is to buy the essential requirements for a journey like this. But I've already got most of the things I need. My riding gear is sorted out, as is my travel equipment. Over years, I have collected the essential equipments, gear and things I would need for roadtrips and they have served me in good stead.

All the gear, no idea. A minimal take at everything I need for the road.

At first look, it might be a lot of gear, but it is the bare minimum I need. I will talk about the gear and my preparation as I write up on adventure more over the days.