A gratuitous shot of the Enfield, all geared up, I'm travelling light and this time including the extra warm Everest down-filled sleeping bag- it ain't small but it keeps me warm
Football pitches are a rarity over here - I liked the way that this one has been taken over for a game of cricket.
Cricket is THE sporting passion in India, every town and village I pass through there are children playing it, usually with a makeshift bat and ball.
I was allowed to gatecrash a wedding at the hotel, I arrived while the many and multiple photos were being taken, a queue of people had formed just to click of a few shots.
Whoops! - A puncture
I've started this journey in Dehradun, Uttarakand, India. A northern town nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas - hmm, maybe I'll go mad and try to create a map at some point.
I've got 11 days until my group arrives so I'm soloing the route we'll be covering to familiarise myself with it, then dashing back down to Delhi to meet the group as they arrive. I'm not sure what to expect, except that the food will be great - the last time I travelled in India, I actually put weight on as I was eating so much. I love travelling over here, the friendliness and curiosity of the people I come across, the noise, chaos and life in general - it's a fantastic place to explore.
the Enfiels is working well, I'm getting used to being so low to the ground, its revs can be very low as it chugs along, allowing me to be a bit lazy with the gear changes, usually when I'm also trying to take photos.
Motorbikes are everywhere and they're usually Enfields.
I made it to Manali, a town at 2200m, which happens to have a great new hostel that has just opened It's called Ride Inn, and I managed to find it quite easily, just following the signs through town.
My Enfield has a twin sister already resident here, and in the other direction, several bikes being worked on.
My hosts - Sneh and Godwin who hail from Mumbai, incredibly friendly and nice people.
All the furniture and fixtures in the bar café are made from motorbike bits, with a handy Ladakh guide painted on the wall.
And on another wall, a collection of the roadside signs with their Accident Avoidance tongue in cheek sayings - these are all genuine road signs seen in Ladakh.
the view from my bedroom window in the morning is amazing - snow-capped mountains stretching off into the distance
The Himalayas at their best.
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Hitting the Road
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