Bike Ride To The Mecca Of Road trips- Ladakh!

Mountains or beaches is always the question when it comes to a vacation but a land of high mountain passes, frozen lakes, mesmerizing mountain vistas, colossal glaciers is a temptation too hard to resist. Himalayas, a mystic destination that is addictive in so many ways.

We embarked on a memorable bike ride to the majestic land of Lamas, dream destination of every biker- Ladakh. The two of us, with our ever reliable and trusted lieutenant 'Stallion' Standard Bullet left for heaven on earth. These unforgiving mountains were our home for 45 days. Fighting high altitude, extreme cold conditions and rugged terrain, pushing our bike to his extreme limit, we rode to witness the best of lakes, deserts, stunning valley, battle fields, monasteries et all.

Our slow ride commenced with the aroma of mustard fields and glimpses of water canals, single lane roads and beautiful landscapes painting a beautiful picture of rural Punjab. Of course, when it comes to Punjab how can one not experience the rich Punjabi cuisine and the Lassi. The humble land with its humble people gave us an experience of a lifetime in their Gurudwaras.

While one can try and be prepared for a bike trip by ensuring proper first aid kit is available, bike is in good shape and serviced with spares in hand, extra layers of clothing to battle the cold, the fact remains that you can never prepare yourself for everything and that is the biggest lesson that travel teaches you. Change is constant and things might not go as per the plan.

We were way too excited to visit the Kashmir valley and enjoy her pristine beauty with an initial plan to spend at least a month in South and North Kashmir but fate had other plans. Unrest in Kashmir valley has become a normal phenomenon but who would have expected a total shutdown and a shutdown this massive that lasted for months. Our able Security forces shot and killed Terrorist "Burhan Wani" which lead to massive protests in the valley bringing normal life to a standstill and all our plans shattered. We were unable to comprehend and come to terms as to why would locals create havoc for killing a terrorist. The day he picked up guns, posed for pictures and was unceremoniously given a poster boy imagine, his days were numbered!

With hopes that the situation would be under control and normalcy would return in a few days, we changed our itinerary and headed to Dalhousie for a respite. However, sanity did not prevail in the valley and we were unsure if we should completely abandon the trip and get back. It would have been easy to let go and come back later but with getting our third partner this far and not going to Ladakh did not seem right and we never expected the situation to last for that long. With the impression that this situation is just an obstacle we took a tough call wherein one of us flew back home and the other decided to brave it and ride to Sonamarg.

With the valley under curfew, the only option to ride to Sonamarg was with the help of Army. The Indian Army had made arrangements for a convoy escorting Pilgrims to Amaranth Ji Yatra from Anantnag to Gulmarg. With the help of the Army, all night I rode from Anantnag to Sonamarg fighting bitter cold conditions and low visibility plus no network coverage, far away from the stone pelters and thugs on the streets but all this was not without drama and chaos. I was stopped by so called "misguided youth" in South Kashmir and was put through a horrendous experience. Luckily, I was alone and not with my wife.

I spent some 10 hours on the streets waiting for night fall and witnessed CRPF being attacked and they were left with no option but to retaliate. These 10 hours gave me a chance to have lengthy conversations with locals about every sensitive topic! Most of them were not happy with what was happening but were being dominated and felt helpless and were forced to go with the flow in order to not be harmed. Something which is never told by the media. The experiences travel life gifts us! After the harrowing experience, maybe had we known what exactly was in store I may have not crossed the valley this way.

Resuming our dream road trip, from Sonamarg I rode to Leh and Reshma flew into Leh and we aging kick started our roadtrip! We were so glad to leave behind the Kashmir issues and from Leh we headed to Zanskar valley.

Ladakh gave an entirely different version of the Jammu and Kashmir state with a startling contrast to the valley. The place has a sense of calm with the most mesmerizing views, a perfect destination for soul searching. The natural beauty of the place is enough to take your breath away and make you wanna embrace the place for your entire life. A place where the basic occupation is agriculture and tourism away from high rises, polluted environments and stressful life. The almost empty roads, the centuries old monasteries, the loving and affectionate people, the amazing food and of course the breathtaking beauty makes it the most blessed place on Earth.

From Leh we headed to Kargil to pay our respect to the martyrs and then back tracked to Leh with a lot of pit stops on the way enjoying the lesser known places such as Likir, Alchi, Chilling. After reaching Leh, we rode to Nubra Valley and Hunder.

From battling sub zero cold temperatures, to visiting the second coldest inhabited place on earth, to riding through several high altitude passes with no roads but boulders and crossing one of the highest motorable terrains, the experience has been amazing. We got to relish traditional Ladakhi food at some amazing homestays, met some like minded fellow travellers who had also quit their comforts back home and were touring India, volunteering and helping kids with education. Met many bikers on the way, exchanged itineraries and had the best of apricots plucked right from the tree.

The beauty of homestays is that one can actually live like a local and gain more experiences. We were glad that one of our hosts took the time out to give a tour of their in house farm and also took us to their paddy fields teaching us the nuances of farming and treating us to their farm fresh and sweet peas. Also another enriching experience was staying in a monastery and interacting with the lamas, getting to know more about their school, their discipline and having 3 meals with them. Surely an experience of a lifetime.

We were also very fortunate to be in Leh while His Holiness, The Dalai Lama was visiting and we got a glimpse of him and were very happy to see this Humble soul.

We saved the best for the last. After all this we had to ride back from Leh to Manali. This 470 odd kilometers was the best part of the ride. Riding through slush, encountering boulders, some crazy nallas and waterfalls to sleeping in the middle of nowhere under tents and fighting freezing cold to riding in pouring rain, the ride though the most challenging was one hell of an experience.

A total of 4130 kilometers in 45 days and still we crave to go back again :) Never will it be enough!

6 Years Of Living A Nomadic Life After Quitting Google

A sailor is truly content only when s/he ventures out in the ocean. Standing on the shore with the ocean beckoning he craves to be where he truly belongs. The fear of storms, currents, getting lost all seem to be there but the urge to be in ocean overpowers these fears and a possibility of  never returning to land also does not deter him. He is safe when he's on shore but that defeats the whole point of being a sailor.

We dreamt of living a nomadic life i.e. be armed with a map, hit the open road, explore new destinations with no fixed schedule and no return ticket. We were fortunate to have been living this dream life for the last 4 years. But has our life been a bed of roses? No, definitely not! It has its own share of thorns and like Everyone else we have our Ups and Downs but that is what Life is all about. The burning question is are we happy doing what we are doing despite all hardships and challenges. Hell yes, and if we had a chance to go back in time, we would've taken the same decision in fact to be honest, maybe a bit earlier than we actually did.

Introspecting if our lives have changed for better or worse, we sure had one hell of a ride. Over these four years we had experiences that were extremely good and not so good. We have spent nights like royals in a palace, kayaked late in the night and watched the bio luminous phenomenon, snorkeled in the ocean, fell in love with architecture and ruins of our country, hiked up mountains while it poured like cats and dogs, witnessed one of its kind traditional boat race, managed to spot a one horned rhino while on a jungle trek, hiked up 3000 steps to visit the Double Decker Living Root Bridge, witnessed crystal clear natural swimming pools, hiked up the Tiger Nest Monastery, travelled to one of the highest lakes in the world, were audience to the great migration of millions of Amur falcons, lived with locals and dined with the headhunters. We had the luxury to travel for months on multiple road-trips covering a total distance of 33615 km, stop where ever we wanted and change our plans frequently. We were able to pretty much see every place to our heart's content.

On the other hand, there were times when we had to walk kilometers in search of food only to find a place in the middle of nowhere that served just tea and boiled eggs and at times biscuits were substituted for meals. On multiple occasions with no signal or maps to bail us out we were lost on the road. We have also been conned and ended up paying lot more that we should have. At times, we were not sure if we would get a place to sleep and other times we slept in the dingiest of rooms with rats and insects keeping us company. We have worn the same set of clothes for several weeks and have literally lived out of our rucksacks. We have got locked in forts and lived in places when there were riots and unrest, even witnessed a cylinder blast. We have been away from home for several festivals, there were days when we had fallen ill and missed the comforts of our cozy home but not once have we regretted our decision to embark on a nomadic life.

Travelling taught us a lot about life. Patience, things do not go per plan, adjusting to situations, living out of our comfort zone, not worrying too much, not judging people, being sensitive to others feelings, agreeing to disagree, becoming more mature and budgeting. For months we have been on the road, we backpacked travelling like locals taking the train, bus, ferry and sometimes even hitchhiking to reach our destination. We were overjoyed to ride and drive on roads that were brilliant and gave us a chance to wander into so many hidden trails that would have otherwise not been possible. We have learnt so much about many local cuisines and found the best of food at our homestays and many a local small eat outs. Met some extraordinary  people, made some amazing friends and learnt how to live life each day rather than worry about where we stand 5 or 10 years down the line.

We learnt how to live out of a 65 liter rucksack and not once regretted that we are carrying so little. This helped us detach ourselves from materialism and made us realize how little we needed to be genuinely happy and contended. Since the time we stopped receiving our hefty paychecks we have always managed to live happily on a very small budget. Well planned advertisements and mega sales by online giants have never managed to lure us into buying things that we do not need. One of us has been using a mobile with a cracked screen for the last one year. 

A couple of experiences made us realize how bad it is to judge people and not to stereotype them. People who we may never meet again in our life have become our best buddies and few of those whom we considered to be close friends turned out to be complete strangers. Though we spent festivals away from our families, we were welcomed by locals who celebrated their festivals and had such big hearts to invite us and join them in their celebrations. Most importantly we as a couple have matured and the bonding that we share has definitely increased.

Language has never been a hindrance or a barrier, we have learnt how to communicate in sign language and through expressions. We have come so far out of our comfort zone and understood the importance of appreciating varied cultures, traditions, faith and views. Things that were a taboo for us turned out to be someone else's way of living and we learnt to respect that. There are several unforgettable memories that we have had in the last four years which we would cherish until we hit our graves. All these journeys taught us invaluable lessons that no university could teach.

This post in no way suggests that everyone should quit their jobs and travel. When every person is not alike, how can their paths be. And who are we to say what one should or should not do. We have taken the road less travelled and want to share that it made us happy following our passion as opposed to our office desks. Off late we have seen quite a few articles where people following their passion especially travel are being ridiculed and mocked. Everyone has their own passion and interests that they would want to pursue. For us it was travel, for others it could be art or stand-up comedy or acting etc. Just because some people do not follow the society prescribed lifestyle it does not mean that they are an outcast or plain stupid. Our request to people who echo such thoughts is 'if you cant motivate at least do not discourage.'

Choosing this style of living was not an emotional decision that we took at the spur of a moment. We always wanted to do this but the calling came a little earlier than expected. We thought this through had a faint idea of the challenges that we would face and took a leap of faith. Our motto in life is 'Never borrow money to buy anything.' If you cant afford it forget it or save till you can afford it.

Money is always a concern, it is for us too. We try and see how we can make ends meet. Just FYI, we are not loaded, we still have to pay our rent, take care of our living expenses but note that 'changes' and not 'sacrifices' in our lifestyle have helped us realize this dream. Life has ups and downs but in the end if you are happy doing what you are doing that is what counts. 

People are skeptical to take up their passion as profession fearing lack of opportunities and remuneration. In our case, in a span of four months, we were approached by online magazines and travel portals to contribute our travel write-ups. One of us even got an opportunity to be briefly trained as a 'Naturalist' by Taj safaris. 

The question raised by Alan Watts- “How would you live your life if money was no object ?” - pretty much sums up our lives post quitting, happy and content, following our passion- to travel.

Bhutan Entry Procedure For Travelers

The Highway connecting Bhutan with India is scintillating, making it one of the best memorable rides that we have had in the entire trip. Our eyes never got tired of seeing lush green tea estates for miles and miles.

We entered Bhutan via Jaigaon/Phuentsholing. The mere thought of riding your own bike in another country was thrilling and a country as beautiful as Bhutan was the icing on the cake. Indians do not need a visa to travel to Bhutan. In fact one can cross over to Pheuntsholing shop around from 9 am-10 pm and get back to Jaigaon by 10 pm. However, if you plan to extend your trip beyond Pheuntsholing, you would require a travel permit and a vehicle permit if you plan to use your own vehicle.

TRAVEL PERMIT

The Entry Procedure is pretty straightforward and simple. One has to go to the Immigration office at the border, the first building on your right and fill out the entry permit form. All you need is your passport and a couple of passport size photos. After taking pictures of you on their webcam, the Immigration office at the Pheuntsholing issues entry permit. The permit is issued for a maximum of 7 days and entry is restricted to Paro, Thimpu and Pheuntsholing. To visit any other destination within the Kingdom and extend visit beyond 7 days you have to extend your travel permit at Thimphu.

VEHICLE PERMIT

Getting a permit for your vehicle is again a simple procedure. Vehicle permits are issued by the "Roads And Safety Authority Of Bhutan." This office is barely a kilometer away from the Immigration office at the border. You have to provide a copy of RC book, Insurance, Driving License along with a copy of Entry Permit. You are required to write a letter seeking permit for your vehicle from the Road and Safety Authority. Bikes are charged Rupee 10 per day. Vehicle permits are issued with the same conditions as entry permit.

Any extension requests should be done at "Roads And Safety Authority" office at Thimphu. If you wish to enter the Kingdom on a Sunday, keep in mind that the Road and Safety Authority office functions only from 11 am to 1 pm. Once you have all the permits, keep the permit papers handy and safe as you are required to show these documents at various check posts en-route. From Pheuntsholing to Thimphu, there are two Immigration check-posts and it is mandatory to get your travel permits stamped here during entry and exit.

FOREIGN NATIONALS

For Foreign Nationals planning to visit Bhutan, it is mandatory to book their trip through a Bhutanese tour operator. The tour operator will take care of their visa, stay, tours and the likes.

STAY

We would recommend staying over at Pheuentsholing instead of Jaigaon as it is more organized, calm and peaceful. Pheuntsholing is a brilliant place to break your journey as it offers wonderful hotels and restaurants catering to all budgets.nd also has a bustling and busy market making it the perfect place to pick up goodies for friends and family.

Petrol pumps are fewer in Bhutan. Leaving the pumps at the border town there are only two more fuel pumps en-route. One at Geddu and the other at Tsimasham. It would be wise to tank up before entering Bhutan.

Ride To Heaven On Earth!

Blissful

It is a biker's dream to ride through the magical Himalayan passes, get awe inspired by breathtaking snow clad mountains, witness glacier melts gushing downstream, all screaming for attention.

Riding Thru Glacier Melt

Virgin beauty at its best- The 475 km ride offers thrilling view of deep gorge, mountain peaks, frozen lakes, and more plains. 

The mesmerizing ride starts from Manali, a lovely hill station in Himalchal Pradesh at an altitude of 2050m above sea level. The place has so much to offer - lovely apple orchids, Beas river, natural hot water springs, Hidimba temple, monasteries and thump of Royal enfield bullets crisscrossing Kullu valley. Above all, it is the gateway to Leh.

Picture Says It All

The Himalayan passes connecting Manali and Leh are open for 4 to 5 summer months (mid May to mid October.) Access and condition of the highways, that are maintained by Border Road Organization (BRO), depends on the amount of snowfall. You can check status here.

The area is prone to landslides which could result in heavy traffic jam on the highway. Remember here you are at the mercy of Nature.

Natures Fury

14/15 days would be ideal to ride from Manali to Leh, also cover Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso.

The Route

Manali -> Rohtang -> Keylong -> Jispa -> Baralacha La -> Sarchu -> Gata Loops -> Pang -> More Plains -> Tanglang La (Second Highest Pass) -> Upshi -> Leh.

Jispa, Sarchu or Keylong are best option for night stops. Jispa offers awesome tented cottages by Bhaga river. Avoid staying overnight at Pang due to it's high altitude, I would recommend Sarchu.

Road Map

The first and most important step is to hire the right bike - Royal Enfield, enough said! We hired bikes from Anu Auto works in Manali and the condition of the bikes were pretty good. I would suggest one to ride around the city for a couple of days and get used to the bike. This will help you fix any issues or worst case scenario change the bike before your ride could start. Respect the machine, it will ensure you have a smooth ride.

Keep in mind there is only one fuel station on the Manali - Leh highway at Tandi. Refill fuel in your bike and buy additional fuel (Jerry cans) as there are no petrol pumps for the next 350 kms. However, one would find villagers selling fuel on the way at a premium price, cannot guarantee the quality of fuel though.

Massive Snow Clad Peaks

Day 1 Manali

I had hired a Machismo 500cc, took her for a spin and got a few things fixed. And she was all set to be my best companion for the next 15 days to take me through one of the most toughest yet beautiful terrains. We visited Manali market and Hidimba temple. Manali was awesome, the perfect place to start your trip.

Kick Starting The Trip

Day 2 The Ride Commences

It was the best day of the tour, ending the long wait for this journey to begin. We left early to avoid the heavy traffic in Rohtang pass. It is a 52 km black carpet ride. As we approached the pass, Mother Nature had a surprise- there was a massive landslide the previous night and a heavy truck was literally thrown off the road leaving us stranded.

Traffic Jam Due To Landslide

The calm serene mountains had shown us, mere mortals, what it is capable of. Fury of nature could be unimaginable. Traffic was piled up for kilometers. It was snowing and this made things even worse, the pass soon turned into slick muck making it very difficult to crossover.

The India Army was pressed into action to rescue the truck and clear the road. It was amazing to see how swiftly they started their work. Heavy army vehicles tried their best to get the truck back on road. Like someone rightly said 'You cannot argue with Nature.' The more they tried to lift the truck, the more it triggered landslides. With no options left, we decided to camp that night hoping for the best.

Day 3

The next day we were rudely woken up by a noisy film crew. It was stunning Aishwarya Rai and Akshay Kumar filming a song sequence. After drooling for a bit we rode to the pass. By then, the BRO had turned their attention towards clearing the road. In matter of hours with the help of people stranded, the road was fixed and wheels were set in motion. One by one the vehicles started moving. It was difficult to ride through due to snow. Finally, we crossed Rothang pass and it was such a wonderful feeling.

Our Camp

Third day on there was no looking back, no hurdles, Mother Nature was very kind to us. We were passing through one of the most beautiful landscapes. It was a treat to our eyes mystic land far away from all commercialism, life here was so beautiful. A place where dal chawal and hot maggie was all that one needed and craved for. Those few settlements that you pass through everyone greets you with a smile.

One Of The Very Few Dhabas

Day 4

Pics Do Not Do Justice To This Place

We reached Leh, the then capital city of Himalayan kingdom. Leh is at an altitude of 11562 feet above sea level, hence altitude sickness is guaranteed, please be prepared. It is advisable to stay in Leh for a couple of days and get acclimatised, best to consult a doctor and get prescription to fight AMS.

Black Carpet

Attractions in Leh are plenty, you can ride to Sindh river- one of the best places to watch the sun set, Santhi stupa, Leh royal palace, War museum, and fantastic monasteries.

Rest of the days one could plan according to their convenience, a day's trip to Pangong Tso is highly recommended. This high altitude lake is 150 km from Leh it spreads across India and China.

Pangong Tso

Nubra valley - this cold desert is 150 km away from Leh and is famous for double humped camels. En-route one would pass through Kardhung la (17,582 ft) - the ultimate destination, widely claimed to be the world's highest motarable road. A quite pass housing an Army camp. One would not be able to spend a lot of time there due to the altitude, and low oxygen level. It is beyond explanation to set foot there it can only be experienced not explained.

18000 Feet - Awesome

To visit the above mentioned places you would have to get prior approval. Permits should be obtained from Leh tourist office. It is advisable not to approach tour operators for these permits as you might not get permits for all places, apart from burning a hole in your pocket.

An extensive trip to Kargil - Drass - Kashmir sector is possible if you have couple of extra days to spare. Provided there is no political unrest or curfew imposed. 

Returning to Manali was the toughest part - reason not the ride but parting ways with mighty Himalayas, scenic surroundings, waving and greeting locals, hot maggie and finally saying goodbye to the dear bullet. 

Leh is so charming you will not be able to stop yourself from visiting again! 

Things To Carry

Good Leather Jacket.
Gum Boots are mandatory.
Meds for altitude sickness is must.
Bike spares - fuse, clutch/accelerator cables, tube, chain links.
Puncture Repair kit.
Torch.
Helmet, Balaclava and good pair of riding gloves.
Jerry can.
Thermal wear.
Sunscreen lotion.
Nuts and chocolates.
Saddle bags.
Postpaid sim card. Prepaid cards do not work.
There are very few ATMs carry enough cash.
The lighter you pack the better the comfort.

Nepal Vehicle Entry Procedure For Travelers

Nepal, home to the highest peak- Mount Everest, is the most scenic destination and a perfect place for self riding/driving holiday destination. Indians do not require a visa or travel permit to visit Nepal. However, if you are crossing into the border on your own vehicle you have to get a vehicle permit at the border. The process is fairly simple and less time consuming.

The documents required are:

• Original RC.
• Photocopy of RC.

Please note passport size photographs are not required.

Procedure: You need to fill an application form, pay the fee and the permit is done. It took us 15 minutes to finish the process and hit the road. Good news is there are no touts to trouble around. Do have the receipt safe as there are multiple check points that ask for the appropriate documents. 

Two-wheelers are charged 200 Nepali Rupees per day. The border offices open at 8 am, it would be a good idea to reach the border early to beat the queue. At Kakarbhitta border, we were issued a permit for a maximum of 7 days. Most of the border posts issue it for a maximum of 7 days and to extend the permit we were asked to head to Kathmandu. 

Permit Extension Procedure:

For extension, one has to go to the Cargo Terminal at Kathmandu airport. Help will star coming to you immediately in the form of private agents and it is mandatory to use their services. The fee for agents is 500 Nepali rupee, the agent will take the documents and would enter the information in their database with details such as Engine, chassis and vehicle number using his username and agent ID. This information has to be precise and correct and will later be inspected by the Chief Customs Officer. 

After the data entry, your documents will be passed on to another official for signature. Post that you head to the bank within the airport premises to pay the fee for remaining days. For this you will get a receipt and then comes the most tricky and time consuming part. Since the customs department is the one issuing the vehicle permit you have to get hold of the Chief Customs Officer to verify and attest your vehicle chassis and engine number. This could be quite a task as this place is the International Cargo terminal and hence the officer tends to be way too busy. 

In our case, this process took over 3 hours. Also, do note that the vehicle permit can be obtained for a maximum of 30 days in a year. The word is if you overstay your vehicle will be impounded and you will have to face legal consequences. Do respect the rules and regulation of the Country. Also note that helmets are mandatory in Nepal. 

Paro Valley The Place To Be For An Idyllic & Romantic Trip

The majestic Dzong or Monastery perched high on a hill, the river kissing the shore and the blue sky with white clouds scattered around, time definitely had come to a standstill with nothing but nature around and tales of history urging to be heard. These are the memories that leave an everlasting impression and it is this natural beauty that automatically calms you down, making you forget your worries and be content and filled with gratitude for having witnessed this moment. And to make this memory further more romantic, we noticed an old couple sitting right next to us clicking pictures and giggling away to glory while their eyes speaking volumes, if this doesn't define romance, there is nothing else that could. Happy and content with their memories and a childlike smile on their faces, they walked away but not before the man winked at us confirming that love is not age bound. Yes, this would definitely be one memory that would flash our minds minutes before resting in peace.

Paro valley is best explored on foot. Though lesser populated than Thimphu, Paro is more famous globally due to the imposing Tiger Nest Monastery. If Thimphu is calm and quite, Paro is serene. While heading to the most iconic place in Bhutan- Paro valley leaving the capital city of Thimphu behind, we were excited as this tiny town serves as the perfect retreat. The river that runs through the town, the beautiful and colorful trees, pristine valleys, the magnanimous Dzongs & monasteries make Paro picture perfect.

Paro/Rinpung Dzong: Also known as the "Fortress on the heap of jewels," it was built in the 15th century but was destroyed by fire in 1907. Built again using traditional methods i.e. no nails and bolts it stands as a fine example of Bhutanese architecture. This massive fortress now serves as an administrative office and is open for public viewing. The monastery can be reached either by a fleet of steep rock cut steps or an inclined and smooth pathway. After the tiring hike we climbed down and sat by the Paro river that made our evening idyllic & romantic.

One of the reasons why Bhutan is famous and most people visit Paro is to hike up Taksang Monastery. The dramatic monastery built 3000 m above sea level embracing a cliff  is nothing less than any wonder. Legend has it that Guru Padmasambhava flew here on a tigress from Tibet and meditated here in a cave for three months. Hence, it is known as Tiger's Nest Monastery. To give full justice to the monastery, we will be dedicating an exclusive post for Tiger Nest.

A few kilometers away from Paro town is the Paro National Museum, built as a watchtower to protect Paro Dzong in 1651, it was converted to a museum in 1965. This museum stands as another sign of the good relationship that India and Bhutan share. This museum was funded by the Indian government and one of the relics 'A double Barrel Gun' was gifted by Pundit Nehru to the Royal family. The museum is a must visit as it speaks volumes about the Bhutanese culture, history, wildlife & much more and houses more than 3000 pieces of artwork with a culture spanning over 1500 years. The first two halls of the museum are dedicated to Bhutanese culture exhibiting the different kinds of masks & Thankas (Buddhist paintings.) They exclusively showcase the rich tradition and culture of Bhutan. The other galleries proudly showcase the varied wildlife that exist in Bhutan ranging from their National animal 'Takin,' Snow/clouded leopard, gharial, bird species, butterflies etc. The museum has state of the art technology where visitors can watch documentaries to learn more about Bhutan culture. Any kind of photography is strictly prohibited inside the museum.

While in Bhutan it is a must to treat your taste buds with the Bhutanese cuisine, especially Mushroom Datshi, a dish with mushrooms and lot of green chillies in a cheese sauce and Chicken Paa that may include radish but nonetheless tastes spicy and excellent. Bhutanese food is way too spicy as chillies seem to be their main ingredient so do specify to add less chillies. Their butter salt tea is a must try and is an acquired taste but something very unique.

Paro offers some great restaurants and cafes, our favorite was the 'Champaca Cafe' as they serve lip smacking pastries, sandwiches & beverages. The people who run the Cafe are very kind, helpful and very cheerful with great aesthetic sense that reflects in the decor of their cafe. It is a perfect place to regain all the calories burnt while hiking to the Tiger's Nest and unwind in the evening with a nice ambience, coffee in your hand, sinful pastries to gorge on and watch the town carry on with their daily activities.

The nights provide a different picture- the sky dazzling with stars, the stream gushing down and crickets singing their tunes and the cold wind blowing across hypnotizing you and the drowsy eyes flicker and shut down with a smile plastered on the lips.

Bhutan is the place where we saw giant phalluses being sold as souvenirs and the phallic symbols are painted on the walls of homes & Dzongs as Bhutanese people believe it would wade off evil spirits and is considered as a sign of fertility. Do not be surprised if you come across small wooden phalluses hanging on doors of homes and shops. There are plenty of souvenir shops around that would help you choose a perfect memento as a mark of remembrance.

As if Tiger's Nest was not enough, there are few more monasteries that you might encounter in Paro valley that will make you wonder, how on earth did they manage to reach that high, forget building a monastery. Some things are best when left unexplained.

Not just the finished monuments, but ruins too are a sight to behold. These ruins capture your attention right on the highway.

Another interesting fact about Paro is its small airport with one runway, we literally rode our bike parallel to the runway. Interesting thing is guards stop traffic on the road in the event of a flight taking off or landing giving one a great view of the aircraft's belly. As luck would have it, on the last day when we were leaving from Paro we saw a Druk aircraft just mere meters away from us fly over our head and touch down at the airport.

We checked into hotel Sonam Trophel, a fantastic budget hotel with great service. Their management is very helpful and the hotel offers WiFi and the food is good and tastes pretty much like home cooked food.

We finally wrapped up our adventurous road trip lasting around 50 days covering 4269 km across the picturesque landscapes of Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan. We bid adieu to the mountains and head back home.

"Do not be sad its Over, be glad it happened."

Riding Into The Happiest Kingdom Bhutan

One thing that stands out about Bhutan is its pristine beauty. The mist, the forest around, traditional wooden homes with colorful carvings or paintings, monasteries, scintillating landscapes beautifully painted by colorful trees makes you feel like you have entered a fantasy World. The Land of the Thunder Dragon as it is popularly known, is truly a biking country. Riding our bike on these wide roads with greenery all around, the clouds blessing us with little raindrops and the river stream swaying through made us hope that this road would never end.

Our Bhutan ride was simply the best and most enjoyed stretch in our whole ride across Nepal, Sikkim & Bhutan. The BRO have done a fabulous job in maintaining the roads to compliment the beauty of Nature that Bhutan has to offer. It really is a 'Paradise on earth.' The sun constantly plays hide and seek with you and the clouds join in. They make you doubt your own watch as 1:30 in the afternoon may seem like 6 in the evening. On the way, 'Dantak Canteen' 75 km from Phuentsholing (the entry point) is a perfect place to stop for lunch. It serves hot and spicy food and Indian food seems to be their specialty. Their special tea easily replaces one peg of whiskey in the cold weather.

Riding on Bhutan roads leaves you amazed by their traffic sense, their patience, and their respect for pedestrians. With so many junctions on a single lane you may expect traffic jams and grid locks but forget traffic jams this country does not need red, yellow or green lights to keep them in check. Yes, they do not have traffic signals yet they believe in following traffic rules and need not be manned by cops all the time. They follow the law whether someone is looking or not and this is what speaks volumes about their culture, values and the kind of people they are.

Our interaction with locals here confirmed the fact that Bhutan truly is a happy country. People here are content with their lives, give importance to cleanliness, they know that money can fetch you materialistic things but they do know that money cannot truly buy you happiness, which is a choice and they choose to be happy. Everyone you meet has a smile and they are very grounded and welcome you to their homes with open arms. They can be seen flaunting around their traditional attire, gho and kira, being at ease wearing them on a daily basis and do not feel the need to imitate other countries as they are very proud of  their deep rooted traditional and cultural values and why not- the basic act of being kind and respectful to another human being reflects among each one of them.

Thimphu, the capital, is a wonderful place to begin your travel for the first time in a Kingdom. It is the lifeline of Bhutan with a lot of activities around. Apart from being tourist friendly with abundant hotels and restaurants, there are a lot of  exhibitions organised to promote handicrafts from different parts of Bhutan. The weekend markets are definitely worth a visit and if you are a sports enthusiast, you might want to give a shot at Archery in Thimphu. They are also huge fans of Football and while we there, there was a Football Championship going on and the crowd was going berserk.

A 20 minute ride from Thimphu on a road between huge pine trees, strewn with the brown needle drops and of course the cold wind running the chills across your face lingering with the fragrance of Earth leads you to a brick establishment on a rock, sheltered by massive trees with the blue sky and white clouds in the background glorifying the monastery even more making you wonder if this is the the stairway to heaven.

This monastery is the Dechenphu Lhakhang popularly known as 'Denchen Pho' and is of great religious importance to the Bhutanese people. Non Bhutanese visitors are not allowed inside the Dzong but are free to visit the Monastery.

Apart from a handful of locals you will not spot anyone else here making it the ideal place for solitude and to get lost in your thoughts. Just sit on the grass, close your eyes and this place soothes you automatically leaving you in a trance mode.

On the foot hills is the Pangrizampa Lakhang. Today, this temple is used as an Astrologers Center of the state clergy and is home to close to 100 monks studying Astrology.

Tashichhoe Dzong, also called the "Fortress of the Glorious Religion," is the powerhouse and administrative building of Bhutan. It houses the throne room and offices of the king, the cabinet secretariat and the ministries of the home affairs and finance. It is open for public viewing from 4 to 5 pm. However, be there a little early to see the Royal Police Guards unfurl the Bhutan National Flag. While entering the Dzong, we were captivated by the paintings on the wall, each even more  impressive than the other. The Dzong is massive and beautiful and there is a huge monastery within the Dzong.

Bhutan National Library is a treasure trove of Bhutanese and Tibetan literature, be it ancient manuscripts carved on wood or written on handmade paper, they are all preserved at their pristine best. This three storeyed wooden building serves as a home for Monks and scholars. Most of the ancient manuscripts are wrapped in silk cloth. On the ground floor of the library is another great piece of history, the "Largest Published Book" in the World.

Only a few kilometers away from the National library is the Zilukha Nunnery which is the biggest nunnery in Bhutan. The nuns here are actively involved in helping the less privileged and the local communities. The panoramic view of the Tashichhoe Dzong from here is breathtaking.

The entire Kingdom seems to idolize the King and the Queen and is apparent from the Portraits and hearty message from the public to the royal family. Our sincere respect to the country as it values Gross Domestic Happiness over GDP.

We checked into Hotel New Grand, we stayed there for two nights and on the second day we were told fresh towels would not be provided and guest have to reuse the same towel as it's their policy which was not mentioned during check-in. This defied all logic, when the guests are expected to pay for each nights stay such gimmicks should be avoided. Also, their restaurant is very mediocre, majority of items on the menu are not available and their WiFi barely works. Overall, this hotel can be avoided as there are plenty of other options.

The rice bowl restaurant was our favorite for Bhutanese food and just around the corner is the Bhutan Kitchen Restaurant, the perfect place to try authentic Bhutanese food.

Next stop Paro valley.