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.

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.

Story Of My Life!

Life is not about the Destination, but Journey!

Wanderers

Travelling liberated us from concrete jungle, a 9 to 5 desk job with a lot of perks/big pay check and many more creature comforts. We believed these kept us happy for over 7 long years.

From an early age we are tricked to believe that 'THINGS' give us happiness and one has to earn money to satisfy our materialistic needs and wants. As I started to earn and was able to fulfill those needs the list kept growing and I realized that at no point I'm going to be genuinely happy and satisfied with what I have.

A deep sense of missing the most important aspect of life was always lingering, ie living life! I wanted to break free from the monotonous life, set an alarm - wake up - eat breakfast - act busy - eat lunch - act busy for some more time - get back home - dinner - sleep. Do this over and over again for 5 days and wait for weekend to have fun.

It was at this point the most beautiful thing happened - I fell in love with the right person. Our mutual love for offbeat aspects got us together the bond flourished and it grew stronger as our mutual hatred towards materialistic things multiplied, magic happened we fell in love, got married and thus the journey started. Special thanks to Reshma for all the support, else I would be sitting behind a desk working on excel, repaying home loan.

Today we both have quit our jobs and are starting a new chapter in our lives. A business venture interlinked with travel. It may not be lucrative but it sure will keep us happy. 'Two Roads Diverge In a Yellow wood and we are taking the one less traveled...'

Before we could get remotely serious with anything in life we are planning to travel set ourselves free and take the leap of faith!

You have one life- Live it to your heart's content!