"..... this road is cool and breezy. I see the speedometer needle touch 40, then 50 and I can hear the engine growling. The curves have bent straight into an arrow straight piece of black top. It appears to be a stretch of around a kilometer with no vehicles in sight. So, I speed more and touch 60 then 70 and then step off the gas and move to neutral and then experience the cycle as its speed comes down...70..60..50..40 and finally it stops at a small grocery store, perched on a corner of the mountain.
You can see miles from here without any obstacle. There are packets of Sikkim's indigenous noodles "Wai Wai" hanging on the walls of the shop. The choice is simple: tea and noodles and while the noodles is being prepared, I bask in the glorious sunshine, just outside the shop. I remove the sunglasses and see that a fine layer of dust has accumulated on it. I act on the instincts and pat on the jacket sleeves and thick volumes of dust emerge. A few minutes later, the support vehicle stutters to a halt behind me.
The store owner comes out and hands me over the tea. I draw up a chair from inside the store and sit out in the open and enjoy the tea. It is so sunny now. The light is bright, the shadows are darker, the colours so pronounced that it gives the word "contrast" a new meaning. But there were times earlier when there were only rains and clouds and no sun. That is when the cold felt much harsher...."
A few miles out of Siliguri town...
To my right, I can see, a flock of birds, which, seem to float across the orange rising sun over acres of golden harvest. The fields stretch for miles before merging into the horizon.
To my left, stands a gently rolling blue hill that has filled up the horizon.
Cutting through the fields on the left and the right, is a sweeping, jet black piece of road, on which I am breezing on a motorcycle. The chilly air hits straight on my face and its gusts, almost numb my nose tips.
On the surface are plans for a long motorcycling holiday
Over the high passes, cold deserts and meadows of pines.
I get mixed feelings.
I feel a little agitated.
This holidaying concept is new.
Its a maiden one for me.
But there is an excitement which I cant hide.
And on my face is an unmistakable grin.
These are roads which rise high above the plains.
Roads that lead to exploration of a world that we think do not exist.
Roads that lead us to a point of self discovery.
Today I am on my way to Zuluk.
You can see miles from here without any obstacle. There are packets of Sikkim's indigenous noodles "Wai Wai" hanging on the walls of the shop. The choice is simple: tea and noodles and while the noodles is being prepared, I bask in the glorious sunshine, just outside the shop. I remove the sunglasses and see that a fine layer of dust has accumulated on it. I act on the instincts and pat on the jacket sleeves and thick volumes of dust emerge. A few minutes later, the support vehicle stutters to a halt behind me.
The store owner comes out and hands me over the tea. I draw up a chair from inside the store and sit out in the open and enjoy the tea. It is so sunny now. The light is bright, the shadows are darker, the colours so pronounced that it gives the word "contrast" a new meaning. But there were times earlier when there were only rains and clouds and no sun. That is when the cold felt much harsher...."
A few miles out of Siliguri town...
To my right, I can see, a flock of birds, which, seem to float across the orange rising sun over acres of golden harvest. The fields stretch for miles before merging into the horizon.
To my left, stands a gently rolling blue hill that has filled up the horizon.
Cutting through the fields on the left and the right, is a sweeping, jet black piece of road, on which I am breezing on a motorcycle. The chilly air hits straight on my face and its gusts, almost numb my nose tips.
On the surface are plans for a long motorcycling holiday
Over the high passes, cold deserts and meadows of pines.
I get mixed feelings.
I feel a little agitated.
This holidaying concept is new.
Its a maiden one for me.
But there is an excitement which I cant hide.
And on my face is an unmistakable grin.
These are roads which rise high above the plains.
Roads that lead to exploration of a world that we think do not exist.
Roads that lead us to a point of self discovery.
Today I am on my way to Zuluk.
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