The 2nd assignment: Road trip from Manali to Leh

Road trip from Manali to Leh.

Habituated travelers will tell you it is a combination of factors that leads them to pack their bags every time. Learning about the world and about oneself, making comparisons that deepen our understanding further, taking pleasure in the beautiful things that surround us and sharing them in some manner - all these factors and more play out at different intensities before, during and after travel. The Manali-Leh Road Trip is no exception. However let us try and understand this compulsion through the 3 most compelling factors why I would undertake this trip.

1.       The first reason is to push myself and discover new limits / facets because the Manali-Leh road is notorious for posing challenges and anyone who opts for this route knows fully well that they will be challenged. City dwellers do not often get enough adrenaline flowing, as they go through a predictable routine with little variation. Besides the serious lack or absence of roads in some stretches and natural features creating roadblocks at some places, the weather and the altitude pose serious problems to the most seasoned riders. So obviously, being able to go is in itself some kind of achievement.

2.       This road is not just about pushing physical levels, it is also a psychological test as one goes through situations that do not occur in everyday life. There are decisions to be made without knowing completely whether it is right or otherwise. Some of these decisions may in fact be dependent on the physical condition, yet the question is unmistakably, ‘are you strong enough mentally to take this up?’ This unpredictability, the prospect of being confronted relentlessly, the promise of a near-celestial reward of ethereal landscapes to fill your eyes with – these gratifications are the real rewards that the wanderer seeks, of which ilk I believe I am one.

3.       At the end of the day, a traveler does seek variety. He does not often seek to return to the same destination. Different climes, different routes, different altitudes, different sands to walk on, different cuisines to relish and different lingos to try – these are some things that turn him on. To take these differences in his stride he is prepared to face uncertainty and hardship. The Manali-Leh road trip takes one through different landscapes and weather conditions, not to speak of cultures, languages and food habits. It is an endurance test in many ways which a traveler regularly goes through.

The summary of all these experiences however is philosophical! Road trips do not tend to be single, it is a team effort. However on the road to Leh, one would unquestionably agree that his breath is ONLY his to take. No one else can do that for him! Likewise, life’s journey is also solo in true sense, made enjoyable by many factors around you.

Indeed the paradigm-shifting insight is the true pot of gold on the other side of this (or for that matter, any) journey.