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A blue denim Jacket.

I was not actively looking for a companion to travel with me to Leh because long ago I’d planned for the trip with someone special. The urge to make that trip didn’t hinder with that someone bailing on me. Plans change. We adapt. A few days before as a last ditch effort to find another soul wanting to travel I asked my friends if they were interested. None could make it for some reason or the other. By the end I was convinced that I would have to make the journey alone. Maybe that was the universe’s plan all along.

I departed from Kathmandu on a bus to take me directly to Delhi. From there on I took another bus to take me to Manali. That’s where I spent about three days exploring the majestic city. A small city with two parts. Maybe I stayed there more than I should have but I let myself completely free. On the third night I questioned my time in Manali. I was supposed to be heading toward Leh Laddakh. I wasn’t actively taking that step to start my journey. The only thing that I had in mind that night was to find a bike to hire.

“Location: Nubra Valley. The Maitreya, the new generation buddha; this two storey tall giant makes you truly realize how tiny we are in this big world.”

The next morning I headed towards the part of the city where there were many shops designated to lend bikes for hire. I was talking to a few people when I saw a foreigner. Something pulled me toward that guy. I gravitated and initiated a conversation. I found out that this guy wanted to travel to Leh Laddakh as well. The problem was he couldn’t travel alone because he didn’t have a license. He was about to pay 60 thousand Indian rupees to a tour company!

Now let me come back to the jacket he was wearing. As the blog title has already given it away. It was indeed a blue denim jacket. I gravitated to him initially because of that jacket. After a brief conversation I queried about traveling together. After all we had the same destination in mind. It also made sense because it’d be cost effective. But offering to travel together to a stranger is questionable. He was hesitant at first but eventually warmed up to the idea. I don’t know what convinced him but I’d like to think it was the blue denim jacket.

“Location: Leh Ladakh. This 17 th century ruins of the Leh Palace still haunts me at how powerful and majestic it can stand even after it has been deserted to nothing but a barren attraction.”

As the owner of the bike shop wasn’t around we had to go to another shop. We detoured to his place first where he showed me his cameras. On our way I’d asked him how much he’d paid for the jacket. When we reached my hotel I went inside to bring out the same blue denim jacket. Now there is something about travelers and non travelers. When we have the same piece of product we compare how much we’d paid for it. I boasted a little about how less I’d paid compared to him. To this day I still think this was the primary reason why he agreed to travel together among other reasons. Also, it could have been that I told him about my use to him as I could speak the native language but I’d like to remain romantic about that blue denim jacket.

“Location: Manali. From Left- Jitu, Jony and Chotu are brothers, these lads are either awkward or just not photogenic but cheers to their ‘The Enfield Club’, I was able to hire a bike for my entire trip to 2 states.”

By the next morning I finally began my journey with Yuri, and Bahadur.

Who’s Bahadur you ask? He’a s sturdy buddy that I’ll come to in the next few blogs.

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