Avy, Backpacks And Miles of Peace

When you are riding on the road, keep your eyes open, you ear attentive and your heart at peace. Many surprises await you in the journey.

When half of the world was asleep, we packed our bags and drove towards our dreams, ready to cross one more milestone in our journey of life unaware that sometimes roads leading to paradise are heaven!

The black sky and gentle night breeze was the perfect companion and the roaring sound of AVY was a reminder that we have left our corporate stress life behind.

We didn’t know when the night sky was dominated by the sparkling Sun rays and we welcomed the first morning of our trip with a smile and stopped for a moment at Brij Ghat. The serene morning and the chorus of temple’s bells created a perfect blend of morning that we knew we would cherish many nights. I looked over the highway towards the vast river and like every Indian dropped a coin in the river as a token of respect.

The journey had just begun and we had miles to cross. The smooth highways gave way to village roads which were covered with betel nut trees on both sides as if protecting us from an unknown danger. The streets were covered in the pious color of Eid. The sky echoed with Azan and I felt lucky to be a part of devotee’s happiness. It was then I realized that roads have their own stories and sometimes in the excitement of destinations, we snatch our souls from such blessings.

We crossed cities to cities, enjoying the aura of being biker when we came across a soul soothing view. The lush green trees near the Jim Corbet national park formed a beautiful canopy over our head and we couldn’t help but steel some beautiful moments to capture the scene. I breathed in the fresh air that was a scarce in a city life and danced in the melodious sound of nature.

The road ahead was a promise of an enchanting journey and we accelerated our way towards Jim Corbet National Museum, Naintal. Now a museum, it was a house to Edward James Corbett and his beloved sister, Maggie. He was a hunter who has killed several man-eaters and also a conservationist who has inspired people to protect wildlife. The chirping birds and naughty monkeys filled the peace of the house with child like laughter. The pebbles below my feet formed a way to a home that has preserved his master’s life like a protective mother.

We bid our bye to the memories of a great man and punched our destination in Google maps. The maps guided us towards Nanintal and we left the plains behind to welcome the hills. The gentle breeze soothed our souls and scenic beauty became the light of our eyes. We had just crossed few kilometers towards Khurpatal when on a bend, a police officer stopped us. He informed us that due to heavy traffic during long weekend the entry to Nanital have been closed and guided us towards a diversion. With a heart full of doubts, we accelerated Avy towards the diversion disappointed with the change of plans. But, it was a blessing in disguise. Within 2 kms, the terrain took a complete 360 degree turn and we came across the most beautiful surprise of our journey.

A big bridge stood in front of us proudly, hiding a charm from us. On the left side of the bridge, a beautiful stream of water gracefully danced her way from a mountains of big and rough rocks. It reminded me of the love story of beauty and beast. It was magical and serene. The water was clean and cold. The moment a splash of the water touched our face, it washed away the tiredness 12 hours long journey and rejuvenated us.

With a new passion we rode on uneven roads, surrounded by tall trees and broken mountains. Soon, we were welcomed by smooth but curvy roads on which Avy roared like a lioness. I was mesmerized with the view; deep valley covered with mountains and large trees; strong breeze knocking at our helmets.

We parked Avy on the cliff and breathed in the fresh air of mountains that I had craved for so long. The long spread valley in front of us was beautiful and dangerous. The view was enchanting and enthralling, it was a dangerous beauty that can swallow you in a jiffy.

When I began this journey, I couldn’t help but be eager to reach our destination. But   When this trip was over, I found love on the road.