68 days in India on a motorbike - A post mortem

Being a Chartered Accountant, it's difficult to stay away from numbers, however hard I try! Over the course of 68 days, I maintained a pretty meticulous record of every rupee I spent and every kilometer I rode. I had two reasons to do this - one, to analyse at a later point in time and see how I fared in terms of spending and planning, and two, to help people who are planning similar journeys.

I've divided this post into 3 parts - The Journey, The Bike and The Money.

Before I dive into the post, I'd like to share a piece someone I follow on Instagram wrote:

Last year I was going through a time where I kept attracting negative energy into my balance, and I was unable to understand why my good intentions of manifestation were not working. 

I knew the issue was something to do with the frequency I was transmitting, and the perceptions I had about who I was as a person. 

So I wrote a list of incorrect beliefs I was holding onto. At first I was struggling to think of what to write, but after the first few lines, I was scribbling so fast my handwriting was almost indecipherable. 

I was shocked to realise I'd written 32 dot points. I wrote things like "I'm not worthy of love", "I will never be successful" "I deserve to be treated badly as karma for my past". The list went on for 2 pages, and a lot of what I'd written were things that had been said to me when i was younger, ugly words I'd carried through into my adult life. 

So I wrote another list of opposite positive affirmations, starting with "I am worthy of love". I burnt both of those pages beneath a new moon. It was strange, because the list of negatives went up in flames instantly and burnt my fingers. The positive list burnt so slowly that I had to keep lighting it, and it felt so symbolic and beautiful that I almost cried. 

My life has not been the same since. I have shed layers of self-hatred, discarded toxic connections with people, and truly started attracting wonderful people into my life. Whenever I revisit an old incorrect idea of myself, I remember the positive affirmation that replaced it.

Never underestimate how much your negative beliefs about yourself can hold you back. Burn the ugly words. Sever the tie to anybody who speaks to you in a way that hurts, even if you think they're your friend. Invite the light back in.

george_bones

These words above truly describe the range of emotions I felt when I was riding on the highways of India. I can't put into words how I found answers (to some) complex questions while riding. As always, one journey cannot answer all your questions. That's why you keep going back.

A. The journey

10,000 kms through the West Coast and North of India! When I set out, I didn't know what to expect. Don't expect much and you will be pleasantly surprised, is my mantra.

The route-map at around 7,500 kms

India on a bike in 68 days -10,000 kms

A break-up of the 10,000 km journey, state-wise

10,000 kms broken up, state-wise

Rajasthan was such a splendid state, that I covered over 37% of my total journey there. Nice roads, combined with even nicer landscapes, ensured that long rides were effortless. The longest I rode in a single day was from Ahmedabad to Jaisalmer which was about 500 km and took 12 hours. Most other journeys were between 250-350 kms and took on an average 6-7 hours. Since I didn't plan my entire trip in advance, I could afford the luxury of going back to places which I loved more than the others. For instance, I went back thrice to Udaipur and twice to Pushkar. Sometimes, the best journeys are pretty badly planned.

Also read: Rajasthan - The untold story

Next on the list with over 2,000 kms, was Maharashtra. I stopped at Maharashtra, both on the onward and the return journey. Starting from the beautiful Malvan coast, known for its amazing food, to Ganpatipule which is a little further up the coast, to Mumbai, the financial capital of India, to Nashik, the Wine Capital of India - Maharashtra ensured that I had an amazing start (and end) to the trip! On the way back, I also stopped at Panchgani, a scenic hill station close to Pune, where I spent 3 days stuffing myself with over 2 kilos of Strawberries apart from a great session of rock climbing and abseiling (rappelling).

My daily quota of strawberries, freshly plucked in the morning

B. The Bike

Let's deviate from numbers here and talk a bit about my ride, the uber reliable KTM Duke 200. During the course of this journey, I've learnt a little more about bikes, more so about mine. Although I can't really do any major repairs on the bike yet, small issues like punctures, regular bike maintenance etc are quite easy to do. If you learn to care for your vehicle on long trips like these, you will have pretty much no issues.

Pro-tip

Ensuring correct tyre pressure, cleaning and lubricating the chain at regular intervals, tightening/loosening the chain according to the slack, periodic checking of nuts/bolts, changing the engine oil/ oil filter/ air filter/ brake pads  are some of the basic maintenance do's which will go a long way in ensuring that your ride is trouble free. 

Over 9,000 kms on the road and still, the bike was trouble free and rev happy

Custom-made luggage carrier on the KTM Duke 200

Also read : The ultimate guide to a hassle-free road trip on your bike

C. The Money

Coming back to numbers, I spent a total of INR 1,40,000 (about USD 2,300) over 68 days which effectively works out to INR 2,000 (about USD 33) per day . This included accommodation, food, beer, fuel, bike maintenance and pretty much everything else. Not that expensive, eh?

(I noticed I typed beer before fuel. So much for relative importance. Didn't bother changing it.)

Overall spending pattern (Total expense INR 1,40,000)

Overall spending pattern in India

Pro-tip

1. To search for hostels in India, use the following websites:

hostelworld.com

hostelbookers.com

agoda.com

2. To look for hotels/buses/flights/trains in India, use the following websites:

cleartrip.com

goibibo.com

makemytrip.com

booking.com

redbus.in (for buses)

irctc.co.in (for trains)

Some of the above websites don't take foreign debit/credit cards, so just look out for that.

3. If you love getting opinions of backpackers in India, use the following groups on Facebook to know a little more about the places you are visiting

www.facebook.com/groups/TheHimalayanClub

www.facebook.com/groups/backpackingIndia

If you are driving/riding, this group is amazing for routes and road updates

www.facebook.com/groups/hvkumar

Gujarat turned out to be the most expensive in terms of stay, as I stayed for a night at Dhordo (Rann of Kutch) which costed about INR 6,000 alone! The rest of the days were spent in a hotel which was about INR 800-1,000 per night.

Delhi was the cheapest at only INR 120 a day, because I stayed at a friend's place.

Average Stay Cost per day (in INR)

Average Stay Cost per day in India

Accommodation is quite cheap in India. Expect to spend around INR 500 (USD 9) for hostels/hotels in most places. You can cut this down drastically as well. One way is to volunteer at the hostel in exchange for a bed. The other way is to check if the hostel allows guests to sleep in common areas for a lesser price. The Journey Hostel in Udaipur, for example, charges INR 400 (USD 7) for a dorm and INR 150 (USD 2.5) if you sleep in the common room. If you want to watch the stars, you can even stay on the terrace! That's cutting your stay cost by 60-70% which can go a long way in saving for travelling longer.

Average F&B cost per day (in INR)

Average Food & Beverages cost, state-wise in India

Well, my saving on stay cost in Delhi was made up by going out for food and drinks. On one hand, Delhi can be super cheap (especially its street food), and on the other hand, super expensive if you go out to fancy places. Gujarat made up for its expensive stay cost by being the lightest on the wallet. Can I attribute this to it being a dry state (maybe)?

Notice closely and over half my total expense (about 52%) was on Food and Beverages (the damned beer!). If you are a teetotaller, you could reduce you overall costs by 15-20%. If you don't smoke as well, make that a 25% drop in costs. Typically, you could expect to spend between INR 300-500 for breakfast, lunch and dinner in most parts of India which is roughly USD 5-9 per day for all 3 meals. Anything extra depends on your vices :)

Travelling in India is not very difficult, relatively safe and amazingly cheap. So whether you are travelling alone or in a group, it would be a great experience to see the rural hinterlands of India and feel connected to its people and nature. So what are you waiting for?

Related Articles for you

Rajasthan - A Magical Land

The ultimate guide to a hassle-free road trip on your bike

Gaurav Rajaram is a photographer from Bangalore who is passionate about travelling, teaching and writing. 

He teaches Accounting and Direct Tax to students pursuing the Chartered Accountancy (CA) Course. You can read more about him and what he does for a living here

Rajasthan: The untold story

As I ride through Rajasthan, I pass through myriads of landscapes. The desert landscape is just a tiny blimp on the map. No one told me that Rajasthan was green. No one described to me that the people of Rajasthan are so friendly that they would invite random strangers for a cup of chai. No one taught me the Rajasthan I set out to discover myself. Schools continue to teach in a constrained manner despite technology at their fingertips. It is disheartening to see that textbooks fail to encapsulate the beauty and showcase the bounty of this country.

Rajasthan, a magical land

I am lucky to have travelled through one of the most unique and beautiful states of India. At every turn, Rajasthan unravels a mystery. As I turn a page, a new surprise awaits; like a novel you can never put down!

I slowly weave my way through the heart of Rajasthan. I see cows grazing nonchalantly by the side of the highway, unperturbed by vehicles and the general noise of the highway. A couple of them gracefully dance across the road, blissfully unaware that a second's loss of concentration for a driver could mean the difference between life and death.

A man clad in a Red turban patiently waits for a bus which may take another hour to arrive. He doesn't, however, look perturbed. He gazes at the cars zipping through, probably wondering when he would own one, if ever. Stillness, patience, calmness - qualities I witnessed in the air of Rajasthan! I must remember this when I am back in the midst of relentless traffic and unceasing deadlines.

A sentry at a palace in Rajasthan

Kids walk back from school, wearing cheerful smiles which hide the fact that they need to walk another hour to reach their homes. They wave at me, their smiles so wide, that it threatens to tear their skin, excited at the big black bike, because their normal forms of transport consist of buses, shared taxis and on occasions, a camel. They shout out to me and wave frantically. My wide smile is hidden behind the balaclava but I'm sure they can feel it all the same, such is the connection. Their innocence appeals to me and I am in touch with my inner joy!

Miles of yellow and green greet me. Mustard fields are aplenty; like an oasis in a desert, adorning the otherwise boring highway. I stop to admire the creator's paintings, a scene every artist itches to paint. The splendid scenery is quickly replaced with roadside dhabas where truckers stop to have their morning cup of chai with some butter laden Parathas to help them survive the long, tiring journey by road.

Mustard fields in Rajasthan

Sitting on the charpoy in a dhaba you can see people of all ages, some playing a game of cards, some sipping their umpteenth cup of chai, oblivious to the world around them, basking in the sunshine, before the cold of the evening envelopes the land untouched by time.

A lone horse patiently waiting for its owner

Rajasthan takes you back in time. A time, when you figured what time of the day it was by looking at the position of the sun in the sky. A time when time was aplenty. People didn't have places to go to, their life content. A time when gazing at cows grazing was a favourite pass time. Technology has changed everyone's life; but for some, the day is mostly the same, albeit with a little Facebook and WhatsApp diversion when the cows are grazing.

Oh, and my chai is getting cold. So long.

Chai, a symbolic drink of India

Feel free share the article or comment with your thoughts.

Gaurav Rajaram is a photographer from Bangalore who is passionate about travelling, teaching and writing.

He teaches Accounting and Direct Tax to students pursuing the Chartered Accountancy (CA) Course. You can read more about him and what he does for a living here

Why travel?

1. Transcend into your higher self




2. Rediscover the world around you




3. Appreciate life for what it offers




4. Visualise your past, present and future

5. Experience cultures different from yours

6. Let go of your fears 

Feel free share the article or comment with your thoughts

Gaurav Rajaram is a photographer from Bangalore who is passionate about travelling, teaching and writing. 

He teaches Accounting and Direct Tax to students pursuing the Chartered Accountancy (CA) Course. You can read more about him and what he does for a living here

Transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary

Imagine yourself looking at the beautiful mountains in all its glory. In a distance, not too far, not too close, you can hear the melodious chirps of the resplendent birds. Take a deep breath and smell the fresh, unpolluted air. Take another breath. The air is still magical. You feel the calmness in every nerve of your body. You don't feel like going back to your mundane, everyday life, now that you've discovered this place. 

I can almost imagine myself standing in front of this magnificent place as I write this. This place is different for different people. It is any place your imagination takes you. And yes, they exist. If you could not imagine such a place, may be you haven't been to one. Maybe it's a sign to take the road less travelled.

For some, this place could be the magical Western Ghats in India, or the Himalayas in the North and East of India. For others, it could be the Swiss Alps.

Lake Bled, Slovenia

Come back to the scene you were imagining. You want to capture a picture of this magical place, so when you go back to your boring old life, you can recreate some of your memories of this place. 

You slowly take your camera out, and gently press the button to click the picture. The picture is secure in your memory card. You are happy. At the same time, you are sad, for you have to leave. You are happy you have some memories of this place in the form of a digital image.

You go back home, and like a child who gets excited at a toffee dangled in front of him, you excitedly plug your camera into the laptop and look at your pictures. 

This is what you see on the screen

Bandipur National Park, Karnataka, India (Original)

The disappointment on your face is evident. The place was magical, not like what you are seeing on your laptop. In an instant, you can imagine yourself back at that place, where your soul felt at home. But the picture on your screen contradicts every pixel your eyes took in. 

It is but natural that this happens. Your eyes can take in way more detail than any high-end camera costing huge amounts of money can.

What your eyes actually saw

Bandipur National Park, Karnataka, India (Processed)

Recreating what your eye sees can be done by simple processing to bring out details which the picture has, but is not apparent. The above image is a single image with very basic processing done to bring out details already there in the picture. 

Take a look at some more examples below.

An image of a Pied Kingfisher I shot a while ago

Pied Kingfisher (Original)

The background was a little distracting with the twig not adding any value to the picture. But the feel of the image was too good to cruelly discard it.

The final image with a tweak to the background. The image was cropped to highlight the bird more effectively.

Pied Kingfisher (Processed)

Another technique to recreate what your eye sees is HDR (High Definition Range) imaging.

HDR is a simple process of merging two or more pictures so that the final picture will portray the best element of every picture used in the process of merging. Your eye working in tandem with your brain is a natural HDR imaging system. Your brain processes hundreds, if not thousands of images every second to let you see things so clearly. In a camera, however, the range is limited. Through post processing, you can recover, to a certain extent, what you actually saw.

Take a look at some of my HDR images.

Picture 1 - Shot to expose the sky

Picture 2 - Shot to expose the houses/buildings. See the sky here, almost white

Final image combining the best of both images - A High Definition Range Image

Scroll up and check them out again :) 


Another HDR where I try to recreate what I saw

Picture 1 - Shot to expose the sky

Picture 2 - Shot to expose the rest of the elements

The final result - A High Definition Range image

Gaurav Rajaram is a photographer from Bangalore who is passionate about travelling, teaching and writing. 

He teaches Accounting and Direct Tax to students pursuing the Chartered Accountancy (CA) Course. You can read more about him and what he does for a living here