A motorcycle accident is a very unforgettable experience. The way that people just fly, somersault in the air and roll on the ground is just incredible to watch. Once you are back on your feet, there are a few seconds where your mind is just blank. You are too stunned to think anything and then when you start figuring out things the rush of adrenaline ensures you don't feel any pain for sometime. Now I am not a sadist or anything. I don't want to be involved in an accident. All I am saying is that in case I am involved in a motorcycle accident, I would like the whole thing to be filmed so that I can watch it again. Its somewhat funny too.Well if you permanently lose a limb or someone dies in the process, funny might not be a word you like to associate it with but thankfully the few accidents that I have had in my life haven't been that bad that I can't find humour in them. The only sour experience I have carried is that accident I had some 3.5 years back which has left a prominent 10 cm scar on my left hand. It still hasn't got me laid as I had hoped it would. Hopefully it would one day.
So anyway I had this accident in Sarchu and long story short I have loaded my motorcycle and luggage in the back of the truck and Rs 2000 is the amount that has been agreed upon to truck the bike till Manali which is some 250 Kms away. Read more about it here (http://thecluelessrider.blogspot.in/2014/01/leh-to-mandi-sometimes-only-goodwill.html)
So I was sitting in the front of the truck and just getting to terms with the fact that I might not be able to meet that pretty woman again whom I had met briefly yesterday ( read about it here http://thecluelessrider.blogspot.in/2014/01/leh-to-mandi-sometimes-only-goodwill.html) and with whom I had this instinctive feeling that there was some connection. But I should know better than to trust my instincts because if my instincts were to be believed I would have had gone out with every pretty face that I have come across in my life and I would have been driving a Rolls Royce by now. But as John Lenon puts it much more poetically "You may say I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one"
Suddenly my thoughts are interrupted by something Raju (the truck driver) said. Now I don't remember what he said but I guess it was addressed to me as he was looking in my direction and there was nobody else in that truck. That is when I had a more careful look of the interiors of the truck. It's basically just a box designed accidentally or purposely to torture people. In a kinder world people are just clobbered to death. No wonder its quite difficult to find a truck driver in a good mood.
Now since I wasn't listening to what he was asking and I did not want to upset him I decided to deal with the situation tactfully. I looked at him, cringed in pain and deftly changed the topic. After that over the next few hours we talked about everything under the sun - from women, sports, movies, religion, politics and even about the greater purposes in life. Truck drivers I realized are very lonely people who are away from their families and loved ones most of the times and just to rub it in further they are paid a pittance. Its a hard job and while I have almost always experienced kindness and goodness throughout the country from people belonging to every walk of life, I guess a truck driver isn't accorded the same courtesy. Being at the wrong end of the social structure every Tom, Dick and Harry - be it the policeman out to earn an extra buck, the excise department on the state borders or the village drunk out to feel good about himself, the truck driver is an easy target to extort from and ridicule.
Well since I don't want to make it a sob story I'll subtly change the topic. So somewhere in the conversation he suggested that instead of Manali I get my bike fixed in Mandi - another 100 Kms from Manali. He said Mandi would turn out to be cheaper for me as it was not a tourist town like Manali. I was a little reluctant as I still hoped that I would meet that woman in Manali but then I guess the truck driver was more logical. So with a heavy heart I agreed. I don't know if the heartbreak was very evident or its just that he was a very generous man when we stopped for dinner at Manali, he paid for my meal and refused any payment for it.
After dinner we were heading towards Mandi at around 10 when he did the sweetest thing. Somewhere 8 Kms after Manali on the roadside there is a natural hot water spring. Since I was in pain because of the accident he stopped the truck and suggested that I spend some time in that hot water pool so that I would feel a little better. So me, Raju and one more truck driver who was following us in another truck went to bathe in that hot water pool in the dead of the night. I kid you not if there was a woman or better two women with me at that time it would just have been way too romantic but then since we were just three men in our undergarments let me just leave it here. But all said and done it did feel heavenly sitting in a hot water pool when you are in pain. The pain just resides. Now since we had spent more than an hour in the pool and everyone was feeling sleepy we decided to sleep in the truck and head to Mandi early the next morning. The only problem was I and Raju were sharing the front seat of the truck to sleep in and also sharing a blanket as it was cold. It sounded very gay but then when you have just spent an hour in a pool in pitch darkness with two other men in your undergarments I guess I can take this too.
The next morning we headed to Mandi and reached the bike garage by 8am. The garage only opened at 9 but Raju waited with me till the garage opened and helped me unload the luggage and the motorcycle and when I paid him the 2000 bucks we agreed upon he gave me back 400 saying that I would undergo a lot of expenses on my bike repairing. I was overwhelmed and at a loss of words. I was very sure even if nothing else this is one story I'll definitely write about when I complete the trip.
Sarchu to Mandi through the Rohtang pass is one of worst stretch of roads with the most breathtaking of views. I am just glad I had some company on this stretch. Ever since I have always been nice to truck drivers whenever I meet them on the way in Dhaba's and other places. If you are ever on a motorcycle trip be nice to truck drivers. They are generally better with directions and more accurate with distances. Even logistically they are the ones who are better equipped to help you out and they have a lot of interesting stories to tell if you ever get an opportunity to spend more time with them. They really are your guardians on the road. I just hope I impressed them enough to ensure that the next time they see any motorcycle riders in distress they will gladly help them out.
Oh btw three months later there was another set of truck drivers in Manipur who helped me out. That one is a more interesting story. It also involved trucking the bike, sleeping under a truck and come to think of it I was again bathing with 7 or 8 men in undergarments - this time under a waterfall. Why are there never any women.. Sigh... But that story a lot later after I finish with the stories in between..
So anyway I had this accident in Sarchu and long story short I have loaded my motorcycle and luggage in the back of the truck and Rs 2000 is the amount that has been agreed upon to truck the bike till Manali which is some 250 Kms away. Read more about it here (http://thecluelessrider.blogspot.in/2014/01/leh-to-mandi-sometimes-only-goodwill.html)
So I was sitting in the front of the truck and just getting to terms with the fact that I might not be able to meet that pretty woman again whom I had met briefly yesterday ( read about it here http://thecluelessrider.blogspot.in/2014/01/leh-to-mandi-sometimes-only-goodwill.html) and with whom I had this instinctive feeling that there was some connection. But I should know better than to trust my instincts because if my instincts were to be believed I would have had gone out with every pretty face that I have come across in my life and I would have been driving a Rolls Royce by now. But as John Lenon puts it much more poetically "You may say I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one"
Suddenly my thoughts are interrupted by something Raju (the truck driver) said. Now I don't remember what he said but I guess it was addressed to me as he was looking in my direction and there was nobody else in that truck. That is when I had a more careful look of the interiors of the truck. It's basically just a box designed accidentally or purposely to torture people. In a kinder world people are just clobbered to death. No wonder its quite difficult to find a truck driver in a good mood.
Now since I wasn't listening to what he was asking and I did not want to upset him I decided to deal with the situation tactfully. I looked at him, cringed in pain and deftly changed the topic. After that over the next few hours we talked about everything under the sun - from women, sports, movies, religion, politics and even about the greater purposes in life. Truck drivers I realized are very lonely people who are away from their families and loved ones most of the times and just to rub it in further they are paid a pittance. Its a hard job and while I have almost always experienced kindness and goodness throughout the country from people belonging to every walk of life, I guess a truck driver isn't accorded the same courtesy. Being at the wrong end of the social structure every Tom, Dick and Harry - be it the policeman out to earn an extra buck, the excise department on the state borders or the village drunk out to feel good about himself, the truck driver is an easy target to extort from and ridicule.
Well since I don't want to make it a sob story I'll subtly change the topic. So somewhere in the conversation he suggested that instead of Manali I get my bike fixed in Mandi - another 100 Kms from Manali. He said Mandi would turn out to be cheaper for me as it was not a tourist town like Manali. I was a little reluctant as I still hoped that I would meet that woman in Manali but then I guess the truck driver was more logical. So with a heavy heart I agreed. I don't know if the heartbreak was very evident or its just that he was a very generous man when we stopped for dinner at Manali, he paid for my meal and refused any payment for it.
After dinner we were heading towards Mandi at around 10 when he did the sweetest thing. Somewhere 8 Kms after Manali on the roadside there is a natural hot water spring. Since I was in pain because of the accident he stopped the truck and suggested that I spend some time in that hot water pool so that I would feel a little better. So me, Raju and one more truck driver who was following us in another truck went to bathe in that hot water pool in the dead of the night. I kid you not if there was a woman or better two women with me at that time it would just have been way too romantic but then since we were just three men in our undergarments let me just leave it here. But all said and done it did feel heavenly sitting in a hot water pool when you are in pain. The pain just resides. Now since we had spent more than an hour in the pool and everyone was feeling sleepy we decided to sleep in the truck and head to Mandi early the next morning. The only problem was I and Raju were sharing the front seat of the truck to sleep in and also sharing a blanket as it was cold. It sounded very gay but then when you have just spent an hour in a pool in pitch darkness with two other men in your undergarments I guess I can take this too.
The next morning we headed to Mandi and reached the bike garage by 8am. The garage only opened at 9 but Raju waited with me till the garage opened and helped me unload the luggage and the motorcycle and when I paid him the 2000 bucks we agreed upon he gave me back 400 saying that I would undergo a lot of expenses on my bike repairing. I was overwhelmed and at a loss of words. I was very sure even if nothing else this is one story I'll definitely write about when I complete the trip.
Sarchu to Mandi through the Rohtang pass is one of worst stretch of roads with the most breathtaking of views. I am just glad I had some company on this stretch. Ever since I have always been nice to truck drivers whenever I meet them on the way in Dhaba's and other places. If you are ever on a motorcycle trip be nice to truck drivers. They are generally better with directions and more accurate with distances. Even logistically they are the ones who are better equipped to help you out and they have a lot of interesting stories to tell if you ever get an opportunity to spend more time with them. They really are your guardians on the road. I just hope I impressed them enough to ensure that the next time they see any motorcycle riders in distress they will gladly help them out.
Oh btw three months later there was another set of truck drivers in Manipur who helped me out. That one is a more interesting story. It also involved trucking the bike, sleeping under a truck and come to think of it I was again bathing with 7 or 8 men in undergarments - this time under a waterfall. Why are there never any women.. Sigh... But that story a lot later after I finish with the stories in between..
About Me:
A 7 month motorcycle ride that took me to every state in India, parts of Nepal and Bhutan and one town in Burma. These blog entries are inspired by this trip. Stories about people I met, stories about places I saw. Things that intrigued me, things that amused me. They say traveling changes you, they say traveling inspires you and they say a lot of other stuff. I don't know. I think a gun on the head is a better way to change people. I just hope that my travel stories entertain you
Right now I am in the process of writing a book based on this trip and figuring out the difference between a writer's block and procrastination.
Right now I am in the process of writing a book based on this trip and figuring out the difference between a writer's block and procrastination.
You can find more information on my Facebook page and Instagram account
When I passed in a truck driving training, my life as a truck driver begins. I know that driving a truck is not that easy, that is why I advise every truck driver to keep safe when driving a truck because it is such a big mess if you won't.
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