TRAVEL FEATURE - I n d i a
MARIA VISCONTI ( w o r d s ) / VIKAS PANGHAL ( P i c s )
HUNTING FOR
HEADS
Freedom and a feeling of
openness are what bikers most commonly quote as the thrill of motorcycling . Add to that an open mind and time available and you have got the perfect combination . If you are planning a ride abroad , a feel for the country you are going to , helps . If you don ’ t speak the language , you can still get acquainted with the culture .
A planned itinerary is a good way to start but being open to opportunities and changes will spice up your adventure , as it happened to us one fateful day on our way to Nagaland , one of the seven sister states in India ’ s Northeast .
The distance from Delhi , our starting point , to Kohima is 2,423 kilometres but we wanted to go further , to Burma , in pursuit of the few tattooed head-hunting Naga warriors still alive . Let ’ s come back to that in a moment .
Our rides normally start in
Delhi and after only two days of getting over jetlag from the Sydney ( Australia ) flight , I learnt quite soon that riding and jetlag don ’ t mix , especially in hot weather .
The fabulous Delhi to Agra and Agra to Lucknow toll highways are insanely good , as are all the toll highways in India . Bikers rejoice . Motorcycles don ’ t pay tolls in India . Aim straight for the furthest left tollbooth – made as narrow as to barely fit a bike through - and pass free of charge and free of queues . Highways are four lanes . No traffic . No traffic in India ? Drivers don ’ t like to pay so most people still use the old roads , which are very congested . All the way to Lucknow you have Service Plazas with food courts and state of the art toilets ( self-flushing and well maintained ).
Despite the highway facilities a stop by the roadside for a bit of a stretch proved fateful for us . A super deluxe white bus zoomed by .
TRAVERSE 117