The India Motorcycle Challenge

In October 2005, I travelled through India on a Royal Enfield Bullet (a make of motorcycle!), with the aim of raising as much money as I could for the two charities. The India Motorcycle Challenge entailed riding approximately 1000 miles, and included; Wagah on the Pakistan border; Amritsar (as in Golden Temple of ...); Dharamsala (home of the Dalai Lama) in the foothills of the Himalayas; Simla, the former summer capital of India under the British; Rishikesh, the "Yoga Capital of the World"; and Delhi.

Pictures from the challenge are shown below.

down town Amritsar

sun up at the Golden Temple… lighting up the 500kg of gold on the central building

boys outside the phone shop (10rupees/min to call the UK, 80rupees=£1)

up into the foothills of the Himalaya

a view from the monastry at MacLeodganj (home of the Dalai Lama in exile)

monks at MacLeodganj go through early morning Tai Chi with added chanting… fantastic!

candles in a temple at MacLeodganj, home of the Dalai Lama in exile

on the road to Palampur

the stick man cometh…

twisty 14km road to the top of Bir, over 7000 feet


on the road from Palampur to Kullu

the shoeshine boys at Manali… first class output and service… a satisfied customer

sight-seeing auto-rickshaw in the pits

auto-rickshaw ride… great fun

sun up over the Himalaya


morning ride in the Himalaya

on the road from Kullu to Shimla

locals ride the double decker…

the Jalori Pass summit, over 10000 feet

lunch being prepared at Jalori

the decent from Jalori… this is the main road!

mountain village at river crossing

Shimla and adjoining towns

engine rebuild for the bus on the road from Shimla to Rishikesh

sunrise at our camp by the river Ganges
on the bikes, on the road in to Delhi at sunset

final arrival at the hotel… where’s the bath?

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