Dear Argentina! You were my first love on the trip through the Americas, but like any true love, you hurt me so much. Right from the beginning, your fierce Patagonian winds tested my commitment to the long paths. But I know that you wanted to strengthen me. Those roads of ups and downs, those endless … Read more
Thousands of waterfalls tumble at the Agua Azul in the Chiapas rainforest in southern Mexico. The cascading water glistens in the soft light, and a gentle breeze sprays tiny drops of water on my face. Despite all the action and noise of the waterfalls, it all seems still and silent. I could have been anywhere … Read more
Sometimes I get questions like, “don’t you feel lonely on such a long bicycle journey?” Or, “why don’t you cycle with a companion or a group?” Or, “can I join you on your next bicycle tour?” To answer the first question, I don’t feel lonely on the road. I am always absorbed by something—the landscape, … Read more
Finally, it’s time! Yesterday, Sirbaz and Joshi made to Camp IV. Tonight, they will push for the summit. As they inch towards the top, I reflect on my journey to Annapurna. I was minding my own business when one day, I received a message from Saad for a meet up. In our meeting, he spoke … Read more
On 18th March, the sun rose from the horizon like a fireball at Islamabad airport. Team Annapurna boarded the Emirates Flight EK 613. What could have been a two-hour journey to Kathmandu took us 12 hours, including a 5-hour layover in Dubai. After passing through a countless number of security checkpoints at three airports, we … Read more
One crisp winter morning, mom bathed me and applied Surma (kohl) to my eyes. She tried to dress me up in brown pyjamas with long yellow stripes. As a kid, I was only used to wearing Shalwar Kameez. So, I resisted every bit. “If you wear this, I will ask your dad to buy you … Read more
In the Monument Valley, sandstone buttes and mesas towered above the Colorado Plateau. A long road stretched out into the distance like a bold line on the sandpaper. It was here when Forrest Gump decided to stop after running for three years, two months, 14 days and 16 hours. He quit much to the bewilderment … Read more
It was mid-September. The sky was deep blue, and the landscape had turned into dry grassland. I cycled across the border of Bolivia and entered Peru. My first city in Peru was Puno. Earlier, someone had recommended to me that I should visit the nearby floating islands in Lake Titicaca. So in Puno, I went … Read more
I pick up the shovel and sink it into the ground. After digging a hole, I bury myself. Now I stand at my grave shedding tears at my own death. All my dreams, quests, and achievements rest beneath the dirt with me. I look around, but there is not even a single soul in the … Read more
“You must go to Shimshal,” Saad said to me. “What is so special about it?” “Everything.” I was intrigued. So, in November, I rode 55 km from Passu to Shimshal on a bicycle. In Shimshal, I came to know the stories of high-altitude-porters, their families, aspiring mountaineers, and community members. I published about a dozen … Read more
Once upon a time, a child from a remote city of Layyah in Pakistan was afraid of the dark. Waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to spot a speck of light in the room terrified him. He couldn’t go back to sleep. The darkness choked him. He felt disoriented … Read more
The Atacama Desert in Chile is the driest desert on the planet. There are some places in the Atacama where no rainfall has ever been recorded. Nothing can survive there, neither plants nor birds or even insects. It is not a typical desert where it’s just dunes. The Atacama offers much more. Valle de la … Read more
A couple of days ago, together with some Pakistani trekkers, we had a benefit dinner in Karimabad, Hunza where we raised funds for a local porter who got injured while guiding a group of tourists in the mountains. The next day, we had a bicycle ride from Gulmit to Passu to help raise … Read more
In Gulmit, I see a man carrying a rope on his back and walking with the help of an axe. He greets me with a smile. His name is Ayub Khan. He is 85 years old. He is heading up the mountains to herd his goats. “I was a high altitude porter for 25 years. … Read more
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