Dear Bicycle!

33,105 km with you, my dear bicycle! Four years, sixteen countries, the entire length of South, Central and North America. Some mountains climbed, some deserts crossed, and a few plateaus travelled. Together we endured rain and snow, dust and sand, winds and storms, and sun and shadows. We shared smiles and tears, joy and pain, … Read more

A Night And A Sunrise At Torres

The sun had set behind the mountains, and as the light faded, hordes of tourists started disappearing from the Torres lookout. Our legs ached after a day-long hike on our first day in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. All the campsite we had spotted during the day were all already full. We kept … Read more

Yellowstone National Park

Do you know what was the world’s first national park? The answer is Yellowstone National Park in the US. It took a photographer, a painter and a geological survey team to explore the region and convince the US Congress to withdraw this region from public auction. In 1872, Yellowstone was declared as—“a public park…for the … Read more

A Flight At Gocta Waterfall

Gocta Waterfall plunged from a height of 771-m into the forest. From where I sat, the leaping waterfall appeared like a long lock of white hair draping over the shoulder of a mermaid. Beneath was thick amazon cloud forest; hot and humid. Gentle morning breeze caressed my sweaty skin as if blowing air on my … Read more

Why Are You Doing This?

“So, why are you doing this?” Someone asks me. I take a deep breath. My eyes scan around for some visual clues and get hooked on a giant LED screen with bold blue letters “Welcome to Facebook!”   It is a hot day. I am rolling a motorcycle tyre in the street of Layyah. A … Read more

Clementine’s Story

Ever since my childhood, I had always imagined the US as a country with big sweeping vistas of the Wild West. This perception mainly came from movie shots of the Monument Valley, the Death Valley, and the Grand Canyon. It was only much later in life I got to visit these locations on my bicycle … Read more

Circle Of Relationship

We humans have limited cognitive capacity when it comes to social relationships. At any given time, we can maintain meaningful relationships to a maximum of 150 people. They are the ones we can easily cooperate with and care about. We consider the rest of the people as strangers, and by nature, it is not easy … Read more

A Letter To Mom

Dear Mom, it’s been exactly nine years since you left. When I was little, you would bathe me, dress me in blue Shalwar Kameez, and add Kajal in my eyes as we sat in the winter sun on our roof where I always fell asleep in your lap. How before every bite of roti you … Read more

Dear Guatemala

Dear Guatemala, You are my favourite country in Central America. I clearly remember the day when I crossed a river bridge from El Salvador and entered your home. Your steep slopes hugged me so tight that it hurt. Your beauty lured me from first sight. It took my fears away. Your tall symmetrical volcanoes waved … Read more

Happy Birthday Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras El Salvador

15th September is your Independence Day. Costa Rica, you are the greenest country I have ever cycled and also the most humid. Never in my entire life have I sweated so much as I did while pushing the bicycle on your steep slopes. Twice you broke my chainstay and made me walk many kilometres. I … Read more

Second Marriage Proposal

My second marriage proposal in Tajikistan. Actually, it was Afghanistan! I am cycling along the Panj River while wearing headphones and listening to my favourite music at loud volume. In the background, I hear a shouting sound that doesn’t belong to the song. I glance at the mountains on the Tajik side to the left … Read more

A Night In A Kyrgyz Yurt

Cycling the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan as I descended from a 4000-meter pass, I spotted a Kyrgyz yurt on the right side of the road. Its colour and shape stood out in the barren landscape. I immediately pulled the brakes and asked a man getting out of the yurt if I could stay inside for … Read more