2008…On the Road and Off it…

2008…well just another year for so many people and for loads of Indians, an extremely tragic year due to the innumerable terror attacks which has left India scarred and stunned beyond belief…this year would surely go down in the history lanes as a Terror struck year for India...

But for me it has been one of the most memorable years of my life full of ups & downs through the year…and the ups have surely outweighed the lows by a huge margin!!!

The year I became single again…the year I got married again (to my bike!!!)…the year I caught the biking bug…the year when I traveled to so many place - in a train or on my bike…the year I saw my nieces grow up and become chirpier & naughtier by the day…the year when my brother cleared one of the most important exams of his life…the year when I rode to my dream destination – Ladakh…the year when I was promoted at UHG…the year when I watched a LIVE performance of my favorite singer Kailash Kher…the year when I lost all ties with my closest buddies forever and also when I made so many buddies for a lifetime !!!

2008…a month-by-month story…

January
Came back from Shillong after spending a memorable year end with my entire family and saw my newborn niece Samyukta for the first time…came back and faced a tough time managing my home all on my own…cooking food and what not !!!Had couple of great parties at home till my parents came back!!! Also got engraved with a Bhagat Singh Tattoo and the words Inquilaab Zindaabaad tattooed in Hindi…

February
A really tough month for me as I fought through my inevitable Divorce…talking to lawyers…and gathering strength for the upcoming court proceedings…another learning month for me but really hope that no other friend of mine go through the same…Got engraved with a “BELIEF” tattoo…it signifies the belief I have on myself, God, my friends & family…attended the Kailash Kher Show and was left stunned by the sheer mastery of the class-act singer…

March
Went to my favorite city Amritsar with my friends and had a gastronomical time there filled with Spirituality at the Golden Temple…courtesy Mr. Richard Lupu we had some crazy parties loaded with some alcohol-laced cocktails which made us lose all our senses !!! and it was so sad when Rich & Thelma had to leave for the US leaving us thirsty for some more of their critically-acclaimed cocktails !!! I also bought my bike this month…re-designed it and named it “The Mighty One”…went for the first bike ride of my life to Bhangarh which was one fuckin awesome ride…570 kms in 1 day flat !!!(http://cheguevaraontheroad.blogspot.com/2008/03/haunted-spookies.html) I also officially joined BULLS ON PARADE…my Bullet club…

April
It was the month of marital reckoning for me…I legally got separated from my ex-wife…got divorced on 28th April and the words from the Judge’s mouth when she told us that we were divorced sounded like AR Rahman’s Musical notes !!!Amidst the legal mayhem I was going through found time to go for a bike ride to Rishikesh!!! (http://cheguevaraontheroad.blogspot.com/2008/04/spiritual-junkies.html)Also started the preparations for my June Ladakh Ride…

May
Got engraved with my Buddha Eyes Tattoo…it signifies that God is always with me and has his eyes on me!!!Finished the final preps for my Ladakh Ride with all the shopping and stuff…discovered the famous Jhaag Lake which became the venue for 4 of our subsequent BOP meets…(http://cheguevaraontheroad.blogspot.com/2008/06/beer-skin-maniacs.html)

June
The most memorable month of 2008…on 6 June I left for the biggest ride of my life…‘The Mountain Tamers” Bike Ride to Ladakh…a 15 days & 3600 kms long bike ride…(http://themountaintamers.blogspot.com/) came back as a changed man…ready for any challenge on the road or off the road !!! Before going to this ride went for my first ride with the Pulsar Group called RODS…watched exhilarating bike stunts LIVE for the first time which left me gasping for breath!!! (http://cheguevaraontheroad.blogspot.com/2008/06/stunt-riders.html)

July
July also started with another awesome ride…this time to Chail…great weather to ride through some tough roads…(http://cheguevaraontheroad.blogspot.com/2008/07/chailastic-riders.html)
also went to Mhow near Indore to meet my Brother where he was studying day & night to prepare for his Staff College Entrance Exam…my visit provided him & his friends some much needed break…

August
August was a dull month for me as the planned Independence Ride to Mcleodganj got cancelled due to bad weather…was left frustrated & depressed…spent some much needed time with my parents…but the end of the month was great for me as my brother’s family came home and we all had a great family fiesta…playing with my nieces…Chunni & Sammy gave me the perfect reason to come out of the depression mode !!!

September
Another month another bike ride!!! this time to Landour near Mussoorie…the ride was smooth & great fun…(http://cheguevaraontheroad.blogspot.com/2008/09/landour-riders.html) but the ending was a little sombre with the Delhi Bomb Blasts on 14 September…we were still in Mussoorie and got worried for our friends & families back home…fortunately everybody was safe…came back and celebrated my 28th birthday…a quiet one with my family…and also quit alcohol the same day…till now haven’t had any…lets see till when I can keep this going !!! also joined a Foodie Group…Eating Out in Delhi (EOiD) and went for the first meet to Old Delhi…(http://cheguevaraontheroad.blogspot.com/2008/09/iftar-foodies.html)

October
Another Mcleodganj Ride cancelled…this time due to no co-riders available !!! one consolation was a short BOP ride to the Jhaag Lake but that ended in sadness as well as the lake had dried up !!! also had a minor bike breakdown while coming back !!! went for another EOiD Meet to Old Delhi again, this time sampling on the vegetarian delights !!!

November
The BOP Anniversary Ride to Pushkar…we had completed one year and went to Pushkar to celebrate our brotherhood…an amazingly calm & serene place even amidst the Mela which was taking place !!! (http://cheguevaraontheroad.blogspot.com/2008/11/anniversary-riders.html)
Also fulfilled a long-awaited dream of mine…to gorge on the Tandoori Bakra served at Karim’s…went there in a group of almost 35 odd people feasting on the 2 bakras !!! My Brother also cleared the Staff College Entrance Exam. with flying colours and would be off to Wellington near Ooty from May 2009. He once again made our family proud...We also went to Lucknow for our EOiD Meet and gorged on all the famous delicacies of Lucknow...a true gastronomical experience !!!

December
This month so far has been pretty decent…loaded with a short BOP ride to the Aravallis… had new members joining BOP and a great buddy Negi leaving for Bangalore…this month has also been witness to loads of planning for my upcoming West Coast Ride which is scheduled between 10 & 27 January…

All-in-All a year where I have learnt so many new things…faced new challenges…lost some close friends…made new friends…partied a lot…made some memorable & inspirational journeys…and getting ready for 2009 with full josh & vigour…to repeat the successes of 2008 and hopefully not repeating any old mistakes !!!

Hope you enjoyed reading the 2008 story the same way I lived through it !!!

Che would be back on the road again…

Till then have safe sex…and enjoy….

Cheers to Life….