The Anatomy of Journey

The Anatomy of Journey is a soul-quest, an essay into the secrets of nature, a journey into the mystic heights of Ladakh, and into the depths of the mind. It is a narrative about four restless, young men, looking for adventure on the road. The novel follows their epic motorcycle road trip from Bangalore to Ladakh, over a total distance of six thousand kilometers and spanning fifteen days. The bikers discover an entire new world, riding from Delhi to Chandigarh to Manali to Leh - the capital of Ladakh. They cross five mountain passes, visit a beautiful, blue, mountain lake, and end up on what some call the highest motor-able road in the world, on one of the highest mountain passes - Khardung La [18,300 ft].

This is a journey into the romance of the Indian Himalayas, into the cold whispers of the Kullu valley, into the ancient trading route that connects Manali to Leh to Tibet and then to China over the Karakoram Pass. This is also a journey into the mind and spirit, into questions that are difficult to answer. It is a journey into long, unbroken silences. The readers will discover, as did the riders, that the elevation of mountains cause elevations in thought, and this elevation is sought and pursued as relentlessly as the open road. Through these and many other smaller journeys, the reader is invited to question their understanding of life, of what it has come to mean, of what we have been taught it means, of what we have been forced into believing. A fresh new perspective is born from these wanderings, and this perspective allows us - the reader and the rider - to question the anatomy of various things, including the journey itself.

Come join us on this expanding walkabout, a pilgrimage into the very heart of mountains and rivers, and delve into the sinless seduction that only nature provides. This book, these words, these glimpses into the soul of everything will uplift, enchant and enthrall. All I ask is for you to spend a wonderful afternoon upon the motorcycle of the mind. I promise I am leaning into the curve of the blind road with you.

The 2015 Edition contains more than 1000 additional words, minor changes in the formatting of the chapters, and a section for 'travelogue' facts for each 'travel' day.