Day 1 - Arrival

Manali is gorgeous. Snow-capped peaks frame the valley from every angle, and the Ashapuri resort sits above the town with views that make it hard to focus on anything practical.

First order of business was claiming the bike. A row of Royal Enfield Himalayan 450s lined up on the stone courtyard, and I found mine: black with gold rims, a "Ride the Himalayas" sticker on the windscreen with my name on it. That finally made the riding experience real.

The afternoon test ride was chaotic, uneven, manageable, which was a giant step towards feeling prepared. Narrow roads, rain-slicked forest switchbacks, cars coming the other way just inches from my handlebars. A gentle preview of what's ahead, just without the altitude.

The formal orientation happened in the evening. The whole group was gathered at long wooden tables in the garden, Kingfisher beers and traditional Himachali caps all around. By the time Manali lit up across the valley after dark, the nerves had settled into something more ready. Tomorrow we begin.

Click here for Day 2