MATURE TRAVELLER
  • Destinations - Australia
    • Royal Caribbean Program
    • The Whitsundays
    • Alice Springs
    • Green Island Qld
    • Coober Pedy SA
    • Palm Cove
    • Yeppoon QLD
    • Sapphire Coast
    • Mollymook
    • Hyde Park Barracks
    • Palm Cove Social Club
    • Kangaroo Island
    • Aussie Country Towns
    • Escape to Australia
    • Lord Howe Island
    • Rottnest Island
    • Kangaroo Island Magic
    • Vibe Hotel Darling Harbour
    • The Public Silo Trail WA
    • Brisbane Calile
    • In awe of the Kimberley
    • Hunter Gatherings
    • Pacific Hotel Cairns
    • Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours
    • Kangaroo Island
    • Sunshine State
    • Kimberley Coast
    • The Kimberley and Mitchell Falls
    • Forget Bali - Go Bush
    • Barcaldine
    • Tap and Go Sydney
    • Port Douglas
    • The Outback and fascinating Lava Tubes at Undara.
    • Darwin
    • Brisbane Grand Ladies
    • Brisbane to Townsville
    • Citadines Sydney Airport
    • Mudgee
    • Kimberley Coast
    • Mudgee's Blue Wren Winery
    • Uber Cool Brisbane
    • Southern Highlands NSW
    • Perth Day Cruise
    • Lord Howe - Return to Paradise
    • Broome
    • The Hydro Majestic Hotel
    • O'REILLY'S
    • Hervey Bay
    • Sealink Swan River
  • CRUISING
    • Cruising
    • Princess Explorer >
      • SeaDream Visits Elba
      • MSC Bellissima
      • ms Volendam >
        • Rivers will boom
        • Riviera Cruises
        • Cunard Queens
        • Norwegian Cruise Lines >
          • CroisiEurope >
            • Sunborn Yacht Hotel
            • Riverboats
            • AMERICAN STEAMBOATS >
              • HAL Latest
              • Voyager of the Seas
        • SeaDream A Seven-Day Dream
        • SeaDream Wins Again
        • msNoordam >
          • Rhine Part 3
        • CroisiEurope
        • Sailing the Orient
    • Paul Gauguin Cruises Tahitian Dreaming
    • Silversea NZ Part 1 >
      • Luxury Whitsundays
      • Lake Geneva Part 2
      • Avalon Waterways
    • Majestic Princess
    • Sun Princess
    • Silja Line
    • Pacific Jewel
    • Norwegian Jewel
    • Azamara >
      • Bordeaux and Riverboats
      • River Cruises >
        • CroisiEurope
    • Diamond Princess >
      • Multigenerational Cruising
      • MSC Grandiosa
      • China Shore Tour
    • Blue Lagoon Cruises
    • 14-day Baltic cruise on the Celestial Eclipse. >
      • Captain Cook Cruises Fiji
    • Lake Geneva Part 1
    • CroisiEurope Rhine River >
      • Rhine Part 2
    • Riviera Cruises
    • What's New >
      • PNG with P&O >
        • Holland America Line
        • Crystal's 2019 Collection of Globetrotting Voyages
      • Paul Gauguin Cruises 2021
      • New Vibe Hotel for Sydney
      • Back Roads Touring
      • Henty CoPilot
      • Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam >
        • Mekong Riverboat
        • MSC Seaside
        • MSC Opera
      • Princess Cruises Australia
    • SeaDream Memories
    • Volendam
    • Silversea NZ part 2
  • CARAVANS & RV
    • Caravans Rule!
    • YaMate Insect Repellent
  • GROUP TOURS & EVENTS
    • Gambaro Hotel
    • Noosa Festival
    • TravelComfort
    • Canberra Wine Food
    • Puglia with Lyndey Milan
    • Sydney Microbrewery
    • Back-Roads Touring Goes USA
    • Noosa Wine and Food Festival
    • BBQ Beer and BS
    • Cuisines of France and Mexico
    • Wine with David Ellis
  • TECHNOLOGY
    • Canon EOS R
    • Canon EOS200D
    • Canon EOS M 50
    • Inflighto
    • Canon - PowerShot SX730 HS
    • Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III >
      • Shoulder Bag
    • Travel Light
    • Firefly
    • My Flight Hammock
    • LG Stylus DAB+
    • Paklite
    • Navman >
      • Flight Kit
      • Eyeglasses
      • Listen Wireless Headphones
      • Rigon Headwear >
        • Travel Sickness
    • Lonely Planet Wellness
    • Motorola
    • Flight testing the Focal Headphones
    • Samsung Camera
    • Nokia Lumia 925- WOW
    • The New Paklite Collection
    • New from Samsonite >
      • Seaquatix
    • 5 Suitcase Essentials for Arthritis Sufferers
    • Mature Traveller's ARE SEXY
    • Room hangables
  • Books
    • Penguin Books
    • Captain Cook's Epic Voyage
    • In Her Footsteps
    • Riptides
    • The Drover's Wife
    • Who Owns History
    • Lonely Planet Dark Skies
    • Latest Lonely Planet Kids
    • Lonely Planet The Universe
    • Win BIG with Lonely Planet
    • Conversations in the Kitchen
    • The Rescue Dog
    • Lonely Planet Kids’ Atlas of Monsters and Ghosts
    • Welcome to your period
    • Flight to Fame
    • Long Flight Home
    • The Daredevil’s Guide to Outer Space
    • Hush Hush
    • The Last Elephants
    • Home at Last
    • Lonely Planet Kids Stickers
    • Rome Precincts
    • The Ink Stain
    • Storm Boy
    • Muttshots
    • King of the Air
    • Steam Australia
    • More Lonely Planet Kids
    • Australian Birds
    • Lonely Planet Atlas
    • The Rescuers >
      • NSW Central Coast
    • Lonely Planet Kids
    • Six Decades of Holden V Ford
    • Teida's Story
    • Take Back Australia Mark Latham
    • Hardie Grant Books
    • New Holland Publishers
    • The Pacific In the Wake of Captain Cook
    • Bill Lawry
    • Endeavour
    • In the Valley of the Blue Gums
    • Political Correctness
    • Heros of Hamel
    • Lonely Planet’s Cruise Ports
    • The Last 100 Days
    • Against The Odds
    • How to win a Noble Prize
    • Child of Africa
    • Where the Murray River Runs
    • Moment of Thruth
    • Lonely Planet Kids
    • Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2018
    • A Short History of Golf
    • Freedom’s Salesman
    • Mark Latham
    • Lonely Planet Kids
    • A Hard Place
    • Big Boys’ Toys Book
    • Fly Fishing Book
    • Stealth Raiders Book
    • Hero or Deserter? Book
    • GOLF RESORTS BOOK
    • THE CHARGE
    • Gelignite Jack Murray
    • Lonely Planet Kids
    • THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF PIKELET
    • Fur-Ever Loved
    • Alicorn
    • Roped In from Hardie Grant
    • The Australian Bird Guide
    • The Mysterious Mr Jacob
    • The Rugby League Book of Records
    • Rubbing Shoulders Around the World
    • Make Science Fun Book
    • Gallipoli Book
  • Photo Gallery
    • Paul Gauguin Photos
    • Blue Lagoon Photos
    • Kakadu
    • Hotel Kurrajong
    • Cook Islands Photos
    • The Steamboats of Lake Geneva
    • Sir Donald Campbell Bluebird >
      • Archives
      • Whitsundays Photo Essay
    • SAMOA PHOTO JOURNEY
  • Contact
    • Media Kit
    • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Destinations - Overseas
    • Yamoto The Battleship
    • Tierra Tourismo
    • Ascott The Residence
    • Ireland
    • Disneyland Resort
    • African Elephants
    • Guernsey
    • Salzburg
    • Austria's Silent Night
    • Ethiopia
    • Yorkshire
    • Bryce Canyon
    • Macao
    • Dubai Taj
    • Destination India
    • Return to Sri Lanka
    • Nepal
    • The Balkans Tour
    • Disney Star Wars
    • Destinations - Asia
    • Indian Motorbike
    • The Falkland Islands
    • Rajasthan
    • Marrakech
    • Port Macquarie
    • Ganges Odyssey
    • Hokkaido
    • Würzburg
    • Samoa
    • Tripura India
    • Hong Kong Park Lane
    • A Day in Hong Kong
    • Zagreb Croatia
    • Paris Mercure
    • Majorca
    • Dubai
    • Croatia
    • Flanders
    • Wales
    • Switzerland
    • Morocco Part 3
    • Morocco Part 2
    • Ireland's Movies
    • Morocco Part 1
    • Milwaukee
    • Hong Kong Peak Tram
    • India's Golden Triangle
    • Destination USA & Canada
    • Peru's Colca Valley
    • Destination Africa
    • Samoa Paradise
    • Italy
    • Jasper Canada >
      • Cuba Cars >
        • Sri Lanka Eco Lodge
        • Caribbean Airport
    • Antarctica
    • Kuala Lumpur
    • Cuba >
      • The Netherlands
    • P&O Samoa
    • Destination Europe
    • British Columbia
    • Winnipeg Canada
    • Thailand
    • The Canadian
    • Ghana Bikes
    • Finland
    • Malaysia Medical
    • Finland 'Escape'
    • Stockholm
    • Deadwood, USA
    • Helsinki cool
    • South & Central America
    • French Village
    • Alaska 101
    • Samoa Win
    • Vietnam
    • Cumbria England
    • Doha Qatar
    • Ottawa
    • Tokyo Disney 1 >
      • Tokyo Disney Part 2
      • Tokyo Disney Part 3
    • Hong Kong
  • LUXURY RESORTS
    • The Havannah Vanuatu
    • Paul Gauguin Cruises 2020 brochure
    • Back-Roads Touring Film Locations >
      • Adina Brisbane
    • Pan Pacific Hotels
    • Novotel Century Hong Kong
  • TRAINS
    • Yorkshire Train
    • Eurail >
      • Eurail New Free App
    • Canada Rail
    • The Ghan
    • Portugal Rail
    • China's Trains
  • Airline Reviews
    • Hawaiian Airlines
    • Fly Rex
    • Cathay Pacific A350-1000
    • Air Asia
    • Cathay Pacific Menu
    • Cathay Pacific Business
    • CMV Vasco da Gama
    • Scoot to Berlin
    • Costa Rica Lindblad
    • Airbus A350 1000
    • The Rhine Part 1
    • Airbus
    • Finnair Business
    • Air France Business Class
    • Asiana Airlines
    • Flying Finnair to Europe
    • Business Class with Cathay
    • Finnair
    • Singapore Airlines
    • British Airways Business
  • Celebrity Galapagos Cruise
  • Turn in those trinkers
​ Being Mature does not mean you can’t be COOL!
Maria Visconti finds that being a nomad at heart; I prefer wide-open spaces, big skies and altitude. I have crossed deserts with camels in Australia, walked with orangutans in Borneo and ridden horses in Mongolia. Trekking has taken me all the way (twice) to Mustang the tiny Tibetan Kingdom within Nepal.
My newfound passion, however, is adventure motor biking at altitude in the Indian Himalayas where the air is thin and where every rock on the road is a lesson in forbearance.
I can honestly say that the best years of my life have been after I turned 50. If you dream about it, do it. There are no limits to age. Yes, there are -you might say- but there is always an alternative. Look for it. Some say some people are lucky. I say those ‘lucky’ people have spotted an opportunity and have taken it. Who dares, wins… it is an awesome feeling.
When I found trekking at altitude too taxing I discovered- by chance- adventure motorcycling. I could have said “No, too dangerous, unpredictable and totally crazy at my age’. But instead I went and fell in love with it and the man who introduced me to it. We ride solo and unsupported and by now we have 40,000Km together covering the breadth and width of India.
On grandparents’ day at school, my little granddaughter took a picture of me to her Kindy classroom and said: “My grandma is not here today because she is riding a motorcycle in the Himalayas”. How cool is that?
I thrive on it now. Travelling with no reservations is flexible and rewarding. On the last ride we were heading northeast to go to Nagaland and stopped for a break on the Delhi to Agra highway. Suddenly we sighted the express bus from Delhi to Kathmandu (Nepal) and in unison we turned to each other and said ”Shall go to Kathmandu?” We agreed, pointed the motorcycle north, crossed the Himalayas and landed in Kathmandu 3 days after. After a blissful week in Nepal, we resumed our trip to the northeastern states of India…
The adrenalin hit adventure motorcycling provides is huge. I cannot keep away from the mountains now and our trusted Enfield Bullet.
Feeling blessed… Maria Visconti
If you had ridden before and would like to ride in the Indian Himalayas on an organised, fully supported tour, see: www.littlefrog.in
Email: panghal@hotmail.com
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  • Destinations - Australia
    • Royal Caribbean Program
    • The Whitsundays
    • Alice Springs
    • Green Island Qld
    • Coober Pedy SA
    • Palm Cove
    • Yeppoon QLD
    • Sapphire Coast
    • Mollymook
    • Hyde Park Barracks
    • Palm Cove Social Club
    • Kangaroo Island
    • Aussie Country Towns
    • Escape to Australia
    • Lord Howe Island
    • Rottnest Island
    • Kangaroo Island Magic
    • Vibe Hotel Darling Harbour
    • The Public Silo Trail WA
    • Brisbane Calile
    • In awe of the Kimberley
    • Hunter Gatherings
    • Pacific Hotel Cairns
    • Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours
    • Kangaroo Island
    • Sunshine State
    • Kimberley Coast
    • The Kimberley and Mitchell Falls
    • Forget Bali - Go Bush
    • Barcaldine
    • Tap and Go Sydney
    • Port Douglas
    • The Outback and fascinating Lava Tubes at Undara.
    • Darwin
    • Brisbane Grand Ladies
    • Brisbane to Townsville
    • Citadines Sydney Airport
    • Mudgee
    • Kimberley Coast
    • Mudgee's Blue Wren Winery
    • Uber Cool Brisbane
    • Southern Highlands NSW
    • Perth Day Cruise
    • Lord Howe - Return to Paradise
    • Broome
    • The Hydro Majestic Hotel
    • O'REILLY'S
    • Hervey Bay
    • Sealink Swan River
  • CRUISING
    • Cruising
    • Princess Explorer >
      • SeaDream Visits Elba
      • MSC Bellissima
      • ms Volendam >
        • Rivers will boom
        • Riviera Cruises
        • Cunard Queens
        • Norwegian Cruise Lines >
          • CroisiEurope >
            • Sunborn Yacht Hotel
            • Riverboats
            • AMERICAN STEAMBOATS >
              • HAL Latest
              • Voyager of the Seas
        • SeaDream A Seven-Day Dream
        • SeaDream Wins Again
        • msNoordam >
          • Rhine Part 3
        • CroisiEurope
        • Sailing the Orient
    • Paul Gauguin Cruises Tahitian Dreaming
    • Silversea NZ Part 1 >
      • Luxury Whitsundays
      • Lake Geneva Part 2
      • Avalon Waterways
    • Majestic Princess
    • Sun Princess
    • Silja Line
    • Pacific Jewel
    • Norwegian Jewel
    • Azamara >
      • Bordeaux and Riverboats
      • River Cruises >
        • CroisiEurope
    • Diamond Princess >
      • Multigenerational Cruising
      • MSC Grandiosa
      • China Shore Tour
    • Blue Lagoon Cruises
    • 14-day Baltic cruise on the Celestial Eclipse. >
      • Captain Cook Cruises Fiji
    • Lake Geneva Part 1
    • CroisiEurope Rhine River >
      • Rhine Part 2
    • Riviera Cruises
    • What's New >
      • PNG with P&O >
        • Holland America Line
        • Crystal's 2019 Collection of Globetrotting Voyages
      • Paul Gauguin Cruises 2021
      • New Vibe Hotel for Sydney
      • Back Roads Touring
      • Henty CoPilot
      • Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam >
        • Mekong Riverboat
        • MSC Seaside
        • MSC Opera
      • Princess Cruises Australia
    • SeaDream Memories
    • Volendam
    • Silversea NZ part 2
  • CARAVANS & RV
    • Caravans Rule!
    • YaMate Insect Repellent
  • GROUP TOURS & EVENTS
    • Gambaro Hotel
    • Noosa Festival
    • TravelComfort
    • Canberra Wine Food
    • Puglia with Lyndey Milan
    • Sydney Microbrewery
    • Back-Roads Touring Goes USA
    • Noosa Wine and Food Festival
    • BBQ Beer and BS
    • Cuisines of France and Mexico
    • Wine with David Ellis
  • TECHNOLOGY
    • Canon EOS R
    • Canon EOS200D
    • Canon EOS M 50
    • Inflighto
    • Canon - PowerShot SX730 HS
    • Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III >
      • Shoulder Bag
    • Travel Light
    • Firefly
    • My Flight Hammock
    • LG Stylus DAB+
    • Paklite
    • Navman >
      • Flight Kit
      • Eyeglasses
      • Listen Wireless Headphones
      • Rigon Headwear >
        • Travel Sickness
    • Lonely Planet Wellness
    • Motorola
    • Flight testing the Focal Headphones
    • Samsung Camera
    • Nokia Lumia 925- WOW
    • The New Paklite Collection
    • New from Samsonite >
      • Seaquatix
    • 5 Suitcase Essentials for Arthritis Sufferers
    • Mature Traveller's ARE SEXY
    • Room hangables
  • Books
    • Penguin Books
    • Captain Cook's Epic Voyage
    • In Her Footsteps
    • Riptides
    • The Drover's Wife
    • Who Owns History
    • Lonely Planet Dark Skies
    • Latest Lonely Planet Kids
    • Lonely Planet The Universe
    • Win BIG with Lonely Planet
    • Conversations in the Kitchen
    • The Rescue Dog
    • Lonely Planet Kids’ Atlas of Monsters and Ghosts
    • Welcome to your period
    • Flight to Fame
    • Long Flight Home
    • The Daredevil’s Guide to Outer Space
    • Hush Hush
    • The Last Elephants
    • Home at Last
    • Lonely Planet Kids Stickers
    • Rome Precincts
    • The Ink Stain
    • Storm Boy
    • Muttshots
    • King of the Air
    • Steam Australia
    • More Lonely Planet Kids
    • Australian Birds
    • Lonely Planet Atlas
    • The Rescuers >
      • NSW Central Coast
    • Lonely Planet Kids
    • Six Decades of Holden V Ford
    • Teida's Story
    • Take Back Australia Mark Latham
    • Hardie Grant Books
    • New Holland Publishers
    • The Pacific In the Wake of Captain Cook
    • Bill Lawry
    • Endeavour
    • In the Valley of the Blue Gums
    • Political Correctness
    • Heros of Hamel
    • Lonely Planet’s Cruise Ports
    • The Last 100 Days
    • Against The Odds
    • How to win a Noble Prize
    • Child of Africa
    • Where the Murray River Runs
    • Moment of Thruth
    • Lonely Planet Kids
    • Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2018
    • A Short History of Golf
    • Freedom’s Salesman
    • Mark Latham
    • Lonely Planet Kids
    • A Hard Place
    • Big Boys’ Toys Book
    • Fly Fishing Book
    • Stealth Raiders Book
    • Hero or Deserter? Book
    • GOLF RESORTS BOOK
    • THE CHARGE
    • Gelignite Jack Murray
    • Lonely Planet Kids
    • THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF PIKELET
    • Fur-Ever Loved
    • Alicorn
    • Roped In from Hardie Grant
    • The Australian Bird Guide
    • The Mysterious Mr Jacob
    • The Rugby League Book of Records
    • Rubbing Shoulders Around the World
    • Make Science Fun Book
    • Gallipoli Book
  • Photo Gallery
    • Paul Gauguin Photos
    • Blue Lagoon Photos
    • Kakadu
    • Hotel Kurrajong
    • Cook Islands Photos
    • The Steamboats of Lake Geneva
    • Sir Donald Campbell Bluebird >
      • Archives
      • Whitsundays Photo Essay
    • SAMOA PHOTO JOURNEY
  • Contact
    • Media Kit
    • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Destinations - Overseas
    • Yamoto The Battleship
    • Tierra Tourismo
    • Ascott The Residence
    • Ireland
    • Disneyland Resort
    • African Elephants
    • Guernsey
    • Salzburg
    • Austria's Silent Night
    • Ethiopia
    • Yorkshire
    • Bryce Canyon
    • Macao
    • Dubai Taj
    • Destination India
    • Return to Sri Lanka
    • Nepal
    • The Balkans Tour
    • Disney Star Wars
    • Destinations - Asia
    • Indian Motorbike
    • The Falkland Islands
    • Rajasthan
    • Marrakech
    • Port Macquarie
    • Ganges Odyssey
    • Hokkaido
    • Würzburg
    • Samoa
    • Tripura India
    • Hong Kong Park Lane
    • A Day in Hong Kong
    • Zagreb Croatia
    • Paris Mercure
    • Majorca
    • Dubai
    • Croatia
    • Flanders
    • Wales
    • Switzerland
    • Morocco Part 3
    • Morocco Part 2
    • Ireland's Movies
    • Morocco Part 1
    • Milwaukee
    • Hong Kong Peak Tram
    • India's Golden Triangle
    • Destination USA & Canada
    • Peru's Colca Valley
    • Destination Africa
    • Samoa Paradise
    • Italy
    • Jasper Canada >
      • Cuba Cars >
        • Sri Lanka Eco Lodge
        • Caribbean Airport
    • Antarctica
    • Kuala Lumpur
    • Cuba >
      • The Netherlands
    • P&O Samoa
    • Destination Europe
    • British Columbia
    • Winnipeg Canada
    • Thailand
    • The Canadian
    • Ghana Bikes
    • Finland
    • Malaysia Medical
    • Finland 'Escape'
    • Stockholm
    • Deadwood, USA
    • Helsinki cool
    • South & Central America
    • French Village
    • Alaska 101
    • Samoa Win
    • Vietnam
    • Cumbria England
    • Doha Qatar
    • Ottawa
    • Tokyo Disney 1 >
      • Tokyo Disney Part 2
      • Tokyo Disney Part 3
    • Hong Kong
  • LUXURY RESORTS
    • The Havannah Vanuatu
    • Paul Gauguin Cruises 2020 brochure
    • Back-Roads Touring Film Locations >
      • Adina Brisbane
    • Pan Pacific Hotels
    • Novotel Century Hong Kong
  • TRAINS
    • Yorkshire Train
    • Eurail >
      • Eurail New Free App
    • Canada Rail
    • The Ghan
    • Portugal Rail
    • China's Trains
  • Airline Reviews
    • Hawaiian Airlines
    • Fly Rex
    • Cathay Pacific A350-1000
    • Air Asia
    • Cathay Pacific Menu
    • Cathay Pacific Business
    • CMV Vasco da Gama
    • Scoot to Berlin
    • Costa Rica Lindblad
    • Airbus A350 1000
    • The Rhine Part 1
    • Airbus
    • Finnair Business
    • Air France Business Class
    • Asiana Airlines
    • Flying Finnair to Europe
    • Business Class with Cathay
    • Finnair
    • Singapore Airlines
    • British Airways Business
  • Celebrity Galapagos Cruise
  • Turn in those trinkers