​ 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