A solo motorbike ride from Mumbai to Ahmedabad. Here I am sharing my experience and everything you need to know to plan your next road trip in India.

Behind the scenes

My 2021 kickstarted with some snowfall and friendship. I was in Manali for New Years with my buddy Satya. Now it is time for me to get back on the roads and be the traveller that I am. After a lot of thought and planning, I decided to visit Kutch. It was one of the regions in India that I was not 100% familiar with.

The Beginning

The beauty of India lies not in the present, but in the past. Gujarat is one of the most historically richest states of India. The vibrant state of Gujarat has witnessed partition, dinosaur apocalypse, Harappan civilisation – the birth of India as we know it.

My first stop on the way to Kutch was Ahmedabad, India. It is also called Amdavad. As the state’s largest city and also the home of some of my very close friends, it was perfect to be my first stop. It is one of the most historic cities in India and declared as India’s first UNESCO World Heritage City.

The plan was to leave as early in the morning as possible so that I could reach by afternoon and have the whole day to plan the next steps. If you have watched my vlog, you know how circumstances got the better of me.

It all started with a simple bike service, which led to changing the brake pads, which led to changing the batteries. One thing led to another and it was already 10pm. My friends came to visit me since I was leaving for a trip. It was a ritual. And everything was delayed further.

It was so disheartening that I thought I’d rather just leave the next day. But plans were made, people were waiting on me and I couldn’t delay anymore. If you know the Hindi proverb which says ‘kal kare so aaj kar, aaj kare so ab’, I pushed myself a little and managed to complete my work and left in a few hours.

How to get there

The roads from Mumbai to Ahmedabad are beautiful. They’re smooth and easy to cruise. You don’t have to worry about potholes or too many speed breakers.

However, riding through cities has its own drawbacks. You have to consider the time that will be wasted at toll plazas. Dahisar toll plaza and Vasai creek took up at least 1-1.5 hours’ time of my ride.

What you should do

• Service your vehicle before your trip.
• Wear proper safety gear like a helmet, riding jacket, and shoes.
• If you do not have experience with long rides, look for someone to ride with.
• Start as early in the morning as possible. Preferably before 5am to skip the heavy city traffic.
• Do not overspeed. Not only does it affect your engine life, but also your life.

Things to do in Ahmedabad

While I was doing my research, I saw that Ahmedabad which is at the heart of Gujarat has a never-ending list of places to see. Most of them were heritage sites and it was very tough for me to prioritise. Let me know which of these are the best places to see in and around Ahmedabad:

• Sabarmati Ashram – One of Gandhiji’s homes whenever he was in Gujarat
• Jama Masjid – One of the oldest mosques, built in the 1400’s
• Kankaria Lake – Second largest lake in Gujarat
• Sabarmati Riverfront – River of historical significance
• Adalaj Stepwell – Adalaj Stepwell or Rudabai Stepwell built to commemorate Queen Rudabai

Stay tuned to stay up-to-date about the rest of my bike trip. Until then Live Your Life – Live Your Dream.