Michael Starr, a British national, turned 74 in the Himalayas. He wasn’t at a spa, yoga or meditation retreat. Instead, he was on a motorbike riding to the highest pass in Ladakh. In the absence of stores or bakeries at that altitude, his fellow bikers surprised him by holding up a birthday message written across a large white bed sheet.
For Atul Bharadwaj, who organised the tour, memorable moments like this are par for the course. Atul, who started AB Original Tours in 2009 in Solan (Himachal Pradesh), says, “Motorbike tours are on the bucket list of many travellers.” The pandemic has fuelled a definite rise in outdoor activities and fitness-oriented holidays — not surprisingly, operators like Atul are also seeing a spike in interest from both seasoned and amateur bikers.
