D-Day Minus One Week

Aug 14th, 2014:

Handed over Chitti (That's what Linda calls my Royal Enfield .Inspired from the movie of one of our favorite actors - RAJNIKANT !!! ) to the Teknik Motors service center at Indiranagar. As Marshall, the chief technician, started noting the problems that needed to be fixed, I told him about my Banglaore to Ladakh ride. He did not react in a way like others did when they hear about my trip. He would have heard such stories way too often. He continued examining the bike thoroughly without even looking at me. I guess he started taking me little seriously when I told him that I was making this trip alone. Marshall, for the first time during the course of the conversation, made brief eye contact and advised me not to ride alone. Then, as he got back to his scribbling on the job sheet, he told me that the bike will be handed over to me after two days because he would take time to ensure that the bike would be ready for the long ride.

Marshall meanwhile started sharing stories of his ride to Ladakh in the year 2013. Unfortunately, he could not make it to Ladakh as the region had a devastating flash flood. This made me a little nervous. I made a silent pray to Mother Nature for my trip to be a success.

As the conversation progressed, I told him that I am leaving my job for this trip. This is where the real excitement sparked off for me. When Marshall heard this, he stopped everything that he was doing, looked at me, smiled, and then after a few seconds he said, “Enfield is madness”. With these words, Marshall had unofficially flagged off the trip for me.

After two days, when Marshall handed over Chitti to me, I knew that he had honoured his words. Chitti was completely geared up for the challenge. 

(final servicing before the trip)

15th Aug, 2014 :

Shibu, lesser of my boss and more of a trusted friend, had arranged a small get together at his place. While I was on my way that day I realized that it was perhaps the last moment we would meet as a team, and that feeling was not a very good feeling to hold on to. It took a few rounds of beer to lift up my spirit to the occasion. Had it not been for each colleague present in the room that day, I would not have lasted so long in the company. I have invested four years in this company, and what I am taking back are some meaningful relations for a lifetime. Come to think of it, it’s not a bad deal at all.

         

19th Aug, 2014 :

When you leave the office at 4 am on your last working day (After18 hrs of work), you know what the physics lecturer meant by 'escape velocity'. My corporate life had come full circle. I was in the office till 2 am on my first day and the last day was no different. 

It was time to live now and leave too .........  

(Do read the other days chronicle listed on the same page)  

#Royalenfield  #trip #leh #bikeride #adventure #ladakh #travel