It was supposed to be the most easiest day of our trip with expected arrival at about 1:30pm to Tandi to relax in our cottages next to a Monastery surrounded with lush green mountains; however, nature wanted us to see-it-all during this trip.
Distance traveled: 110 kms
Ride time: approximately 6 hours
Total time (w/ breaks): 10 hours
Health check: Super
Mental check: excited for last 2 days
Motorcycle check: Clutch issues continued
Surprisingly, the windy cold tents gave us a 6-8 hours of knock-out sleep even in extreme conditions. 
Waking up refreshed at this meditative location in the plateau surrounded by scenic snow-top, rocky and clay mountains was a perfect setting to meditate and perform Surya Namaskar
to the rising sun. Due to the high altitude of this location, sun rise instantaneously converts the freezing temperature at night to nice and warm mornings followed by hot afternoons. We experienced summer, winter and monsoon in less than 12 hours spent here.
Kick-start was right on time at 8:00am after a quick daily briefing by Sachin. Once the motorcycle was warmed up, we took a quick break at a make-do parachute tent restaurant for breakfast as the campsite provided breakfast was un-swallowable. Maggi never tasted any better paired with Kahwa, a local saffron and cinnamon tea. We left about 15 mins after a group of other motorcyclists and car-ridden tourists.
Soon after our engines were properly heated, a sudden traffic jam caused us to brake and turn off our engines. Sachin and Imran went to the front only to find out that the waterfalls caused a landslide barely 15 mins ago breaking the road and creating water streams! The force of the water was so intense that it was causing loose boulders to flow in the water stream increasing its size and making it impossible for anyone or any vehicle to pass by. Traffic started piling up waiting for the bulldozers to arrive, while we waited sitting on the scenic cliff edge. <Video coming soon…> I’m neither a writer, not a poet, but this entire experience and scenic location automatically brought words to me thinking about the farewell the next day.
Thinking about the other group who left 15 mins prior to us from the breakfast place, some of us wished that it would have been better if we had left at the same time, while a part of us screamed that everything happens for a good reason! These 15 mins may have literally saved the lives of 3-4 of us, who could have been easily washed away in the landslide! Thank goodness we’re all safe – better to reach late, than never!
After almost an hour of sitting on the road or cliff-side, the bulldozer operator estimated about 3 hours of work to shift the boulder rocks to redirect the stream in to 5 separate streams to lower the intensity. We decided to just head back towards Sarchu, with a promise from Sachin that no matter what, we won’t stay overnight in Sarchu again. About 15 mins retracing our way back, we found another riverside 
parachute tent restaurant where we pilled up additional Maggi for lunch and then the 6 of us rested on the rocks next to the fast-flowing beautiful river as if we were getting a hot stone massage.
A few hours later, as soon as the traffic was released from the other side, it started pouring, so we put on our rain gear and rushed back to our 
previous spot in the queue. 3 bulldozers had done a wonderful job redirecting the streams making it easier for us “graduated water-stream riders” to pass. However, right after it was a high waterfall with about 15 feet of high flowing water before the water fell into a deep cliff. We had only graduated water streams, but this was an actual waterfall!! All the frustrated tourists in vans, buses, and motorcycles starter rushing through barely making way for the motorcyclists. One of the impatient Tempo traveler even nudged the back of my motorcycle pushing me to pass the waterfall. Some motorcycles passed the falls relatively effortlessly, while my clutch issues required additional manpower to lift and push the motorcycle.
We all made it safely to the other side speeding through to make it to Tandi before dark. When we go to another high pass Baralacha La (4,890m), barely a few of us got off the motorcycles to even take a picture at this milestone.
Gopi joined me again returning to soft Hindi lovey-dovey music, as we rushed through the better roads to make it to our Drillbu bamboo cottages in Tandi by 6pm. After getting hot water only for an hour, we finally bathed after 2 days before beginning our party celebrations of being saved by 15 mins.
Campfire with music, stories and drinks with lifetime friends made it an awesome bonding and hilarious evening.
Some worthy mentions after a couple of drinks:
Sachin’s Madhuri Thumka performance- When Kate wrote the 3 letters in Chinese to Sachin, Bhuvansir guessed it was “Made in China” instead of “I Love You”
- Parag’s “Cheers” to every mention and “Mera Dost Nahi, Mera Bhai Hai Tu (you’re not my friend, you’re my brother)” to Peeki, the Singaporean who doesn’t understand hindi
- Before Hiren could finish his sentence “I was looking for a guy…”, Bhuvansir responded “I’m not into guys”. And later during dinner, Hiren looked at Bhuvansir and said “Don’t look at me like that, it’s not happening”. Lol
- Apurva mistakenly going someone else’s cottage to use the bathroom
It will be difficult to say goodbyes to these friends who stuck together during some of the most dangerous moments of our lives.
Stay tuned to follow our last day as we make our way to scenic Manali.
