KOCHI: When Don Barney Victor and Rahul C decided to travel to Bhutan on their 97model Yamaha RX135 and Fascino scooter this time, it was not just to strike another adventure off their bucket list. They were eyeing a place in the India Book of Records. In six days, the duo reached Bhutan, covering a distance of 2994km. They started their journey on July 27 from the Yamaha motor showroom Aluva and reached the Bhutan gate on August 1.
“In 2017, I travelled to Ladakh on the same bike. Wherever I go, no matter how far the destination is, I always ride on my this bike,” says Don, who hails from Fort Kochi. On a 135 cc bike and 125cc scooter, the duo covered over 500km daily. “It doesn’t matter what bike you own. If you have the will to travel and you trust your vehicle, nothing should stop you from wandering,” says the youngsters.
The duo stayed at petrol stations and ate at street dhaabas. They travelled through Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal to reach Bhutan. “Our first halt was at Salem, after a 400km ride. Each day, we would start our journey at 5am and wind up by 11pm, and pitch a tent at a petrol station,” says Rahul, a native of Perumbavoor, near Kochi.
Along their journey, the duo had many overwhelming experiences. “When we halt at dhaabas, many people would ask about our trip. Some people would offer us food. In Orissa, a sage offered us a box of local sweets,” says Don.
The duo would only halt to take pictures and document their trip since time was of the essence for them. “We had plans to visit Northeast on our way back. But unfortunately, many tourist spots were closed to the public due to the pandemic. So we took a train from Patna, with our bikes on board,” adds Rahul.