The Motorcycle Rental

The motorcycle we rented was a Royal Enfield 350 Bullet. We decided to rent this motorcycle because it was more comfortable and stable for long journeys. Anyone familiar with Royal Enfield Bullet knows exactly what I’m talking about. When my girlfriend saw the size of the motorcycle and experienced the intense traffic and unique driving style on the streets of India, she had a few questions. She formed her impression from the journey from the airport to the hotel.

I remember one of her questions was, “Are you sure you can handle this motorcycle?” I confidently replied, drawing from my extensive experience riding motorcycles on the streets of Italy, where I owned a motorcycle a few years ago and rode it every day around the year 2010. Although it had been 8 years since then, I found that once you learn to ride a manual transmission motorcycle, it becomes second nature.

We reached the hotel reception, explained that we had rented a room, and sat down at a table with the guys who brought the motorcycle. It was stiflingly hot, but there was a fan in the reception area that already made a difference. We signed the documents, paid, and provided the deposit along with my ID, as per the agreement. Typically, those renting motorcycles come in pairs, with two motorcycles; they leave one and return with the other.

After signing the documents, we took the motorcycle and rode down the street where the hotel was located, filled with excitement. However, being extremely tired, I remember parking the motorcycle in the hotel garage, which was securely closed. After settling the hotel bill, I slept like a baby until the next day.

First Impressions of New Delhi

The following day, we strolled through the nearby streets and had the opportunity to spot a monkey on the cables in the middle of the neighborhood where we were staying. We joked that it was Spiderman, given its agility. This marked the beginning of our journey through India on an unfamiliar motorcycle, which didn’t disappoint us. New Delhi was beautiful, and we had big plans and high hopes, feeling very excited and happy to have arrived safely. This was just the beginning of our adventure in India, a beautiful beginning with many new places to discover.

One mistake we made was bringing along two medium-sized backpacks of clothes, only to realize after a few days that we didn’t actually need them. In fact, the situation was like this: the clothes we wore during the day quickly became covered in dust and rendered useless. So, I decided to wear the same clothes each day, washing them in the evening at the hotel; they dried in just 20 minutes. This proved to be the ideal solution that helped me cope with the heat and dust throughout my journey.