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I’m reading a book at the moment called ‘Put Your Ass Where Your Heart Wants To Be’ by Steven Pressfield. I say I’m reading it but it’s actually an audiobook. Listening to a book, how weird, eh? Audiobooks are handy but I never really feel the same way about them as I do with a physical book. For me personally, there seems to be no attachment to it when it’s not cardboard, paper, and print. I’m reading another book at the moment that’s in hardback form – the old-fashioned way. It feels much more engaging and I find myself regularly doodling on the pages with notes and underlining sentences and paragraphs. It does help that I’m really enjoying both books.

It got me thinking about how easy it was to purchase the audiobook. There’s no doubt that it’s convenient and even for someone as tech illiterate as me, it takes 30 seconds and presents no challenge whatsoever. It’s a bit boring. In fact, it’s a lot boring.

Experience does help but only if it’s the right kind of experience. Adventure, or the perception of Adventure, is very trendy at the moment. I received a recent newsletter from a company that operates a similar business. I say similar, in that it involves motorcycles and riding in India. They’ve been around a long time. I did take the time to read what they sent and noticed many of the current buzzwords of ‘partners’, ‘collaboration’, ‘agents’, ‘representatives’, ‘tour experts’, and ‘rented motorcycles’. Many of them based in countries other than India. And the big takeaway from what I read, was that they have designed the tours to make it so much easier to ride in the Himalayas. They have ditched the difficult routes. I genuinely couldn’t think of anything more off-putting.

We ran four ‘Roof Of India’ rides this year and after the first two, I knew a change was needed. Why? Because it had become too easy, too comfortable. I had almost fallen into the ‘convenience’ trap. So, I made the change mid-season and I got it 100% right. After a couple of years of not being able to run the rides, maybe we were losing some of our ‘mojo’, as they say. Well, you can take my word for it, it’s sorted. When it comes to the Himalayas, this is the best it’s ever been. Sometimes, an old dog has to remember old tricks.

From when you first contact Nomadic Knights, it’s me that’s talking and communicating with you. I’m here waiting for you when you arrive and I’m riding with you every minute of every day. And I’ll see you off at the end. If I can refer to the book that I mentioned right at the start, I’m Putting My Ass Where My Heart Wants To Be.

And the best part? And I mean this most sincerely.

Getting together with a group of like-minded people for what I would say is a pretty intense experience. Thousands of kms covered over 14 days. New friendships are established, and existing ones strengthened.

We don’t know what lies ahead but I know something that’s guaranteed.

It will be awesome.

I’ll see you soon.