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My sense of curiosity got the better of me early one morning during my first trip to the Himalayas.

We were staying near Kaza or Tabo in the stunning Spiti Valley.

I was determined to sneak out while my fellow travellers were still sleeping to explore the area and Buddhist temple, as there would be no opportunity once we were all up and preparing to depart. It would only take 45 minutes and the skies were clear so I fired up my 500 Bullet and set off at first light.

Being a remote area I saw nobody and was loving the sense of isolation. It’s common for the weather to change very suddenly in this region and that is precisely what happened while I was taking photographs for my magazine article. A dense mist blew in so I jumped on the bike and headed back slowly, but before long became disorientated on the unsurfaced roads and had to stop. This was not good. I might delay the whole group departure by hours if I was stuck here with zero visibility.

With no hope of any phone signal I had no choice but to sit it out, but within five minutes of watching the droplets run down my visor I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder. Startled, I turned round to see a Buddhist monk smiling at me. He immediately climbed aboard and pointed over my shoulder so off we went together down the mountain at 5mph with me following the direction of his finger. We soon descended through the mist and I dropped him at his monastery. We smiled, shook hands and parted company without exchanging a single word.

Simon Bowen

SIMON’S ADVENTURE TIP

Know your limits and try to always ride within your comfort zone. Finishing a tour in the support truck with your arm in a sling can be tedious.

ABOUT ‘ADVENTURER’S TALES’

A compilation of recollections in celebration of 10 years of Adventure Ashram, ‘Adventurer’s Tales’ is a true celebration of a decade of purposeful adventure by our charity partner Adventure Ashram, a small but mighty charity.

Complete with some great adventure tips, it not only provides handy pointers for when out ‘on the road’, but also some thought-provoking insights into the heart and spirit of adventure. Written with humour, passion and integrity, this wonderful book is a fine tribute to 10 years of Adventure Ashram. Click here to buy a copy.

If you are planning an adventure with Nomadic Knights, please consider raising funds for one of Adventure Ashram’s projects and help to make a difference to the people and places you explore. Anyone planning an adventure can choose to support Adventure Ashram.