A newly retired Nigel recounts his adventure in Rajasthan with Two Wheeled Expeditions

by Nigel Saxon | 11 Jun, 2025

Making (retirement) Plans for Nigel.

An epic 2254 kms motorcycle tour of Rajasthan.

At 61 years old with retirement beckoning, I was looking to literally kick start my newfound freedom with an adventure that combined my lifelong love of motorcycles with a passion for travel. I’d never been to India and after my wife’s chance encounter with Roro La Velle, the founder of motorcycle adventure specialists ’Two Wheeled Expeditions’, I’d signed up for their twelve-day tour of Rajasthan.

Rajasthan, meaning ‘The Land of Kings’, is India’s largest state and covers a land mass the size of Italy. It has a population larger than the UK and borders Pakistan in the northwest, separated by the arid Thar Desert. To ride through a region of such diversity and scale was a mouth-watering prospect. I left my job at the end of 2022 and two weeks later, I was boarding a flight to Delhi.

Having seen the city sights, I was soon settled into my plush hotel. Knowing that curry would be the staple diet for every meal for the next two weeks, I opted for a last taste of western food by dining at the Hard Rock Café that night. The live band played Steppenwolf’s anthem ‘Born to be wild’, reminding me of the cult classic movie ‘Easy Rider’. In the opening scene, Peter Fonda’s character deliberately throws away his watch at the start of his epic motorcycle road trip across America to the soundtrack of this song. As I listened, it struck me that this was symbolic of my new life without the time pressures of work. I was looking forward to setting my own agenda and having the freedom to enjoy new adventures outside of my comfort zone.

The next day I met our tour hosts, Josh and Koshi, for a briefing along with six other adventure seekers from America and the UK. We were an eclectic bunch, from David, a retired insurance sales director from Yorkshire along with Andrea, his brave new-to-biking wife. John, a retired LAPD cop and his wife Lisa hailed from California. Another Nigel, a head-hunter from Hampshire and finally Scott, a construction engineer from Utah who had recently sold half his business.

As we got to know each other over dinner that evening, it was evident that we were all at a similar time of life with a shared thirst for more than just a holiday. Only the other Nigel had been to India before, but everyone was well travelled and three had even trekked to Everest Base Camp.

Choosing our bikes was the next task. Two Royal Enfield model options were on offer: the classic ‘Bullet’ or the modern ‘Himalayan’; the latter physically bigger which I thought would be better suited to my lanky 6’2” frame and the varied terrain.

Delhi Delights

Day 1 - Delhi to Jaipur (379 kms)

Our first experience was not for the faint hearted, as we headed into the Delhi traffic mayhem. Riding required nerves of steel as we were constantly having to take evasive action around tuk-tuks, trucks, cars, buses, and bikes all incessantly using their horns like bats use sonar.

Still on the outskirts of Delhi, I experienced a heart stopping moment when an absent-minded truck driver decided it was time to pull over for a chai break, literally running me off the road. No harm done and the first of many defensive riding lessons learnt. Astonishingly, it was common for vehicles to trundle up the wrong side of the carriageway towards the oncoming traffic which certainly took some getting used to.

We soon adjusted to using the horn constantly like a local and experienced a variety of incredible sights, sounds and smells. The occasional aroma of roadside rubbish contrasted by an intense waft of fragrant jasmine incense, all in the space of a few metres.

Lunch on the road was often at modest cafés or truck stops, some of which looked uninspiring from the outside, but our guides were determined that we should always have the option to eat fresh, local produce that were specialities of the region we were traveling through.

That afternoon, we took a detour to the village of Abhaneri to visit a historic stepwell: an ancient construction to provide villages with a year-round water supply. Appearing a bit like an inverted Mayan pyramid, the 1000-year-old Chand Baori stepwell is the largest in India and plunges 30 metres into the ground with over 3,500 steps. It’s now restored as a tourist attraction and providing a lush habitat for hundreds of squawking parakeets.

Later, Scott had a puncture which was fixed quickly by the crew. However, slow-moving traffic, coupled with the stepwell detour, caused delays so we were still riding as night fell. Night riding was not part of the plan, and although we instinctively rode more carefully, all of us were soberingly aware that all the road hazards we had encountered during the day still existed at night – we just couldn’t see them! At this point I was seriously questioning my holiday choices!

Finally, we were close to our hotel in Jaipur and navigating the final few metres of the intense city centre traffic with the tantalising prospect of that first beer a few minutes away. Suddenly, at a set of traffic lights, the local police draped a haphazard string barrier across the main access junction to stop traffic for no apparent reason. The local drivers became more and more impatient and agitated, manifested by blaring their horns. As we sat waiting for what seemed ages, eventually a cavalcade of limousines, protected by motorcycle outriders, and the Prince of Jaipur whisked by, probably on his way to dinner. The police nonchalantly released their high-tech traffic control device which had the same effect as dropping the starters flag at an F1 race. It was every man for himself as we struggled to keep up with our guide for those last few hundred metres to the hotel.

I arrived mentally and physically exhausted. It had been a baptism of fire, but I had made it unscathed and felt ecstatic. I wasn’t just ‘Dad’ anymore; I was a fearless adventurer!

The Colourful Capital

Day 2 – Jaipur, The Pink City

We happily left the bikes at the hotel after yesterday’s epic journey and set off to explore Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan and known as The Pink City. Legend has it that Maharaja Ram Singh had the entire city painted pink especially for the 1876 visit of Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, pink being the colour signifying hospitality. In the city centre marketplace, we paused to take photos of the Hawa Mahal building where the King used to house his harem. The elaborately designed high facade features tiny, angled windows so that the ladies cannot be seen by the rank and file, but they could peer out at the hustle and bustle of the bazaar below.

We went on to visit the majestic Amber Fort and Palace with its large ramparts, cobbled streets and courtyards protected by a city wall. On the way back we paused at the beautiful Jal Mahal palace, serenely reflected in the middle of Man Sagar lake.

In scenes reminiscent of the of Haled Hosseini’s best-selling book The Kite Runner, we had arrived the day after the annual Kite Fighting Festival and the trees were festooned with abandoned brightly coloured kites. Josh warned us to be careful of the kite strings when we rode out of town the next day. The cunning kite fliers attach shards of glass to their strings to cut down their competitors and these were left strewn across the roads.

Salt Flats Safari

Day 3 - Jaipur to Pushkar (148 kms)

Setting off early the next morning, we headed southwest towards Pushkar. About 80 kms into the journey, the vast Sambhar Salt Lake appeared: an expanse of 230 square kms of crusted salt, glistening in the sunshine like fresh snow. We turned off the main road onto the dry lake for some playtime in this surreal, otherworldly environment, tearing up and down, causing dust storms and racing each other into the horizon.

It was a normal day at the office for Scott who hailed from Salt Lake City and was an expert dirt rider and completely at home on the salt. I was looking less accomplished but still grinning from ear to ear thinking this is exactly what I came for. This was a rare and special environment that only a fortunate few would ever experience on two wheels and I felt privileged to be one of them.

Covered in dust, we reluctantly headed back onto tarmac to ride on to our lodgings. No fancy hotels for us tonight, we were staying at the idyllic Camp Land’s End safari lodge, just outside Pushkar in the shadow of the Aravalli mountains. A perfect day was rounded off with local food, traditional dancers and a fire eating display around the campfire, the team swapping tall tales of their salt flat racing prowess into the night. John also entertained us with stories of his life as a cop in LA. By his own admission, some of them were actually true and best appreciated through ‘beer-noculars’ (if you know, you know…).

Pushing South

Day 4 - Pushkar to Udaipur (295kms)

An early morning departure from the camp saw a long climb through the hills en route to Udaipur. Riding through the mist I’m amazed to see a tipper truck carrying a cargo of a live elephant who didn’t seem best pleased with his travel arrangements. He stomped and trumpeted his displeasure causing the truck to sway precariously from side to side as we rode past. Unique moments like this were what the trip was all about for me.

We rode on through villages where elderly turbaned gentlemen, with impressive moustaches, watched while the women, adorned in colourful saris, did all the manual work, skill-fully carrying heavy loads on their heads. Incredibly our guide told us that these hard-working ladies had a life expectancy of just 40 years.

Throughout the trip we encountered cows wandering across busy roads, seemingly oblivious to the traffic hurtling by. Although they are considered as sacred animals in India, their owners abandon them when they stop producing milk. They are then left to their own devices to forage amongst the rubbish and occasionally receiving food from villagers as an act of worship.

A brief stop at the Ranakpur Temple, an incredibly ornate construction of carved white marble in the middle of a forest. Built in 1389, it’s one of the largest and most important temples of the Jainism faith, a belief that denounces all possessions and is said to encourage euthanasia.

We began to see our first glimpses of Udaipur as we rode nimbly through the rush hour chaos, down a narrow, cobbled alley, right up to the door of the charming Amet Haveli Hotel. It was certainly a welcome sight nestling in a prime spot overlooking the Pichola Lake - no wonder Udaipur is described as ‘the Venice of the East’. The centre piece of the view is the Lake Palace, now an exclusive hotel and famously featured in the James Bond film Octopussy.

The Venice of The East

Day 5 - Udaipur – the White City

A rare day off saw us visiting the Udaipur fort and palace which is the home of the Mewar dynasty of rulers, history’s longest unbroken dynasty. Returning on foot to the hotel, our way was temporarily blocked by an elephant casually ambling up the back streets, encouraged to avoid crushing all in his path by his handler. The afternoon was our own for shopping or sleeping, regrouping later for a sunset boat trip.

Heading to Jodhpur in the Saddle

Day 6 - Udaipur to Jodhpur (265 kms)

Sad to leave Udaipur, we travelled northeast towards Jodhpur on the N-62 expressway, stopping at a most unusual temple to a Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle. The story goes that thirty years ago, a young man, Om Singh Rathore, lost control of his motorcycle, hit a tree and died on this spot. Although the police took the bike away, it mysteriously kept reappearing at the crash site, apparently on its own, day after day.

The villagers started worshiping the Bullet bike, believing that the spirit of the unfortunate Om Singh was still riding the N-62 and helping travellers in distress. It’s now become the ‘Bullet Baba’ shrine with the original bike encased in glass and decorated with marigold garlands. Local folklore says that if you are travelling on this road and you don’t stop and pay your respects, then proceed at your peril. Nigel #2 went one step further and bought ‘lucky’ handlebar tassels for added protection.

We went on to experience a nerve shredding ride into chaotic Jodhpur city centre, but confident that we would survive having previously paid homage at the Bullet Baba temple.

I’m full of admiration to those who do this kind of trip under their own steam, but for me it was very reassuring to know that guides always had our backs and could pretty much fix any problem. We had also developed a strong bond within the group and jumped to help each other through some minor spills and medical situations.

Batman Rising

Day 7 - Jodhpur – The Blue City

The Merangarh Fort, dating back to 1459, sits forebodingly above the city of Jodhpur. You can easily imagine why it was chosen as the location for the film Batman, Dark Night Rising. It features in the scene where Christian Bale’s Batman escapes from prison by climbing a stepwell, emerging with the menacing fort in the background.

The ‘Blue City’ moniker came about because the surrounding houses are painted with an indigo hue which apparently is so the gentry who moved outside the city walls could show their status. The colour is also supposedly less attractive to mosquitoes and termites and the heat reflecting colour helps keep the residents cool in the stifling summer temperatures.

West to the Desert

Day 8 - Jodhpur to Khuri (300 kms)

Heading west, the vegetation gives way to sandy scrubland with tufts of tumbleweed blowing across the road as we approach the Thar desert. We ride through a huge wind farm, the massive turbines looking incongruous in the desolate surroundings. We saw our first wild camels, somehow grazing on cacti and arrived at the Pal Rajah desert encampment just in time to be whisked off into the sand dunes for a jeep safari with optional camel riding complete with a cool box of beers to enjoy at sunset.

Before settling into our posh heated tents after another exhausting day, we were treated to a traditional dance troupe display. This proved too much of a temptation for ex-professional dancer Andrea who joined in, but she was almost upstaged by Sanjay, our support truck driver, strutting his stuff, much to the delight of the riders and crew.

Racing the Ship of the Desert

Day 9 - Khuri to Jaisalmer (50 kms)

The following morning, after our glamping experience, yet another treat was in store. We headed back to the desert for some dune bashing and a bikes v camel race, challenged by our camel handler and new friend, Ishtar.

Ishtar (meaning ‘God’ in Hindi) was the self-proclaimed fastest rider in his village, and he had thrown down the gauntlet for us to try and outrun him and his camel on the tightly packed sand at the edge of the dunes. We tried gallantly, pushing the Enfields hard on the unforgiving surface, but predictably Ishtar was victorious on his sure-footed ship of the desert.

A short hop to Jaisalmer and we arrived in time for lunch at the delightful 1^st Gate Hotel with panoramic views of Jaisalmer Fort. The hotel was designed by a Harley Davidson riding Italian ex pat and is a tasteful fusion of Rajasthani and European design. An Italian menu headlined the restaurant which was a welcome change for some of us. The roof top terrace, high above the town, provided an elevated vantage point of calm to relax and take in the surroundings.

Tearing ourselves away from the chilled ambience of the hotel, we took the ten-minute stroll uphill to explore the only remaining fort in Rajasthan, built in 1156, with people living and working inside its ramparts.

Keep on Trucking

Day 10 - Jaisalmer to Bikaner (330 kms)

Heading east on long, straight roads, it was cold and desolate with very light traffic. The rhythmic beat of the delightfully low tech 411cc single cylinder engine was strangely comforting and allowed my mind to ponder on how liberating it was to have nothing to focus on except the open road. Cue ‘Born to be Wild’ again in my head…

The main traffic on these roads were mostly ancient trucks, massively overloaded, and extravagantly decorated with garish chrome and tassels, constantly blasting their melodic airhorns. Allegedly, the driver’s stimulant of choice to stave off fatigue from the huge distances is opium which is apparently cheaper than Red Bull. I’m glad we didn’t know that on day one.

Our destination, Bikaner, has the feel of a Wild West dusty frontier town, on the edge of the desert with few redeeming features. Our accommodation for the night was a nondescript hotel with sleep marred by a large wedding party going on right outside our rooms.

Biking from Bikaner

Day 11 - Bikaner to Mandawa (202 kms)

Leaving the desert behind we head east towards Delhi and the scrubland gives way to rolling green fields and lush vegetation. Riding long distances on these roads was daunting but by this stage I felt almost Zen like and had fallen completely under India’s spell. The solitude on the road had stripped away the stress of work and worries that seemed important in my previous life had evaporated.

It soon became apparent that our guide wanted us to press on so that we could spend as much time as possible at probably the nicest hotel stop of the trip. Eventually we arrived at the lovingly restored 19^th century Vivaana Haveli with ornately decorated rooms, each opening onto courtyards, complete with period furniture, rare artifacts, frescoes, and beautiful gardens.

One Last Hurrah

Day 12 - Mandawa to Delhi (285 kms)

We were making great progress on our last leg which took us through the industrial town of Rewari which suddenly emerged from the smog and consumed the motorway about an hour east of Delhi. It was as if India was serving up a chaotic cacophony of every hazard we’d experienced on the road these last two weeks, magnified twice and hurled at us for one last hurrah. At the beginning of this trip, I would have been grimacing with nervous anticipation, however, now I just laughed manically into my helmet, hit the throttle, and ploughed on through.

Our trip comes to an end as we ride back into the Delhi hotel where it all started. I couldn’t help feeling emotional at the enormity of what we had experienced. I must have got some grit in my eye, but I wasn’t alone.

A highlight has been the new friends I’ve made from my fellow riders and the crew who were complete strangers until two weeks ago. The experiences and achievements we shared together have created a lifetime bond which I’ll never forget. I will miss the evenings we spent around a campfire/hotel bar swapping stories about what we had encountered during the day and what lay in store next, always with humour and enthusiasm.

India has had a profound effect on me; meeting the locals and discovering their history and culture was a rich experience. The extreme contrasts of wealth and poverty were shocking, but always thought provoking.

Rajasthan is India’s jewel in the crown, and to traverse it by motorcycle has been incredible and unforgettable and a perfect start to my retirement. It was challenging at times but that just made it even more rewarding. It’s changed my life for the better, and I knew I would struggle to articulate to friends and family the impact of my endeavour and just how amazing it felt to complete it.

A huge thank you to Two Wheeled Expeditions for an exceptionally well organised tour. Their friendly, supportive, and knowledgeable crew have expertly curated the route, accommodation and food and nothing was too much trouble or left to chance.

The bikes:

The Royal Enfield Himalayan provided by Two Wheeled Expeditions was the ideal bike for the trip. It’s a simple, robust, and reliable machine in its natural habitat. High speed touring was not on the agenda, so the 411cc single cylinder engine providing 24.5 bhp was sufficient to cope with the varying road conditions and had enough acceleration (and braking!) to avoid the hazards encountered.

The riding position was firm but comfortable, although being 6’2” tall, my knees did rub on the front frame designed to protect the tank and carry extra luggage. The foot-pegs were in a good position to enable sustained stand-up riding and the suspension and ground clearance proved adequate to cope with both road use and the off-road terrain mix of sand and gravel.

There was virtually no vibration through the handlebars, meaning that the mirrors remained effective, and the small fly shield provided some protection from the wind and bugs.

Want to ride Rajasthan?

We travelled in January and February - the driest and coolest time to visit Rajasthan. We had no rain and barely saw a cloud in temperatures averaging 21°C during the day. However, the nights and early mornings were surprisingly chilly and warm gloves and a few layers were needed. Outside these months, the temperature climbs to more than 45°C and monsoons hit between July and September.

Western style hotels were prevalent in large cities, but once off the beaten track, our guides always made a beeline for ‘havelis’ which are beautifully restored former mansions converted into guest houses. In the desert section, the only option was pre-erected tents, but these were well equipped with showers and even air-conditioning/heating.

About the author:

Nigel Saxon rode his first motorcycle at the age of nine, inspired by his Triton riding father, and has had bikes ever since. His current ride is a Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE, but there are two more seventies Japanese trail bikes in the shed awaiting restoration. Involved in the Harley custom scene in the nineties, he was part of a team that imported parts from California and built some wild bikes to showcase their products.

A veteran of many motorcycle tours on a diverse range of bikes including trips to France, Italy, Spain, India, Mexico, and America. Based in Dorset in the UK and recently retired from a corporate career split between logistics and marketing, he is looking forward to finally being able to spend more time riding, writing, and travelling, preferably at the same time.

Instagram: @NigelSaxon