Four bikernis set off on a mammoth expedition

The Paryatak Bhavan was buzzing with activity on Sunday morning as friends, family and fellow bikers gathered to wish four Hyderabadi women bikers good luck as they set off on their 16,992-km-long road trip. Titled ‘Road to Mekong’, the seven-week-long expedition will see Jai Bharathi, ASD Shanthi, Shilpa Balakrishnan and Piya Bahadur ride across seven South-East Asian nations through
the newly-laid India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway.“It’s going to be an experience of a lifetime, an adventure to regale our grandchildren with. We’ll ride through India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia,” gushed Piya Bahadur, beaming with enthusiasm.
The ‘bikernis’, who have embarked on many trips in India over the years, say that the desire “to push their limits and seek adventure in foreign lands” was the driving force behind this expedition. “This highway was opened two years ago and very few people have taken up this journey. We have been planning this trip for the past eight months. We are a 12-member contingent so, a lot of paperwork had to be done as we’ll be biking across seven countries. Getting all the required permissions itself took three months. And since it’s a newly opened road, there are not many clear guidelines available as a data point. So, we had to plan everything very carefully,” says Jai, who is leading the expedition.
The bikernis are accompanied by a four member crew who will document the entire journey, Naresh Bahadur, a veteran rider who rode from Mumbai to Paris in 1979 on his Yezdi and two backup vehicle crew and one person in charge of logistics. They will visit 19 UNESCO World Heritage sites in the seven countries and promote exchange tourism to 35 UNESCO sites in India. “At selected UNESCO sites and tourist centres, we will promote adventure tourism in India, especially in the newly formed state of Telangana by screening travel videos and documentary films that showcase the rich legacy of the country. We will also stress on our shared historical and cultural roots as we interact with the youth wherever we go,” explains Piya.
Jai Bharathi believes that India has the potential to emerge as a great destination for road trips and attract a lot of adventure tourism. “Compared to many countries, it’s very easy to travel in India. For starters, there is hardly any paperwork needed. I have seen so many foreigners hire a bike and go around the country for 3-4 months. at a stretch. That’s the best way to see any country,” she says.
Around a decade ago India’s roads were declared the most dangerous place to drive in the world. But that’s not the case anymore and the ladies want to prove that with their ride. But top on their priority list is to send out the message that India is indeed safe for women travellers. “There is a misconception that India is unsafe for women, but it isn’t true. So many of us have travelled the country solo. I mean, look at JB and Shilpa! They have travelled solo. Yes, you need to take a few precautions but truth is that India is indeed a safe country for travellers, especially for women. We want to drive home this point,” says Shanthi, a SHE Teams cop who is in-charge of safety of the entire team on the expedition.
For Jai, Shanthi and Priya, this expedition is the longest ride they are embarking upon. Though Shilpa “went on a 27000-km all India ride in 2016-17”, this ride is still special. “It is going to be my longest international ride,” she says, grinning from ear-to-ear. Perhaps that’s why she has been chosen to be the Road Marshal of the group. With her experience of being an endurance rider, Shilpa will marshal the team throughout the journey and motivate them when needed, and ensure all road safety measures are being followed. Talking about the challenges she is expecting to encounter, Shilpa says, “We have two relatively less experienced riders on board. Initially they may have problems to adjust. Beyond that, I don’t see any challenges that we can’t or won’t be able to overcome. We have worked on our fitness, and made sure we are all up for the ride both physically and mentally. But we never know what different environments have in store for us.”
The good thing is that the terrain is going to be pretty smooth all the way. “We don’t need to be worried about the road condition too much. But time is going to be a crucial factor. So we want to come back much before the monsoon starts in the North East,” adds Jai.
An adventure of this proportion always comes with its share of risks but the ladies seem to be well prepared. “We have tried our best to mitigate risks. We got the necessary gear which alone cost close to `3,50,000. This is not a ride where we’ll be taking too many selfies along the way. We have to be careful about everything. We will break only one rule though, talk to strangers,” says Piya with a wink.