A Dream We Kept Postponing
Hi, I'm Karel from the Netherlands, and together with my wife, Natasja, we've spent years travelling independently around the world. We love road trips, renting motorcycles, staying in local homestays, and exploring places beyond the usual tourist trail.
Yet one country stayed on our bucket list for years—India.
Not because we didn't want to visit, but because it felt overwhelming. Every traveller had a different opinion. Some described it as chaotic, others called it life-changing. The more we researched, the more confused we became.
Eventually, we realised there would never be a "perfect" time.
So we booked our flights.
Starting Somewhere Unexpected
Like many first-time visitors, we planned to begin in Delhi.
But after speaking with GoPlanOut, everything changed.
Instead of following the usual route, they suggested we fly from Singapore directly to Guwahati and begin our adventure in Northeast India. Since our dream was to ride a Royal Enfield through the mountains, they believed Meghalaya would be the perfect introduction to India.
Looking back, it was the best decision we made.
Our first stop was Kaziranga National Park, where seeing one-horned rhinos roaming freely reminded us that India is just as much about nature and wildlife as it is about history and monuments.
The Roads That Changed Everything
From Kaziranga, we rode into Meghalaya.
Neither of us had expected this part of India to be so breathtaking. Rolling green hills, waterfalls, winding mountain roads, and peaceful villages made every ride unforgettable. We explored places like the Double Decker Living Root Bridge, Nohkalikai Falls, Seven Sisters Falls, and Mawsmai Cave, often stopping simply because the scenery was too beautiful to ride past.
Some days we'd spend hours talking with local families over tea. Other days we'd simply enjoy the silence of riding through the mountains together.
For the first time in a long while, I wasn't thinking about work, emails, or deadlines.
I was simply enjoying the journey.
A Night We Still Talk About
One evening, we ignored one piece of advice we'd been given.
The GoPlanOut team had reminded us to finish our rides before sunset because mountain roads become difficult after dark. But we lost track of time while exploring waterfalls and villages.
Soon, darkness arrived.
Then our phones lost signal.
Rather than continue riding, we stayed at a small guesthouse near the Living Root Bridge.
The next morning, when our phones finally connected again, we discovered dozens of missed calls and messages. Our local buddies had been trying to reach us all night and had even started checking nearby accommodations to make sure we were safe.
That moment reminded us that independent travel doesn't mean travelling alone.
Sometimes, knowing someone is looking out for you gives you the confidence to explore even further.
Every State Told a Different Story
After Northeast India, our journey continued through Varanasi, where watching sunrise over the Ganges became one of the most peaceful moments of the trip.
From there we travelled to Agra, where the Taj Mahal somehow managed to exceed every expectation, before exploring the energy of Delhi and the royal heritage of Rajasthan.
Every city felt different.
Jaipur's colourful streets, Ranthambore's wildlife, Udaipur's lakes, and Jodhpur's blue houses all introduced us to another side of India.
The final part of our adventure took us south to Kerala, where Munnar's tea plantations, Alleppey's backwaters, Kochi's heritage streets, and Varkala's beaches slowed everything down once again. We ended our journey with a few relaxing days in Goa before flying home through Mumbai.
By then, we'd travelled through mountains, forests, deserts, cities, beaches, and backwaters.
It honestly felt like visiting several different countries in one trip.
India Changed My Perspective
When I arrived in India, I carried years of assumptions built from other people's stories.
When I left, I carried my own.
The mountains of Meghalaya, the sunrise in Varanasi, the kindness of strangers, conversations over tea, and countless unexpected moments reminded me why I love travelling in the first place.
India isn't a country you can understand through headlines or social media.
You have to experience it yourself.
And if there's one thing I've learned, it's this:
Don't wait years for the "perfect" time. Sometimes the best journeys begin the moment you stop waiting.
