Disclaimer: In Real Life is a platform for everyday people to share their experiences and voices. All articles are personal stories and do not necessarily echo In Real Life’s sentiments.
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
My name is Pashmina, and I run a travel/outdoors blog called Thegonegoat.com. I mostly have remote work jobs and, at the same time, run this site where I write about cycling, trekking, and encouraging other women to pursue adventures they never thought of pursuing in life.
I am now 33 years old, and I started documenting these stories when I got bitten by the travel bug at 27 and quit my job to travel to the Himalayas for 3 months. Since then, I have cycled in Krygyzstan, travelled overland from Iran to Europe and most recently spent 45 days in India and cycled the Manali-Leh highway solo.
How is it being a female solo traveller travelling around India? Any tips for future female travellers?
[Image provided by Pashmina]
The country is so vast that it is almost a continent on its own, which is why what you read versus what you experience may be completely different!
I tend to stay in the cities for a bit to get my bearings and then head to the mountains and villages straightaway because that’s where my heart is set on exploring. It’s also safer as they tend to be more community and family-oriented, where people look out for you more than in cities, where you are unsure if you can trust anyone!
The biggest tip for female travellers is to ensure you don’t tell people the truth – always come prepared with white lies and say you’re married, and wear a fake wedding ring if you have to! This is to ward off attention, avoid questions, and cut the conversation short about your marital status!
Why 45 days?
[Image provided by Pashmina]
It also takes time for your body to recover from constant cycling and trekking. You need a few days’ rests to soak in the mountain views when you think of doing anything.
Slow travel is the way forward, and I am more in the moment when I stop planning and go with the flow. So it helps to have a bit of a buffer to have a loose itinerary, extra days, and no plans to do anything.
Tell us about your most memorable moments during the trip!
[Image provided by Pashmina]
When I started cycling, at least five people told me that I couldn’t do it because I’d be climbing 5 mountain passes on a fully loaded bicycle and also because I was a girl. At some points, I was pushing my bike, but I didn’t care; that made me far more motivated to continue.
The other memorable period was the isolating parts at some stretches – it was freeing to cycle through some switchbacks with zero cars. I spotted five waterfalls, soaring eagles, and mountains so high at almost 15,000 ft that they can not be compared to the Alps or anywhere in the world. I also got a lot of thumbs-up from trucks and passing vehicles, which made the journey hugely satisfying.
Some women even said they want to do this next because you don’t see a lot of solo female cyclists on the road — you often see them in groups, or with a support vehicle, so it was nice to hear that somewhere, someone was thinking of doing this!
Tell us about your 2-weeks cycling journey!
[Image provided by Pashmina]
In 2022, I decided if I did it, I’d do it solo and self-supported! I had no fear starting, just a bit here and there, but I was pretty confident I could do it and go as slow as possible!
Staying in homestays was my biggest highlight; the families and people were so kind that they even offered support vehicles if I decided some parts were too tough. People stopped and asked if I needed help with my bags. Sometimes, people just took a picture of me which made me feel like a celebrity, and other times, people invited me to visit them once I had completed the journey.
Also, in Keylong, the owner of the mudhouse wore me a traditional ceremonial scarf in Tibetan Buddhism called Katak, which carries eight Buddhist auspicious symbols woven into the fabric. It was offered to their special guests or those who need the most protection, especially if I am cycling alone – I thought that was pretty heartwarming!
What was your itinerary?
I had no actual itinerary – I just planned for two weeks of the trip, and the rest flowed organically! The plan was to cycle from Manali to Leh, Ladakh, and after I reached Ladakh, I met a lot of people who invited me while I was cycling on the road, so I decided to head to Shey village to get to know them as well as head for Ladakh’s nomadic festival.
After that, it was back to Manali, where I spent time trekking on Bhrigu Lake and visiting other sites, including Chandrataal Lake in Spiti Valley.
Tell us about your worst moments during the trip and how you managed to get out of them.
[Image provided by Pashmina]
I was covered in dust and soot at one point, and finding space to cycle was hard. Most would suck it up and complete it, but that stretch was not fun as there was no place to cycle, and it was OK to hitch a ride with a truck driver. The truck drivers are true lifesavers—they can be annoying with their constant honking, but eventually, they offer some help in remote stretches where it’s just you and the mountains.
Why do you prefer to travel solo?
[Image provided by Pashmina]
None of my friends can take leave from work for more than a week—so that’s why I mostly travel alone. Also, not many people want to go to India again and again, or countries like Krygyzstan or Iran, which leaves me with no option but to travel alone.
I also find it freeing to travel alone as the best conversations and stories happen when people are shocked that I am travelling alone and somehow go out of their way to invite me to places. If I am with someone, we may be so occupied with our conversations that we might not be willing to strike up conversations with others, making it hard to learn very little about other people’s lives or even get out of our comfort zones!
It made me enjoy doing things on my own and without hesitation. It’s so liberating not to depend on others to plan or go somewhere.
Where did you go? What else did you do?
[Image provided by Pashmina]
I met woodworkers, illustrators, journal makers, artists, and writers from different parts of India and even Europe, coming to the mountains to spend endless hours working on passion projects.
I was in no rush to see too many sights, but in between, I made time for the Ladakh nomadic festival in the Changthang region, where the breed of cashmere goats come from, which is known for the Pashmina scarf. I also spent some time in Manali among these beautiful cedar trees, visiting countless apple orchards and trekking to Bhrigu Lake at 4300 metres.
[Image provided by Pashmina]
What did you wish you had done differently if you were to go there again?
[Image provided by Pashmina]
I would also wish to spend more time volunteering at some places and see the environmental and cultural work in harsh places where life can be challenging, but they have somehow found ways to live sustainably.
I was also meant to go to Spiti Valley, but the tough roads require a lot more time in this region, and it would be better to travel less and stick to one or two places to make it your base.
Did you buy anything as a souvenir?
[Image provided by Pashmina]
Final words?
[Image provided by Pashmina]
I find it difficult to put into words why I love the Himalayas, it is rugged and not perfect, but because of their imperfections, I can’t help but feel a special connection to these places. To me, it’s not so much about the place but the people I have met – they somehow have gone out of their way and shaped me into the person I am today.
Along the way, I have also picked up hundreds of words to add to my vocabulary, and I’ve even reintroduced old customs and traditions that my mom let go of over a decade ago. It was also refreshing to break from consumerism and capitalism and be reminded that life isn’t always about the biggest home or the most lucrative job.
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