I wanted to stay outside, but the freezing winds forced me to step back into the car and keep the heater on.

After reaching Sarchu, still in Himachal Pradesh, many bikers complained about mild headaches, loss of appetite and nausea -- all signs of altitude sickness. At night, the temperature dipped to minus, resulting in practically no sleep for most of us.

Even as the snowfall relented, the biting cold winds continued. Trees disappeared from sight, giving way to mighty mountains, barren land and never ending silence. I can now understand why people come to the Himalayas for peace and calmness of a kind that free your mind and allow you to contemplate.

Around this time, conversations over dinner became one of my favourite activities, as it was then that the riders discussed their day's experience, their falls and their life. Light jokes, a little rum, hot food - sometimes accompanied by campfire - made for memories of a lifetime for me.

While I managed to survive altitude sickness, my body gave up on our way to Rumse in Jammu and Kashmir at the Ghata Loops where you pass 21 continuous bends. I succumbed to motion sickness and vomited throughout the day with traces of blood.

It was a miserable night for me and I had decided to quit. But guess who convinced me to stay put? Some of the bikers. I still thank them or else I would have missed the opportunity to see those mighty mountains in whose lap we humans are but a speck.

After enjoying a day of rest in Leh, all of us were ready to conquer Khardung La - the dream destination of every biker. Enthusiasm lingered in the air and the men carefully manoeuvred their bikes. The climb was steep but once they reached the top, triumph shone in their eyes.

'I have nurtured this dream for 13 years. It feels fantastic,' said Vishnu Vardhan Kuna from Bangalore.

Some bikers shed tears of joy while some took off their warm clothes to pose for pictures. Even as our lungs hungrily gulped in mouthfuls of air, we all were celebrating!

Our journey back home - from a different route - was smooth and sunny, despite bad roads. We took a bypass road from Keylong to enter Himachal Pradesh's famed Spiti Valley, which was beautiful.

Through the trip, not only did I manage to see the majestic Himalayas, I also made a few good friends who I am sure will be there for a lifetime.

(Shilpa Raina is an IANS reporter. She can be contacted at shilpa.r@ians.in)