This is a coming of age novel written by author Mauktik Kulkarni in 2009 when he was in his late twenties. Inspired by the movie, "The Motorcycle Diaries," Kulkarni goes on a motorcycle spree in the Andes. It is a process of self discovery as he explores Argentina, Chile and Peru on his motorcycle and a frank confession of all that is on his mind. This book describes the beauties of nature he sees on the way as well as the dialogue with his own self. He is travelling all by himself, for the most part, except when he picks up a random stranger on the way who becomes a good friend in the course of the trip. Kulkarni meets men and women from different walks of life in the hostels he stays in. He meets some people for whom a nomadic lifestyle is a way of living. It is an eye-opener from him to see that one nomadic artist whom he gives a lift to, could fit all his life's possessions in a small card box. The book is written in an easy going fashion using simple language with a smooth flow. In the preface of his novel, Kulkarni admits that he is no avid reader and has read less than 50 books in his lifetime. As he explores each new place, different stirrings of emotions rise in him.

Kulkarni seeks to distance himself from all the known's in his life -- people, places, routine by means of this trip. This journey is a solo undertaking --

"The camera was stealing my sights, but my inner sounds were still safe. They were still mine. "

The influence of Kulkarni's scientific background can be seen in his writing. He was pursuing a PHD in Neuroscience prior to starting his Motorcycle trip -

"There is a certain cognitive dissonance in the way American society works."

With almost no knowledge of Spanish, it was difficult for the author to communicate with the people around him. He had to use rudimentary sign language to make himself understood and was overjoyed when he was successful in conveying what he meant.

"I was lying in the sun, busy with my own rebirth after twenty-eight years. I had started out with sign language."

Kulkarni has used unique similes to convey his sentiments -

"For an outsider, visiting India is like smoking that first cigarette. In spite of all these imperfections, if you inhale it right and hold the smoke for a while, you'll be addicted to India. "

During his visit to Chile, the author meets an old colleague and is happy to meet a familiar person in his sojourn of the unfamiliar. His colleague introduces him to her lab mates and Kulkarni recognizes the tough choices they have made. Kulkarni pauses to take a look at the thoughts and ideals of the people around him --

"These were all women in their late twenties: fiercely independent, devoting their productive years to science, defying all social norms, and trying to claim their rightful place in a historically male-chauvinistic culture.

"It was my personal evolution. Like the random process of mutations leading to stronger, faster and smarter species, my aimless wandering and bumping into strangers was helping me become a better human being."

There are some extremely heartfelt descriptions of the beauty of Mother Nature in this book. The reader who is not acquainted with these places feels a compelling need to visit them-

"Valle de la Luna" -- The Park was full of dunes of all shapes and sizes. Wiggly pillars jetted out of the earth at regular intervals. The patchy, white crust of salt on top. Yes I was on the moon.

There is a good amount of philosophical discussion in this book. Kulkarni meets some people who applaud him for this undertaking and some who cannot fathom why anyone would do such a stupid thing.

"It's like a huge circle of rationality. We humans spend our entire lives sitting on the edge of the circle dumping our ideas into this circle of rational life. "

A comparison between India- where Kulkarni grew up -and America -where he was born- seems a little clichéd. There is a chapter devoted to his views on religion which explains a little about Hinduism.

This novel is not just about a geographical journey but more so about a journey of thought process.

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