![Spice World](https://cdn.magzter.com/1387429354/1719988707/articles/W5mX9HtyA1721130620696/SPICE-WORLD.jpg)
I'd kicked off my semi-retirement in 2023 with a motorcycle tour of Rajasthan in northern India, being blown away by the culture, history, people, food, and the joy of experiencing all of this on a locally-built Royal Enfield.
One year on, I was keen to explore more of India, settling on Kerala in the south of the country. Again, I chose the specialist tour company Two Wheeled Expeditions who take care of the itinerary and logistics.
Kerala is a state about the size of Ireland on India's tropical Malabar Coast, nestling between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats mountain range, isolating it from the Indian interior. Most of the world's spice production is grown here, including pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger, which have all been traded with the west for hundreds of years. Kerala is also a major producer of tea, typified by the undulating lush green plantations that famously adorn the holiday brochures.
Kerala is not the easiest place to get to from the UK, with no direct flights to the main access city of Kochi. I chose a short stopover in Dubai, to break up the 12-hour journey. I last visited 10 years ago and I'm stunned at how much of the desert has since been consumed by the ostentatious sprawl of concrete, glass and gold. The nighttime vista has become overwhelmingly neon like a scene from the futuristic Blade Runner movie. Before my flight to Kochi, I stayed in Diera, which is the old part of the city. I meandered through the colourful gold and spice souks which are a world apart from the flash new districts. I suspect that most of the spice on display in the markets comes from my next destination.
Fort Kochi
Base camp for our trip is Fort Kochi, an old trading port that has held on to its traditional way of life and Indian heritage, blended with historical influences from the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonisers.
Denne historien er fra August 2024-utgaven av Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
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Denne historien er fra August 2024-utgaven av Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
![Patagonia Expedition 2024](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5237/1782801/AWnA-gXuX1724323670471/PATAGONIA-EXPEDITION-2024.jpg)
Patagonia Expedition 2024
Following an invitational e-mail from Felix Billington, the owner of Magellan Motorcycle Tours, Chris and Dee Finch headed off on a 17-day trip on paved and gravel roads from Puerto Varas, Chile, going all the way down to Ushuaia before finishing in Punta Arenas
![Hebridean Road Trip](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5237/1782801/0ckKl9CyH1724323447946/HEBRIDEAN-ROAD-TRIP.jpg)
Hebridean Road Trip
With a new bike in his ownership, Willie decided a road trip was in order, and chose the Scottish Hebridean islands as his target
![The Longest Day Teapot](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5237/1782801/aOFLemOSi1724323100110/THE-LONGEST-DAY-TEAPOT.jpg)
The Longest Day Teapot
Last month's write-up saw some jeopardy as the little Suzuki was neither running, nor had an MOT, with less than a week before the Longest Day Challenge...
![Back in the Black MV Agusta Hubert Trunkenpolz interview](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5237/1782801/Ay7WqFRZ_1724322558933/BACK-IN-THE-BLACK-MV-AGUSTA-HUBERT-TRUNKENPOLZ-INTERVIEW.jpg)
Back in the Black MV Agusta Hubert Trunkenpolz interview
In November 2022 MV Agusta, wholly owned since 2019 by Russian entrepreneur Timur Sardarov and his family, and Pierer Mobility AG KTM’s parent company) reached an agreement on future strategic cooperation, as a result of which the Austrian firm headed by Stefan Pierer would acquire a 25.10% stake in MV Agusta via its KTM AG subsidiary.
![Ready to race and 90% new](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5237/1782801/lUrrBH4_n1724321847852/READY-TO-RACE-AND-90-NEW.jpg)
Ready to race and 90% new
If there is one major manufacturer that looks out for a younger audience, it is KTM. For the Austrian factory, its entry-level machinery is every bit as important as its rangetopping flagships or adventure bikes. Remember big or small, a KTM has to be ‘Ready to Race'.
![ADVENTURE OASIS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5237/1782801/-ULBurrxJ1724321441664/ADVENTURE-OASIS.jpg)
ADVENTURE OASIS
Deep in the heart of central Wales, high up in the Cambrian Mountains, there’s a place where adventure bikes reign supreme
![Cardo Packtalk PRO](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5237/1782801/X-LPWSav51724321304458/CARDO-PACKTALK-PRO.jpg)
Cardo Packtalk PRO
Those that know me will be all too aware of my inbuilt distrust of any technology that involves more than an on/off switch, and of my inability to deal with such technologies and, recently, I have become very aware of the fact that I need to join the 21st century by learning how to use these modern contrivances.
![Scouting for everyone](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5237/1782801/yW37OBlWG1724320760191/SCOUTING-FOR-EVERYONE.jpg)
Scouting for everyone
For 2024, Indian Motorcycle not only launched a new version of their water-cooled Scout, developed over the last three-and-a-half years to replace the bike that was first launched in 2014, but presented no less than five versions, with the 101 Scout being the range-topper.
![The Diavel's in the detail](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5237/1782801/6DFLSELCs1724320373468/THE-DIAVELS-IN-THE-DETAIL.jpg)
The Diavel's in the detail
With more power, less weight and better brakes than the previous brilliant V-twin version, It’s a winner
![Superhero Sequel](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5237/1782801/pbZ7_55Ye1724319864985/SUPERHERO-SEQUEL.jpg)
Superhero Sequel
Bigger engine, more power, less weight, and a new look for the 2024 BMW F 900 GS