Book excerpt: Temptation Road is a true and accurate account of a week-long road trip from India to Nepal and back taken by two young friends who are enthusiastic about the road, drugs and rock n’ roll. Written in a ‘stream of consciousness’ style, this almost fictional-seeming travelogue unfolds in a car on the road headed for the mountains. The writer and his driving fanatic friend pack provisions and hit the road with the express purpose of attending a rave on a mountaintop to experience bliss, paranoia and the mystical, through psychedelic drugs. Along the way, they meet interesting characters, get tempted to try things they wouldn’t otherwise try and have exhilarating as well as thought-provoking encounters. But, it would be a mistake to think of this work as one about drug use and abuse. This book is an observation and an insight into the youth and the culture of 21st century India. The name, Temptation Road, stems from the various temptations that the road offers, especially to the young who are looking for their place in the world. There are no exaggerations here, and everything expressed is either true or an opinion of the writer.