A biking trip to North East India was always an idea in my dreams, though it was the next thing to do in my list of "Things to do before I die". With routine city work getting mundane by the day, I decided it was high time to do something different. Also, with a couple of competitive exams down my throat and a stint in a hot and humid place, I had had enough. I decided to quit my job and take a break.
What better place to relax than in the north east. But it was not going to be an easy one. With places being remote and trouble always round the corner, things had to be planned out to some degree at least. I started discussing the idea with a pal of mine who is serving in the North East. Initial talk slowly turned into some serious planning and in no time we were charting routes on the map. Karthik, my friend serves in the AR. He had masterminded a biking tour for the AR's 50th anniversary celebrations. He knew the place like the back of his hand and his knowledge about the local place came in very handy. During the initial days of my discussion with him, I bounced the idea with a few biking friends of mine. Most were amazed with the idea but only one was willing to join without a second thought. Welcome Nitin. We had done the Leh ride together and shared common biking interests. Karthik was also willing to take time off and join us for the ride. Partially at least, if not the entire route.
We had a months time for ourselves on the trip and planned to cover the entire seven sister states and Skim during this time. But as we started charting the route, we realized that it was impossible to do all of it (what with thoughts of going to Burma and Bhutan too surfacing!). Added to that was the extremely vulnerable situation in a few of the states around Assam.
Finally, after lots of deliberation and planning, we planned to cover Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland (fools, you'd think), Arunachal Pradesh (Yes!!) and Sikkim. Another consideration during the planning was to arrive at a route that was a circuit. That way, we could avoid visiting the same place multiple times unnecessarily. Thanks again to PK for guiding us here.
Vital statistics of the trip
Total distance covered: 5000 Kms
Fuel consumed (my bike alone): 160 Liters (approx)
Number of states covered on the bike: 7 (Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Sikkim and Bihar)
Number of days on the bike: 24
Total duration of the trip: 1 month
What follows is daily account of our experiences during the journey.
April 11, 2008 (D-3)It was the day we were to leave from Bangalore to Guwahati. The plan was to take the train to Guwahati (man and machine) and start the ride from there. This way, we could spend more time riding in places where it mattered. Nitin and I made some last minute trips to Teknik to get parts and packing material for the bikes. Nitin had decided to get double tubes on his tyres while I relied on Slime to handle punctures. With all required spares obtained, we met up at my place at 6 in the evening. We went to the railway station to get the bikes packed and readied for cargo. On arrival, we were informed that the bikes cannot be shipped on the same day since there was a two day backlog! Both of us were in the thick of all the action, much before we even anticipated it. Not having the bikes with us meant that the entire trip was in jeopardy. All the planning and routes will have to be redone to account for the lost days without the bikes.
The train (Guwahati Express) from Bangalore to Guwahati runs only thrice a week. As a result, there is always a backlog of cargo. If only we had known the earlier. If the bikes weren't to accompany us to Guwahati on the same train, we'd lose at least 5 days. The option we had was to cover the first leg of our planned trip on busses/cabs, come back to Guwahati in 5 days time to take the bikes and then proceed with the rest of the trip as planned. Not an encouraging option, but we didn’t have many alternatives.
Later, we got to know that some cargo space on each train is leased to private organizations. We managed to catch hold of a person who would mediate with the agents of the private agency to have our bikes loaded on the same day. But this, of course, would come at a price. Since we did not have many options, we went ahead with this. At least, we'd have our bikes and we need not spend additional money on bus/cab travel. Finally, after lot of deliberations and discussions, we had a deal with the guys. The bikes would after all accompany us on the train. Phew!
We headed back home to grab a bite and get back to the station with our baggage. We were at the station at around 10:45 PM. The train was scheduled to depart at 11:30 PM.
As the train started to chug ahead, my heart beat began to speed along. I was about to live a dream. Not even in my dreams had I dreamt of this!!
April 12, 2008 (D-2)
Nitin and I woke up quite early. We realized that most of the day would be spent traveling in Andhra Pradesh. Thankfully, it wasn't very hot there. We had a bunch of Assamese and a couple of Nagas for company on the train. Conversations around us were mostly in Assamese with a fair amount of English as well. Made acquaintance with Mriganko (from Golaghat, Assam). He, like many others on the train, was heading to Assam for the traditional festival of Bihu. The day was spent reading books and generally staring out at nothingness.
April 13, 2008 (D-1)Another day of tea, books and sleep. At one of the stops, I stepped out onto the station to grab something to eat. On the way in, I found an inquisitive face looking in my direction. After sometime, the guy walked up to me and asked me if I was heading to IIM Calcutta. He turned out to be a fellow student of mine at IMS. He remembered me for my long hair and thought I had qualified for an MBA program at IIMC!!. Anyway, Jeevan was thrilled with our idea of motorcycling in the north east. Turned out that he too was a Royal Enfield fan and had always wanted to own one. We exchanged numbers and he invited us to his place in Guwahati too.
Turns out not everyone from there has a cold heart!
We pass through Orissa, West Bengal and head into Assam over the night.
April 14, 2008 (D Day)The big day! The day we set foot in the North East. Our entry was to be through Assam. We arrived at Guwahati early in the morning (5:30 AM). We were welcomed by some short but heavy showers. We headed out to our place of stay, with the intention of dumping off our baggage and then heading back to the station to collect our bikes. The accommodation was planned at Youth Hostel, Guwahati. We had made prior arrangements over phone from Bangalore. The Youth Hostel is in the middle of a busy market area called Paltan Bazaar. We freshened up and headed to the station to get our bikes. After some hunting, we were able to locate our bikes and managed to get it out of the station. It was here that we realized our bikes had suffered some damages during shipment. Nitin’s bike’s rear brake lever was damaged (yes, he no longer had an active rear brake) and my bike had broken tail lamps and indicators. We managed to get some things fixed ourselves and decided to set the rest of the things right when we found the right place. We had very good lunch at a place called Raju Hotel in Paltan Bazaar. People around us generally seemed very friendly and my initial apprehensions about the place were beginning to disappear. Through Jeevan, word spread that two bikers had come down to Guwahati from Bangalore. In the afternoon, I received a call from Amu, inviting us to his RE showroom inauguration. The thought of making new friends with common interests was overpowering and we made it to his place in the evening. Met Sanjay, Apoorva, Piklu among others. Turned out that Piklu is a mojor vintage cars/bikes collector with an astounding collection of vintage vehicles (BSAs, Nortons, Austins to mention a few). Visit www.treasuredwheels.com to know more about this interesting man and his interesting collection.
A poster in Paltan Bazaar read "Hridoy Jite Sagor Hoi!" Slept wondering what that meant.
Tomorrow was a big day too. We were to start our first leg towards Shillong.
April 15, 2008
Started early in the morning from Youth Hostel. Got the bikes topped up with fuel and headed towards Dispur (the capital of Assam). The roads are generally good except with some bad stretches where diversions and road widening work will keep you busy with the gear changes. After Dispur, we headed south and soon crossed over in to Meghalaya.
Had breakfast near Nangpoh. Met a family who were very amused with our idea of touring the North East on motorcycles. They had lots of tips to offer us. We exchanged contact details, had a quick bite and proceeded towards Shillong. Stopped at Umium lake on the way to Shillong, took a few pictures and continued ahead. The roads here are very good and offer wonderful views of the hills and valleys all along. We reached Shillong by 12:30 PM.
Checked in at the Youth hostel and headed out to get our bikes fixed. Met Mustafa (on Keating road) who is the local bullet 'expert'. Got Nitin’s bike fixed and had it arranged with him to get my bike done the next day morning.
We had to run around a bit to get our ILPs (Inner Line Permits) done for Arunachal Pradhesh. Turned out we'd need our ID proofs attested by a Gazetted officer. We went around looking for doctors at the government hospital only to find out that there was no doctor around. One of Karthik's friends (Lt.Col Thomas) bailed us out. We got our ILPs done in the nick of time (the office closes at 4 PM).
Permit was obtained for Pashigat, Along, Daporijo, Ziro and Itanagar. Arunachal government provides the permit for only three predefined routes
1. Bomdila/Tawang
2. Itanagar, Ziro, Daporijo, Along, Pashighat
3. Miao/Namdapha.
Other than this, we can get an "All Arunachal" permit, but this is available only from Itanagar.
As a result of our ILP hunt, we had to postpone our plan of going to Cherrapunji. We spent the evening going around Shillong. The place is very clean and has well disciplined traffic. You'll find cabs (maruti cars) at every corner. Every Tom Dick and Harry can converse with you in English. They love their English music too.
Shillong resembles a big flower in that it has a large circular road in the middle with petal like arterial roads all around. There is no way one can get lost here. You take any road and go on it for a long time, you are sure to reach the central, circular road!
The Youth Hostel turned out to be a very nice place with dinner and breakfast provided. We also had our bikes parked within the hostel premises.
Met some interesting people at the hostel. Met a guy from Kolkota who too had quit his job in Mumbai and had come down to Shillong on a break. Met another guy from southern Meghalaya how works for an NGO and was in Shilling for a training. Two others from DD were there for a documentary on Meghalaya. We all had dinner together, played a bit of TT and then headed to bed. In the background, over a PA system, I could hear the Scorpions singing "Winds of Change". Boy, do these guys love their music!
Distance covered during the day: 124 Kms
April 16, 2008
Started early in the morning (6 AM) towards Cherrapunji. We went in Nitin’s bike. This road is a biker’s paradise. This stretch has some breath taking scenery to offer along with some amazingly smooth roads to bike on. One would also head in and out of a lot of fog all along the way. This stretch also offers some amazing cornering opportunities where the foot pegs meet the roads. After a few photo shoots in between and heavy fog cover, we got to Soharah (Cherrapunji). The once wettest place on earth did not have rains to offer. We soon headed back to Shillong (Shillong - Cherra - Shillong distance being 103 Kms). There are a lot of other good places to visit around here (including some parks, waterfalls and amazing caves. We had to skip them since we had just one night to spend in Shillong. Make sure that you'd dedicate more time to this beautiful place).
Once in Shillong, we got the tail lamps/indicators fixed on my bike with some other minor issues addressed. We headed towards Kaziranga, our halt for the day. We hit it non stop until Dispur junction, where we had lunch at Makhan Bhog. The stretch from Dispur junction to Nagaon is one hell of a road. More craters than road, actually. We stopped for a few cups of good, black tea at a road side shop just after Nagaon. The next stretch from Nagaon to Kaziranaga was in contrast to the previous one. Smooth roads that helped us catch up on some lost time. In this part of the country, the sun sets at 5 PM and anything after 5:30 is as good as a night ride. Something that we wanted to keep to a minimum during this trip (Yes, security concerns were the chief reason). After wading through half a million insects that seemed attracted to our helmets, we were finally at Kaziranga. We had some difficulty finding the resort where we were supposed to halt for the night (Wild Grass resort). The place turned out to be a luxurious one, with down to earth prices for food. We had some good, quality food, made arrangements for a jeep safari the next morning and hit the sack.
Distance covered during the day: 409 Kms (103 + 306)
April 17, 2008
Woke up at 6:30 in the morning to some very good bed tea and fresh, clean air. Had a quick breakfast and headed for a jeep safari at 7:30 in the morning. (Jeep safari costs around Rs 600 per jeep plus the entry fee at the Wild life Sanctuary). We were taken to the forest office to pay the requisite fees and had a forest guide/security guard accompany us. They took us to the Western section of the wildlife reserve which is supposed to be a better choice for the morning safari (the central section being better for the evening Safari). A few minutes into the jeep trail, we saw the first group of elephants and a lone Rhino (the great Indian one horned Rhino). We eventually ended up spotting more than 50 elephants and 20 Rhinos during the safari. We also spotted some birds such as the Kingfisher, Indian roller, Parakeets etc. The exciting part of the Safari was when a Rhino mock chased us. Mock it was, but it sent our adrenaline high up. The entire wild life reserve has a green cover and is surrounded by mist covered mountains. It adds a distinct charm to the place.
We got back to the resort by lunch time. Had a quick lunch and lazed around. The next day was supposed to be the annual elephant festival and hence our planned elephant safari was not possible. We went out to Kohra town in the evening to make a few phone calls. Later in the evening, we savoured some local dance from the workers of a near by tea garden. The dance is called Jhumur.
Post dinner, called up Karthik to inform him that we would be starting to Dimapur early the next morning. He had to meet us at the Assam-Nagaland border to take us into Nagaland (Indian visitors need special permits - ILPs - to visit Nagaland). We were informed that there was a gun fight going on between two warring factions of the local separatist group. Army was on standby and it was likely that the following day be declared as a 'bundh'. We were asked to stay put in Kaziranga and make provisions for an additional days stay at the resort. We were to get back to Karthik by 6:30 the next morning to get an update on the situation.
It was the first major incident that we had come across on the trip thus far. Although the uncertainty of the region was known to us we were hoping against hope that things don't come in way of our plans. However, since things were beyond our control, we just retired for the night savouring the wonderful sounds of the millions of insects all around.
April 18, 2008
Called up Karthik first thing in the morning. He gave us the go ahead to proceed towards Dimapur (first town in Nagaland on our route). We were to meet him at the CRPF post from where he'd guide us into the town. We managed to have breakfast at the resort and left to Nagaland at 9:15 AM. The roads are beautiful up to the Assam-Nagaland border (Kaziranga-Numaligarh-Golaghat route). We were stopped short of the Assam-Nagaland border by two people who appeared to be the local police. As did happen throughout the tour, we were dealt with a lot of apprehension for the first few minutes of the conversation. Two souls on two loaded bikes with full riding gear, full faced helmets isn't a common sight in this part of the land. Eventually, they'd get quite easy and would extend a few words of support as well. We crossed the border and reached the CRPF post. I had called up Karthik from the check post and he informed me that he had already started from the base. Nitin and I had something cool to drink from the local road side store with lots of curious eyes set on us. In about 10 minutes Karthik arrived with fully armed escort and led us into Dimapur. There was a bustle in the city and it didn't seem like the last days happenings had any bearing on them. People must have gotten used to the frequent disturbances that keep cropping up there. The city was in stark contrast to the ride that we had had until then. The roads were not good; the city was dusty and sunny. We stayed over at Karthik's place. He took us around the campus in the evening. The place is like an oasis in a desert. We met a few of Karthik's colleagues and seniors who too had helped us out on the tour. Had dinner at the officer’s mess and retired for the day.
We decided to head to Kohima the next day, visit the local attractions and then return to Dimapur. Karthik, who was supposed to join us for the rest of the trip, was forced to drop out. His leaves were cancelled at the last minute and there was unfortunately nothing he could do about it. One of the uncertainties in his kind of job.
Distance covered during the day: 170 Kms
April 19, 2008
We started from Dimapur at around 9 in the morning after a quick breakfast. Kohima is a hill town and also the capital of Nagaland. The hill roads start within 20 kms of leaving Dimapur. The roads are really bad in some stretches. The whole road is patrolled by jawans from the Assam Rifles and the Nagaland Armed Police force (who also happen to have a real smart uniform). You'll find armed soldiers at every corner of the road. Gives an indication on how things are in the region. We visited the World War 2 cemetery and the Catholic Cathedral in Nagaland. We went to this popular cafe called the Dream Cafe which is located at the main junction near the WW-II cemetery. Had good coffee there and a light snack before starting back to Dimapur. We reached Dimapur at around 4 in the evening. Spent the evening visiting Karthik’s office and watching cricket.
The next day, we were to head to Mokokchung via Kohima.
Distance covered during the day: 169 Kms
April 20, 2008
Left Dimapur at half past 8 after a quick breakfast at the officer’s mess. Had some very minor nagging issue on one of the bikes that had to be addressed. We reached Kohima in good time. Got our bikes fuelled up at a petrol station just short of Nagaland. The owner of the place was impressed to see two bikers from far off South India head that way. He gave us each a couple of complementary tetra packs of cold drinks. I emptied one before heading off to Mokokchung via Wokha. The 150 odd kilometers of National Highway (supposedly) from Kohima to Mokokchung is one of the most deserted we've ever seen. We hardly get to see any human being, let alone vehicles. The whole route was deserted like it was an abandoned volcanic mountain! The road is of constant ups and downs with wonderful, scenic views to offer. We had a quick lunch at one such view point. We had packed lunch with us from Dimapur. It turned out to be a very good idea since there was hardly any sign of human activity all along.
Nagaland is one beautiful place with lot of natural beauty all around. The place is lush green and largely unspoilt by human intervention. This could partially be due to the local anti government groups that prevent much of urbanisation from happening there. Almost the whole of Nagaland (but for Dimapur) has a thick green cover. Not just green, but different shades of it. Looking down the valley, we could see myriad shades of green and the view looked like the canvas of an artist. We would have loved to just stand there and stare at the wonderful sight; however, we had to reach a safe point by dusk.
On route, we were to pass very close to an anti government groups’ training area. Since we were civilians, we were assured that there was no danger. Another interesting observation was that there were hardly any birds to be spotted in the region. We were told that this was because the local tribes had hunted down all of them and there were hardly any left!! We could see small children with air rifles and catapults trying to shoot down whatever little were left.
We had stopped near a bridge for a break when all of a sudden a jeep with 5-6 people pulled up. All of them got down and surrounded us and our bikes. They started talking in the local Naga language of which we had no clue. We didn't know what they were trying to extract out of us. Thought they didn't seem hostile, we were unsure about the situation. We tried telling them that we were tourists, just visiting their beautiful land on motorcycles. We made an early exit from there and headed towards Mokokchung.
We reached Mokokchung well before sun down (which is usually at around 5 PM in this part of the country). Karthik had arranged for our stay in one of the officer’s mess (thanks to Maj. Arya). We were given an entire house, just for the two of us!! Mokokchung is a really nice and quaint little place. It offers one with wonderful views of the valley and the weather too was wonderful. Slightly on the chilly side but perfect for an evenings stroll after a hard days ride. Maj. Arya was kind enough to drop in, in the evening and we had a little conversation going until past sunset. We thanked him for his help and then parted ways. We had a good early dinner before retiring for the day.
Distance covered during the day: 224 Kms
April 21, 2008
Breakfast was at the Officer’s mess. Started from the place at around 8:30 in the morning. Just past the town is a tribal village called Impur. We were told not to miss it since it had ancient log drums, watch towers, churches and typical village huts to offer. Though we rode past the deviation that takes one to Impur, we decided to head back and check out the place. It was a very quite town with hardly any body out on the roads. We spent some time taking snaps, visiting the watch tower and then proceeded on our planned route.
Our destination for the day was Tinsukia, a town in Eastern Assam. The road from Mokokchung towards the Assam border is one of constant descent. This stretch has excellent views to offer. The different shades of green that one gets to see is simply mind numbing!
Once past the border town in Assam (Jhanjhi) the roads are just plain and straight. It can help you catch up on the lost time but doesn't have anything to please the eyes. But for the miles and miles of tea gardens that one gets to see, there isn't anything that can keep you awake!
We reached Tinsukia by dusk (around 5 PM). We had made prior bookings over phone at Hotel East Continental (also called Hotel International). Turned out to be an ok place with some safety for the bikes too.
Tinsukia is quite a populated town and has the facility of ATMs too. In case you need to load your pockets, this is the right place.
Distance covered during the day: 293 Kms
April 22, 2008
Today was the day we were supposed to enter the wonderful land of Arunachal Pradesh. Both Nitin and I were excited with the prospect of spending the next few days in Arunachal Pradesh. Our destination for the day was Tezu, via the holy place - Parashuramkund. The initial stretch of the road from Tinsukia-Dum Duma-towards Parashuramkund is really bad. There is hardly a stretch of the road that is metalled (tarred). This stretch is back breaking and harsh on the eyes as well. With all the dust that rises there is hardly anything one can do except keep the visor shut and hum some songs :)
Close to the border, we were stopped by the Army. They wanted to see our documents and the vehicle documents as well. They seemed impressed with our intent to motorcycle in the North East.
Right after entering Arunachal Pradesh, we were in a forest reserve that was elephant territory. We also happened to come across a wild elephant that had placed itself in the middle of the road. We started photographing it and video taping it as well. Suddenly, an impatient driver from the other side of the road started coming towards us, getting past the elephant in the process. He made the mistake of honking and that really got the elephant irritated. It started chasing a bike that was following the auto rickshaw. Next few minutes were action packed, what with the elephant giving everyone a chase, the bike in front of it stalling, its riders running to safety and what not.
We reached Parashuramkund at 1 PM. The temple is tucked away in the mountains besides a wonderful river called the Lohit. There was hardly anyone there but for the temple priests and two young boys. The place is so quiet that one can constantly listen to the flow of the Lohit River and enjoy the cool breeze. We sat under a huge tree and enjoyed the lovely environs which helped us unwind after a 4 hour tiring ride. Once we got down from the temple premises, we came across a long bridge that runs across the Lohit river. There is a wonderful little snack point maintained by the army just before the start of the bridge. We spent some time there eating samosas and enjoyed a tasty, hot cup of tea. The Lohit River is amazingly clean and has an eye catching colour to it. Once past the bridge, we had to get around the mountains to go towards Tezu. This stretch is unforgettable since it has some breath taking views to offer. Though the roads aren't all that good, we weren't really bothered by them since the view around more than compensated for it!
We managed to reach Tezu by dusk. We had to stop at the Military Police Picket to ask for directions. We were helped with water to drink and were shown the directions as well. It turned out that the person at the Picket also happened to live in Bangalore for quite some time and we struck a good conversation. We were invited for tea the next morning at the same Picket!!
The army camp in Tezu (thanks to Karthik for the arrangement) is in the middle of a dense forest. With no electricity (diesel generators come to the rescue) the place gets absolutely dark by 6 in the evening. All one can see, out in the wild, is different formations and patterns that are on display by fire flies (glow worms). We had a good dinner before retiring for the night, thinking about all the fun we'd already had in Arunachal Pradesh.
Distance covered during the day: 224 Kms
April 23, 2008
Today was to be a day of water crossings. Our first river (water) crossing on this trip was to be a few kilometers from Tezu. Our destination for the day was Pashighat (in Arunachal Pradesh). We started off from the Officer’s mess at around 8 in the morning. Stopped at the military police picket for a cup of tea (thanks to Yadav and Reddy bhaiyya).
There is no well marked road from Tezu to Pashighat. Most maps can be quite misleading (Many show the presence of a national highway on this stretch! This of course, is far from the truth).
The first water crossing was at a place christened Pagal nala (by the army). We crossed this stretch of the river riding the bikes through them! The river is about 3 feet deep in the shallowest regions and we had to pick our spots correctly. If one stalls the bike while in the water, then God alone save him. The water is pretty cold and the current strong enough to throw you off balance. Also, riding with a completely wet gear is not an interesting proposition. In our quest to get to Roing (which is a town on the way to Pashighat), we encountered some of the most remote areas in the country, if not the world. In a place where there are no directions/milestones and at a place where there are no souls around, we took a 'right' turn that turned out to be the wrong one! After 7 kilometers on a dusty road, we finally came across a human - that too on a bicycle! Turned out he was a local villager who knew none of the languages we knew. Ended up communicating with him in sign language. We learnt that we were on the wrong trail and had to head back the 7 Km stretch that we had just done. In this stretch of the road, we had to get back into Assam for a bit and re-enter Arunachal. We were stopped at the Arunachal border for document check and ILP checks. Past it, we stopped at a road side shop to get a cold drink. A young guy started talking to us and during the conversation, he told us that the road from Roing to Pashighat (via Dhambuk) - the route we were supposed to take - had been closed down. The boats that operated at the rivers had stopped since the water levels had gone up. He told us that we'd have to take a longer route that goes through Assam to reach Pashighat or alternatively, take a route that goes through some remote villages. We were unsure whether the information Mida (the local boy) gave us was correct. We decided to get to Roing and make enquiries there. Mida offered to join us, since he too had to get to Roing.
Once in the town, he took us to a few Cab operators who usually know about the routes, since they do regular trips to Pashighat. They started talking to Mida in the local language and after a few minutes, the verdict was that the roads were closed. We either had to go through Dibrugarh - which has a proper bridge connecting Assam to Arunachal OR go via Amarpur (the village Mida was mentioning about) and take a few boat rides to get to Pashighat. But the conversation that Mida had with the cab operators seemed too long for such a short verdict. Nitin and I were skeptical about the whole conversation that had just taken place. "Are we being led into some kind of a trap?" we thought.
That was not all. We were told that we could only attempt the ride the next day, since the boats (at Amarpur) operate only twice a day and the road via Dibrugarh is way too long to even think of doing it in half a day. Mida helped us find an accommodation. It happened to be in one of the least expected places - NHPC guest house! Ever heard of it? NHPC stands for National Hydroelectric Power Corporation. We spoke to the engineer there and explained to him our situation. We were touring on motorcycles, having come all the way from Bangalore, in South India. The engineer was impressed with our efforts and gave us a room for the night! Yes, that simple.
Mida took us to some good view points around the town; we had a snack at a local restaurant and got back to the guest house. During our conversations with Mida, we learnt about the conversation that transpired between Mida and the local cab drivers. Apparently, the cab drivers had been asking Mida if we were trust worthy fellas. To them, we (at least I) appeared like a dacoit! The leather jacket, the torn jeans, a full faced helmet, long hair – fits the description perfectly! All the while, we were worried about the conversations they were having and it turns out that they were the ones skeptical about us!
We had dinner, parked our bikes within the guest house (these parts are not really bike safe. Your bike could just disappear in a night’s time).
The stay in Roing as a result of the closed roads meant that we would lose a day. We had to make up for it at some point in time, though we were unsure where exactly it could be done.
We hit the sack wondering what more was in store for us over the next few days. The heat was being turned on and we had to face it.
Distance covered during the day: 118 Kms
April 24, 2008
Had an early breakfast at the NHPC guest house. We met Mida right after. He had offered to give us the exact route/directions from Roing to Pashighat (though the villages). We tanked up our bikes for the long journey (we weren’t sure how much we'd end up doing since the route was off the maps and less travelled).
Roing - Shantipur - chepakuwa - Amarpur (two boat crossings to get to here) - Gadum Tinyali - Mebo - Ayeng - Ranaghat - Pashighat was the route we zeroed in on. The road until Chepakuwa was a breeze. We had to take a deviation (a road that turns right, off the highway) here to get to Amarpur. I asked a villager for the road to Amarpur and he stared back at me perplexed. Seemed he hadn't heard of the place. I realized that we had to pronounce it as 'Omorpur' and not Amarapur! He told us that it is a 15 Km ride through country roads to get to Amarpur. "That's not too far off" I thought and we headed off in the guided direction. Soon, we realized that the country roads narrowed down into a forest trail. No signs of any traffic on the route. We stopped by at a few hutments only to be met with silence. Not a soul to be seen. Finally, after covering about 8 Kms we were at a fork in the road, where a few villagers were taking in the little sun light that was shining out there. They told us to take the right fork to get to 'Omorpur'. It was 18 Kms from there, they told us.
Variable distances and variable times! In these parts of the country, one can never know for sure how far the destination is from a given place. Time is a relative proposition, we had known; but distance too!
After about half an hour of riding in open fields with absolutely no roads/trails, we were happy to come across a group of villagers on foot. They were making their way across a dried river bed. We asked them for the way to 'Omorpur'. All that they did was point in the North Easterly direction and said "It is that way". We did not venture to ask "How far?” We set out on bicycle tracks and travelled for another 20 minutes before we saw a huge river in front of us. There were a few villagers sitting on the bank with a couple of other motorcycles, used by the villagers for their local commute. We learnt that this was the place where the motorized boat would come to take us across the river. We were there by around 10 AM. The boat was to arrive there at 11 AM.
On the way to the river bank, we came through a few villages which are literally in the middle of nowhere. These are remote and inaccessible places. But I was amazed to see schools here and children running in groups, with books and bags to their schools. Little do we get to see such sights in the busy, crowded city lives. There are so many things that we take for granted in the City. Getting to school is all about waking up early in the morning and having a quick bite before getting picked up by school buses/vans to get to school. Things here were far more challenging. You'd never know when a thunderstorm could set in. There is hardly anyone around to help you out in case of an eventuality. Despite these odds, if children are really getting to school and learning stuff, it’s something remarkable.
At around 11, the boat came to the bank loaded with a bunch of people from the other bank. After they all disembarked, water had to be cleared out from the boat. It appeared that there was more water in the boat than out of it! We loaded our bikes into the boat and at around 11:30, it set sail to the other bank. It took us about 25 minutes to get to the other end. A few minutes into the ride a torrential downpour started. Got our rain suits on and savoured the rain that was battering down. Once on the other end, we were told that another river crossing lay ahead before we could get to Amarpur. We rode hard in the rain, with all the slush and muddy trail trying to slow us down. There is no point trying to speed up on such stretches since the bikes will just skid in the slush and you'll end up crashing. On the way, we stopped by at a lone villager to ask for directions. He asked us to take him along since he too was heading there. We were skeptical about taking him. If we'd get in trouble at some place as remote as this, it's the end of the story. However, since we did not have much of an option, we took him along. He guided us to the point where the boat would set sail to take us to the other end of the river. It turned out that the very villager we got along with us was to take us and our bikes on the boat to the other end!!!
Once on the other side of the river, we were told that the main road to Gadum Tinyali was about 20 minutes away. We started off and very soon realized that there were no cycle trails or foot trails. Just vast open fields. We kept riding north with the hope of coming across a road. We came across a few village huts and were encouraged by the presence of cycle tracks. We stopped there for a few photographs and started off again. In about 15 minutes, both Nitin and I were overjoyed. We finally saw a tarred road ahead of us! We ended up shouting out loud in utter joy.
Reached Gadum Tinyali (Tinyali is a T junction/tri junction) and proceeded towards Mebo. We got past Ayeng and were heading towards Ranaghat. Just before the hills of Ranaghat begin, there is a long, straight bridge that runs across a partially dried up river bed. We met a police officer there who was dressed up in plain clothes (quite well dressed, I must say). He and his team were out there fishing, he told us. What a life! we wondered. We reached Ranaghat and had to take another boat ride to get across the last river before we make it to Pashighat.
We reached Pashighat at 5 in the evening. We managed to find accommodation at the Government Circuit house, whose caretaker was a corny guy. He even asked Nitin to marry an Arunachali female. (Thank God he said female :)). We stayed away from that character for the rest of the evening.
We went to town, with Nitin in desperate search of Momos. He wanted the pork variety and was quite determined to lay his hands on them. I’d have to confess, I haven’t seen him this focused about anything else on the trip. Momos were to be his defining appetite for the trip.
Distance covered during the day: 140 kms
April 25, 2008
We started from Pashighat at around 8 in the morning. We had to ride to Along and proceed to Lekhabali from there. There are two ways to get to Lekhabali from Pashighat. One is a direct route from Pashighat to Lekhabali (continue in the direction from Ranaghat to Pashighat and proceed to Likhabali. Likhabali is south west off Pashighat). Since we wanted to see Along en route, we had to go back (head east) from Pashighat to a place called Pangin (North east from Pashighat) and then get to Along (North of Pashighat). From Along, get back (South West) to get to Likhabali. The road from Pashighat to Pangin is very bad (neck breaking type). At the Pangin T junction, one has to take the road on the left to get to Along. The road from this stretch to Along is silk smooth. However, this stretch was engulfed in fog as a result of which we had to maintain slow speeds. On the way, we saw the famous hanging bridge (the longest wooden hanging bridge in the world).
We reached Along at 1 PM. We went to the Army TCP and met Jha. Yadav, from Tezu had asked us to meet him. He had spoken to Jha over the phone and informed him about our expedition. We had fresh, cool water to drink and set off from there. We were told that Likhabali was 150 Kms from Along. The ride is a long and hard one on hilly roads that twist and turn like a roller coaster. Stopped at a view point en route to take some stunning photographs and proceeded towards Likhabali. Likhabali is a small town along the Assam-Arunachal border, on the Assam side. We stayed at the Army transit camp (thanks again to Karthik).
We met a couple of officers there who were in transit to forward positions along the Chinese border. We had an interesting conversation going and gained some insights into the daily routine of the officers posted in those remote posts.
Distance Covered during the day: 264 Kms
April 26, 2008
Got up quite early in the morning and started off to Itanagar by 6 AM. We had to reach Itanagr before noon in order to get the Permits (ILPs) made for Bomdila and Tawang. The road from Likhabali up to North Lakhimpur is really bad. Though the stretch is to be part of a national highway (NH52), the roads are hardly existent. Slushy trails were all we had. To add to the misery, it started to rain too. Had an uneventful ride to reach Itanagar by 11 AM, only to realize that the ILP office was closed (it being a Saturday). This meant that we'd have to stay put in Itanagar until Monday morning. Attempt to get the ILPs on Monday morning and then head to Bomdila. Ooh! that would be a tough thing to attempt. As per the initial plan, we had a whole days ride to reach Bomdila from Itanagar. We'd have to do it now in less than half a riding day.
The positive side of the development was that we'd have one full day off (on Sunday) from the continuous riding we'd been doing until then. We thought about doing the ride to Ziro and back on Sunday but then later dismissed it. Covering 240 Kms on that stretch would have been a mistake - given that we were in for a tough ride on Monday.
We booked a room in the town and slept the whole afternoon, only to wake up for dinner in the evening. Just sat outside looking at the local guys going about their business in a leisurely fashion. No one seemed to be in any sort of a hurry. Things were going on in slow motion. Itanagar has a large motorcycle crowd, most of them having flashy Pulsars - with low handle bars. Many almost sit on the fuel tank and ride!!
The stay was at a place called Friendship continental, in Sector E.
Distance covered during the day: 186 Kms
April 27, 2008
Visited a lake (Ganga lake) close to the town. A very beautiful and well maintained lake tucked away in the mountains. Spent some time taking photographs and admiring the place. There were hardly any tourists there. Saw a bunch of local boys and girls spending their Sunday evening - boating and generally having fun.
Distance covered during the day: 24 Kms
April 28, 2008
Went to the Arunachal Secretariat to obtain the IPLs for Bomdila and Tawang. We had some difficulty in locating the place where the ILPs are issued (It is in the political department, if you'd ever need it). We were given forms to fill out and also told that we'd need recommendations (signature from a Gazetted officer vouching for us) on the form. We had the requisite signatures on copies of our ID proofs, but that wouldn't do. They needed new ones on the forms they issued to us. We went around the secretariat from one under secretary to another pleading for a signature but none would oblige. "I don't know you, I can't sign" was the response. Fair enough, but what would you expect from a tourist like us? Take the form, get back all the way to Bangalore, get the signature and head back? Hell, no!
We went back to the political department and spoke to the under secretary there and explained our situation. Though he has the authority to grant us the ILPs, he refused to do so. He kept refraining from giving us the permissions. Finally, he asked us to pay up some money for him to make up his mind!!! Beat that! All this, just for an ILP. He charged us Rs 100/- for two signatures and we got our ILPs done (we had to pay another 100 bucks for the form - although I'd have to add that that is the actual charge).
One tip if you are planning to visit Arunachal and need ILPs. ILPs to Arunachal are issued at all state capitals in the north east. It is best to get the ILPs done in some place like Guwahati/Shillong. Also, ILPs are issued on a route specific basis
The three routes are
1. Bomdila/Tawang
2. Itanagar, Ziro, Daporijo, Along, Pashighat
3. Miao/Namdapha.
Other than this, we can get an "All Arunachal" permit, but this is available only from Itanagar.
Since getting the AAP at Itanagar is a pain, I'd suggest you get three different permits for the three different routes (and this covers almost the whole of Arunachal that one can see as a civilian).
Also, if you are getting the ILP done from Shillong, you can get only one route done per day. They will not issue you ILPs for all three routes on the same day. Hence plan accordingly.
By the time we got our ILPs and got out of the secretariat, it was 12 PM. To make up for all the lost time, we rode really hard. We did the stretch from Itanagar to Bhalukpong (which is another point along the Assam-Arunachal border), covering about 185 Kms, non stop. We had something to eat at Bhalukpong and started off at 4PM. We still had another 100 Kms to go before we could reach Bomdila. We were also told that it would take 4 hours to do that stretch, since its all hills and all climb from Bhalukpong to Bomdila. On the way, we have to cross the Naichu Phu Pass (altitude - 5660 ft ASL) where visibility dropped to about 15 feet because of dense fog. We just got out of the fog and the pass only to realize that the sun had already set.
We were on a slight descent and I tapped my gear from 4th to 3rd and heard some rattling noise in the engine. I was damn scared with that sound. My previous two engine seizes sounded exactly similar and I began to shiver with the dread of having had another one. Luckily, I stopped as soon as I heard the sound. Since the weather was cold, it allowed the bike to cool down quickly. Once cold, I just cranked the bike to life and the sound was still there. I was preparing for the worst. Another seized engine! I let the engine cool down further and tried to relax by looking at the amazing view around. I had a set of rattled nerves. I topped up the engine oil (which was almost at the minimum by then) and rode the bike downhill without starting the engine. At the end of the descent, I started the bike and the sound was gone!!
As we neared Bomdila, the temperature started to dip. Towards the end, it started raining as well. We reached our hotel completely wet and cold till the bone. We were at Hotel La (opposite the Buddha stadium) at 7 PM. We parked our bikes in a safe parking spot provided by the owner and settled down in our rooms. Thanks to the small room heater, we could at least dry our feet!
Distance covered during the day: 294 Kms
April 29, 2008
Thanks to the rain and cold, we woke up quite late. Had breakfast and started from Bomdila at 10 in the morning with the intention of reaching Tawang (180 Kms away) by end of day. Our first stop was at the Nyumkadong war memorial just after Dirang. The Chinese had advanced until here after the fall of Sela in the 1962 war. It was pretty hot at the War memorial, from where we had our first sighting of snow capped mountains. Proceeding further, we began the ascent towards Sela pass. With every hairpin bend and climb, the temperature began to fall and the scenery just got better. Half a kilometer from Sela, we were in the midst of frozen snow/ice. Temperatures plummeted but it wasn't harsh thanks to the lack of strong winds. Sela pass is at a height of 13700 Ft above sea level. When we got to the pass, it was white all around. It was snow all around!
We were literally on a high.
The Sela lake was partially frozen and the snow capped mountains made the place look surreal. What with mist enveloping the mountains within minutes of our getting there. We spent a good half an hour there before starting the descent to move towards Tawang. The roads here offer the shutterbug umpteen picturesque spots. As we began to climb down, we could see streams, small and big, all over the place. Most of these streams were fed by the melting ice from Sela. There is hardly any human activity in this region but for the army camps/units positioned there. We stopped at a place called Jaswant Garh, which is 20 Kms after Sela while heading towards Tawang. Jaswant Singh was a solider in the Indian army who single handedly thwarted the Chinese progress towards Sela. He held fort for three days before being overpowered. Till date, any army officer passing the point stops to pay homage to their hero before proceeding. We couldn't go to the memorial since it started raining. We decided to go there on our way back. Before proceeding, we had good hot samosas and hot coffee prepared by the men in uniform. We proceeded towards Tawang despite the rains. We were drenched till the bones by the time we got to Tawang. We had some difficulty spotting out hotel and the rains/cold compounded this. We finally managed to reach our hotel (Hotel NEFA) by 7:30 PM. we had a fireplace in our room to keep us warm in the near freezing temperatures. Though our clothing was largely dry, thanks to the raincoats we had worn, our hands and feet were freezing.
Distance covered during the day: 196 Kms.
April 30, 2008
The day was to be spent in Tawang. We went to the Tawang monastery in the morning. It is an amazing place set on one of the hills in Tawang. The place is 400 hundred years old and was commissioned by the 5th Dalai Lama (Mera Lama). It can house up to 600 monks at a time.
Had the chance to interact with a few monks too who all seemed amused by our bike trip.
We then proceeded to the Tawang War memorial. Spent some time there and then headed back to the hotel. We were trying to find out if we could possibly visit Bumla, which is a forward post along the Chinese border. We need special permission from the army and we were trying to see if we could make it there. However, we learnt that the route was completely snowed out and venturing there would be impossible. We went around Tawang town and made some phone calls.
In the evening, I got a call from home informing me that I had qualified for an MBA course in one of the private institutions in India. What better place to receive this information than Tawang!
Distance covered during the day: 11 Kms.
May 1, 2008
Went to the market and bought some souvenirs. Started from Tawang at 11 AM. As per our initial plan, we had to cover the distance from Tawang to a place called Charduar in one day. However, on the way up to Tawang we realized that the road conditions and weather would not permit us to cover such a long stretch in one day. Hence we had decided to stop and Bomdila for the night. On the way towards Jaswant Garh, the temperatures again started to drop. It started raining too by the time we reached J. Garh. Had our customary cup of coffee and Samosa. The rain had now turned quite heavy. It was time for us to move on. We visited the J.Garh memorial, paid tributes to Jaswant Singh and proceeded towards Sela. The rain, fog, low temperatures and bad road conditions all combined to slow us down. The rains showed no signs of abetting. Just like Jaswant Singh showed strong resistance to waves upon waves of Chinese onslaught, we braved waves upon waves of downpour and proceeded towards Sela pass. Our hands were frozen completely to the extent that they showed no signs of motion, despite electrical impulses being directed to them from our brains. The continuous downpour and plummeting temperatures had reduced our gloves to mere ornaments worn around the hand. About half a kilometer from Sela, the rain turned into snow and the temperatures went south of the magical zero deg centigrade. We continued pass Sela without wanting to stop there, primarily because we weren't sure if the conditions would improve. We began our descent from Sela towards Bomdila with the hope that weather conditions would improve. To our disappointment, the thunder showers showed no signs of reducing its intensity. Half way through, I decided to stop for a minute to empty my near full bladder. Semi wet pants, freezing temperatures and the continuous downpour had its effect. However, to my horror, I realized that I could not open my fly! My hands were frozen and I could not even grip the zip. My thumbs were almost non existent.
With little of senses returning to my hands, I just continued on the descent hoping to regain senses on my hands. I occasionally placed my gloves on the engine block hoping that the hot temperatures of the engine would improve the blood circulation in my hands. This too did not yield the desired effect.
Dripping, we reached Bomdila at 7 in the evening. The days ride through Sela will remain etched in my memory for some time to come.
Distance covered during the day: 200 Kms.
2 May, 2008
Started from Bomdila at 8 in the morning. We had to ride all the way up to Guwahati today (350 Kms). Just as we were about to leave the hotel, a few tourists from Assam who were on their way to Tawang told us that 2 May was Assam bundh. This was something we were unaware of. We were literally cut off from the rest of the world during our trip and we did not realize the consequences of that. We decided to head down from Bomdila and confirm the news elsewhere. In any case, we could ride up to Bhalukpong, which was within Arunachal Pradesh. At the border check post there, we could ask the police about the situation in Assam and then decide our next course of action. The temperature was cool and pleasant until we made our way to Naichiphu pass ("The goddam place", as Nitin calls it). As I mentioned earlier, this place is in the clouds and as a result perpetually cover in mist. To add to the mist and the low visibility, it started drizzling too. The 40 minute drizzle had us all wet and shivering. We've been through this place twice and all we have seen is mist. Nothing else, absolutely. At this point, Nitins bike started acting strange. He would get occasional jerks accompanied by a noise. It seemed like his stand was hitting the ground every time he negotiated a curve. But after some time, it seemed like his saddle bag was rubbing against some part of the bike. Unsure what the issue was, we decided to get to some place lower and then take a look at it.
Stopped to grab a bite at a place called Tenga. There is an army cafeteria called Tenga Haat that has all facilities such as ATM, beauty parlour, bakery, phone booth and a full fledged restaurant. We had something to munch at the bakery. On enquiring with an army officer about the situation in Assam, he told us that though it is a bundh, it wouldn't affect us much. Since we were on the bikes and not dependent on public transport, we could continue our ride.
When we got to Bhalukpong, Nitin looked at the bike and to our amazement, the chain sprockets were completely worn out. The sound that we heard earlier was that of the chain slipping. A couple of teeth were completely worn out. It didn't look like the bike could do the remaining 1500 odd Kms of the trip that was left. In fact, Nitin wasn't sure if it would even get to Guwahati, our stop for the day. We had a good breakfast here and set off towards the check post. At the check post, police just let us through. Past Bhalukpong, the roads were very good and we were able to cover good distance in little time. Nitin's bike to behaved well, thanks to the good roads.
Once we reached Guwahati, I rang up a few people we had befriended on our earlier visit. Amu, whose showroom we had inaugurated, said he could repair the bikes. We took the bikes to his showroom. However, since it was Assam bundh, none of the spare parts shops were open. He can fix our bikes only the next day (which meant that we'd lose another day!). Since we did not have any options, we decided to spend the extra day in Guwahati and set the bike right.
We then went around looking for an accommodation. We were guided to a good lodge by Amu.
We freshened up and went out for dinner with Amu.
It was here that I received (though with a bit of drama) news about my selection at IIM Lucknow. The news didn't sink in until a few days after the entire trip was over!
Stay for the day was at D. Mukta Lodge.
Distance covered during the day: 350 Kms
3 May, 2008.
Took our bikes to the Royal Enfield service station. I got to know that the sprockets on my bike too were damaged and I decided to get them replaced there. Got a few other minor issues sorted out. However, we ended up spending the whole day at the service station getting the bikes back to shape. We also got our bikes washed in the service station as a result of which our bikes were lighter by a good 5 Kgs. Met a few interesting bikers, some who had ridden up to Bhutan and back. One of them, Pibendu Baruah had also participated in the ASEAN car rally in 2004. Spent a lot of time talking to him about biking and racing. Met a few other members of the Rhinos Motorcycling Club (the Guwahati bullet club). We met Amu in the evening and bid good bye to all our Assamese friends.
Come to think of it, I had a different impression about Assamese based on my past experience. However, I was proved wrong by the completely friendly and open hearted people I met during our stay in Assam, especially in Guwahati. They were always willing to help, willing to lend an ear. Something that I’ll appreciate and remember for a long time to come.
The Sonjoys, the Apoorvas and the Jeevans have made this trip an experience worth cherishing.
Tomorrow, we'd have to ride all the way to Siliguri. We cannot afford to have any further delays since we have effectively lost 3 days (one each in Pashighat, Itanagar and Guwahati). It's approximately a 530 Km long haul on bad roads. We had to get some good sleep before the ride.
Distance covered during the day: 30 Kms
4 May, 2008
Started from Guwahati at 7:30 in the morning. Rode long and hard on the first stretch, since we had to get to Siliguri by nightfall. The first break was after 260 Kms, which we covered in 5 odd hours of non stop riding (It's like doing Chennai-Hosur non stop, except that it’s on really bad roads). we reached Siliguri by 7:30 in the evening.
The traffic sense of people in West Bengal deserves a mention here. They really strive hard to get to the level of being pathetic. On an average, they are 10 notches below it! No kidding. Highway riding is more like riding blindfolded in ones backyard. cyclists are a nightmare. They decide to get to the other side of the road, make the turn, get midway to where they want to go, and then look for oncoming traffic and traffic that is tailing them. Potholes are like craters, right out of mars. Overall, a bad ride.
Once in the hotel in Siliguri, we realized that we had an additional day as against what we had thought initially. Our train back to Bangalore was on the 9th of May and not the 8th, as we had begun to believe. This meant that we'd actually have a day and a half in Sikkim. Yippee!!
Stay was at Hotel vinayak.
Distance covered during the day: 514 kms
5 May, 2008
Started in the morning from Siliguri to Gangtok (pronounced Gun-thok). Short ride on good roads. We stopped for breakfast in Sevok (past it actually, close to the railway line). We had Wai-Wai for breakfast and some veg momos. The climb begins right after this. The road winds across the hills in the region, offering some beautiful, scenic views all around. The road runs along the Teesta river for quite a distance. Plenty of rafting opportunities are present just before Teesta town. We reached Gangtok by 1 in the afternoon. We checked into a comfy looking hotel and went to Rumtek monastery in the evening. Nitins quest for Pork momos continues.
At Rumtek, we got to see how monks revise what has been taught to them during the course of the day. We also saw the golden Stupha that is present at the monastery. It was here that we saw tourists (other than us) for the third time in our entire trip (first at Kaziranga and then, a bunch of Italians at Tawang).
Got back to Gangtok town and lazed around on M.G. Marg in the evening. Gangtok deserves praise for the way the city has been maintained. The entire city is very clean (one of the cleanest I have seen in India), people follow the traffic rules, have a good road sense and are a disciplined lot on the road. Also, plastic is banned!! The entire town has an excellent pathway for pedestrians.
We bought a few souvenirs on M.G. Marg, had dinner and returned to the comfort of our rooms.
Distance covered during the day: 153 Kms
6 May, 2008
It was a day off for the bikes. However, we decided to go visit a few places around Sikkim. We hired a cab (since bikes aren't allowed) to visit Tsomgo lake (pronounced Chaango). We could not manage to get passes to Nathula in a days notice. After a slight misadventure at one of the turns (where the cab wheels got stuck in an open storm water drain), we reached Tsomgo lake by noon. It’s a very touristy place (reminded me of the Rohtang pass); although I'd have to admit that the place is quite serene. There was enough snow around to keep us chill. We spent a couple of hours around the lake, enjoying its beauty.
Nitin had to have his plate of momos before we left the place. We walked into a cozy little eatery and ordered some veg momos and hot soup. The young lady running the place started conversing with us in Tamil!! Apparently, it’s a USP in this part of town, since tamilian tourists can speak nothing but tamil!
We headed back to Sikkim with rains giving us company for most part. On the way back, we visited the Kyonghosla falls. The water here is crystal clear, so much so that we could see the rocks at the bottom of the pool bed.
We went to the Lal market and the Super market in the evening in search of Khukris and other souvenirs.
Back at the hotel that evening, we realized that our journey was coming to an end. Our tryst with the North East had been an amazing and cherishing one. A ride that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.
All that is left is the ride back to Kolkota to catch the train back to Bangalore.
7 May, 2008
Woke up early in the morning to go see the Khang-cheng-Dzonga from the Tashi View point. The snow capped mountains are a sight to see at sunrise. Spent about half an hour at the view point admiring the towering mountains. Started from Gangtok at 9 AM towards Malda, our stop for the day. As soon as we got down the hills and entered the plains, the heat got to us. We stopped for half an hour at one of the road side eateries for Nitin to catch up on some sleep. The heat had apparently made him drowsy. The road from Siliguri to Malda is a pathetic stretch, with innumerable potholes (craters) all along. We were dehydrating because of the excessive heat and had to make frequent stops to replenish our body water levels. We reached Malda after sun down.
We managed to find a decent accommodation on the highway itself, at a place called Baishnavi Lodge.
Distance covered during the day: 394 Kms
8 May, 2008
We just had to get to Kolkota. Nothing else was on our minds. The scorching sun, the hot conditions and our dehydrating bodies did not permit us to think about anything else. It was undoubtedly the most tiring day of the whole journey. The whole route had more craters than roads and the driving sense of people in this region is appalling. I'd prefer not to delve into the road madness in this part of the country, but I’d just have one word for anyone going here - 'watch out'.
Our accommodation in Kolkota was at the Youth Hostel. We reached Kolkota at 7 in the evening.
Distance covered during the day: 343 Kms
9 May, 2008
The last day of our journey began with a visit to Victoria memorial. We had discussions with a policeman on the way, since he caught us since I wasn't wearing a helmet (being the pillion, I was just wearing a cap to escape the wrath of the sun). The interesting part is what ensued. I had heard from friends that 'tipping' cops in Kolkota would turn wrong into right and I was with that mindset. However, the cops got interested in our bike expedition and let us go on grounds of goodwill!! Since we were guests of Kolkota - and were heading out of town the same evening, he did not want to issue a ticket to us!
We had to head back to YHAI so that I could sling on a helmet and we reached Victoria memorial by noon. The traffic here is pathetic with no discipline what so ever. (People who think Bangalore traffic is bad should be deported to Kolkota)
Victoria memorial didn't turn out to be all that grand and with the heat and humidity making their presence felt, we left the place quickly.
In the evening, we went to get our bikes loaded on the train. The freight charges were just frightening! We had to spend about Rs 6000 just to get our bikes packed and loaded!! We rushed back to the hostel to collect our baggage and with a race against time; we boarded the train to Bangalore.
To describe the journey in an elevator speech, all I could say is that it was "Amazing", "Incredible", "Journey of a lifetime" etc. However, even after writing out this detailed experience of ours, I don't think I've made justice to our experience. I don't think it can be 'described' to anybody else. The photographs too don't capture the essence of the place - the clean, cool air, the breeze, the smell - all of that is for one to experience first hand. All I can say is that a visit to these pristine places is a must. No matter what part of the country/world you have seen, the North East has a lot more to offer.
Special thanks to Nitin for agreeing to ride along for over a month (that is quite some time!) and for all the wonderful times that we had together.
Thanks too to Karthik for all the planning and arrangements he made for us - without him, this trip would not have been as enjoyable and memorable. Words can't convey our gratitude to Karthik.
List of hostels/hotels for accommodation
Guwahati:
Youth Hostel, Government of India
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports,
Paltan Bazar, PO Guwahati
Ph: 0361-2458875
09864062712
Shillong:
Youth Hostel Shillong,
Opposite CTO (telephone office)
Vivekanand Marg
Shillong 793001
Ph: 0364-2222246, 0364-2504009
Kaziranga:
Wild Grass Resort
Mr. Dibyajyothi
Ph: 03776-262085
Tinsukia:
Hotel East Continental/ Hotel International
A.T Road, Tinsukia - 786125
Ph: 0374-2330724
Bomdila:
Hotel La
Opp D.C Office
Landmark: Buddha stadium
Ph: 03782-223344 (Ravi/ Ghosh)
Tawang:
Hotel NEFA
P.O. Dist Tawang 790104
Ph: 03794-222419, 222320 (Mr. Gyetsan Tsering)
Siliguri:
Hotel Vinayak
Opp tourist office
Ph: 0353-2431130
For a detailed tour log and any other information you may need, do feel free to write to me. I will be more than glad to share them with you.
