Jonak

Hey Praveen,
You are really having a trip of a lifetime.
It is not easy to do Kolkata - Siliguri in a day. I mean it is possible but the Road condition is pretty bad. Hope you are taking NH34.
Have a safe journey.

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steveburnside2001

very nice pics.how different is thexperience in sundarbans when you compare it to national parks in the south like Mudhumalai /Wayanad or B.R Hills.

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nabendubasu

nice pic and description there praveen,keep on posting them and enjoy the cold now.
How much did the boat and guide costed?

praveenkm

@Jonak: The trip has been good so far. Thought of stopping at Malda or something if roads got tough but in general 95% of the road was very good. Most of the roads are newly laid. Made it in 13 hours. Would have been lil earlier if the there was no short rain near siliguri. The Main discouraging factor is the ever present deadly traffic!. yes it was NH34 till Dhalkola and then the 4 laner towards siliguri. Ofcourse its broken at places.

@Steve: Mangrove forests is completely different compared to other national parks. The water level rises and drops by 20-25 twice in a day along with tides. In high tide u see only water and bushes above it and in low tide u can see the soft clay land. U cant even walk on it our foot will sink, even if thats ok there are hidden sharp roots of bushes which we cant see. It looks totally aliean landscape.

@nabendu: Thanks man. It cost me a bomb! Boat ride to Dobanki was 1600rs. Guide fees 130. Boat permission 150. Food and preparations charges 200. The thing is the cost is per boat. Which can accomodate 25 people and still the price will be 1600!. And there are no small boats. Its very expensive if go alone or in small numbers.

continuing with the ride...

GPS Trail...
March27 - EveryTrail

Trip meter so far 3382

Got up lazily as i had nothing to do but get myself to calcutta. Cos any more boat ride and it would set me back too much in money. Also had two worries. Weather my bike will be there and if its there, how do i get it up the steep ramp at Gosaba.

Was also not feeling well, with whole night sleep i was feeling weak and felt like resting for more time. But knew once on bike i would be alright and riding heals!. Have got on to the bike before in much bad shape and few mins into riding i felt fine .

Go the watch tower behind the hotel for one last look at the Sunderbans. Its just forest just outside the fence. Have a lazy breakfast, collect myself and check out the room. The care takers wish me luck for my further trip. I had let them know that i am on a big bike trip. I get to the gate and the Subhendu, my previous boat ride guied was there and he announced about my ride to near by people. The same old curious questions to which i answered politely. After hearing all the tiger stories of Sunderbans, may i left a story about a crazy guy who came in bike all the way from bangalore to pakhirala, blew some money alone on a boat ride and left! Cos the previous day by the time our boat reached the SudhanaKhali watch tower, a boat man near by had already heard my story!

Bid farewell for the cheerful crowd waited for my boat to Pakhirala. Got there a bit nervous and when i went to the Apanjan hotel, yeppie my bike is still standing there. Though i was assured by many people that bike would be safe but still it was at the mercy of strangers for 2 days. Gave the owner 150 bux though he might not have expected as much. But had requested me to stay in his hotel for a day. Any way again the same announcement about my ride and the owner was taking pride in saying that my bike was at his place. Shook hands with him and went towards other side of Gosaba for the impending boat ride! With people who rarely spot motorcycle on the island they see a black 'new model' bike with black attaired rider and were surprised like hell. Caught up with the donation collection boys whome i had met the other day. They were over joyed to see me hehe. shook hands with me and told me to come again.

Now i maneuver through the narrow streets and present myself at the boat ghat, where there was a boat already full of people. I was told to put bike in now itself. The boat man sterny says 25 Rs it will be, expecting my disapproval, but i am like anything boss just get my bike on the other side! Thanks to the high tide, the boat at the top most step. Not much man power, and i had to spend my limited muscular resources! With a couple of scares of falling into water bike was in the midst of overcrowd boat and i sat on the boat with my feet anchoring the bike to compensate the sways. Again i was the talk of the boat.

Reached the other side and scare came alive. Though it was high tide, the topmost and steep ramp of 6-7 steps had to be climbed. No sooner did the boat stop and people got off the next batch of people wanted to get in. Managed to turn around the bike on the boat just before people hurried in to secure their seat on the boats edges. Got the bike of the boat. Could understand their difficult cos 1) the bike is heavy and 2) there is nothing to hold. Was afraid that they might use plastic or the box mounts for the lifting. But the patient boat men listened to me as to where to lift. pointed them at the swing arm and front tire.
Now i had to put the bike in gear and manage the drive up. Since it was too steep at one point the bike stood on engine! Somehow managed to get it up and breathed a sigh relief. Yeppie back on the main land.

Then on it was pretty comfortable ride till calcutta. Lot of empty stretches of road. Since the bike did not have boxes and luggage, handled really well. Once i get o cal the boxes will be on. So made use of this ride to do some spirited riding and ripping. Get into cal by 1.30pm and then it was some traffic surfing and to my friend's place. Tiger or not the Sunderbans trip was awesome the landscape very unique and the experience was great.

Off to Siliguri tomm. Its going to be hard to make it in a day but thinking of giving it a run. After hot beaches, its time for cold mountains....


one last look at the Mangrove forest..




Waiting for my boat to pakhirala wondering if my bike is still there...


Fellow island hoppers...



Hurray the bike is still there...



with one worry over i ride through the picturesque gosaba island thinking about the impending boat ride...



ride through gosaba streets..


On the boat and center of attraction...


Oh man that incline...


Boy am i glad to be on the main land rubber side down!



Ride through the villages near basanti


Curious kids...


who needs expensive theme parks


Rare empty road towards Kolkata


Before i put back the panniers. This is how i am carrying the spare rear sprocket!

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nabendubasu

@praveen:its not their fault,even after reading so many pages in xBhp i cannot even dream of doing kolkata-bangalore and you have completed that.after visiting so many places now you are heading towards north.

praveenkm

@nabendu: I agree. Its me the odd one out there Actually i am heading out of country today

yesterday's log:

Gps Trail:
<img src="http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=159651

564 KMs Trip Meter - 3946. Will be 4k before i leave the country...

Thought of making a run till siliguri or stay at behrampur or malda if the going gets tough. As i had heard of bad road conditions in this route.

Bid farewell to my friend's relatives and managed to start as late as 7.30am. Good that i was placed near dum dum and getting out of city was not a problem. Found my way to NH34 and i was ready for traffic atleast for few hours. Roads are looking good but for the traffic. i keep going. It tough to find places to take a butt break. Managed to find one after every 100-150 kms. Even after like 200 kms from kolkata feeling like i am still in the city. The two laned road with trucks and buses who do not know how to use breaks. The ever present tricycle carts making the buses and trucks take wild turns. then i got hungry and was looking for a place to eat from like 12 pm. Finally found a nice restaurant by 2! at Malda.

It was to be more of frustrating ride ahead with never ending traffic. So many cycles that i felt that i was invading a cycle rally! As a biker it was very tough riding conditions with so much slow traffic but as a person i do feel guilty that these people are leading a tough life while i am here on a pleasure trip splurging money!. It was to be like this till Dhalkola which i reached by 6 pm. Got ready for some tough night riding but there was a surprise for me. Dhalkola joins NH 31 and its 4 lane highway out of nowhere just when its getting dark. What a relief. Now took it a bit easy and indulged in few sunset photo session. Then i embarrassed my self for the impending attacks by the Kamikaze insects in the twilight zone. I was not disappointed and i could barely see through the visor by the night fall. Glad that i had enough water to clean it.

Just when i was enjoying the smooth ride, with music in the ears and clear visor and HID glowing the road, the four lane ended! and it was tough tough ride in the two laned busy roads. The HID really making opposing think before they do their wild overtaking maneuver. After a few diversions the road got four laned and some nice ride. Just when i was thinking of getting into a cozy room at siliguri. The road got two laned and just when i was 15-20 kms from siliguri it started raining! With my rain gear deep inside my luggage i ran for cover under empty hut. Waited for 10 mins and it was still raining. So thought of getting into the rain gear instead of wasting time. By the time i am done with the process the rain stops! Irritating. Reach siliguri which was dry, in a rain suit! Get into the old Hotel Hill view. And that was it.

Misty moring at Kolkata...



Find a place for first butt break..



Goat market at one of the villages





Boy am i happy to find a place to eat...








can you believe the amount of insects!



One tough day of riding and i will never do this route again! Tomm will be going out of country. Bhutan calling ...

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nirvan

Praveen, kudos. This is a ride of a lifetime! The kind of ride everyone wishes they could do, but few actually make it.

I'm curious about why you are carrying a spare rear sprocket. Do you have a spare chain and front sprocket as well? I know the Karizma has the propensity to eat chains and sprockets, but I wonder nevertheless. What other spares are you carrying with you?

Stopping by a roadside mech and having chain oiled every 750 or so km with an adjustment every 1500 or so km will go a long way in extending chain/sprocket life.

Jonak

Great going Praveen. Yes, insects are a major problem in this part of the world in this time of the year. I always carry water and tissue paper with me. By the way, There was one way to avoid the busy NH34. Durgapur expressway upto panagarh then take a right turn and this road meets with the road at Dalkhola. I always prefer this route. Anywz, Abhi said he met you. So, I didn't interfare.
Have a great trip ahead.

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HydroXidE

F**K !!! .. wow ! ..

Man . you've really gone places now . .. lovely thread . keep em coming

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praveenkm

Hi Guys, logging in from phareeeen!
Got into bhutan today. 4k on the trip meter up. It was exiting riding into another country for the first time. Listening to the lovely Bhutanese songs next shop. Its great here

Have got in here with no idea from here on! Suggestions would be very much helpful. Will be here in pheountshiling for paper work tomm and will start north tuesday.

Mobiles out and connectivity is a problem now i guess.

@Nirvan: Yes i have a spare chain and front sprocket. The rear sprocket is too heavy and inconveniant to stuff in the bags or boxes so fixed it here. Carrying the regular, front break and clutch livers, gear liver, cables, bulbs, chain lock etc...

@Jonak: Thanks man. Wish i had known that route before. And whats not to interfear. You could have joined us. Would have been more good time. Was just not at all free in calcatta, thus could not meet any 1. Just that abhi caught up with me near airport when i went to drop my father.

@Hydro: Yeah man me never been to so many places before Neevu banni banni :P

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