Re: KTM Duke 200. Bhutan. Solo.

Cropped my watermark? Totally unacceptable. Sending you a legal notice right away.



Just kidding, glad you like. Thanks.
Thanks a bunch, asbshyam!!

The video is here guys, check it out:

KTM 200 Duke. Bhutan. Solo. Clips. - YouTube

Should give a decent idea about the roads in West Bhutan, and how the Duke 200 performed for me. Only 3 clips

1. Chele La forests
2. Foggy roads before Gedu, while going up from phuntshelling on day 3.
3. Dwahakha to Chuzom, when the roads suddenly got wide.

Enjoy!

Not that anyone cares, but Gone in Bloom and Bough by Caspian.

Re: KTM Duke 200. Bhutan. Solo.

Awesome Photos Bro.!

Re: KTM Duke 200. Bhutan. Solo.

Hey thanks, Swas!

Re: KTM Duke 200. Bhutan. Solo.

amaizing photography and great places.just fascinating

Re: KTM Duke 200. Bhutan. Solo.

Wow, I have seen rich riders carrying camera crew with them to make them look

You did it all alone. Very nice.
Your photos bring out the heavenness scattered all the over this place

Re: KTM Duke 200. Bhutan. Solo.

Brilliant pics and amazing journey Anirban, hats off to you. You are living the dream. Your travel diary will be very helpful for people planning similar trip there.
Just one thing, the photographs seem a tad graphicky, you know what I mean. It appears you did some post processing which caused this effect. The colours are very vivid and contours very sharp which make them look surreal. May be this is not what you intended or I'm reading it wrong.

Re: KTM Duke 200. Bhutan. Solo.

Anirban, hearty congratulations on winning 2013 Flickr Rides!!!

Re: KTM Duke 200. Bhutan. Solo.

Heartiest congratulation mate!
amazing photos, glued to your thread!

Re: KTM Duke 200. Bhutan. Solo.

Hi Buddy!

I have seen all your pics, its just an awesome trip & you have done gr8 photography.

Loved it.

Re: KTM Duke 200. Bhutan. Solo.

Awesome and happy to see those pics posted. Might i plan my next trip to Bhutan. Cheers bro.

Re: KTM Duke 200. Bhutan. Solo.

III. In Thimpu


After reaching Thimpu, I had checked into a hotel in this street called Norzin Lam. However, parking was an issue. In Thimpu, you can park your car by the side of a street, but not your bike. Motorcycle parking spots are at far ends of every street. I didn't really want to leave my motorcycle there, so I parked on the street itself. But I could see it from my room's window. Staff of the hotel kept telling me it might get towed. So I was happy to find it there after waking up. I always carry a bike cover with me when touring, maybe that helped. Quick breakfast while soaking in the great views, and I'm at immigrations office at 8.30am sharp.

Thimpu is the only capital in the world without traffic signals by Anirban Banerjee Photography, on Flickr
Did you know that?




My hotel was on this street called Norzin Lam, and turns out Immigrations office is in the same street. Just where the road ends. Went to the counter and asked what do I need to do to extend my permit, and exit from Samdrup Zongkhar. "You're riding a motorcycle?" "You're alone?" Answers to both questions were affirmative. "Go back. No permits will be issued to you. Exit from where you came". Negotiations. Letters/certificates etc were promptly pulled out and handed over. Now they wanted to meet some officer. And went in and discussed my plans with her. Still she wouldn't give me the permits required to ride central and eastern Bhutan. Further negotiations. This went on for half an hour, after which they asked me to come back at 11am. "I'll see what I can do" the officer assured me.



So I got my KTM a bath. There is a huge automotive complex 4-5kms from the main city. Also got my chain tightened and lubed. Also found cigarettes there. Bought two packs more than double the price. In case you didn't know, cigarettes are banned in Bhutan and they are smuggled in from India. Went back to immigrations. Now they gave me two options. Either I ride till Mongar and turn back and exit from Gelephu, or I get a guide. Yes a guide who would follow me in a car. Turns out if you're riding solo you cant exit from Samdrup. "really dangerous roads" "this isn't India" etc. And I kept cursing them guys when I couldn't go beyond 2 gear for 3 hours straight in the Trongsa-Zhemgang stretch. But thats for later. I now had permits for Bumthang. Quickly went to the RSTA near the bus stand. Took 5 minutes to get the permit for motorcycle sorted. All done, I'm a happy guy. Went back to my hotel to have lunch. Got bored soon. Couldn't hit up the places I wanted to in Thimpu, light was almost flat. So I thought let's shoot some street. Normally, I wouldn't make street photos. at all. Hadn't done the same in years. But then the logs would've missed what I was seeing, the people I was interacting with. A change in always good.


Bhutanese Mother by Anirban Banerjee Photography, on Flickr


Bhutanese Father by Anirban Banerjee Photography, on Flickr
I like shooting kids.


[

I hung around Norzin Lam for about half an hour.




This little girl was busy blowing air bubbles when I caught her.



And this guy was quite expressive!


Bhutanese Biker Dude by Anirban Banerjee Photography, on Flickr

Bull with that attire. Cholo stuff right there. Must be a very windy affair, if you know what I mean



Meanwhile.



Bhutanese Couple by Anirban Banerjee Photography, on Flickr

Now the light starting getting how I wanted it to be, so I went to hit up some other places.


Parking fee collector by Anirban Banerjee Photography, on Flickr

I could park my bike right in front of my hotel, she allowed Then I went to see the Takin.



And now you've seen how the national animal of Bhutan scratches itself. Fantastic.




Finding the Takin sanctuary wasn't easy though. Seems like noone in Thimpu knows about them. Except the tour guides. And GPS wasn't working.



If you like riding a MTB, want to roam around with a gun, and live in a beautiful city in the Himalayas. Join Thimpu Police Force!




City by Anirban Banerjee Photography, on Flickr

And after a lot of asking around, riding like crazy (light issues), being confusion with the directions, I made it to the view point in good time.


Thimpu by Anirban Banerjee Photography, on Flickr

City in the distance.


Thimpu by Anirban Banerjee Photography, on Flickr

Other side of Thimpu.




But this here is the main cirty. Highway to the right. Norzim Lam is towards upper left.



Twisties and the city.



Views.


Thimpu Palace by Anirban Banerjee Photography, on Flickr

That is where the King lives.


The Buddha by Anirban Banerjee Photography, on Flickr

And the light show started happening. Allowed me to get this shop. In case you were wondering, the buddha really really big. That is where the view point is.


This is the highest I saw in Bhutan. Couldn't beat 96kmpl of Namik la descant though! It also appears that I had clocked 1,803kms exactly at that point. And that I had managed to cut my finger somehow, thanks to the stupid cold. Makes everything dry and numb. However, I knew exactly where to go next.




I rode back 10kms back to this view I had spotted when entering the city, shivering with cold the blue hour had now brought. And got this.


City Lights & Traffic Sounds by Anirban Banerjee Photography, on Flickr

Also got the last of my blues.


Rythm of Thimpu 2 by Anirban Banerjee Photography, on Flickr



And went back to city. By now I was tired. Kicked back with Bhutan Highlands Slept early, had a lot of riding planned for the next day. After all, central Bhutan is much less explored. And no more cities.


Thanks for going through the logs.



Next up
IV. Punakha and reaching Phobjikha

Re: KTM Duke 200. Bhutan. Solo.

Please accept my respects for such an amazing ride

Re: KTM Duke 200. Bhutan. Solo.

Anirban,

I am at complete loss of words for describing how beautiful these photographs are. The Bhutanese government should thank you, for you will be sending lot of tourist money their way in coming years.

Thank you for the photographs, had always wanted to do Bhutan, now cant wait to go there...

Re: KTM Duke 200. Bhutan. Solo.

Thanks Tauseef!
You're kind, neverforgetniraj! Thanks

Thanks sparky. Yes you are right. I like dramatic phtographs, that is what I'm after. I like shooting atmospheres that look out of this world and surreal, I'm always chasing the light that is dramatic, apocalyptic. I'll use different camera techniques and filters such as CPLs, NDs and Grad NDs to get what I want. I also blend exposures. What that really gives is extended dynamic range, which is much closer to my memory of the scene.

Also, I've been strongly influenced by a number of fine art landscape photographers over the years, and I think it has got something to do with that. You can check this set out to know what kind of images I generally shoot 13 from 2013 - a set on Flickr . It has much more to do with shooting styles and decisions made in the field, rather than post process.

Colors, yes they do need some encouragement in post at times The data always gets captured in the RAW format files, you know. And then again, it boils down to personal taste. When Fuji first came out with velvia, kodachrome users sited it's high color saturation as unrealistic. In digital the actual difference is, those decisions need not be taken before shooting, they come afterwards.

Coming to my workflow, I shoot raw files and when converting them to jpegs, I make contrast saturation and luminance adjustments in adobe lightroom. And dodging/burning. Nothing else. These are travel photos, not a report by a photojournalist. So I figured I can do that.

Thanks a lot, JN8304! That is exactly why I'm late in updating this travelogue.
I'm glad you like what you see, amoghdox. Thanks!
Hey thanks a bunch, Sanjeev!

Thanks, Deepan. Yes you must, I'm sure you'd enjoy. Cheers!
Honored, aargee! Much thanks!
Haha you're kind mate, thanks!

Re: KTM Duke 200. Bhutan. Solo.

First you literally tormented me (in a good way, of course!) with the ladakh trip of yours and now Bhutan!! I literally paused to clap while writing this. Any expression to praise your travelogues are beyond words for me. And every time they remind me that I should now move out from roaming jungles to exploring other parts while still alive.

Awesome dude! Awesome! Bas, r kichu bolte parbo na bhai!