Thanks Pranay, the timing worked out pretty well in Sikkim, did all the riding sneaking between rains.

Yeah Hydro, the lake was Sakkath Blue...

Jonak: Sikkim is amazing if you have sunlight, petrol and Network

Glad to take you along Kwokfist

Thanks Ken, its been quite an experiance.

Posting from Pelling now. Awesome kool laid back place. Got to see Kanchendzonga clearly yesterday not so lucky today tough could see it from my room. Heading to Darjeeling today. Will stay there tomm and then Enter Nepal

praveen sir i gotta ask u this,,,,,,
what inspired you in life ???
u are something man

Logging in from Nepal. Entered from pashupati nagar. Now in lahan. Tomm ktmndu. Posting from fone.

All the very best praveen. Happy Riding

Awesome praveen... Will take an autograph when ever i meet u....for sure..


BTW wats the major reason for such a long big... ride.. ??


1. loosing job ?
2. gf left u ??
3. Anything else ???

waiting for your next update PRAVEEN.
An autograph for me too

Fk! What a thread.... ! I am speechless!
Going though it bit by bit was itself an experience! In the first few pages I was wondering if you were intending to infiltrate to Bangladesh (joking) and then I got glued to the thread only to realise that I have been drooling all over my keyboard for like past 45 minutes!

At page 15 I got a bit lost and headed out straight to the last few pages to check where you are now!!!

Damn! Much respect! Seriously Hats off! and if you ever plan to return back to Bangalore touring the perihpery of what was India! (minus pakistan ofcourse) would love to catch up while anywhere remotely near Maharashtra!!!

All these logs, at a time while I was contemplating something which I thought was my big plans (Mum to Kanyakumari), has kinda belittled my plans!

Much respect!
~Someday!

Man.. you are arguably the best tourer on xbhp, Helmets off to u man.. Like Satyen said.. would love to catch up with u if u end up somewhere near Maharashtra anytime. Am so inspired by this...

Outwardly Maniac: Its more of an escapade than an inspiration

Thanks Ananth.

Kriss: Left job, No GF(lot of money saved),single and 30

Nabendu: Here comes next update.

satyenpujaari: No need for comparison man, its not competition. Just sharing my travel. I have met people on this trip, whose travel would dwarf mine. So one can just travel much as situation allows and share

Motorbreath: Like i said above.... Glad this log got you into good spirit. Will surely catchup if i am able to make it thus far

Day 65 - May 12 - Gangtok to Pelling

May12 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

Pretty tired with the excitement and frustration of the previous couple of days, got up lazily with fixed idea to of a place. Spent time on updated the logs and got ready by 12 noon. But not so fast. The TV crew of sikkim channel 'Nayuma' was already there at the lobby to get my interview! One of the crew member wanted to interview me when i was leaving for North sikkim 3 days earlier, but i was late and had to leave. But this time looks like the hotel guy had tipped of the TV crew! Well felt pretty flattered that they had everything ready and people waiting for me to come out and catch me! Well it was a few questions from the two hostesses about my travel. Helmet and gloves were put on the tabel so that they get framed in the Video. Clips were taken of my loading up the bike. The camera guy ran some distance and waited to get a clip of me riding away.

Back to the ride ahead. Since it was pretty late decided to stay at pelling for the day. Did not know what to expect and was riding like a robot pretty overwhelmed by the previous experiences. Wondering if i was done? Have asked my self the same already a few times now in this trip, but have continued with renewed enthusiasm. Guess i just needed a couple of days of easy going. As i reached the junction to Singtom, the cop says i am bettor of riding all the way to malli and head back up to pelling. Y? all people go via singtom. But since i was riding like a robot took the suggestion as an input and headed towards malli.

Only near malli did i realize i am heading way down towards border and should have taken singtom route as it would have not been as bad as the roads i have seen. What do you know i even exit Sikkim! Go accross Teesta ride west a bit and again North towards Sikkim over a bridge on Teesta and enter Sikkim! Stop for lunch at a restuarant in the middle of nowhere. Veg momos is all they have and i love veg momos. Saw the deviation to Namchi with the image of the huge statue. Would be a 2 hour detour and i was pretty lazy today so just headed towards Pelling.

Was a nice peaceful ride with not much traffic. Began to gain altitude slowly and back to the chilly weather. There was something strange about the mountains around. They were clear. I mean no haze around and could see the green moutain range quite afar. Pass by a town strangely named as Legship! And climb even more and could see the top view of Legship town in no time. Reach pelling by 5 pm and no sooner i entered the town i was looking at boards pointing to places from from X junction in the center of the town. More than a town it was a like a Tourist complex with hotels around a X road junction. Ride up towards a clearing to what i thought was the Helipad. And what do you know people were looking at Kanchenjunga. Which had a pretty clear view. I am so naive that i did not know about the Mt k could be viewed from here. And what timing got a good view of the Mt. Went happy go clicky with the cam.

settled in Hotel garuda. The enthusiastic host Dewas fancied my bike very much. Looks like Karizma is not really know by people in towns away from cities. He wants to ride along till the helipad and i thought i have already seen it. Any way went along and pass the clearing and ride a bit up to the actual Helipad. It was amazing up there and had a quite a good panorama. As the light fades, get back to the hotel. catch a conversation with backpackers Daniel and Lucas. Lucas was traveling around india and managing with squeezing the expenditure to as low as 3-4k a month! Well he had taken the 75rs dorm while i took a double room!

Get a call from mitch on dinner. He's made it to Gangtok and i have left. Second time i we miss each other being in the same town. Crash for the day after drink.

The TV crew of Sikkim channel Nayuma


The rope way of Gangtok...





The road towards pelling...


I enter Sikkim again!!


Veg momos tastes very good especially when hungry...





Strange name for a town...


Legship town from above...


Clear mountains climbing up to Pelling...


The roads at its best...





Thats a welcome to pelling arch..





Just in time of clear skies to catch the view of kanchenjunga...








Thats Dewas...


Us at the Helipad....


Pemayangtse monastery..


People soaking in the panorama at the Helipad...

Day 66 - May 13 - Pelling to Darjeeling

May13 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

No way i am getting up early. The fone is tired of taking snoozes. The sunlight peering through the window succeeds in waking me up. Sight seeing enthu catches me and get moving check out a few attractions nearby. A lazy ride to Sacholing Monastery becomes a small adventure. The path just of mud, damp with previous night's rain. The path switchbacks pretty tightly and getting really steep. Bikes pulls small unintentional wheelies! Even managed to climb up the last switch back which looked dicey. Walked back to check it out and slipped a bit on foot. Man its going to be tricky going back!

Pretty lil monastery perched about the mountain with great views around. The keeper gave me a tour inside. Have a cup of tea at a stall near by bit nervous about riding down. Gather courage and start towards the first turn and i no time i the bike is moving laterally on both the wheels and just when i thought we are going down, some slippery stuff ended and tires catch traction. Riding down felt more tough on the tight banked muddy switchbacks. Any way manage to get back to tarmac with rubber side down. Then rode up to Pemayangtse monastry. Quite a big one. Photography not allowed and i just walk in. Pretty peaceful inside. Went to the to floor to find a highly skluptered chariot sort of thing. Forgive my ignorance but that was quite detailed and lot of details in the 15 odd foot chariot i guess.

Ride out couple of Kms to the Rabdentse Ruins. Which was the second capital of Sikkim. Its quite a walk from the road through a narrow path between the trees. Felt as if i was walking through the jungle! When i get there, it dint looks like ruins at all. It was that neatly maintained. Not really the scale expected but must have been great in good old times.

Get to the room and pack as Darjeeling is the plan for the evening. Thought of riding via Namchi and visit the huge Guru statue before heading to Darjeeling. Catch the road to Ravangla. Not so good for some stretches. Prolly thats why the cop discouraged me to use this road. Any way riding it now. Reaching Dantek, saw a board to the left Gangtok 68 kms. Was kinda tempted to head there hehe. Visited the Huge Guru statue and as i was riding through Namchi, a guy called out to me. Thats a surprice, and then he says you are the guy doing the long motorcycle tour, saw on the news yesterday. Wow they put the story on TV so soon. Well guys what do you know i was on TV. Though i never got to see the clip. Get down towards towards Teesta and exit Sikkim. Felt the pang but a traveler has to move on.

Crossing Teesta catch the road to Darjeeling and all of a sudden the road starts climbing wildly. Climbs in such a hurry that the road even spirals up one loop on itself at one point. The climb only gets steeper. Stop briefly at the Triveni view point. Pretty good view of the valley with Teesta flowing in between. Could see white water rafting boats rowing below. The same balcony, was a couple of couples! Wearing caps and still rubbing the palms. I was sweating in my textile jacket! Obviously they came down from Darjeeling as they were complaing about their ears popping. I should keep in mind to ride down slowly if i am taking the same road outside Darjeeling. Get on the saddle and the road goes up and up in a real hurry. Now not many switchbacks but the road goes straight up along the mountains. And soon its getting colder as well. Colder as i climb. Reach Ghum and take a couple of clicks of the Toy train station. The road from Ghum to Darjeeling is accompanied by the toy train track and the track goes across the road many times to find the straightest possible path along the contours of the mountains.

Reach Darjeeling by 6.30 and its pure chaos. I am at the Hill cart road next the railway station. Was wondering how will i find a place to stay where i can park the bike safely. Its a big challenge to find one in hilly towns and this city was thickly populated. Ride up and down the narrow road in search of possible rooms. At one point i get into a allie which was going down pretty steep and which i though hardly 5 feet wide. And no rooms there. Have to leave way to a car squeezing through the road and after that no way i can back out. Ride down till i get place to turn around. Was a steep climb as well and just hoped no car comes from the other side. Cos no way i can back down or he can back up!

Just when i came up i saw a couple of bullets with rucksacks tied on em. They were peter and mathew, Geologists from England. It was obvious that they were also looking for similat stays and on inquiry they thought they found one and was asked to join along. They had sure found one and enough space for all three bikes and we put up in The Grace In. Hosted by young enthusiastic pawan. Went along with the peter and mathew to join thier friend scott at the a Bar and reatraunt near the clock tower and it was just travel talk over drinks. They had got new Bullets on thier names and even managed local addresses. Showed me the registration card for the bikes. Its not more RC books in chennai, but RC card kinda looked like simcard still in the holder!. Thats it for the day.


Got up just in time to catch the morning view of kanchenjunga before the clouds covered it...


View from the room...


Offroaded to Sacholing monastry...


steep switchbacks...


The sacholing monastery...


A cute dirty lil kid there...


Took this pretty way up a hotel searching for the monastery...


The gate of the monastery...


Some traditional houses there...





A big prayer wheel inside...


The pemayangtse monastery...


Went to check out the ruins of the second capital of sikkim...


A long walk like in woods...








Some gyan...


Pretty neatly maintained historical site...


Me there...


The place of worship...


The whole complex...


Inside hotel Kapur which over looks the valley...


Hotel garuda where i stayed...


The main square of Pelling...


My big room there just for 300 bux...


The hotel lobby...


Some macro enroute...


The pelling valley?? enroute Namchi...








The huge Guru statue...











Inside...


Strangely there was a mile stone update every KM with .24 for this place!!


Have to leave sikkim now...


View of River Teesta from Trivani view point...


White water rafting there...


The road going up to Darjeeling...


Some good views enroute...











The Ghum small train station...





The track just follows the road and crosses in several times to get the straightest path...


A monastery...


Darjeeling Train station...

Day 67 - May 14 - Around Darjeeling

Kinda lethargic and not really in mood to see anything in Darjeeling coming from a place like Gangtok. But surely wanted the ride in the toy train. Hehe yeah. Not just for the novelty also thought would be a nice when some 1 is driving me along after all these days riding on my own.

Went to the train station for the ticket and it was full for the day. A private group runs one more ride in the late noon and their tickets were gone as well for the day. On some requesting was told to come by 2.30 and they would try to get a ticket. Fair enough. Got some miscelanious work done, bills, barber etc. Did not want to take out my bike so did a lot of walking this day. Even had Masala Dosa after quite some time. In a way it felt good walking along the streets.

Was there by 2.30 and they managed a ticket for me. 400 rs on the expensive side. Laze around the platform waiting for the train. Everything was tiny. The height from paltform to the track was 1 feet! Kinda funny. The entire infrastructure of railways there. Infact there are actuall small trains that run till Siliguri and people flock to the ticket counter and fill form like we would for the regular trains! This is regular train service apart from the joy rides.

My train arrives and comfortable seats. Hop in expecting nothing much but some time to relax. The entire coach has like 16 seats. Families exited about the train. Adventrous young lads take every opportunity to jump out of the train and get in. Each kid has a camera. Many were bettor than mine! The trains got a mini steam engine and threw a lot of charcole fragments int he air when it whistles and every time some of them enter the coaches through the windows. It was funny when the train driver told a car guy to wait and let him pass hehe. Reach ghoom and the samosa's from the vender tasted real good. Checked out the Rail musiem as well. Back to Darjeeling by 6 and by now i was really bored and wondered why i took the train ride!!.

Walked on to chaurasta the main square of the city. pass through the colorful Mall Road. No luck to find any maps or travle guide s on Nepal. just then i realized i am on my way to Nepal tomm and i hardly know anyting about the stuff i have to do. Make a few calls to Swapnil and Khaleel, the guys who had been to Nepal on bike. But none of them had been as east as i am supposed to enter. Drain some cash from the ATM.

Get back to the room and get on net for some info and shocked to find some info like the Mahendra highway is broken near Koshi river as it was washed away last year. Not much info on the current condition of the raod. Few updates on indiamike said like people travelling buss as to take a boat and change to another bus across Koshi river! In one of the links updated on jan 09 said like there is not buses that run from kakarvitta to Kathmandu and road has been kinda restored. Mean while pavan at the hotel suggests entering at pashupati which would save me a lot of time. Very confusing and also kinda wanted to rest one more day. But gotta go as my dad would be coming to visit me in Kathmandu by 18 so i got be there well in time. Just crash without thinking much.


View from the hotel in the morning... the clouds have covered all the mountains...


Streets of Darjeeling...


Clock tower...


They have Inox as well...





The scaled down version of a working railway station...





The train arrives...


inside the toy train...


people exited about the train...


The train driver telling a car to stop so that he can pass!!


me there....


At a brief stop at Botasia loop...


The tiny steam engine...


The tiny train...





At Ghum station...





In the museam...





Returning to Darjeeling...


The Mall road at Darjeeling...


The main evening square at Darjeeling...





Color ful evening market...

Day 68 - May 15 - Darjeeling to Lahan

May15 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

260 KMs Trip Meter 11300 KMs

In no mood to be on the move and takes a lot of self coaxing to get going. Lazily start by 8 am. Get a call from Raman who informs about an incident near Kosi river and people agitation over there and i should enquire at the border before heading out. Literally not thinking at all. Again kinda robot and take the suggestion of Pavan to ride via Mirik. Morning Darjeeling does a send off with fog. Its quite foggy in the whole town. Ride out slowly till Ghum an take a right towards Mirik. Narrow roads with 4/4s in a hurry. Some empty roads wet with nights rain and fog as well. After some 30 kms i see a check post to the right. On observation i realize that its the Nepal border at pashupathi.

Inquired about the possibility of entering there, and it was affirmative. It was really chaotic around the border. Guess it would be more so at kakarvitta. And what do you know, there is a strike in Siliguri today it seems. Not really sure what happens in a strike these places, but i guess people dont go there at such times . Have to make entry in 2 India checkposts with individual blockades and both 6 feet apart! Lot of taxis around and every one staring at me lugging around the heavy bike. Feel like zipping away from there but have to get the customary border crossing pic with the bike right. Brave it and get my shot. Ride in a bit and Now at the check post of Nepal. Who do a check of the luggage. Ride a bit ahead and its the Tax for the vehicle entry. Which is called Bansar around here. Takes quite some time get the Tax reciept made. Take the Bansar for 30 days just in case. The custom office accepts Indian rupees of 2150 for a month. The officials even exchange money for me. Exchange around 8000 rupees to get around 12800 Nepali Rupees. Now they are pretty concerned about Duplicate Indian 500 Rupee notes. 3-4 people inspect each of the notes. My telling that these came straight out of Indian govt bank ATM did not satisfy them. They were complaining about different color intensities between notes not really sure of which they think was original! Finally i showed them the thread int he notes which can loops between the layers of the paper and said this is not possible with duplicate notes. This satisfaied them and i was free to go. Pretty cheerful and helpful folks though a bit slow. Since it was like 12 already suggested me to stay in Lahan and also that the road was open over koshi river.

When i am ready to ride in Nepal, suddenly i realize i am in foriegn country now and that raises the adrenalin levels a bit. So far people have been very nice and helpful. I am riding in Nepal. Still in the mountains and the way down to Mahendra highway is through Tea estates on the mountain ridges. The roads are pretty good but a tad rough. Curious eyes peer at me prolly never seen a ZMA. Get down to the planes and try my chance at getting a Nepali Sim. Two cute girls at one of the shops tried to convey that they can give sim to Indian nationals. Kinda requested to accept my Indian documents for the sim. But the gal went a got her aunt's id proff! They give me the sim in the name of their aunt! Man this is out and out of the way help! Thanked a lot and was on the road. Take a right a Mahendra highway. Awesome road and there was small 3 feet path beside for cyclists and pedestrians. Thought the ride would be quite easy from here.

See the board to Hetauda at 370 kms. No way i can make it without a night ride. stop by a pretty looking Food stall by the road and stop for lunch. The Chowmin made in a different style tasted so good. chatting with a local came to know that Ithari is just 60 kms from ther and Lahan can be done in like 3 hours. Since it was 3.15 thought Lahan should do for today. I pickup my pace and ride at like 110 in the pretty awesome roads.

Just as i overtook a vehicle i was prolly at 110, i realized it was with Nepali army guys in the blue camouflage dress! Not sure if that was a good thing to do! As i slow down in the next town to negotiate the locals on the road i hear a blip of the siren right behind me. Damn its the same vehicle i over took!. I gave way immediately and they went ahead and gestured me stop. shit guess i am in trouble. Prolly sped too much. 6-7 soldiers jump out with guns and ask me to open the luggage. I keep my kool and comply with a smile. Then croud starts accumulating around. so the guys decide the checking can be done some distance ahead and i am told to ride a bit ahead of the vehicle and stop when they say. I again comply and was told to pull over into a camp of theirs. Ohh man now i am off the road and into a enclosed camp. The patrol guys kinda handover me to those guys saying, that i was speeding so check my stuff.

Now a senior guy comes and straight ask me to tell them if i am carrying any illegal stuff before they find out themselves!! I still keep my kool and said i have no issues with checking , with a smile. Which do on each bag. They get a table when i pour stuff from each bag and then i tell them that i will put it back else stuff would get mixed. They get curious on my travel and stuff and asking what was each stuff for! More then checking it was like they got curious of the travel and biking gear. Any way after satisfying themselves, they apologized for the inconvenience and i said its ok they were just doing their duty. The senior even told me of a hotel to stay in Lahan.

Bid byes to the soldiers, and ride out. Now the road is not so isolated and it seems as i move west its only getting thickly populated. At one point i see this sand planes on either side of the road! I mean there is not sea around and then i realized that these must be the flood planes of Koshi river. And sure enough the road ahead was bad and after some time it was nothing but mud put on water. So this was the arrangement made for river crossing. Was quite dusty but would not want to be there if it rains. Can as well drown in the slush then! Not sure how this is going to hold up this year's monsoon.

Get back to the bettor roads again. The going gets slow as the population on the road steadily increases. Lot of people walking cycling on the side of the roads. The town never seems to end. Dont see any convenient place to stay in the towns as i pass by. Just got worried about the stay for the night. Was even thinking should i push it to Hetauda today. All the while riding in the west direction, was facing the glare of the sun. Getting really uncomfortable, lots and lots of people on the road. Finally got to Lahan and as the soldiers had said, there was this nice hotel Godhuli with a compound where i can put the bike safely. Its at 650 NR at expensive but had no choice. Just wondered what would the prices be at Kathmandu.

Good enough place for the night. And hope to make it to Kathmandu without any drama the next day.


My bike at the parking lot Darjeeling hotel...


Not so clear today....


The hotel stairs...


My humble room....


One of the wider allies!


Fog in the town...





Out of Darjeeling, enroute Mirik...


Looks great isnt it?


Some foggy riding...


Thats the welcome Nepal gate at Pashupati...


Me with the Nepali soldiers...


In Nepal.. The roads pretty good so far...


Guess one can get plenty of pork around...


Nepali Chortan...


Tea estates on the ridge...


Nepali plains below...





Nepal has green carpets tooo....


Then i get on to the Mahendra Raj Marg. Can see the path for pedestrians and cyclists to the left...


One of the busy towns enroute...


The fantastic road again... But its not very smooth as in its evenly minutely bumpy, as in lil tar is gone exposing the small stones...


Never seen chowmin made like that, but it was tasty...


The flood plains of River Koshi...








The damaged road...


A land fill of soft soil to get across!!








Heavy vehicles take a different land fill track...


Have to wait for my right of way...


The barrage on river koshi..








Nepali Village huts...

Praveen on fire today!

Good going mate... cheers

Fantabulous....totally lost for words to praise you......cant imagine being in your place travelling continuosly for so long and with consistent enthusiasm.......

Respect.......