Day 20 - Kolkata to Siliguri

@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 ...

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.

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.

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

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

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

^^PKM is now officially our first Bhutanese xBhpian !
How are you and your Zma holding up saar..?
The heat up North must have you longing for our dear Bengaluru eh

Just saw the pix for the first time on a CRT moniter. Boy do those unedited pix so dull!

Hehe Maverick, kinda Me and ZMa looks ok as of now. The east coast was not as harsh as i expected gifted with cloudy weather some days. Have left the heat behind. Its like bangalore here and its only going to get colder

Sorry, I thought Abhi must have told you about that alternate route. Anywaz, you have done that stretch safely and you have done that in a day. So, no issues. Have a safe ride.

@PKM: This thread is getting better by the day! Congratulations!!! Tell us how many more days you have, and we'll help you with suggestions. If you have enough time, you can try targetting Singapore! From there you can ship both yourself and the bike back. I wonder what the visa processes are...

No words PKM, you got lot of courage buddy Helmets off

Will go through the log now

awesome is such an understatement for such kind of a ride.Great going praveen.ride safe.

@maverickeople from xbhp have already been to bhutan

@xinfii: Singapore n all !!... there would issue of money. Cos Time and Money are kinda mutually exclusive

@Mithun: Dunno about that but just checking out

@darknight: Yes you are right. I guess crimson was among the first ones to get to bhutan.

Praveen, you are a revelation, motivation and inspiration to all tourers.

Its unbelievably hot here in Bangalore. Climate changing every year. I am sure Bhutan would be colder. How are the roads there, praveen? And pics from Bhutan?

Would you be planning to enter Nepal as well? If not for the current political situation in Tibet, you could go there too.

Nothing like that pranay. Its been just a few days.
Its much bettor temperature here. I am still in permit process and net connectivity is at a premium. So will update once out of bhutan.

Tibet, we could not before also. Its still china and entering there is a tough expensive task.