Dude!!!!!!

Go get some sleep!

My friend, you are living THE charmed life. The phone getting stolen is sad though!

My best wishes on your continuing adventure!

Praveen,

Amazing stuff man !! Its been a pleasure reading this thread everyday & pics are just 2 good.... Kudos to you

@prajwal: Couple of months back even i would have. Just that things came around rather oddly

@Samyaza: Glad to keep your interest lets see how far this dream goes

@DarthVeda: LoL man

@hitanshu: Thanks for the wishes man. Yeah fone was such a killjoy, still hate the episode. Guess have to moveon..

@Abhishek: Glad you liked the pix.

To continue...

Day 37 - April 14 - Around Shillong

April14 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

With the threat of today being holiday for Ambedkar jayanti, was not sure if i would get permits today. Also the next two days seems to be hoidays due to Election and then Baisakhi.. That would be a lot of waste of time. But luckily, one by one i got the permits for all three Arunachal, Nagaland and Mizoram by 11.30 Am though did not get full permit for Arunachal. Yes finally i am a free man to continue.

Was thinking weather to leave the same day and stop at silchar, but chose to stay and leave early next day so that i can halt at a place much ahead. That way would reach Agartala early and can spend time there.

Thought of checking out the Dauki town on the india bangladesh border as i had read that the road is scenic. So that was it and i rode todards Cherrapunjee and too the deviation to Dauki. It said 60 more kms! thought i was 20 less. Thought of riding till 3.30 and turning back. It started out with riding on the ridge of a valley of pamshutia canyon. It was very nice ride there if not as dramatic as on the way to cherrapunjee. But not much clicking opportunities. Infact this was my first proper rain ride in this ride and i was prepared for it with rain gear. It was awesome riding by the valley but not much clicking possibilities due to rain. After the canyan the road went through a couple of town and got single laned. It was then going down to the planes. Now din wanna ride 40 kms 2 and fro with not much views around. So turned back. Took a break at a grassy path.

By the end of it started raining here as well and rain follows me till the room today! I was actually bringing rain to where ever i went! Paid a hefty 25 Rs to see the Elephant falls, which was a dissapointment with less water. Then on before moving into the room wanted to see the Ward's lake. But took quite some tie to trace and by the time it was dark. Managed to get a long exposure shot of the bridge. Then hit the room Thats it for the day. Will be heading to a place called Kailash Nagar, south of silchar and north of agartala.



Empty streets of Shillong on the Bandh day...




Strange quarrying around...


Geared up for rain here.. at the begining of the valley...


Lot of rain in the valley, just got a lil break in rain for this pic...


Some dilapidated house in a village enroute...


Typical quite sleepy village of Meghalaya...


A lonely church...


And the road narrows up... 20 KMs short of Dauki near the Bangladesh border...



I turn back and take a break at meadow


Sun peeping in between rainy clouds...




Torch light from heaven...


At some 1's parking lot...


Found this inviting road below...


Couldnt resist goin there...


Is that a helipad?


Road widening...


Road out of rocks...


Some cream on the cake!!!


The boring Elephant falls near Shillong...


The dreamy Ward's Lake in shillong...

Parveen, it seems as you are going deeper into the north-east the scenery is only getting to be more and more breathtaking.
Wow, I love my India.

praveen ...you are the man

praveen... Hope you did forget your way home and still roaming all around..

i had only one word to say.........AWESOMEEEEE !!!

@Haroon: Its a mixed bag. Just that i happen to take the pix of only good parts. Want to take the pix of chaos in the towns enroute but dont dare to do that, and some times just so irritated to pull out the cam. But good times do make up for it

@Steve: Given an opportunity you never know what you can do.

@prabhu: Me to hope so as i dont intend to get home the same way i left. Lets see how it goes

Thanks Beruoist.

To Continue...

Day 38 - Shillong to Kailashaher

April15 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

Fighting with the net the previous night a bit late and there goes my plans of getting up early for a toss. Its 8.30 when i am finally packing the panniers of my bike. Then i get a call from Mitch, whome i had tried to contact. Now Mitch is from US and has been riding solo in the north east for like a few months now. It was nice talking to him and he gives me info of the path ahead and i had to be starting earlier as the road was bad. Now i lost casualness and wanted to get going.

Started towards Jowai. But not before passing through not so vella part of Shillong. Then on it was smooth two laned twisties till Jovai. kinda lost enthu to look out for the town of Naritiang as i thought it was getting late. Had i seen a board would have gone but did not put any effort. But it would have taken valuable one hour. Should have started early for that. Any way missed the deviation for the village and realized later.But not for long. The road gets very bad in patches. All the while slowly getting down the mountains. Remember especially the town named Ladiramby, ohh my god it was a night mare to cross the town, with horrendous road of just stones, lotsa trucks and general town population. The roads only got worser. East Meghalaya is not so good at all.

continuing on, descended to the planes and so did the temperature rise and quite a bit, and add truely moonscape road and the dust and in short not a very pleasurable road. Was afraid the panniers would break of. Things improved nearing Bhadarpur and I turn towards karimganj. Blessed with awesome roads intermittently. The villages around the road again sleepy ones. There was this green carpet on either side of the road. I was very hungry by now and was looking out for a ok place to eat and couldnt fine one. At last found a lone hut by the lonely road and stopped to have what ever they had. And there i had the cheapest meal of the trip. Five bux for two rotis and peas curry! Was expecting a welcome to tripura board but it wasnt there. Was expecting to see vehicles with the registration of TP but instead found TR . Found my way to dharamnagar which is a deviation off the highway to the Agartala and from there to Kailashahar.

It turned out ot be an awesome ride after i had been through the day. Pretty cool now and tight smooth twisties going through the forest. Saw the board to Unakoti cultaral park with just one km as deviation. Took a couple of pix of the large face carvings over there. Like Mitch had said it was bettor in the evening as morning sun with stare at the lense, Saved me a good hour for tomm.

Reached Kailashar and with unclear directions. This town is right on the Bangladesh border, hope to check out the gate tomm. Found the Unakoti tourist lodge. 300 bux for AC room and i will take it. Here have the network problem again. Airtel does not work here! gosh this is so frustrating. Here only BSNL and Aircel works! But again my BSNL prepaid does not work! I barrow the bsnl sim of the hotel caretaker. And it has only 30 Rs balance and calls not happening as well. It was easier to get fone connection in foreign country!
To save time in the morning, as the care taker to get me hot water for bath and there goes the power!. Yes i did it!. Now what are the chances of one have a candle light bath in a AC room? !!

Talked to MR SK Das, police inspector at Agartala, whose contact i got from Shreekumar, in turn who had met in his cycle ride in NE. I was enlightened about the first convoy from Manughat to Agartala is at Nine AM. Yes vehicles are escorted by armed Military personal between this route as the area is currently very sensitive in insurgency and militancy. Will have to make the Sixty KMs before that time. The Convoy itself will take some Four hours for Hundred KMs. Should be interesting as i will have no freedom to stop when i want!

My not so impressive holdup at Shillong...



Shillong full of Maruthi 800 taxis


Climbing the Meghalay mountains to the east...


Tourism around Meghalay

Lot of coal factory activities...




Some spot for a breather after endless company of Trucks...


A Tunnel


There is nothing on top of the tunnel. Whats the point??


Bad roads approaching Badrapur...



Had to stop here. was too hungry... The cheapest meal of the trip. 5 bux for 2 rotis and peas curry!


Jeetendra the host


I thought it was for Welcome to Tripura board but is was not...


Huts with compounds in Tripura villages...


The forest road from Dharmanagar to Kailasher...


Unakoti Carvings...










The sun has to set...

Day 39 - April 16 - Kailashaher to Melaghar

April16 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

Woke up and saw the bright sunlight through the window. Damn! did i over sleep again? Checked the time and it was 5 am! Yeah i am pretty east of the Delhi time Any way got everything ready by 6.15 and went down to wait for the care taker, who comes in some time. Ask him to hop on the bike along and take me to check out the Bangladesh border and the gate. The border was visible right from the hotel's balcony! Road to a point where the border ran right parallel to a road. Then we went to border post where we could see the Bangladesh post with the flag. Stealthily took pix of. Though later was told by a guard to take permission first. Any way i am done. So head back to the hotel and it 7 already. Have to catch the Army escorted canvoy from ManuGhat to Agartala. Its 2 hours for 55 kms. But din wanna take chances as the next canvoy was 2-3 hours delay.

Get going and ask around for Fatikroy and this road went into quite some villages and at one point the road got rediculasly thin at like 4-5 feet! Wondering if i am on the right road and i may miss the convoy. After much asking around, i made it to kumarghat. Now both my bike and myself were very hungry. Filled up fuel and boy do the people stare right in front of you. Kinda looks like they are angry. But mostly its the case of 'not so bad once you get to know them!' as in they are polite enough in giving directions. I had no proper food yesterday and thought would some how find something at Manu. Reached there by 8 am. Pretty early. Found a hotel and 3 parotas and peas curry it is, had em lazily as i had time and could avoid the catching attention of the people and i am stuck there. People of Tripura are mostly of Bengali culture and speak bengali too. After food i go a little ahead and i see a few buses waiting for the convoy escort. I go and stop at the front and there was still like 15-20 mins. Now I have no where to go and people approach me and i get interviewed from like 20 people. Politely and patiently answered to the point. Even a couple of Karnataka people spoke to me. It was going on and on till a guy told be to go and wait at a lil ahead. On reaching there a guard stopped me and checking the luggage and said 'you can go'. Huh what alone? is it ok to go without the convoy? and he was affirmative! Even Mr SK Das, the Inspector at Agartala said so. So without wasting time i rode towards Agartala. was kinda tensed about entering a sensitive area alone. But there were very few isolated patches as there was always light traffic. Any way made it to Agartala by 11.30. Was hosted for lunch at Mr Das's residence. Me having trouble with food since yesterday, hogged on the delicious home cooked food. Thanks for the hospitality Mr Das.

Started towards Neermahal which was supposed to be like 50 60 kms. Its off the main road to the west towards the border. Riding continuously make in like a hour or so by 2.30pm. Kinda early than i thought but can as well use some rest. Its a pretty big and nice room at SagarMahal, with lake view and NeerMahal visible on the other side of the lake. And all this for 124 Rs only!! Thats my cheapest stay of the whole trip! Any way we have to cross the lake in the boats and caught the last boat for the day. The water was covered with the lotus kinda plant with big round leaves and quite a few birds around. Too fast for me to click in zoom mode. The Neermahal looks pretty from far but pretty boring and small inside. But the breeze in the evening time was very pleasant. Get back to the lodge early and its few calls and done for the day.

Plan is to head to Aizwal, Mizoram tomm. Have to see if i can get myself to champai.

Unakoti Tourist lodge at Kailashaher


Tire going bald quicker than i think...


Thats the border barb wire between India and Bangladesh...!!


Now now i have to pose here. don i?


Thats the Bangladeshi outpost...


Can you see the flag?


Sleepy town main road adorned with election campaign flags...


My big spacious AC room...


Bangladeshi border can be viewed from the lodge...



Tripura makes its own tea!!!


Some isolated roads towards Kumarghat...


The road gets really narrow...


Passes through a rural residential area!!


Thats my break fast. Its in the town so its expensive at 10 bux for a tummy full!!



Truck lined up forming the convoy to be escorted by armed military personal. Did not dare to take pix of the Soldiers...


Never thought Tripura would have shoe scraping roads!!


Really catchy message...


Thats Mr Das and his daughter who hosted me for lunch...


Nice roads towards Melaghar...


Road widening in progress...


Tripura Green carpet Any one?


My bike at the Sagarmahal tourist lodge...


View from there...


Can see the lake and NeerMahal from the room's balcony...


Yup this room costs just 124 Rs per day!!!


The NeerMahal..


Sagarmahal Tourist lodge...


Tripura Handicraft...


Plants clear of the row path to NeerMahal...


Lots of birds around...






People coming back from there...



















People stuffed in the motorboat on the way back...




The NeerMahal is glown with lights for some time...


Now that was strange light in the foreground compared to clouds. Wonder what that could be. Might as well be an UFO sighting

Day 40 - April 17 - SagarMahal to Damchara/Khanmun

April17 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

All the self advice about how one has to start early in North East to make use of day light, went for a toss when i woke up. It was raining happily and was caught with surprise. For some reason i decided to wait it out! Now i wonder y so? Any way it was like Seven Thirty when i made the move. See that there is no network in the fone. Now whats wrong with that. Have a slew of problems with fone connectivity. Should have got Aircel instead of Airtel.

Since the roads are wet and my rear tire is now slicks. That gets me going slow the whole day. Take more time to reach Agartala by like Nine fifteen. Still no network in fone. It seems i have used up my credit limit! Dint know there is such a thing and have to watch out for it! Dealing with customer care and making the payment takes a good Forty Five minutes. Valuable time loss. called up MR SK Das and thought of making it good time to Kumarghat like the previous day. But again not to be and it seems i brought the seasons first rains to this area. The beautiful twisties which i was happily carving the previous day has this layer of fine silt from the sides of the road washed on! Not very convenient with bald rear tire. Plus the mud sections had become slush sections. Taking almost three hours reach Man and have lunch at the same place i had yesterday. Cant avoid the stares have to have food right!. Its like Three pm when i get to Panisagar and take a right to Damchara. All the while feeling like Rain God brining rain to places i go! Cos i continuously seem to the riding in light rain and the road just getting wet.

Now this was some pothetic road with road widening process going one with lot of slush session. Reach Damchara by 4.15 and when i asked directions for Aizwal, got lot of responses thats its not possible today. The road is in bad shape and like 180 KMs and it would be very slow going with rain and slush all the way. Then asked for Hemu Sen whom Mr Das had reffered. Went to the border between the states which is a bridge across the river. Was stopped by cops and was asked to check the luggage. This was like a pretty small town and soon a sizable crowd gathered around. The environment around was very intriguing. With a small town or people gathered around, the weather is dull and rainy and i have no where to go. That got me nervous and told the cops about Mr Das's referral. They just checked one pannier and Hemu sen was around and sat at his shop and quite a few people discussing about my options. Normally would feel very insecure over here, but with people around know Mr Das, i was comfortable.

Also its today's round of interview, with quite a few questions, like do i get a price for doing this? am i from govt? bike how much? mileage? how long have i been traveling? what is the purpose? any one with me? do i ride all night or stay at hotel? dont i get tired? why did i take like a month to come here? what do i do at bangalore? etc etc etc. Patiently and politely answered allt he Q n A. By now SSI of the Mizoram came, and asked me to accompany him to the Police station at across bridge and he would help with my stay. Dint really wanna stay in the lockup . Advised me not to go in this route and instead back track and go via Silchar in the main road. Saying though it was longer would take less time, as this route is supposed to be very slushy and jeeps getting stuck.

Getting mixed responses, with Mizoram residents saying that the road is bikable. They suggest me to stay at the tourist lodge for the day. Wow it was like oasis in the middle of the desert. Very need and clean and modern lodge, just that power was out. Checked and all this was so overwhelming that i had to take a nap. Had to go the tripura border some couple of kms from lodge for dinner. When i get there, the town looks dead with hardly any people around. But there were the cops who helped me to the hotel nearby and was told to hurry as they would close the boreder for the night. So i got the food packed rode back.

Now really in a fix. Tempted to take the interior route passing through villages and could get to see rural Mizoram. Or play safe and take the main road. Choices choices choices! And yes no Airtel network here!


Ducks on the village roads.. So if i have an omelete, they may even be of the eggs of ducks!!


Ujjainty Palace at Agartala which is now state assembly building..


Busy Agartala Streets...




Yesterday's Mud road is today's Slush road thanks to the rain...


Thats my lunch! cos in hotels aournd here you dont ask what do you have. u just say give me food cos there is only one Item!


Approaching the Mizo mountains...


Some icing on the cake!!


Trees felled for road widening...




Crossing the border to Mizoram, the people and culture is entirely different. You feel like u entered a different country!

Praveen, you are the God of touring man!!! Awesome! Am following your pics regularly , but read only the first 20 days log on your blog. After my project review tomorrow am gonna continue with your logs

P.S: What is the mobile phone that you are using? Does that have an in built GPS ??

Nothing like that Manoj Many have actually completed All India tours, just that i am blogging and is visible

To continue...

Day 41 - April 18 - Damchara To Aizwal

April18 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

Woke up with a real big dilemma as to whether to take the risky muddy foresty route or the boring horrid highway route. All kindsa discouraging news like the jeeps getting stuck and JCB's with chains on the tires pulling them out. Like mug filling up the front mudguard. Like jeep slipping sideways on curves etc. All this for just 15 Kms. There seemed to be some difference of opinion as in the Tripura Bengalis were totally against it and backed with latest info, where as the Mizos said it can be done on the bike no issues. But they said with gut feeling rather than latest info. But then i had a bald rear tire. Wasted like one hour just contemplating. Really wanted to take the interior route but when it comes to manhandling the bike, just too much for me. Thought would try some distance and entered the slush and just with 10 feet in, i chickened out and turned around. sure i have climbed Kodachadri in rains, but then the bike's but was not butt heavy and the tires where new and i was fresh with energy.

It was really sinking feeling giving up the route going through the interior villages and forest. Plain bad luck that it rained just a day or two earlier, else i could have made it. Unhappily i rode away to the main road feeling like a... give up'er. After the nice forest ride till the highway it was the straight roads silky roads till a lil before Bhadarpur. Had heavy breakfast in between. Should hog when u get the chance around here. Go towards silchar and roads go pathetic. Offroad is ok as the road will be soft but bad roads are really pain bouncing on the bike. Enter the city of Silchar with a jam and it was a agonizing 40 min stop and go traffic ride past the city. Cursed myself for not listening to the Mizo people in the Mizo land. Was much bettor fighting with the mud in the forest rather that this chaos. And roads out of silchar were all under construction. Also noticed the rear tire is going bald much quicker than my anticipation. I can see threads now! Damn! New tire is arriving at Guwahati and have to put a new tire for just another 1000 km ride. pretty frustrating. Very unrelenting bad roads all the way till the mountains. Mountains as in Mizoram. Welcomed with smooth roads and twisties. Something to smile about. Happy actually. Still to get over the feeling of missing out the interior route. It looked like a miniature mountain range around. As in the size of the individual ridges and hillocks were much smaller in the scale of things compared to what i have see else where. Much much smaller infact. Also i see many many ZMA's around!! And it seemed like only a lil village. Thought mizoram is pretty developed. But things wont last.

The road was new and the old part to follow. Next 50-60 kms were pathetic potholed roads. Kinda felt trapped. Miss out the good shorter route and working hard on this bad longer route. Some 50 kms to Aizwal its turn on of awesome shoe scraping twisties and smooth roads. Some respite. Even saw the road coming from Mamit, which joined the good road! Would have saved me all the horrid roads. But then 10-15 feet of impassable path at the shorter route would have made a mess any way. Ride the twisties and neary Aizwal and see more and more ZMA's, p220s and FZ 16s. But ZMA's and CBZ classics out numbered all other bikes. Looked like land of ZMA! The placement of the city was very surprising. All the buildings and houses perched on the side of steep mountain walls. very steep. The houses that look level with the road is actually supported by 30-40 foot concrete stilts on the other side! Most of the houses are like this. Some looked like huts but had ZMAs and Cars parked in front of them! With all the wondering i started loosing traction at the rear. Now lot or thread visibil from the rear tire. Damn just hoped that i should be able to reach the tourist lodge but then it happened. The puncture had to happen with the tube almost touching the road. It was horrible moments thinking what to do with the heavily loaded bike am not even able to put it on side stand let alone center stand. Request the nearby truck puncture shop for help. He was too busy it seems. Again request telling about my predicament. He went down a bit to look for guy how makes puncture for bikes and luckily there was one 100 mtrs from there. But getting the bike that distance was a royal pain. The flat tire was literally folding in on itself. With great effort two people helped put the bike on center stand thanks to the incline of the road. And the wheel was out. The tire is completely gone and could be folded in the center! Now here every thing closes in a jiffy by 6-7 PM.

Contacted Mitch's friend Rock at Aizwal, unfortunately who was pretty away from town. But did suggest me where to find the tire. Which was nearby. Now can really go and get the tire myself leaving all the things and bike there. So requested the puncture repair guy to go and get the tire while i waited there. Which he agreed. If things are not bad, the fone network in Aizwal sux to the core. But the tire will cost me now as i am not there to negotiate the price but had no choice. After half an hour the guy arrives with Dunlop geocruiser and its 1500 bux!! its 900 bux in bangalore! This is really loss of money. But had no choice. Had the tire come for another 1000 kms could have put the new m45 at Guwahati. But now will have to discard this new tire at Guwahati. On the bright side if this had happened anywhere else i would have been in shit loads of trouble to find the new tire. Any way the new tire is fixed by 8 pm just in time. Cos the next day is sunday and everything is literally closed.

As ever the comfortable room of reasonable priced hotel is booked and i dont get one, and have to settle to a very uncomfy room for the same price. With all the events i was not in best of the moods and kinda sunken feeling and also lot of questions about tomms route. Had thought of going to champai and get inside Burma to visit a lake. Which is allowed actually. But for the small international ride it would take 3 days with very bad roads. So gave up on it. Dinner not so good just slept for the day.



View from the tourist lodge. It was amazing stay there. Even in the morning when i took this photograph it was all forest sounds as in of insects, birds and at night i herd the strangest of bird sounds something like TTU'KKUoooo TTU'KKUoooo




Itwas only supposed to get worse than this!! But never know...




Pretty rurals in the Khanmun village...


Pic taken from Mizoram, its Tripura on the other side..


Retracking ride back to Tripura highway...


Some nice roads in Tripura Planes...


Road construction on Silchar Aizwal road...


Approaching Mizoram in the mountains...


Yieks!! I can even see the treads of the tire now!!!


In Mizoram...


The Mizo mountain range...


Small villages enroute...


Horrid roads here tooo....


More than made up for it with silky smooth twisties...


More and more thread out!!


One of the steepest or THE steepest city of the world!!!




It had to happen.. The tube can really survive touching the road...

Bow down to you brother. Hope you continue to have a safe journey.

Silent Reader,
Arjun

I bow down back. Thanks for the wish Arjun





Day 42 - April 19 - Around Aizwal

April19 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

Now a days getting up early at 5 am. Looks like i have recovered from the Motor lag I have to ride hard today or so i think. Have breakfast and its already 8 and after a call to my father thought of checking the route in the net at the last moment. Get conflicting reviews as in the road is nice to road is not motorable. The NH150 that is. That gets me thinking and its 9 am. Now lost like 3 hours of day light and do not want to end up at some place in dark. So call quits for the day and decide to leave early tomm.

With nothing to do get down to clear the backlog of logs. Here Sunday means literally Sunday. Every thing is closed from general to essential. Had to stay hungry the whole noon. The streets felt like there was Bandh or a curfew. But in a way its good. Every one takes one holiday a week seriously and relax. Not too good for the ones caught unawares.

Then Rock calls me and that we can meetup. Rock along with Rama, Noila who are members of Aizwal Thunder Bullet group, come around to meet me at my room. Then we go out of on a short ride in the winding roads in the city and climb up a steep hill road for a view point restaurant. That was great company for the evening. shared my experience and heard their take of things around. Pretty warm people and we even had a party now who would have thought of that. Came to know that Aizwal Thunder bullet group with 100+ members is among the oldest or the oldest bullet group in India dating back 10 years. Unlike the other bike groups predominantly of software people, this groups has bikers from all walks of life and they dont use internet! Also came to know why the city came up to be on the steep hills. It seem in good old days when one of the warring tribes settled on the hill tops so that they would have advantage in case the enemy tribe attacks them. That settlement grew into today's Aizwal city. It was a nice evening spent chatting and getting to know them.

Then it got dark and they took me to a point of view where we could get a good wide view of the city. It was mind blowing. Could not believe that Aizwal was such a big city. There was a power cut in one of the mountains and we could clearly see the affected area. It was great up there. Then they dropped me at my room and bid farewell.


Just like any other building around here the rear portions is in the air with the valley view..




Sunday is really Sunday in Aizwal!


This is one of busiest streets on weekdays...


The Aizwal Thunder Bulleters who came to see me..


Thats Rock's Bullet in the foreground neatly customized. Now who would have thought of ZMA with bullets and its the ZMA thats got panniers!


View of Aizwal from the hill top restaurant...

Thats Me, Rock, Rama and Neola from right to left...






Fantastic sunset view...


Some city gazing...


Neola giving quite an expression..


This place was with a mind blowing view. Never seen so many lights of a hilly city... and its not even 1/4th of the entire view. Should have taken a panorama!!