Day 27 - April 04 - Thimpu Paro Takshakt Thimpu

GPS Trail...
April04 - EveryTrail

150 KMs

Though the plan was to get up early and start towards paro, now that i lost the fone, i needed to get a new sim, else dad would be too worried if no contact. wait till 9 Am for the shops to open get a replacement sim. Was still upset and distracted from the planning. Since it was already 10.30 by the time i got going, decided to skip Haa valley. First time i see sunlight in Bhutan as if to kinda cheer me up! Rode towards paro on the awesome road. Checked out the deviation to Haa valley and it would be like 140 KM round trip. With the 30 kmph avg speeds that happens in the hill country did not have the 4 hours required. Continue on towards paro and nonethe less beautiful roads and the landscape also dramatic. Getting to the magnitued of the hills on the clear sky. Cross the paro international airport. Did not stop at paro zongh as i was already late for the Takshakt. Which required like 2 our trek up.

After a confusion got on the correct road. Catch glimpses of the Geomba perched high up on the side of the cliff. Ride to the point where i have to park the bike and trek. See lot of vehicles already there and few people coming back. Just started walking with my riding gear. Big mistake i got sweaty in no time! This would cause too much discomfort later. The sun was also bright and the climb got steeper and steeper. What am i doing? i am no trekker and here i am carrying a heavy bag on the back and a riding jacket in one had and a bottle in the other. While i see the trekkers lightly dressed and with sticks. It got tougher and tougher for me. I was like going up with 6-7 inches steps! Thought will make it till the half way cafeteria have food and turn back as i was already hungry. Saw a mule and the handler going down but it had no seat i walk up slowly and find more and more tourists coming back down. Now i know i am not in regular time to visit the place. Non the less slowly make it to the half way point and there was a right to cafeteria, dunno what got into me, i just went straight ahead for the climb! Am i going all the way up ? looks like! The new woodland leather boots not really helping. Finally huffing and puffing i make to a point where we can clearly see the monastery and got exited too soon. Now there are like hundred are more steps to climb down and again up! You gotta be kidding me. At least getting down will be easy and will see later.

Me not much of a trekker this was really strenuous for me. I make it to the main entrance in like 2 hours from the base. Then i flash my permit to enter. The army guard tells me he needs a Xerox, so i should go down and get it. I laughed and said thats not going to happen, no way i am going to do the climb again! Then he made an exception and allowed me in, but cam and fone not allowed. I went in famous monastery all the way to the sanctum sanctuary and it really felt peaceful inside. sat there for a couple of mins and its time to move back. Its already 3 pm. Collect the pure mountain water into a bottle and start my walk back. get down the first section of steps and now have to do the climb. It was painful i mean painful and i had no choice but to get on with it. After gathering all the energy i climb up all the steps and its decent from now on. I sit there on the platform, resting my back and staring at the mountains and cool breeze. I catch sleep and even start dreaming! Was like half hour when i woke up! It was a very nice power nap! Thought it was going to be easy decent then on but i was wrong. Getting down is not easy as well. Its quite tiring. Even foot hurts cos of the new shoes. on the way i see these sovaneer seller women playing target practice. Basically kept a wooden piece a lil far and throw projectiles at it. It had a sharp edge at the front of the wood and even a direction stabilizer fins at the back! Taking a few pix i continue.

By now i am all alone as most of the people who come here do it in the morning so as to avoid possible rain in the evening. But not me almost down it rains! To tired to get into the rain gear take shelter under a tree. Luckily the rain stops soon and get to my bike. Ride till the paro town for some food. Damn am i hungry. Found a nice neat lil hotel calls Travelers hotel! Steamy veg momos and fried ride for me. Have to get to Thimpu now and its past six o clock. 53 kms easy is it? Its cold and i mean really cold, especially since the road was good and tended to speed up. Pack properly with what all i had and make a quick ride to Thimpu. The riding gear which had caught sweat in the morning trek now causing shivers inside. Trekking and biking dont mix!. Any sweat in the riding gear will be very taxing as the temperature goes down. After reaching Thimpu, should have got on to updating the travel dairy, but the fone episode still haunting me so just slept for the day.

Activity in a school...


The direction notifier Girl!


The beautiful road between Thimpu and Paro...


Crossing chuzome and towards paro....




The Paro Zongh... Did not go in as i had other plans...


Paro town... again i am thinking of swiss land...


First view of Takshakt


Then trek starts here...




People used to make these stone piles and leave...


Man its really getting tough to hike up...


There it is hanging in by the side of the rock...


Wished one of those Mules carried me...


Now that was a scary road block, what if one of them wanted to strech their leg muscles just as i pass by!!


These old ladies do the trek every day and i am running out of breath!


Yup i did it all the way up. But thats not it.. lot more to go...




Lot more steps to climb up and down...




On the way back it got real cold and i gear up for the lonely decent...




These women were playing dart game in bhutan style. No she was not aiming at me :P



The way down...



Returning to Thimpu...


I remembered riding next to the run way and now i am above it. Then realized i am on the wrong road!!!

Salute to you Praveen Sir !
You are an real biker

Thanks Velocity, just making use of some time

To Continue...

Day 28 - April 5 - Thimpu to Bumthang-Jakar

GPS Trail...
April05 - EveryTrail

Plan is to get to Jakar at Bhumtang today. Still yet to catch the trip momentum start very late by 8.30. Get out of Thimpu and off towards wangdue. Did not expect an approaching pass DochuLa. The soon i got there, it was chilly too chilly. The Geomba at the pass was huge one with many small ones on top of a central convex land. It was misty all around and many tourists had come there to visit it. As i was packing myself with the winter gear, curious men dressed in traditional Bhutanese attair inquire with me and wish me luck ahead and was advised to be careful. The weather on the other side of the pass is dramatically different. Cold too cold. It improves as i loose altitude. Reach wanddue and take a left towards punakha. Why? am i going to vist the zongh there? may be not but what the heck. Lost altitude quite soon and it was hot at punakha all my riding gear catching sweat now. Not surprising as the altitude of Punakha is like 800 meters same as Bangalore! was in no mood to visit the punakha zongh and thus ride back towards wangdue.

Then gained altitude again approaching the Pele La. Nothing dramatic here blessed with sunshine this time. The day pretty much a ride through with no places to visit. catching an eye full of the huge mountains around. Reach tronga by like 4 pm. Find it a small town nestled in the hills. I expected a big city like Thimpu. It seems the entire east of Bhutan has only small settlements like this no cities! Also find out that Tashicell does not work in East. Get a new Bmobile sim and start off towards Bumtang. Nearing Bumthan have to cross yet another pass Yotang La. It got really cold and see mountains around smoking with mist. It was not a enjoyable ride with the dull environment around. After crossing the pass it gets bettor and sky clears up. Then the beauty of the Bumtang valley is seen. Was really nice ride in the late after noon. There are small villages in between. The standard living all around Bhutan seems to be high compared to india. Even small villages people of modernly dressed, lot of cars around and the scool even had basketball ground and the kids playing were wearing tipical citislickers dress!

Finally get to Jakar in Bumtang. Find the river lodge which the guy at Pheuntsholing had suggested, as it belonged to his father. Just go around the town and back to river lodge. As i park in the parking lot. Mr Pema dawa welcomes me. Said his son had called him and told that i will drop by as i go this route. Though the room charges were like 2k+ it was given to me at 500 as recomended by his son. Wow that's so nice of em. The entire lodge was made of wood and had this traditional heating system. That is there is a iron cabinet and wood is burned in it. Thus propagating the heat in the room. Nothing much be relaxed and went to bed pretty early.

My room at Hotel Tandin. Had a room heater as well!


At Dachu La, Just before this pass it was all Sunny...


Height at Dachu La, 10,026feet



Getting down from Dachu La





The Punakha Zongh. This day was basically a drive through with no places visited...


Horses at Punakha.


Typical Himalayan overhangs.



First proper of snow cap'd peaks...


The curious kids again...


At Pele La


Height at Pele La, 11030 feet...


The Pele kid...


Is that a Yak? Looks like a cow with more hair


Getting down from Pele La





One of the many immigration check posts...


The Trongza Zongh. Again did not visit it...


Enroute Bumthang...


Then the smokey mountains!


At Yotang La


Height there, 11030 feet same as Pele La ?!!


Nearing Jakar rode next to the river...



My warm room at the River Lodge with a traditional heater...

Wow..what a trip..i am out of words for it..hats off to you bro..

Thanks Apacheboy

To continue...

Day 29 - Aril6 - Jakar to Mangor

GPS Trail
April06 - EveryTrail
180 KMs

Plan was to do Jakar-Mangor-Luentse-Mangor. But again got lazy to get going and at 8 am when the break fast was done, i realized that i am running out of Bhutan currency and 500 notes are not accepted here fearing it is duplicate. Now i am in a fix. Even the bank wont exchange. I had just 600 Bhutanese currency with fuel and 2 days expenses to go. International visa debit card also does not work here. Indian bank's cheque does not work here. In short Cant get money out of my own India account. Was suggested the bank to try out at the local general store. After asking around for couple of shops, finally one lady agreed to exchange. Now i can fuel up in peace. Its 9.30 start and Luentse looks tough. As i am talking almost the same time as mentioned in lonely planet.

So decide to hit mangor for the day and think of options. The morning ride out of Bumtang under bright sunlight was amazing. Huge mountains afar like a jaint wave. As cross Ura, ride through the Shertang La. Then on pretty much on the same height. Weather also pretty cold again. As i gain height i see snow by the side of the road. That was the sign of approaching the Thrumshingla, the second highest motorable pass in this main Bhutan road. But since there was sunlight there was no snow on the road and also no black ice. Get down the other side and stop by Sengor for lunch. The small village hotel had a music system. A couple of Hundai Tuscans had also stopped by for lunch. Bhutan's only airport is at paro and since the road is the only transport for east, how ever rich the people are they have to use the winding road and no other choice. Thus i guess we get to see some Expensive SUVs on the roads. One of the guy said they came from Mangore and on the way its too foggy near Namling. It was very difficult for them to drive through it seems and some vehicles had parked it seems.

Now that gets interesting. i got to go any way, no other go as there is no other place to stay. Sure enough after some time approaching Namling it gets misty and now its also raining. Get into the rain gear in hurry and think of not wearing the gloves to keep it dry. Man this is so uncomfortable. Cold ? Ok. Rain ? OK. But please not both together!! But gifted with both here and add to that lot of mist visibility a few meters. As if that's not enough have to pass through bad roads on the road construction work! Things couldn't be more dramatic. Now my hands are freezing and getting numb. With no choice i wear a pair of gloves for relief and thankfully the rain also stops if not the mist. After passing the Namling town, guess missed the scary drop offs en route thanks to the mist. As i stop by to take pictures and car stops by. The Man of the car asks me where i was going and asked me to ride along with him. I politely declined saying that i want to take photos. Hmm... So people here don't go alone is it? guess so if someone drops off nobody will know!. Loosing the altitude the fog lets out and its all dry now. Stop at turn to view the valley below and the road winding down the mountains. Though one has traveled quit few KMs, he has not traveled much horizontally but rather vertically. No wonder the Jakar to Mangor road is 180 kms though notical distance should be like 80!. Its going to be long down hill ride dropping off almost 2000 meters. Roads gets wider and straighter and now i am riding at a good pace touching 70-80s. Its down hill for quite some time all the way till the valley floor to the river. Cross the river on a bridge to get on to the other mountain and a car passes me in opposite direction on the bridge going towards namling. Then i could see the car going up the other side of the river. It was funny cos though we both are going in opposite direction, here techincally we are going in the same direction but just across the river!

I see the deviation to Luentse 65 kms and its 5pm. Tempted to take the road but did not want to take chances in the evening so headed straight to Mangor. Which is again a small hill town. Get a room cheap for 200 bux and plan for tomm is to Hit Luentse then back to Mangor and then retire at Tashigang. The Mangor - Luentse has some unstable sections prone to land slides in rainfall. And its been raining for a couple of hours here in mangor as i type this. Thinking what to do now. will decide in the morning.

View from the RiverLodge room..


The RiverLodge parking lot...


The restraunt...


Nice ride in the Bhumtang valley...




The prayer flags...


The intimidating horse...


At Shertung La


Height there... 11279 feet..


The the building are all traditional style and none of the building anywhere at Bhutan have terrace.. And even in small town almost all building are multiStoried.!!



Catching the snow peak view...



Never taken picture of the clouds from the side



Some road maintenance...


Approaching Trumshing La and there is snow by the side..


The Rhododendron park... And i thought it was some kind of a Rodents zoo


More climb to Trumshing La...




At the ThrumshingLa...




The other side of the pass...


Stopped for lunch here and there are big SUVs people use here. No matter how rich they have to use the road and thus these big SUVs..


Even a small hotel in a small town of few houses boasts a Music system and bar!!


The owner's kid. Got really happy after seeing here picture in the preview...


WOW talk about Circus!!


And then the mist near Namling drop offs..


And bad roads...








The valley approaching Mangor...


They got real happy when i told them to raise there hands and shout.. and chuckled all the way after seeing the picture ...



The valley i have been riding all day...


The Mangor town...

Day 30 - April 7 - Mangor - Lhuentse - Mangor - Tashigang

GPS Trail...
April07 - EveryTrail
Around 240 KMs...

Today for the first time in Bhutan i got going by 7 am. In fact this is the best time to ride as the skies are clear. Get out of Mangor and back track till i get the deviation to Lhuentse. Lil worried about landslide happening and worse when i am on the other side as this is the only road in and out of Lheuntse. Afer a few kms are good roads then its the Landslide territory. Looks like new ly repaired road, made of nothing but mud. Carefully cross the wet section and see that Lheuntse is 50 kms more. Now i just hope that no landslides would block my return. It was a very good ride with narrow roads going between greenery and cliff walls. Ride slowly and take many breaks for photos, and when there is wide open spaces. Took like 2.5 hours to get there. Nothing much to see there but the Zongh. Climb up to the zongh leaving the bag on the bike it self. As i climb up and then look down, there is a crowd checking out my bike. Just hoped all the stuff is still on the bike on my return. It was quite a climb again collecting some sweat in my riding gear. Get inside the zongh, but to get to the main parts i have to wait for a guy to show up who will give me a tour. Did not have patience to wait and went back down to the bike and the bike and things were fine.

10.30 i start back to mangor. On the way saw a narrow metal walk bridge across the river and saw a bike cross it. Hmmm... well i gotta give it a try now. Did it and even managed to get couple of pix on the walk bridge. On the other side is the path towards a village, just chiseled out on the mountain. Went offroad a couple of KMs but then as the path got soft, reluctantly i turned back to the main road after cross the metal walk bridge. On the way saw another narrower walk bridge across the river which was much higher. As i was thinking whether to walk on that, i see 2 kids and old lady do jay walk to cross the bridge.! Man now i gotta try it. It was amazing up the bridge looking at the gushing river under the feet at a height. It used to wave according to the wind. Suddenly i feel the bridge go up and down too much for my comfort. Later saw that it was just a couple of people walking on the bridge that caused the bridge to go up and down making me feel sick. Later realized that it was cos of people walking. Brave again on the bridge to take some pix and reach Mangor by 1pm. Nothing much to do in the day but get myself to Tashigang. This was lil easior ride with wide roads giving possibility of occasional speed bursts. The roads climbs down down and down for quite some time that i was afraid that i would reach below sea level! Just for fun, killed the engine and went down in neutral for quite a few KMS. Even took a VDO.

Soon was at the water level and crossed a bridge for a climb to Tashigang. Just after permit entry process it starts raining. Man it was irritating. Just a hand full of KMs and i have to get into the rain gear. Have no choice and so i wear it. Just as i ride ahead a bit rain stops! Any way get into Druk hotel at Tashigang. The internet facilities around the town are very slow and expensive at 2 Rs per minute!

Now the situation for tomm is that i have to leave the country and enter India as i am running out of money and infact i wont have money to support myself here for one more day. All this because Indian back account's international debit card does not work in Bhutan. And there is this blast thingy at Guvahati. Talk to my friend Pinaki, who belongs to Guvahati and i am invited to stay at his home. So Govahati it is tomm.

Morning at sleepy town of Mangor


The early morning valley view was fantastic...





The landslide section on the Lhuentse road. Since this road is not in transit, Landslide if happens clearing will take time!!



Nice ride after the doubtful path...







The Lhuentse Zongh high above...


Getting closer...


Now the hard climb...


Had left the back pack on the bike and from above i see these people checking out my bike. Hope the things are there when i come back...


View of the valley from the Zongh..


Getting inside...


In the court yard...



Old broken bridge...


No i will take the new one...


Bike on the foot bridge!!!


Proper offroading on the edge the other side...





Get back to the main road...


Cross the doubtful section...


Another walk bridge and these ppl jay walked on it!


I did it i crossed it...


Scary looking down...


Crazy height and current...


yup i am freaking out....


The river view from the bridge...




The family that lived across the bridge. Their village is a two hour walk from the other side of the bridge.


At KoriLa,


Height there...


Environment changes heading down to Tashigang...



Narrow roads but super wide switchbacks!




was really tempted to go down the dirt track to the water. The ramp was too soft and turned back after the first switch back and that itself was a clutch burner. Good that i dropped the idea and later would have been stuck in rain as well..

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Day 31 - Tashigang - Guwahati.. Back to india...

April08 - EveryTrail

Will be riding to apna desh today. Woke up early and had maggie what else. After settling the bills and filling up fuel i had just about 150 Rupees! The start was scary as the road construction work was going one with some mud roads in store. Negotiate them slowly and its going to be winding mountain ride all the way to the border for around 180 KMs. Since these mountains are in lower range compared to previous days the greenery around was much more greener as in dark green. Take my time and stop at places where i can get the valley view. This stretch is mainly business section so there are nothing but trucks on the road. They are polite enough to stop and give way even to a bike with just half a touch at the horn. But they were intruding with the pix session. I have to hurry up taking pix else the truck will pass and will have to over take again!

This time had many rough patches of road as mainly trucks ply. On the way just checked out the Shangrila temple from outside. The Monks were doing all the basic works like gardening and cleaning. Could here the Lama prayers as well. Did not find a place to have food. Just carried on slowly catching eyefull of the mountains. The path literally cut out of vertically rocks. Use my roots horn generously on the blind turns. Made it to Samdrup Jongkhar by 2 pm. Made the last entry before the town and they did check my baggage. My immigration permit was kept as i am exiting any way. It got way too hot and switched to Mesh jacket and boy O boy the road till border was a night mare. As a joke Dantek had put a brand new board wishing Happy journey and the next 15 kms till the gate were a royal pain. May be they put the board too soon.

Get to the border and the city not as flanking as Pheuntsholing. Before i knew i was at the Exit gate. Some pix in and some more outside from Indian soil. Just when i was about to leave a Bhutanese guard told me to make more entry. But my immigration permit was held back at the previous check post. He was pretty insisting. Any way i had copies of the permit and went into the office. A friendly officer just chatted. Every one does say that i must have had a good experience with people as people of Bhutan are very nice. And to every person who says that, i sadistically tell about my phone mugging. May by most people of Bhutan are good but i seem to have caught up with a rare outlaw. Bid byes. I changed the phone's sim to Indian. The guard really wanted my Bhutan sim. But i politely refused saying that i need it. Wondering why should he want the sim so bad when he can get one for 20 rupees! and started my ride. And the change in the environment was not so pretty. Not really happy to get back into the country. The sense of insecurity gripped me and then i realised that the 150 rupees i had was of Bhutan currency and now i literally had no money! Have to get myself to Guwahati and encash. Did not want to stop any where for money in the unknown place.

Could see the ruggedness of roads the people, saw a dog going under a truck right in front of my eyes, A cycle guy got so distracted at see me, my bike that he fell off!! Good that he was a few feet away else i might have been blamed Not long before i see a convoy of vehicles going towards Bhutan. Bhutan vehicles are army escorted from Raigang to Samdrup jongkhar. There ever present army. Man are the well built, each sporting a rifle. Plenty of army trucks making rounds. Dared not to take pictures. Was really expecting to be checked every now and then but that did not happen.

Then on roads become too good and pretty wide ones. After some time came to know there is a 4 lane project going on. Towns every 10 kms and finally made it to outskirts or Guwahati by 5pm and i get checked by the cops. Show the passport and tell em about my travel and they let me go. Get inside the city and find that my fone does not show any network! Changed to another sim and still the same. Thought may be the Bhutanese sim did something to the phone! Searched for PCOs and called my friend Pinaki for directions for his house and i get there after some time.

Now again just like in Bhutan, it hits me, What next? no plan at all. Arunachal is what i know so Tavang it is. Will try to get permit, get bike serviced and fix fone tomm. But Guwahati is quite a big city than i thought and and i know things will be slow.

The view from the Druk hotel where i stayed...


This kid was staring at me all the time hehe..


The prayer wheel in the square and the white Druk hotel in the back ground...


Thats the road i came from yesterday...


Very welcoming roads...



Thats all the money i was left with...


Nice views along the way...


The lost Shangrila!!



Monks going about their daily chores...



The winding roads... really wonder how the engineers decide the path...


At the La, forgot the name of the La...


The height there...


Actually it was much higher 3 KMs from there...


Then its up and down gradually going down...


Now who made the road through the farm?


The last good valley view...



Road made by cutting the rocks...


Road on the steep mountains...



At a view point...


And Hindu temple in Bhutan...



These workers have these barriers to protect their homes from occasional falling rocks from the mountain opposite to the road.


The indian kids this time. Boy were they happy to see their pic, the literally ran around in joy after that...


The road work by Dantek...


The last Bhutanese checkpost before border...


The Assam planes...



I am india now.. looking at the border gate i exited..


The last Bhutanese cop!!



Gifted with these roads in between, well what do you know, this is a part of 4 lane project going on there...


The long bridge crossing the river into Guwahati...


The Kerala cop who checked my panniers thinking if there was something bad in them...

The permit offices of the NE states are closed for Good friday, saturday and sunday..

So instead of wasting time heading towards Meghalay Cherapunjee..

The fone saga solved. Prepaid of outside states are not allowed in NE States it seems. So got myself a post paid here...

nice to read them man....gr8 going....
enjoyed reading them

Regards,

Awesome stuff Praveen. Enjoying each and every pic and write-up. Keep up brother. Ride on.

Again Awesome Posts Praveen.
I am glued to this thread. Ride on.
Best wishes.