instead of going to NEpal go to sikkim dont forget to go to nathula (you may face probs as the roads may be jammed due to rain and skidding will be the biggest threat there.) and chillling cold there in sikkim during rains.! also visit Changu lake! and they you can also go to bhutan .smoking is banned in bhutan so beware you may get ur bike into bhutan as you need some document i donno details of the doc you need...nice pics!...

Oh man! Those pictures of Shillong and Cherrapunjee (Sohna) really made me feel nostalgic. I would be going there soon, but these pictures made me WANT to go there right now! Thanks for those pictures Praveen, and boy what a trip you are having! Waiting for more.

If you do plan to ride to Sikkim, then do try and pour in as much details as possible in this thread. Sikkim is very high in my 'to visit' list!

P.S: Don't worry, people of Shillong won't surely be angry on you!

Also, the pictures of Sela-pass, Tawang; Arunachal in general made me so nostalgic. I have stayed in the Tawang valley for more than three years, and I just cannot forget the wonderful place. Arunachal, sure is heaven. More beautiful than the Himachal/ Uttarakhand region for sure.

Waiting for your sojourn to Sikkim now.

@Aryan: You are so right Aryan. Arunachal (tawang, bomdila, dirang, Ziro, Along.. ) are just so awesome. Really wish to ride to these places again(Crisscrossed Arunachal in my fathers Army Gypsy )

Even crossing the Brahmaputra by a ferry is such an experience. It is just so massive

@ Haxor, He had already been to Bhutan. Don't think he will be going there again.
@ Praveen, Both Chhangu and Nathula are currently closed for election. Two of the RoadRollers members are now touring sikkim. They could not go to these places. Take proper information before you head towards Chhangu and Nathula.

Am currently in Tawang. I spotted a Karizma with panniers the other day in Tawang. Bangy number. But couldn't find the rider. Now I realize it was Praveen. Man wish I could have met you. If you are still in Arunachal, ping me.

not yours, but its the loss of the people who might miss reading this because of things like spelling mistakes. So, i asked you on behalf of those people

Mik: Skipping on the eastran arunachal as rains have started and its not going to be a pleasurable ride there now. I will be going to sikkim and Darjeeling from siliguri

Nabendu: I am Guwahati at friend's place 57th and 58th kinda rest days. Will be heading out to Sikkim on 5th May.

Jonny: You never know how much you can take untill you try. Started out thinking will head back if i feel it too much. So far still in good spirits Should have spent like 70k+ till now. About cloths, which ever hotel i stay for two nights am getting the laundry done from them.. so me not washing them as jharnas

Ken_cool: Hehe common you have climbed much higher passes. Ladakh would have given you much higher passes

Haxor: I have finished the Bhutan leg and dont smoke so it was not a problem Now heading into Sikkim and then Nepal but concerned about rains.

Aryan: Sure will put the details here... hehe i came to know that they werent when i came back and stayed in shillong for 3 days

Jonak: Thanks for the info.. and now thats a bummer. Actually i have not much info and will have to get there and try.

Abhimanyu: It would have been awesome to meet you there. I am in Guwahati right now and have left Arunachal. Where exactly did you see my bike, cos except the hotel i did not park my bike else where for long.

To Continue...


Day 53 - April 30 - Around Tawang

Feeling pretty battered from the previous day's ride thought to taking a break today. Woke up lazily and took my time getting out of the cozy Rugs. See that the weather outside is not great and its misty above. Good that i made it to BumLa the previous day, else would have been tougher today. Spent time with TV, and the Laptop till noon.

Took off in the after noon to check out the War memorial near the 190 Mountain Brigade. There i met a couple of soldiers whom i was talking to the first day when i went for permits. They were in charge of the up keeping of the Memorial. They gave me a tour of the memorial which had a shrine for Major Joginder Singh and also a small museum of the soldier gear from the Indo-China war.

Then it got pretty cold and mist came down to Tawang town! Searched in vain in the Various Military WET Canteens for the Army winter shoes. It was supposed to be just 750 Rs but soldiers were jay walking on the ice without bather, where as my feet with two layers of sox was freezing in my 3k woodland shoes! There was no stock anywhere so retaired in my room. Big ride tomm as i have no mood to stay in the sleepy town Bomdila. Thinking i have to make it to Tezpur.


The happening place in Tawang.


The War Memorial for the Lost soldiers in the Indo-China war...


Some Info...


Climbing up...




The names of the lost Soldiers inscribed...


One more shrine for Mr Joginder Singh...


The war remnants...


Flags...


Chinese machine guns....


The war details...


Thats Dilaver Singh Ravat and Jaspal Sing..


Mist encroaching the Tawang town...

Day 54 - May 1 - Tawang to Tezpur

May01 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

With several snoozes on the 4.30 am alarm, i got a delayed start of 7 am. Should still be ok with a lil push i thought. Ride down to cross over to the other side of Tawang valley. Ride so far so good. After some 3 hours for 60 kms took a break in the valley to have the Frozen veg Mommos saved from yesterday's dinner. It was just great having it in the valley looking at the hills around. But i see weather not so good towards south. As i approach the Sela pass i see rain droplets! Ohh man guess my good weather luck has ran out in Arunachal. I say again, Cold ok Rain ok but both not together please. But will have to face the music today. Climbing up get encroached with Mist as well. The weather being pretty cold my visor was getting fogged up from the inside and if i open the visor, face was getting chill numbed. And yes there was this road widening work going on so have to ride through the slush. Just kept on riding as i knew on the other side of the pass the weather would be very good or very bad compared to now.

My fears came true. Once i crossed sela pass, the mist got thicker and the droplets heavier. More road work and it was becoming a pain of a ride. Was feeling a bit nauseating and disoriented prolly due to the mist. Thought once i climb down a bit from the pass things would get bettor. But the mist was just not letting up. Once down from the high altitude it started raining. Never seen mist when it rains and it was getting towards torcher. Also now that the whole stretch till Bomdila is under widening process got quite some tough time. Ride continuously and now i started cursing for who ever was responsible for the roads. Mean what is the point of scraping of KMs of road and relay is in couple of years. Why cant they do it in small stretches instead of pliable single lane road that existed. As i approach the section where people were hurtling down rocks, this section was also misty. The Guys above cant see if the vehicles are there below on the road and have to relay on the guys shouting on the road. I was stopped by a worker. Then comes this impatient sumo and the guy took off even though he was stopped. Once he stopped in the middle rocks came tumbling down as big in diameters of 3-5 feet! missing the sumo by a few feet. Once the worker said its clear to go, was pretty concerned about a loose boulder coming down. And make it any quicker with all the slush and the rear Dunlap more than happy to move side ways than ahead.

Cross it and the rain gets to pouring and no let off in mist. Only when i reached Dirang when the mist let off but rain got more heavier and the roads more worse. Really that was one terrible ride with cold, rain, mist, bad roads all put together. cant really ride ahead of the rain as in hilly areas one would be riding up and down for quite some time in the same area! As i approach Bomdila stopped a couple of Sumos asking about weather and i was told it was raining till Tezpur.

By 2PM i make it to Bomdila. It was misty and raining alright. Now got to thinking whether to go ahead or not thinking about pros and cons. Going to Tezpur will endup at and unknown city after dark and what if i dont get room. And if i stay and rains gets heavier, what if the road gets closed due to some landslide and even locals said anything can happen.

After some 20 mins of thinking, decided to hop on bike and ride out of Arunachal. Skipped the lunch to save time and road briskly towards Tezpur. Weather got bettor but was still blessed with intermittent rains. All the roads were wet and had to ride careful. But have like 3.5 hours of day light left. Ride non stop but for a couple of click and relieving myself. All the while calculating averages speeds and estimated time at the Tezpur. When every minute was impt, i get stopped for making entry at a check post and the cop taking all the time in the world and of all the times int he trip, this cop decided to check my bike documents in detail. He could gauge my frastration and apologized for the delay but he had to do it. Dunno how i got into the situation as there is no need for such a push with time in hand. But was in a strange situation. Reached the border 5.30pm and Tezpur still 60 kms away and light already fading. As i was hearing a lot of should from the rear wheel, thought that the chain got real loose and hitting the chain cover, so stopped for getting it adjusted. But realized that the chain cover and the front mud guard have cracked up and making a lot of noise on the small bumps. Kinda felt like bike is breaking apart and the panniers are giving way.

Now this was flat narrow road with no traffic and i gunned the throttle. Had to be careful ans some section as slush washed on to the road due to the rain. Reached Tezpur by like 7. Against the fear, the city was not crowded as it was closing time. But the opposite with less people on the road and no power was thinking how to find an acco. Asked my way to Tourist lodge who inturn guided me to a hotel with safe parking for my bike. Hotel Parijath. Breathed a sigh relief booking the room.

Went to a nearby expensive restaurant to have some proper food. Was tired of having not so good food in Tawang. Sweet corn soup it is, i was so hungry and exited that i had a gulp too quick and burnt my tongue!! Any way now that my fone's Airtel connection is back online spend some time in calls and retire for the day.


Some interesting House on the way down...


Road carved out of the rock...


Pretty houses in the towns which go the colorful flower pots on the balconies..


A traditional house...


She was not actually angry at me, but rather concentrating hard on being clicked... Nice cheer full lady who wanted to tell something but i could not understand the language. Later came to know that i was on the wrong road....


The area i have been riding all morning...


These bulls get intimidated when i stop for the pic


Mist climbing up the Sela pass...






This was scary as the people working above could not see the vehicle down and they had to relay on the voices of these people...


I get a view of the Sela lake this time...


And even the Sela pass Gate...


Nice stop for grub break...


Green misty mountains and Frozen Veg Mommos, great combination...


The bottle i had opened at the top of Sela Pass now compressed at lower altitude...


Never ending rain and mist even as low as 5000 feet!

Day 55 - May 2 - Tezpur to Guwahati

May02 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

With my North East leg almost done got pretty relaxed. Skipping out on Eastern Arunachal as the rainy season has started and rains around that place are pretty deadly. Even other wise would be more of an endurance ride instead of an enjoyable trip. Lucky to have two clears days at Tawang.

Start by 8.30 am. Turns out that my friend Pinaki is also reaching Guwahati the same day. Would be meeting him after like 7 years and so will kaushik be reaching From his home town.

Bright sunny weather after few days and awesome North Assam roads and it was a nice relaxing ride. Couple of hourse and Kms flew by. Just when i was getting into Auto Pilot mood and humming some songs, the road construction section begins and quite a few slush sections to negotiate. Its strange that 95% of bad roads i have encountered in this trip are due to road construction or widening! Reach Guwahati by 11.30 am and went straight to HH Pibco motors to get a few things done. But its too crowded, no spared front fender, and non responsive staff took like 3.5 hours to just get the bike washed and change the engine oil. Have been getting priority treatment from HHSCs so far knowing about my travel, but this was an Humbling experience as no 1 gave damn about the purpose and just cribbed about getting the work done. Now really need the front fender cos if it breaks then there would be slush spray. The HH guys said nothing could be done for the Chain cover and have to put a new 1. Now that's at a bomb of 1200 Rs and now way i could get it cut to accomodate the Michelin oversized tire.

Frustrated i leave and go to the Spares shop quite some distance. And i am made to wait there for an hour just to get the fender from godown to the shop! It was really annoying. Thought would try to fit the fender myself. On the way to my friend's house saw a mech and got the fender changed by him. He even arranged for the welding of the chain cover and saved me quite some trouble. He was an interesting mech as he was telling about his experiance of riding to some place in Bihar some 1150 KMs in 20 hours! He said he as done it twice, once on a pulsar and once on a Passion! The max i have done in a day is like 950 KMs. Even noticed the light and horn mods and appreciated the purpose. He had a sharp eye and i was quite thankful for getting the work done.

Now there will be a couple of days of break. Will have to get the M45 fixed and will be heading out to Sikkim in couple of days.


The mighty Bhramaputra River...


The real long bridge on the river...


Awesome North Assam Roads...


Some Cattle fair enroute...


Me busy updated the logs at my friend's place...

this is interesting:

now where did you get the M45?ohh BTW how is your back problem is it ok now with so many kms under your belt in one go?

@Praveen:

Nice trip out there, wish i could join u. Whenever u will be in Kolkata, call me,we will ride some way together.

@Nabendu: My friend got the tire couriered to my friend's place here in Guwahati. Have to get it changed today. About the back, its still holding up. The physios had taught some exercises and when it kinda pains i myself message my back using knuckles and wrist just like the physios did. So its helping so far

Thanks kauria. Would have been nice but i wont be coming back to Kolkata, but rather going north of Siliguri.

@Praveen: The nepal PM has just resigned. I would advise you not to venture into Nepal now. The Maoists there have a history of violence

Also, elections in Darjeeling are happening.Don't know exact dates. So time your trip according to that. You dont want road blocks/closed shops

election in darjeeling is over on friday and dont go to nepal ..total unrest.
better go to Bhutan and enjoy the scenic beauty!