Re: Let's ride to the World's Happiest Country - DRUK YUL aka BHUTAN

Travelogue Approved

Good one. Bring on the rest.

Re: Let's ride to the World's Happiest Country - DRUK YUL aka BHUTAN

Nice pictures

Re: Let's ride to the World's Happiest Country - DRUK YUL aka BHUTAN

One word...


Splendid !!!

Re: Let's ride to the World's Happiest Country - DRUK YUL aka BHUTAN

Bring on the buffet...
Feeling hungry

Re: Let's ride to the World's Happiest Country - DRUK YUL aka BHUTAN

Always hungry of Bhutan and Sikkim Blogs.... hurry up please

Re: Let's ride to the World's Happiest Country - DRUK YUL aka BHUTAN

Just amazed with the views. Would have been better if you included at least one snap with your Ride.

Re: Let's ride to the World's Happiest Country - DRUK YUL aka BHUTAN

Thanks for the approval Monk

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Thank you Santosh

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Thank you Archer

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Buffet will be served on the weekend.. Wait for the feast

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Bhutan blogs never lose their demand I guess... Wait till weekend for the next update..

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I agree for the amazing views..

I wanted to keep our ride's under shade for a while.. They will be revealed in the next chapter..

Re: Let's ride to the World's Happiest Country - DRUK YUL aka BHUTAN

Wow, this is so beautiful..... I am stuck on this thread. Waiting for the detailed log.

Re: Let's ride to the World's Happiest Country - DRUK YUL aka BHUTAN



@bhargavkundem ji

Re: Let's ride to the World's Happiest Country - DRUK YUL aka BHUTAN

Thanks Shivanshu.. I will try to keep you interested enough

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Thank you Sir.. You should copyright these "NICE" comments..

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Planning:

May be we had just adequate planning for the trip. As per tradition, Whatsapp group was started two months before the trip. Luckily it was not the scenario of “group started with 10 members and people leaving every week with excuses”. I wanted to be sure with whom I am going even before I started planning
Dates were finalized as October 8^th to 23^rd.
Final List:
Me – Bhargav (starting from Pune)
Vivek (starting from Pune) – I met him through xBhp Pune Chapter.
Pavan (starting from Hyderabad) – I met him in 7^th grade in my school

Me and Vivek were clear that we will parcel the bikes from Pune. Finally we have agreed on that we will parcel bikes along with us in the train. Pavan was in dilemma whether to ride from Hyd to Kolkata or parcel bikes. I insisted he parcel the bike rather than taking risk of riding two days or 1500kms alone.

Step 1: The first step of our plan was to book train tickets. So I and Vivek had booked train tickets for Duronto Express and Pavan also booked his tickets. I was eager to train tickets because even if both of them drop out, I will visit Bhutan in trains or buses or whatever way but I am going to have the trip I wanted. Being selfish

Step 2: We got all the must carry items listed. The list covered from inner wear to thermal wear, ointments to tablets and lubes to spares.

Step 3: Shopping for the trip. We did it in three different categories.

- Online for first aid kit and puncture kit
- Probikers, Pune for Riding Gears, lube and bungee cord – I bought a new helmet MT Revenge for rides only (review follows)
- Decathlon for stuff like thermals, mini-backpack, rain coat, gloves, etc

Step 4: Getting the bike ready. Got it serviced about three weeks back so that I can be sure there are no glitches.

Step 5: Having all the necessary documents ready. Must include

Voter ID
Driver’s License
Vehicle Registration
Vehicle Valid insurance
Valid PUC


Weeks flew by and we were just waiting to start off the trip so that no one can stop it

Railyway Parcel and Service:
Come D-Day October 8^th. We reached Pune railway station and got both the bikes packed with whatever stuff we got. We dealt with an agent suggested by friend. Total two bikes parcels took about 3500 including packing charges. We thought it was okay. Here we did a mistake of getting the bikes parceled as two different packages. I will tell you how it screwed me after a day. So ultimately all went smoothly and this process took about 4hours. We estimated we will be finished we will be done in couple of hours but no, they took their time. People were ok-friendly as long as you pay them.

All three ended up carrying “Viaterra Claw Bag 40Kg” (review follows). Vivek and Pavan owned it and I borrowed from my friend. One more screw up, I forgot to take a rain cover for the bag as I the forecasts suggested no rain next two weeks. Do carry rain cover for the bags in any season.
Here at 2.45PM I have realized I lost my parcel slip. I am doomed. I ran back to parcel office and told them the same. There will be another copy of original slip with them I have requested them to give it to me so that I can produce the same at Howrah station. I didn’t want to deal with people at unknown place so I requested them. They couldn’t help me. I took a picture of the receipt in mobile with a hope that it might be acceptable in worst case. Do not lose the receipt at any cost. You don’t want to deal with sarkaari leeches at the start of your dream trip.

Finally on-time we started our trip officially. Even though we were not our bikes, we know that the trip is ON and we are going far away from all the tensions of work, life, people, etc. Duronto experience was awesome. We just ate, chatted with strangers, people calling us crazy to ride motorcycles Bhutan made us feel proud of our spirits. J I am already in love with the trip.
Once we are Kolkata railway station, as I have already screwed up coz I lost my receipt. That was infact a big deal. So we left both the bikes in the station and decided to return tomorrow for them. Next day morning I had to file an FIR at railway police that I lost my receipt and so-and-so parcel is mine and I want to the custody of it. Atleast at around 3pm we got custody of both the bikes, only then my soul rested. Same day night my friend Pavan arrived, officially we are all together.

Route followed:
Below is our itinerary and the route plan we have followed during the trip. I have mentioned the road trip dates here

Re: Let's ride to the World's Happiest Country - DRUK YUL aka BHUTAN

Keep the pics coming...

Re: Let's ride to the World's Happiest Country - DRUK YUL aka BHUTAN

Next post will be full of pictures

Re: Let's ride to the World's Happiest Country - DRUK YUL aka BHUTAN

Awesome photos.

Re: Let's ride to the World's Happiest Country - DRUK YUL aka BHUTAN

Awesome, another Bhutan travelogue - fantastic pictures and detailed narration. Keep'em coming.

Bhutan's on my list, and the more I see of this beautiful country, the name climbs up the ranks. can't wait to see it in person!
Thanks for sharing, mate.