As customary, a few photos to set the mood.
Even though I have been a member since 2014 but somehow haven’t managed any roadtrips till date. The farthest i had driven ever was 350 kms from kolkata to jamshedpur. I would never get any companion for the trips and my beat somehow never gave me the confidence to travel long distances.
Finally did a trip with teambhpian himadrimondal and others to Borong which seeded this idea of a roadtrip.
Then got a wagonR for my parents. Though i still like to drive the beat but the wagon r was a lot more reliable car. Liked it somehow. Since then got married last November and visited Tadoba for our honeymoon
but the urge for a roadtrip was always there.
So on my birthday in April decided to spend it Team-bhp style - with a roadtrip. And whats a roadtrip without a drive to the hills?
Finalised the plan over dinner on a weekend and hastily checked out hotels and booked them. We would be travelling alone , just my wife and I. Arranged leaves and planned acoordingly. Discussed with ROAD Member Pushanda about the route and finalized the simple plan::
Day1 (22 April): Kol to Siliguri
Day2 (23 April): Siliguri to Rabangla
Day3 (24 April): Hang out at rabangla.
Day4 (25 April): Rabangla to maldah
Day5 (26April): Home sweet home
Primary objective was driving in the hills and lazing around for a day. This was going to be my first solo long distance drive and my first drive to the hills, so decided to take it slow with lots of breaks. Was so excited that couldn’t concentrate on work for the last couple of days, Car serviced, essentials stocked, cameras ready and we were all set for the 22nd of April.
Day 1 - 22 April 2017
Stated from home at 3:40am. Plan was to start at 2 but we took it slow. A very enjoyable and uneventful drive to Moregram Through Burdwan and SH7. Reached Morgram BPCL at 8:30am. Had a hearty breakfast. Note: toilets at BPCL pump was spotless and we were very pleased about it.
Next holdup was at Dhulian, the single lane bridge was holding up truck traffic but we manged to weave torugh the truck lines and got through fairl wuick with losing only 30 minutes. The entire stretch till Maldah town was slow.Took a break after Maldah at 12:40, tanked up again.As we were nearing Raiganj, it started raining heavily but we maintained good speed and were at botolbari by 2:15pm.
The narrow road was empty because oft he rains and we maintained good speed. We reached dhantola at 4:00pm and stopped for a cup of tea and to enjoying the rain drenched countryside. The rest of the stretch to Siliguri was uneventful and quick. We savored the fantastic roads and the rain washed roads and reached Mainakh Tourist Lodge at 5:4pm. Called it in early.
Day 1 driving 568.5 kms , time taken : 14.12 hours, petrol: 29.8ltrs,Mileage : 19.077, Tolls Rs293.
Hotel Mainakh was decent with good clean rooms, thought the ac was not working on the first room alotted but quickly got it changed. Food was fine, nothing much to write about and reasnably priced. Hit the bed early with the satisfaction of having driven the longest distance of my life.
The Trip starts Fantastic stretches on SH7 Bypassing the truck traffic before Dhulian A very wet Botolbari Dhontola Road Resting after Dhontola End of a long days drive - Reached the Ghoshpukur toll - Awesome Feeling Day 2 - 23 April 2017
Started from Mainakh Tourist Lodge at 6:30am with a light drizzle accompanying us. Was tremendously excited and tensed at the same time. Every time i had visited the hills before, always wanted to drive on the green canopied Sevoke road. Finally my dream was coming true but was tensed about driving in the hills. The drive was uneventful till Melli and both me and my wife were busy savoring the wet greenery outside. So not many photographs were taken.
Just after Melli got my first scare. Waggy got stuck in some loose wet rocks on an upward incline. Revved hard like we do in the plain but it only led to wheelspin and clutch burn. Slowly reversed a fair distance and then tried with first gear and with a bit of momentum glided through the broken patch this time.
Sevoke Road Right after Melli Took two hours for us to reach Bhanjyang. It was raining quite heavily and the mist brought down visibility to a few meters at stretches. Had breakfast at hotel Kanchenzonga at Bhanjyang ( chilli chicken for breakfast
) and moved on. Rest of the drive till Rabangla was smooth and uneventful.
We had planned to stay at Hilltop Rabong Resort, three kms from Rabong town on the Kewzing road. But the resort was a good 1.5 kms up a steep track from the road. Having driven for 4 hours I somehow didn't have the nerve to take the wagonR up the track but the resort owner y assured me and himself took the car up. Finally reached at 11:30am. The resort was fantastic and the forest cover around was just awesome. Rested for the rest of the day sucking in the mountain air and enjoying the clouds from our window.
Hilltop Rabong resort Getting a well earned rest
View of Tathagata Tsal at night