[deepfreak15]

Hands down the BEST travelogue I have come across! Your sense of adventure is amazing. FIAT should give you a medal for proving the car is literally built like a tank. Amazing!

[Samfromindia]

Chennai to Bhutan & NE is one of those rare road trips which you do not see people doing often. The total KM you covered in this trip is more than what many cover in a year ! Hats off to you for completing this expedition that too in a sedan, in a world of crossovers & suvs. Amazing detailed narration and beautiful pics bring all the places to life. Rating this thread a much deserved 5 stars.

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

Home Sweet Home

Attachment 1773724

Driven with passion TeamBhp sticker Did you custom make it ?

[Chillout]

Some journeys are meant to be etched in the minds of your dear ones, don't think any other trip that you will have in the future,will be as good and adventurous as this, hats off to your wife, for one needs lot of courage to take a decision like this.

This trip has been in the radar for long and I really hope to make it one of these days, your trip gives me lot more courage and belief that one can always make it. Great snaps and well detailed out.

[rameshnanda]

Originally Posted by bullet_chacha

Do check out the below link.


https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...dventures.html (Chronicles of a Lone Biker | The Big One | Bhutan 2017 | Dominar 400 Adventures)

Thanks for the link.
Its really amazing that you did it solo with a bike.

Originally Posted by bullet_chacha

3. Roads: Ufff. The less said the better. Imagine me riding solo in 1.5 ft. slush with all the luggage and no one to help in case of a mishap. Punakha-Trongsa-Mongar tooke 2 bloody days to cover, just because of the road conditions

I know. Those who have driven on that terrain would understand the intensity.

Originally Posted by Surprise

Rated 5 starts. Wow! what a travelogue Ramesh.

Thank you so much for your appreciation.

Originally Posted by Samfromindia

Chennai to Bhutan & NE is one of those rare road trips which you do not see people doing often.

Thanks a lot for your comments. Yeh, not many do both Bhutan and NE but definitely I am not alone.

Originally Posted by deepfreak15

Hands down the BEST travelogue I have come across! Your sense of adventure is amazing. FIAT should give you a medal for proving the car is literally built like a tank. Amazing!

Thank you so much for your comments. I am humbled.

Originally Posted by Chillout

Some journeys are meant to be etched in the minds of your dear ones, don't think any other trip that you will have in the future,will be as good and adventurous as this, hats off to your wife, for one needs lot of courage to take a decision like this.

This trip has been in the radar for long and I really hope to make it one of these days, your trip gives me lot more courage and belief that one can always make it. Great snaps and well detailed out.

Thank you. Yes, you are right about it. All memories of the journey are still fresh in our minds. Will stay for a long time for sure. Going on long drive in India is such an amazing experience. You have to do it to feel it.

[Thermodynamics]

Roller coaster log. Tambaram to Thimphu, Thambi that’s not easy for a single hand drive with kids on board an ailing car. This year, many logs have come on Bhutan and reading them, especially the immigration hassles, I somehow get a feeling that we are not welcome anymore.

[vint]

That's an awesome travelogue. It's really inspiring in how you took the problems among the way in your stride and moved on. Also, those marathon drives !!
You really must have nerves of steel to drive for such long time. Just out of curiosity, how did you manage to keep the kids entertained inside the car on those long stretches ?

[Chillout]

Originally Posted by Thermodynamics

I somehow get a feeling that we are not welcome anymore.

You couldn't have told better, we are notorious for making loud sounds, throwing things around and scant regards for others cultures.

This is one of the primary reasons why I would want to drive down, before they ban all vehicles from India, for our people are not changing and on the contrary becoming worse.

I just came back from a trip to Anaikatti near Coimbatore, it's a serene place, however it's looking at rapid development and within a decade,it will loose it's charm. So if you are planning a trip to Bhutan,do it before you loose that opportunity.

[rameshnanda]

Originally Posted by Thermodynamics

This year, many logs have come on Bhutan and reading them, especially the immigration hassles, I somehow get a feeling that we are not welcome anymore.

Originally Posted by Chillout

This is one of the primary reasons why I would want to drive down, before they ban all vehicles from India, for our people are not changing and on the contrary becoming worse.

The immigration issue I had was something unique due to my Daughter's Citizenship. Otherwise, I see that they have improved the immigration services at the border in Phuentsholing. They now have computerized application processing centers and also separate clearance center for e-permits. But, we never know what will happen in future.

Originally Posted by vint

That's an awesome travelogue. It's really inspiring in how you took the problems among the way in your stride and moved on. Also, those marathon drives !!
You really must have nerves of steel to drive for such long time. Just out of curiosity, how did you manage to keep the kids entertained inside the car on those long stretches ?

Thank you. Kids kept well throughout the trip. However, we did have an arrangement just in case they go restless. We just mounted a tablet (loaded with animation movies) at the back seat.

[Thermodynamics]

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

they have improved the immigration services at the border in Phuentsholing. They now have computerized application processing ....
just mounted a tablet (loaded with animation movies) at the back seat....

Thanks for clarifying, otherwise the perception (or prejudice) our brains cook based on limited information can become quite biased.

The tablet trick works like a charm with kids, I also buy some activity things like painting book, highlighters, play doh etc.,

[coolmind]

Adventurous travelogue sir!
I seriously could not understand how you manged to drive (alone that far!) and that too with family and 2 kids.
And the way you handled the issues (may be it bumper damage, brakes etc) is awesome. We always feel good when we get timely support.
Thanks a lot for the details to the minute extent including the permits, places for good food. Any information of total cost incurred sir?

[swami]

This has been an amazing travelogue. Bought back fond memories. We went for our honeymoon to Bhutan and restricted our travels to the West of the country. Ofcourse, we had a SUV with a local driver but the terrain and the road conditions meant that traversing distances took time.

The condition & width of some of the roads that you have posted must have required real guts to go through.

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

Thank you. Kids kept well throughout the trip. However, we did have an arrangement just in case they go restless. We just mounted a tablet (loaded with animation movies) at the back seat.

Attachment 1830638

Even with these my kids stay quiet for some time. After a couple of hours (at best) the sheer monotony gets to them! Am sure your wife would have had a tough time keeping them entertained.

Very well documented thread - rated it 5 stars.

[Velmurugan]

Dear Ramesh, I enjoyed your road trip to Bhutan. It was an adventure packed trip with challenges, that when you are driving alone with family and kids! Your photographs are great! Very nicely captured and informative too!
regards...

[Sathya_sc]

Ramesh, Now that is what I call a perfect adventure trip. Hats off to your courage of doing this trip with two kids and taking the challenge head on.
Your pictures are mind blowing and so is your narration. 5 stars..

Testimony of what a Linea is capable. A masterpiece I must say.. For those who have owned one will agree. As you know, I drive a BMW now and sometimes I feel, Linea was as much fun as a BMW in dynamics. Doesn't have the outright power but show the Linea those curves and she will gun it without breaking a sweat. I still wonder how FIAT managed to give us that fantastic steering and razor sharp handling, all packaged at 10L! Kudos to FIAT. Deep inside my heart, I still love her and cherish the days I spent with her.

Coming back, this travelogue reminds me of my Ladakh trip, but this seems 100% more fun and at the same time more thrilling. This is in my bucket list but with a 4 wheel drive.

Great travel and a fantastic read

I felt young and refreshing after reading this.

[sbanerjee]

Is the insurance that you have for your car valid in Bhutan? As in if something happens to the vehicle will the policy that we generally take cover it?

[Surprise]

Originally Posted by sbanerjee

Is the insurance that you have for your car valid in Bhutan? As in if something happens to the vehicle will the policy that we generally take cover it?

There was a post in HVK's page about an accident of KA regd Hexa in Bhutan & as a first comment Jay Mishra has pointed out, Insurances are valid only within India & for any travel outside India, we need to extend the Insurance by paying additional premium for the period we wish to cover.