[tasty911]

To celebrate the arrival of Meteor's twenty five K Km and my fifty yrs, I decided to go on an open ended ride gated by the few weeks of time I have.
The plan is to head east from Bangalore and then head up on NH16 till I run out of time or get bored. Did a bit of planning, i.e. got the bike serviced, read a few far east threads on teambhp and gathered some knowledge regarding paperwork needed for north-east, Bhutan and Nepal.
Trying to keep this thread updated as I proceed on my ride.

Day 1: Bangalore to Vijayawada

Having packed last night, all I had to do was to tie the bags on the bike. I am carrying a Viaterra claw tail bag for clothes and Guardian Gear tankbag for laptop/camera
Up at 0425 and out the door at 0555. My wife and son saw me off. It was still dark and going was good. I was hoping for a 700Km day.
Then the fog hit. It was a few Km before Kolar and visibility dropped to a few meters and speed to 20 Kmph. Initially I struggled to ride. My glasses and visor kept fogging up every few seconds.


Then I figured out a trick. I would find a truck/bus going at a speed I was comfortable with. Then just follow it at a safe distance. Light reflecting off its back improved the visibility and it also reduced the fogging to some extent.
Took the first tea break at the Mulbagal toll booth. A cup of tea with two biscuits - one of which I fed to a stray looking at me hopefully.
After a while the sun started to peep out, only to be shut out again by the fog.



Eventually, the sun won out. I was at Mogili by that time.



Turning on the Tirupati highway, I took another break at the Heritage Milk Parlor. I downed a cold coffee along with some small vada.



The stretch around Tirupati had a bit of haphazard traffic and then the going became good again.
A little before Naidupet, hit the 25K Km mark on the Meteor.



After Naidupet, joined NH16 and turned north. The stretch between Naidupet and Nellore is flanked by fields with ripening crops. The yellow fields in the morning sun present a pretty picture.



Pretty soon I was hungry again and stopped for lunch at a shed before Kavali. It was a quick 15 min break for lunch.

At 1500, I stopped to take stock. I was about 100 Km from Vijawada and about 30 less from Guntur. I should have stopped at Guntur, but decided to head to Vijawada.
Booked a hotel from booking.com
Traffic was bad as I entered Vijayawada. It was a little after 1700 as I entered my room.
Rested for a while and then went in search of a mobile repair shop. Last night, my phone had stopped charging.

At the phone shop, I asked the owner what one would eat in Vijayawada other than biryani. He recommended Upma Pesarattu and suggested a nearby shop.



I am glad I asked. This is something I had never eaten before. It was delicious, though a little spicier than what I would have liked.

Called it a day at 645Km.

[tasty911]

Day 2: Vijaywada to Gopalpur Beach

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZE5CViTqHE

I woke up before the alarm went off. Didn’t take me too long to shower and get ready and I was on the road a little before 0600.
Initially it was clear but as I left Vijaywada, fog engulfed everything.
Yesterday’s morning was repeating itself.



I was past Eluru when the sun started showing itself.



There was a huge jam on the Godavari bridge. It took me almost 30 min to cross.
Took my first break at the 180Km mark. I had tea and a murukku like item made from sabudana. On my table was Imran who was riding an Agarwal Movers and Packers truck to Kolcutta. We talked a bit about our motivation/compulsions for being on the road.



Took the next break after 345 Km. It was very hot and the new road they have built is devoid of any shade trees. I drove under an underpass to get some shade. There I found a coconut seller and drank coconut water.

The heat was unrelenting. I was feeling very sleepy. So I stopped every hour or so, either to drink tea or water.



Around 1530, I looked at the map. The nearest city was Ichchpuram. I saw that the beach was quite near. So looking for accommodation I found OTDC Gopalpur resort and booked that via MMT.



Going was slow, but managed to reach OTDC Gopalpur by 1700. After having some tea and pakoras in my room, I headed to the beach.

The beach was a pleasant surprise. Given the crowd, the beach was extremely clean. Other than some secluded beaches, I haven’t seen a cleaner beach in India.
Hung around the beach till it was dark. Then savoured some seafood in the shacks nearby before returning to the room.









Distance driven - 601 km
Total so far - 1246Km

[tasty911]

Day 3: Gopalpur Beach to Kharagpur

https://youtube.com/watch/cAn2A-znqSo

At the crack of dawn, I was out the back gate on the beach. I could see one person walking on the waves enjoying himself. The morning on the beach was nice and the sunrise pretty. I walked around for a little more than an hour taking pictures.








Returning back to the room, I packed and left.
Google maps took me through some backroads to join NH16 at Chatrapur. It was supposed to be shorter, but actually took longer because of damaged roads at multiple places.



The journey on NH16 across Odisha was eventless except that around Bhubaneswar traffic was quite bad and throughout there was road construction slowing traffic down.
It was quite hot. So I took frequent breaks to drink water or coconut water. I did not take any long lunch breaks. Just a few bites every time I stopped.

Once I entered West Bengal, the surrounding suddenly turned green, as if to announce the rice cultivation. Even the palash flowers became more common.





Around 1530, I looked at the map and decided to stay the night at Kharagpur. Booked a hotel from MMT, only to realize later that it was far out in the outskirts near IIT campus.

Distance driven - 482 km
Total so far - 1729.6Km

[tasty911]

Day 4: Kharagpur to Malda

Being on the eastern part of India has its advantages. The morning starts early, which morning people like me find advantageous.
By the time I left the hotel, the horizon was already turning orange. Google maps showed two routes - one via Kolkata and other cutting through the heart of West Bengal via Bardhaman. I chose the latter because it felt that the internal roads will have more character.
And that was true, but I underestimated the bad road conditions, traffic and likeness of Bengal PWD for back to back speed breakers. As a result my typical speed was half the usual speed.

As I left Kharagpur, the sunrise over Kansabati river was mesmerising. I parked my bike on the side and watched two boarmen fish while the sun rose behind them. It must have been amusing for the other passersby to see me standing there watching the boatmen in the river.



After a while I stopped for tea. The tea shop owner, on seeing the KA registered bike, started talking to me. He is a regular visitor to Bangalore for treatment in Manipal. We talked for a while and as I took leave, he did not accept payment for the tea.



As I progressed across the rural undivided highway, the pretty surroundings made the route challenges less so.





Crossing Bardhaman was a pain due to the traffic situation and I was crossing it in the morning peak hour.



Eventually the road joined NH12. After then the going was fast.
Crossing the Ganga at Farakka Barrage was an amazing experience. Other then the Brahmaputra at Guwahati, I have never seen a river so wide.



Around 1530, I looked for a place for overnight stay. Malda was nearby, but the next decent place was quite far. So I decided to stay in Malda. I also wanted to wrap the ride early since I had some work to catch up on.
After doing my work, I stepped out to try the famous sweets of Malda. Seeing the variety and quality of the sweets, I made them my dinner. Then I walked around the streets. It was amazing to see the number of street food vendors and the crowds around them.
Distance driven - 353.6 km
Total - 2083.2Km
ODO end: 26816.1
ODO start: 26462.5

[tasty911]

Day 5: Malda to Bongaigon


http://www.youtube.com/watch/CtRzYJXRm3Q

Decided to leave early and catch the sunrise. Unfortunately fog dominated the morning. By the time fog dissipated, sun was much higher in the sky.
Due to the fog, a cycle guy coming in the wrong direction hit and broke the front left indicator while I was standing at a junction.





Took the first break after covering 100Km. I was at a small shop at an intersection and the village people sitting there got all excited that I was driving all the way from Bangalore. Ended up with a longer than usual break while talking to them.



The road was quite good all the way till it joined NH27 before Kishanganj. After that it was lot of construction on and off all the way till Bongaigon. In between as the road enters Assam, there was stretch of jungle which was fun driving. Overall a very dusty day.



Then the tea gardens started. Took a diversion and rode on a small side road to take some pictures.





Around 1600, looked at the map and decided to stay the night at Bongaigon. By the time I reached around 1730, it was getting dark.

For dinner, stepped out to have local veg thali which was suggested by a local guy.

[tasty911]

Day 6: Bongaigon to Kaziranga

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEUD0vQQmcI

Slept later than usual and by the time I left it was 0630. Since yesterday it had started becoming cold in the morning. So last night, I broke open my cold gear pack and took out a sweatshirt. I wore that in the morning.

There was no fog and the roads were great. The sunrise was pretty as usual.



After around 100Km, I stopped for tea at a roadside shop. A gentleman from Bhutan was also having tea. He suggested that I could make a short trip to Bhutan. I added that to my list and made a mental note to check it out, especially the fact that for 24hrs it's free.

Initially I wasn’t sure where I was heading. I had in mind to go East via Tejpur. Then I changed my mind and headed towards Guwahati. It was just deferring the decision to head East or to South to Shillong.
As I was crossing Guwahati, I saw the board for Kaziranga. Brought back 30yrs old memories when a friend and I spent a winter month in these areas. Back then we spent a night under a thatched roof near Kaziranga. Till date it is the coldest night I have ever spent.
Well I decided to head to Kaziranga.



The traffic while crossing Guwahati was horrible and I was unlucky enough to cross at peak office hours. After that the roads became great.
Stopped for lunch at a dhaba after Nagaon. I was hoping for roti and dal. Instead I got Assamese thali which had a variety of vegetables. Along with that they gave a fish achar which was excellent. After lunch, I booked a hotel at Kaziranga.



After the cutoff towards Tezpur, the road to Kaziranga became a two lane undivided highway. It was like the NH of old days - two laned roads, covered with canopy of trees and the trunks on the side painted white. I love these kinds of roads, but they are a disappearing breed. Back in my school days, the GT road from Chandigarh to Delhi was like this.



When I reached the Kaziranga Main gate, I decided to check on the safari timings first. Fortunately the last of the jeeps were just going in and I boarded one. I left my luggage in the parking lots asking some of the kids renting binoculars to keep an eye on it. Then to the amusement of other safari goers I got on the jeep in full riding gear.


The safari was nice. We saw all the usual at Kaziranga - one horned rhinos, elephants, different type of deer and hornbills. Only the tiger was elusive. In addition the park was ablaze with the Tesu or Palash flowers. A beautiful sight.
After the safari, drove to the hotel. These are bamboo huts and sitting inside I can feel the cold - the walls and roof looks like they are letting cold air in.





Distance driven - 392.7 km
Total so far - 2987.6Km

[tasty911]

Day 7: Kaziranga to Tezu

http://www.youtube.com/watch/NStfNzmrdGc

Finally Arunachal.
When I stepped out around 0600, it was quite bright. I seem to be forgetting how far out east I am.
The initial part of the road was still the old style highway flanked by tea gardens. I took a side trail into one of the gardens to take a few picture.




After Bokakhat, the four laned highway started and so did the agony. The road was intermittently bad with construction going on at reglar intervals. I probably breathed in a bucket of dust.


The tea gardens continued till I crossed the Brahamputra over the Bupendra Hazarika bridge. That is one impressively long bridge.



After the bridge, at Sunpura entered Arunachal. It was a small police checkpost and they just glanced at my ILP before waving me through.

After reaching Tezu, I had lunch. Looking at the map, I realized that it’ll be dark long before I reach the next viable accomoation. So decided to stay.
Found a not so nice hotel and dropped my luggage.
Then went out to explore the town. Nothing much interesting. Small town with streets starting to get empty by 1800.

[Technocrat88]

Dear Sir, your travelogue has brought back fond and nostalgic memories of my Car & RE rides during my multiple postings in the NE. Congratulations on completing your half century and 25k of your Meteor Steed. Wishing you a very eventful journey filled with fond memories to cherish. I too have just completed my ride on Meteor 350 from Dehradun to Bangalore yesterday and your post made me feel that I am still on the road.

Are you planning to visit Hayuliang and Kibithu, the East most point of india a trijunction of India, TAR and Maynamar or taking the Roing axis ? You may be in luck for the Reh festival.

Keep it coming. Have a safe ride.

[tasty911]

Day 8: Tezu to Kibithoo to Dong

Today is the end of the road.
Knowing that it gets bright early, I got up early. It was also predicted to rain. So I wanted to keep some buffer time to wait the rain out.
There was no power for the geyser and it was too cold to bath with cold water. So I had to make do with a face wash.
Outside it was colder than I expected. Even with three layers, the wind was piercing to the bone. Initially the road was good, but then degenerated to a narrow lane with potholes.
I took my first break at the first open tea shop I could find. It was at Tohangam intersection where the left road goes to Kibithoo and other to Parsuram Kund. The shop was just opening and I planted myself in front of his fire while he made tea.



The road towards Kibothoo was equally narrow but in a good condition. It was well maintained because of a BRO/Army camp at the top. A view point on the way presents a beautiful view of the vast expanses of Lohit river. Unfortunately the sky was cloudy and hazy and the view wasn’t great.



After crossing the Udayak pass, the road joins the Lohit river and then runs parallel to the river till Kibithoo.
This is my favourite kind of road in the mountains i.e., one that runs parallel to the river. The views are beautiful, you can stop and sit down to listen to the river flowing below, the gorge of the river causes a beautiful breeze and if you are lucky, far off one can see snow capped peaks. So for the next 150Km, I had a great time driving up this road, despite the great to non-existent roads.







In between it started to drizzle and I had to put on the rain gear which was good as it helped with the cold too.
From Dong to Kibthoo the roads was a 20Km long stretch of slush due to road construction and blasting.



At one point, while waiting for a JCB to clear the road, I put my side stand and did not realize it was on very soft ground. As a result, the stand sunk into the mud and my bike fell down on the left, breaking the left rear view. The combination of a claw bag with a tank bag has made the bike top heavy. After a certain lean level it is very difficult to straighten up.

Toiling along, I turned a corner and out there in front was the "Eastern Most Road of India" RCC signboard.



As I reached the entrance to Kibithoo, I found myself trapped between two rock blasting zones. Both sides were blocked and I was asked to wait. A BRO engineer suggested that I go down to the river while the blasting progresses.




By the time the blasting ended and they were done with the cleanup, I did not have enough time to go to Kaho, the last village. If I were to go to Kaho, I would have to stay there as it was getting dark. Given the rain situation overnight, I did not want to navigate the slush zone early in the morning myself when the BRO workers would not be there in case I needed help.

So I decided to head to Dong. At Dong I got a cottage next to the Namti War Memorial. Beautiful wooden cottages but not very functional. All night, the wind blew inside making it freezing cold.



As soon as I got in the cottage, it started raining. My decision to return to Dong seemed smart in hindsight. Also the cottages are beautifully located.



After a spell of heavy rain, it slowed down to a drizzle. So I drove down to the owner’s other homestay for tea.
As I was having tea, it started raining again. So I sat and talked with the owner's wife. Only the two of them stayed there with a servant’s family. Their kids were in Tinsukia and Tezu. She asked me if I could come for dinner early as they were planning to go to Walong at night.

After returning to the cottage, I snuggled in the quilt and dozed off. There was no power and the backup was connected to only one bulb. Apparently there is only one generator in the area and till 1800, this area got power and after 1800 Walong got power. I guess that’s why they were going to Walong for the night.
After I woke up, I walked down for dinner. In the cold and dark those 500m felt longer than it should have. The lady was nice enough to make a local dish - Chambrai for me. It was basically a huge rice ball with onion and some dal, with soup, roast local chicken, cabbage stew and salad. In the cold, steaming rice and hot soup was heavenly.
As I was walking back in the dark, I realized that I was going to me all alone in that valley for the night. Not that I was afraid, but it felt quite eerie.
So first left of this ride is complete. I am at the East end of the country. I still have some time left. So now I need to figure out where next.

Distance driven - 224.3 km
Total - 3596.9 Km

The journey so far:

http://youtu.be/k_Ew0wHKg8o

[tasty911]

Originally Posted by Technocrat88

Dear Sir, your travelogue has brought back fond and nostalgic memories of my Car & RE rides during my multiple postings in the NE. Congratulations on completing your half century and 25k of your Meteor Steed. Wishing you a very eventful journey filled with fond memories to cherish. I too have just completed my ride on Meteor 350 from Dehradun to Bangalore yesterday and your post made me feel that I am still on the road.

Are you planning to visit Hayuliang and Kibithu, the East most point of india a trijunction of India, TAR and Maynamar or taking the Roing axis ? You may be in luck for the Reh festival.

Keep it coming. Have a safe ride.

Thanks. You must have had a great time out here in the NE. Its amazingly beautiful. While I have been to Sikkim and Meghalay, this is the first time in Arunachal and that too on a motorbike.

How was your DDun - Blr ride? I am reading lots of traffic issues in parts of UP due to Kumbh rush.

Yes I completed Kibithoo today. Planning Mayodiya tomorrow. May even go as far as Anini.

[tasty911]

Day 9: Dong to Pasighat

It was a sleepless night. All night the wind found its way into the cottage through the numerous cracks. When I woke up there was no power. Either they switched off the backup or it ran out of fuel.

Deciding to defer my morning ablutions to a stream on the road, I packed and got on the trail.
The sun was just showing up on the top peaks. The sky was clear and the views were perfect.





Last evening or night it had snowed on the upper peaks and the whites were showing on many of the peaks.
First order of the day was to find a nice stream, which I did and took a break.



Time flew faster today - maybe because it was warmer or I made less photo stops or I know what to expect where on the road.

After a while I took a tea break. A truck driver advised me to go to Anini. The way he described sounded pretty. Additionally the snow at Mayodia pass beckoned me. He also told me where to get fuel.





The next break was at Hayuliang. I found out that there was fuel at the pump. I did not have fuel till the next pump at Tezo. So I ended up buying 5 bottles of 750ml on black at Rs100 a bottle. That was enough to get me to Tezo.

I also looked at the map and realized that if I have to go to Anini, I will need to stop at Roing because after that the next stop was much further.



I also checked for the RE service center. The nearest two options were in Pasighat or Tinsukia.
I was at Tezu quite soon. While taking a break for lunch, I decided to head to Pasighat. I called the service center for timings and realized that I will have enough time to reach Pasighat and get a replacement indicator and mirror.

The route from Tezo to Roing and further to Pasighat is beautiful and excellently laid out. In two days, I have had the pleasure of driving on two most beautiful roads.



Reaching Pasighat, I followed google maps to the service center. While I don’t have many nice things to say for Bangalore’s RE service centers, this one was a positive surprise. They quickly attended to my bike and got whatever was required done. The owner even got me a cup of tea while I talked to the technicians.

Next I found a hotel nearby and settled for the day. Later I went out for dinner to eat an Assamese thali. I wish I could find an Arunachali thali.


Distance driven - 353.5km
Total - 3950.4 Km

[windiesel]

Originally Posted by viren83

Any advice for us folks who'd like to venture back into riding again? How do you rate the low-weight versions : RE Hunter, Speed 400 and the likes. Are these niggle free? Looking to ride less than 200 KMs a month.

Well, I have ridden a Meteor 350 for 28000kms and I have a Speed 400 now, 15000 kms done on it. Awesome performance. Zero niggles and what balance and roadholding. Meteor had lots of niggles. Nothing major but things like both the shockers leaking one by one, tappet noise, lousy quality rear tyre, faulty headlight dome, erratic tripper etc. I still know the RE mechanics on a first name basis! I also have a Hiness 350....don't like it much. Too smooth.... antiseptic kind of. All cold business, stark efficiency, no fun kind of

[Technocrat88]

Originally Posted by tasty911

Thanks. You must have had a great time out here in the NE. Its amazingly beautiful. While I have been to Sikkim and Meghalay, this is the first time in Arunachal and that too on a motorbike.

How was your DDun - Blr ride? I am reading lots of traffic issues in parts of UP due to Kumbh rush.

Yes I completed Kibithoo today. Planning Mayodiya tomorrow. May even go as far as Anini.

Yes NE has been blessed by mother nature in abundance. Though there is nothing much at Annini but, the place is picturesque and the drive is amazing. But, the best part of Arunachal is on the Dahung-Tenga-Sela-Jang-Tawang- Gorasm axis. If you are planning a longer ride and are well equipped to face low temperatures and snow, than this is the axis. With Sela tunnel now in action the road will be open, but with skid chains on tyres at this time of the year. Not to miss the Nuranang falls near Jang and the beautiful monasteries enroute.

A tip - you will find numerous BRO (Border Road Organisation) units along this axis and they have their Guest Rooms at the most beautiful locations. You can try your luck there. They are accommodative if the rooms are vacant and you have a proper ID.

Also, as soon as you enter the border of Arunachal, look for the nearest roadside dhaba and you will be able to get an excellent Arunachal Thali. Also, do not miss to taste Bamboo Chicken/ Bamboo shoot curry when in Assam.

My ride from Doon to Bangalore was fun-tastik. I stuck only to Expressways and NH despite the distance being much longer, hence did not face much of the crowd less Agra-Lucknow expressway.

Happy Riding....

[tasty911]

Originally Posted by Technocrat88

Yes NE has been blessed by mother nature in abundance. Though there is nothing much at Annini but, the place is picturesque and the drive is amazing. But, the best part of Arunachal is on the Dahung-Tenga-Sela-Jang-Tawang- Gorasm axis. If you are planning a longer ride and are well equipped to face low temperatures and snow, than this is the axis. With Sela tunnel now in action the road will be open, but with skid chains on tyres at this time of the year. Not to miss the Nuranang falls near Jang and the beautiful monasteries enroute.

A tip - you will find numerous BRO (Border Road Organisation) units along this axis and they have their Guest Rooms at the most beautiful locations. You can try your luck there. They are accommodative if the rooms are vacant and you have a proper ID.

Also, as soon as you enter the border of Arunachal, look for the nearest roadside dhaba and you will be able to get an excellent Arunachal Thali. Also, do not miss to taste Bamboo Chicken/ Bamboo shoot curry when in Assam.

Thank you. Will keep this in mind.

Originally Posted by Technocrat88

My ride from Doon to Bangalore was fun-tastik. I stuck only to Expressways and NH despite the distance being much longer, hence did not face much of the crowd less Agra-Lucknow expressway.

Happy Riding....

Glad it went well.

[tasty911]

Day 10: Pasighat to Tinsukia

One of the challenges of riding out without a set plan is unclarity on which direction to head. So far I have been heading either North or East. Now I had run out of road. The entire North-East was now my playground. I was pulled between three choices - head to Anini, head West keeping North of Brahmaputra or go down into Nagaland.

As I went to sleep these three choices played in my mind. After three days I slept well. It was nice and cosy without the wind getting in through cracks. As usual, I was up and out on the road early. I decided to head to Mayodia pass for the snow and on the way decide whether I should head to Anini or not.

First stop was at the stall of a lady selling oranges and some kind of rice paste wrapped in banana leaf. Weird combination, but it tasted good.

The road was the same one I had come on yesterday, but devoid of traffic and in the morning cool it was exhilarating to drive on.

At Roing, I stopped for tea and some snacks at a bakery. When I told the owner that I may head to Anini, he urged me to hurry. The snow will make going slow and it gets dark early.
So while heading up, I decided to skip Anini and take it slow on the way up, enjoying the ride. Most of the route overlooks the wide expanse of the Lohit river. While visibility was poor, I did stop multiple times to watch the river down below.


There was a good amount of snow on the top, but the roads had been cleared. Of the few people at the pass, most were heading to the other side. A few boys were from Pasighat. One of them had worked in Bangalore. Seeing the KA bike, he came to talk to me. Later he paid for my tea and refused to take any money from me.



After spending about 20-25 min, I turned back.

Down at Roing, I stopped at a local market. Everything was on sale - food, clothes, vegetables, fish and tools. I bought some snacks and sat down under a tree to contemplate my next stop.

I surveyed google maps for a while and decided to go to Nagaland. Tonight's stop would be at Sundari in Assam. It would almost be dark by the time I get there. Soon I had crossed over the border into Assam with its not-so-good roads and endless construction.

The tea estates also started.

Now the advantage of not planning too much is that I can change my plans at a whim. And that’s what happened. As the setting sun lit up the manicured tea bushes and the interspersed trees casted their long shadows, I had this irresistible urge to just stop and take in the moment. I parked on a trail in between rows of tea bushes and took a walk.
It felt as if this was the moment I had been riding these 4000 Km for.



As the sun hid behind some clouds, I got back on the road. Sundari was too far, The night halt would be at Tinsukia.

Distance driven - 319.2km
Total - 4269.7 Km