[San Phrangmung]

Darranga / Darranga, Assam, India, Asia

[San Phrangmung]

Originally Posted by Saurabh M

@San - I agree with your sentiments and the discriminations you see across the border. There may be things that the Bhutanese have taken for granted, but then, I also agree with the viewpoint of SST.
I guess, they are very protective about the quiet little country and strive to keep it that way.

Thanks Saurabh for sharing the link i enjoyed it thoroughly. You were lucky to have been a part of the "Frenship" rally which definately would make sure that a visitor would see no negative aspect if any.

But to a Indian commoner wishing to visit Bhutan, its a bad bad story.

Originally Posted by Judemayne

Dear San,

Boy, you have taken me down memory lane-I last entered Sumrud Jhonkar in 1978-I had to go there to get Police clearance as our artillery guns fire into Bhutan. Before we start firing and after, we had to get clearance, so two visits a day one in the morning and one in the evening. The gates used to be opened whenever they saw our Army jeeps approaching.

Regards,
Col J H Mayne

Thank you Sir, i felt Bhutan has not changed in all these years as what i remember from 1980s and what the towns look now is the same.

I had visited the Tamulpur CSD on way and you will see the Darranga firing range road picture here.

Yes Indian Army personnel are highly respected even if for selfish reasons but the Indian commoner is hated by the Bhutanese it seems.

[San Phrangmung]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

San, I've felt your sentiments to some extent too.
But if you are a member of the Indian Armed Forces, or know someone in the Indian Armed Forces/BRO posted in Bhutan very well, and he vouches for your integrity, the reception you get in Bhutan is far far different from if you were to approach on your own. A phone call from even an Indian Army Major posted in Bhutan, to the Immigration office can expedite the process of getting your permit to anywhere in the country extremely quickly. Even better, if you have a Bhutanese friend in Bhutan, and he is willing to vouch for you through a phone call, the welcome is significantly different.

I think we have no right to impose our way of life on the Bhutanese.

Indians with so much connection does not waste their time even thinking about visiting Bhutan, they rather be in Swiss Alps than Bhutia jungles. (Historically people of Bhutan are known as Bhutia.)

Only normal Indians who love nature & wish to travel within their limited budget and earnings visit Bhutan. These Indians have no connections but just a wish to visit a beautiful region in their backyard.

As for "imposing our way of life", why don't you apply the same to the people of North East which i think has been adultrated by the "we" you are talking about.

The rich and the well connected are always welcome everywhere irrispective of their Nationalities. My points are that from the perspective of a Indian commoner.

[SS-Traveller]

@San Phrangmung: Very vitriolic and sarcastic replies indeed, to all who sympathize with the people of Bhutan! My experience in Bhutan has been more pleasant than yours, and I can only offer my own viewpoint. Regarding

"imposing our way of life", why don't you apply the same to the people of North East which i think has been adultrated by the "we" you are talking about

my sympathies go in equal volume to them too, and my past experience with travelling in the North-Eastern parts of India have been no less pleasant.

However, since you say

Priviledges countrymen of two nations enjoy in relation to visiting each others land should be equal. In Indo-Bhutan case, Indians don't enjoy the same facilities as offed to the... by our country.

please replace Bhutan with any other country - Nepal, Pakistan, UAE, Thailand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, USA, UK,... - your statement would continue to be true.

Please do not take offence where none is meant, and we look forward to your excellent travelogues.

[San Phrangmung]

Please do not take offence where none is meant, and we look forward to your excellent travelogues.

SST i am sorry infact for the off topic discussions, therefore i am ending the Bhutan series here right now.

Shall continue with newer & positive travel stories from here onwards.

[novice_alto]

I understand your sentiments. The "WE" i was talking about includes the north east as well. north east is not a different country.

You had a BAD experience no doubt about it.

But again, I really wonder why did you expect them to give you permit to enter Bhutan via Samdrup. Because it is not a secret so to say, but rather quite publicized in websites and travelogues and Bhutan govt. offices that there are ONLY two entry points to enter Bhutan Phuntsholling by road and Paro if traveling by air. This is for non-Bhutanese. The rest border checkposts are EXIT ONLY points if I know right. HVKUMAR can confirm that or Sutripta I guess. We cannot desire any individual or govt employee to bend rules MADE by a certain GOVT even if the rules are idiotic.

Just because it was convenient for you to cross over from there and you wanted to do so does not make it mandatory for them to let you in.

When we visited Bhutan, we had same kind of frustrations about the permits. I had to spend two hours to get 3 liters of kerosene because that required a permit as well from the Ministry of Food or something. it was frustrating no doubt. But then I realized these many rules have actually kept the small country clean and uncorrupted. So, to feel better I let go my bitterness about so many rules and everything and thought about how beautiful that little country is. So, lets have more and more of those beautiful photos that you have giving.

and yes, your weekly escapades gives us hope of seeing more of the north-east via this thread. I want to visit north-east but I dont know when that will happen but till then, I can be content with your photographs.

PS: Your photos quite literally give a walkthrough the town or village. It is wonderful.

DRIVE SAFE and DRIVE HAPPY

[San Phrangmung]

Originally Posted by novice_alto

I understand your sentiments.
But again, I really wonder why did you expect them to give you permit to enter Bhutan via Samdrup. Just because it was convenient for you to cross over from there and you wanted to do so does not make it mandatory for them to let you in.

So, lets have more and more of those beautiful photos that you have giving.

and yes, your weekly escapades gives us hope of seeing more of the north-east via this thread. I want to visit north-east but I dont know when that will happen but till then, I can be content with your photographs.

PS: Your photos quite literally give a walkthrough the town or village. It is wonderful.

DRIVE SAFE and DRIVE HAPPY

Sorry Novice, i over reacted as i felt quiet angry. As you have pointed out i didn't expect anyone to bend rules, if really one is not allowed in from Samdrup.

Won't not like to discuss the topic again as promised.

So will add whatever photograph is still left or might come later on.

And thanks, i will add more new destinations here as i discover them myself as well.

Check the link below for location of the trip photos.

Panoramio - Photos by San-Phrangmung

[gaddiwale]

Originally Posted by San Phrangmung

That's my travel companion waiting to cross
Attachment 411644

Hey what is this windscreen? I've never seen like this.

[San Phrangmung]

Well in the begining i had used black film, but it didn't give much relief from the heat, so i painted it this way. Another reason was to increase visibility of my tiny little but dependable companion to truckkers and big buses on highways.

The red white lines have raised eyebrows as well as excited children.

Shillong cars are mostly like this plus many many more external ice. They put fog lights on thr bonett and shiney chrome on wipers as well. I will add their mod car pictures in Shillong thread later.

[San Phrangmung]

The last snaps from the trip. New picture is from Mella bazar Darranga. Was surprised to find SBI atm there.

[San Phrangmung]

The last snaps from the trip. New picture is from Mella bazar Darranga. Was surprised to find SBI atm there.

[San Phrangmung]

Todays second trip to Samdrup Jongkhar was perhaps the last trip for me till quiet some time.

I will just add one last log related to visits to Shillong and Jowai plus Tura road.

As of this thread i would like to say that Bhutan is a beautiful place with beautiful people that one should visit once in their lifetime.

TASHI DELEK.

[Judemayne]

Dear San,

lovely pics!! Do you need a permit to enter Samrud Jhonkar?? I did it in uniform in 1978. the roads were pretty bad in those days. It was a small hamlet with a Police station?

[San Phrangmung]

Sir, the place is having lots of government offices as well as shops. But since everything is more expensive there, the Bhutanese cross over to the Indian side and pick up rations & other supplies from Darranga Mela bazar.
For entering the town, Indians are required to register themselves and are given a one day casual visitor pass.
Travelling beyond the town requires special permits to be made preferebly from Phultshiling for civilians.
I believe you can spend a night either in Rangiya or Tamulpur Army camp guest house for a day visit to the area. For journey beyond town into the mountains i think you will require to go through Army reference.
When are you taking the road trip, any dates and routs decided?

[San Phrangmung]

Got some data from Outlook Traveller Feb 2009 in an article by Akshai Jain on entry issues from Samdrup Jongkhar.