Day 1 - Nagaon - Bhalukpong - Bomdila - Senga

Prologue and The Start - The hardest part in the preparation for the ride was the leaves part.From the last two years i have been waiting for my North East dream to happen,but most of the times it used to get scrapped because of No approval for the leaves.However one fine day my lucky luck striked and with more begging and making a deal with manager,i got my 14 days leave approved in March 2012.And the deal was - 'I have to work on weekends as well,after coming back for atleast 01 month'.I happily agreed.Few preparations which i did before i started my ride

1) Booked the tickets immediately after getting the leaves approved,got the Indigo flights from Mumbai to Guwahati and back in 7758 INR
2) On itenary part,took help from HV Kumar and fellow friends MG and Darknight who recently went to Arunachal and Sikkim
3) Biggest headache was to parcel the bike to Guwahati,Since there were no trains going directly to Guwahati from Pune.I rode down my bike to Mumbai.Now the parcel thing to Guwahati only happens from the LTT station and the direct train to Guwahati is only on three days Saturday,Sunday and Wednesday.I went to LTT station,spoke to an agent and he agree to do all the packing,paper work and loading of the bike on Wednesday (16 May) train.The train usually takes 03 days to reach Guwahati.
4) Permits thing were done with the help of an Agent named Bedanta Gogoi (986423119)from Dibrugarh.He charges 500 rs for 01 circuit.I had included 04 circuits so obviously he charged me 2000 bucks.I had to courier him a true copy of my passport and license.

Finally the day came,19 May...I left for Guwahati.I arrived at Guwahati airport
at around 02:30 in the afternoon.Guwahati airport is quite far from the city,so we have to shell out 400-500 bucks to get into the city/railway station.But there is an alternative,there is govt bus which runs from the airport and drops you to the various point in city including railway station.The fare is just 100 rs,saves a lot of money I say.

The parcel office is on the other end of Guwahati station..one the platform number 8.If you are coming from platform number one,then its not a easy way to reach the Parcel office.You have to bit of jumping,cross over some Potty mine area,few tracks and then you are at the Parcel office.I had to pay a fine of 300 rs as my bike was lying in their stable for quite long.The bike needs to be collected immediately in the Office hours(For parcel booking),once it reaches its destination.I completed all the formalities and got my bike,luckily there was no damage to the bike.

I loaded my bike and ran for a Petrol Pump.I could find only NRL,Assam Oil and Indian oil petrol pumps only,So parked in a NRL fuel pump for tank full.Meanwhile i noticed that the Clutch wire is half broken,what a start to the trip !!!

I enquired the local public about the Honda Service centre and reached there just in time at 05:40..when it was about to close.Upon multiple requests and begging they agree to fix the clutch wire..but then they did not had it in stock.Luckily i carried the clutch wire.Everything got ready by 07 PM.It was already dark and i planned to cover 100 Kms and reach till Nagaon,before i call the day off.

I made my way thru GS road and reached the highway.Reached a place named Jorabat,which has a Y junction.The left road takes you to Arunachal/Nagaland etc and the right road takes you to Meghalaya.
I took the left turn,I reached Nagaon around 10 in the night and checked in a hotel for 400 bucks.


Day 1 - Nagaon - Bhalukpong - Bomdila - Senga

Days in the North east starts earlier at 04 AM and it becomes dark by 05 PM.Now that was a challenge,As i am a very lazy person..who usually starts the day by 08-09 AM.Fighting with all the odds and old habits i managed to get up at 05 AM.After the daily rituals i was on the road at 06 AM.

I headed towards tezpur,the road was in very good condition with very less traffic on the road.
Stopped in between to admire,my first sunrise in North East



Very soon i reached the diversion which separates the road for Kaziranga and Tezpur.



I reached Bhalukpong which is the entry gate for Arunachal in the Tawang circuit.There is a police check post where you have to enter your vehicle details and show your Inner Line Permit.They also stamp your ILC with the Bhalukpong check-post seal.After all these formalities i was good to go ahead.. Hurray !!!

And a welcome gate was something i was waiting for 


The scenery around changes drastically once you enter Arunachal.

And now the interesting part begins where you spent your entire day in climbing up and climbing down the cascaded mountains.At the end of the day when you look back,you will notice that you have just moved few kms ahead if the road would have been straight,but then the fun would have gone for toss :P





Where ever there was tar..the road was superb and where ever it was not..road was very bumpy.It was getting very difficult to the ride bike even on the speed of 30's.

From Bhalukpong till Tawang,road double laning work is in progress,so most of the stretch is in bad condition.Instead of doing the double laning work in patches,BRO has dug up entire stretch (as in 75-80 % of it..not all).





Fuel is easily available along the stretch of Tawang circuit.I reached Bomdila and refueled.The petrol was just 64.75 per litre,quite cheap as compared to the rates we have in Maharashtra.I found the petrol bit adulterated,as i was clearly able to smell the Kerosene of it.



I started from Bomdila after refueling,Initially i planned to stay at Bomdila...but giving that time and energy i had left for riding.I decided to move ahead,i wasn't sure that whether i will get any accommodation or not.



Initially i targetted to reach Tawang,but then it looked impossible as the road condition went worst from bad.On top of that it started to drizzle.I stopped in a small town around 4:15 to have a cup of tea and to get an idea,which is the next town where i will get the accommodation.Everyone pointed out for SENGA circuit house.Another 30-40 Kms,first shower of the ride..I was enjoying it a lot.
But then as the height interested on those 40 kms,the rain became a pain in the form of cold.I reached Senga around 5:30,from here Sela Pass was just 27 Kms.No wonder why the place was such cold.





Senga is not a very big town,its situated on of the sharp curve enroute Sela Pass.The rest house/circuit house is right in the corner of the Sharp turn..difficult to miss .I talked to the care taker and he agreed to give me a bed in the common room for 200 bucks.I was shivering in the cold,i went outside to get some medicine (RUM) and the price of it was very very cheap.A quarter for Mc Dowell rum for 40 INR !!!.Sadly she did not had any other stock with her except this 

Had my share of medicine and slept tight as i was feeling very tired.

Cheers
Biru