My Big Escapade - Destination Unknown...: Day 38 - April 15

April15 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

Fighting with the net the previous night a bit late and there goes my plans of getting up early for a toss. Its 8.30 when i am finally packing the panniers of my bike. Then i get a call from Mitch, whome i had tried to contact. Now Mitch is from US and has been riding solo in the north east for like a few months now. It was nice talking to him and he gives me info of the path ahead and i had to be starting earlier as the road was bad. Now i lost casualness and wanted to get going.

Started towards Jowai. But not before passing through not so vella part of Shillong. Then on it was smooth two laned twisties till Jovai. kinda lost enthu to look out for the town of Naritiang as i thought it was getting late. Had i seen a board would have gone but did not put any effort. But it would have taken valuable one hour. Should have started early for that. Any way missed the deviation for the village and realized later.But not for long. The road gets very bad in patches. All the while slowly getting down the mountains. Remember especially the town named Ladiramby, ohh my god it was a night mare to cross the town, with horrendous road of just stones, lotsa trucks and general town population. The roads only got worser. East Meghalaya is not so good at all.

continuing on, descended to the planes and so did the temperature rise and quite a bit, and add truely moonscape road and the dust and in short not a very pleasurable road. Was afraid the panniers would break of. Things improved nearing Bhadarpur and I turn towards karimganj. Blessed with awesome roads intermittently. The villages around the road again sleepy ones. There was this green carpet on either side of the road. I was very hungry by now and was looking out for a ok place to eat and couldnt fine one. At last found a lone hut by the lonely road and stopped to have what ever they had. And there i had the cheapest meal of the trip. Five bux for two rotis and peas curry! Was expecting a welcome to tripura board but it wasnt there. Was expecting to see vehicles with the registration of TP but instead found TR :D. Found my way to dharamnagar which is a deviation off the highway to the Agartala and from there to Kailashahar.

It turned out ot be an awesome ride after i had been through the day. Pretty cool now and tight smooth twisties going through the forest. Saw the board to Unakoti cultaral park with just one km as deviation. Took a couple of pix of the large face carvings over there. Like Mitch had said it was bettor in the evening as morning sun with stare at the lense, Saved me a good hour for tomm.

Reached Kailashar and with unclear directions. This town is right on the Bangladesh border, hope to check out the gate tomm. Found the Unakoti tourist lodge. 300 bux for AC room and i will take it. Here have the network problem again. Airtel does not work here! gosh this is so frustrating. Here only BSNL and Aircel works! But again my BSNL prepaid does not work! I barrow the bsnl sim of the hotel caretaker. And it has only 30 Rs balance and calls not happening as well. It was easier to get fone connection in foreign country!
To save time in the morning, as the care taker to get me hot water for bath and there goes the power!. Yes i did it!. Now what are the chances of one have a candle light bath in a AC room? !!

Talked to MR SK Das, police inspector at Agartala, whose contact i got from Shreekumar, in turn who had met in his cycle ride in NE. I was enlightened about the first convoy from Manughat to Agartala is at Nine AM. Yes vehicles are escorted by armed Military personal between this route as the area is currently very sensitive in insurgency and militancy. Will have to make the Sixty KMs before that time. The Convoy itself will take some Four hours for Hundred KMs. Should be interesting as i will have no freedom to stop when i want!

My not so impressive holdup at Shillong...