My Big Escapade - Destination Unknown...: Day 51 - April 28

April28 at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

180 kms of ride through today. Got up to a chilly morning. Just froze took me like 45 mins to start the lil packing. Was an accommodation at the Tourist lodge with sink missing and a Geyser that did not work. What do you expect for 150 bux a day. Started by 7 am and with nothing much but getting to Tawang thought of taking it real easy. Had breakfast some 10 kms from Bomdila. The roads well pretty bad as in Two lane conversion work was going on. But the entire strech was being done up. Hardly any good stretch of roads. I was wondering who needs two lanes any way. Hardly any traffic to justify that. Guess in the hill areas in the name of development this is the only thing that can be done in transport! Plenty of clicking opportunities on the way.

Then came the Climb the Sela pass. Quite a climb in quick time. Many picturesque locations have been taken up by the Army. Din want risk taking pix there. I see heading into the cloud. Guess will have to get into rain gear soon. But it was just misty i mean just misty and nothing else. I enter the mist and also see the board to Sela pass like 9 Kms. Wow Its going to be a blind ride for quite some time. soon i was riding in visibility of 10 feet. Kept climbing and the mist got only thicker. Vehicles traveled with head lights on and also hazard lights. Rode pretty slow finding my way for the next few feet. Good that the road/path was dry prolly did not rain for a few days i guess. i see a small hut with restaurant written on it emerge out of the mist. A lil ahead the board announcing the Sela pass with the height. Took a few pix and i saw just behind a few feet, the arch is hidden in the mist. By now it was 12.30 noon and went into the restaurant for some steaming hot Maggie and coffee. As i climb down the pass i stopped for something and caught a glimpse of the Sela lake as the mist cleared up a bit but the lake vanished before i could pull out the cam. Few Kms down the pass the mist clears up and rest of the ride was pretty scenic with 70 od kms to go. Then I realized that i can get the permit house before 4.30 prolly i can manage permit for Bumla for the next day itself. I wanted to hurry, but could go only as fast as the road allowed. Also had to take a pix you see. Reached 3.45 asked around for permit and was told i could get it in DC's office and i went straight to DC's office. what luck the office open and also DC is in the office. I enter with my helmet and tank bag excuse myself before dumping them on the chair nearby. Expecting lot of resistance for the permit, i told about my travel so far and my intensions ahead and Mr DC was agreed for the permit and sent out for printing. Was pretty curious about what i felt about Tawang compared to other Hilly areas. But thats the first step. I have to get the permit endorsed from the 190 Mountain Brigade for me get to BumLa. In the office also was Mr Chombey who talked to his acquaintance at Cournal Kuldeep at the brigade and told me to be there by 5.15pm. Checked into Hotel Dongphoo and went straight to mountain brigade.

The people over there was busy with a social program and i was to wait for some time. Mean while got to talk to many soldiers who were pretty impressed by my journey so far. And the usual curious questions. One soldier who served at Manipur for 3 years and involved with skirmishes with militans was talking about my bravery and stuff. Will its nothing compared to what these soldiers go through and put up with. Glad to have given them to some light moments talking about journey. One of the soldier hod talking to Cournel Kuldeep about my permit and i was asked to meet Major Ramsingh. When i was about tell about my riding proves, he realized my concerns about getting the permit and said not to worry and i would get it. We had a conversation over Coffee and i was given the permit endorsed. Thank you guys. I was free to scale Bumla the very next day. Also came to know that the weather has been great for last 4-5 days and the pass has opened just a couple of days back.

Make it back to the room and now the biggest hurdle was whether i can make it. Thought of removing the boxes but just emptied thinking if the bike tips over, it would be east to lift the bike if the panniers were there.

The Tourist lodge at Bomdila...

Just 150 bux a day for double bed room!..

Going towards Tawang...

Ofcourse bad roads...

The valley i will be riding for quite some time...

Arunachal Village houses...

Saw this guy on a curve and suddenly stopped. He kinda felt intimidated and thought he would charge at me. When i was wondering how he would react to the flash, but he was ok with it...