India on a motorcycle - check :)

They say when death is staring down at you, your whole life flashes before you. They lied. But then I have been fed so many lies in my life that another one doesn't surprise me. There is a man pointing a gun at me and by the looks of it he has the physical and the mental strength to pull the trigger. My whole thought at that time was only one thing "What had I done to deserve this". Well probably something about me pisses him off. The guy had his reasons and I kind of forgive him. Not that I became a changed man suddenly but its just the fact that I can't figure out a way to make that son of a bitch pay. Four months ago when I started this motorcycle trip I would have never imagined this fate to beckon me. What went wrong ? Was I a victim of bad decisions or was God just having fun at my expense. For whatever its worth, forgive me Lord for I have sinned.

(Loud Gunshot)

 A second later I open my eyes and I can't believe it. That guy holding the gun just fell down with a thud with his blood splattered all over me.

Ahh alright this shit never happened. Although the motorcycle trip would have sounded so much more cool if I had such a story. Unfortunately I do not have such a story to tell. I have been alone on the road for seven months travelling across every state in India, parts of Nepal, Bhutan and yes one town in Burma too lest I forget. If I had to tell you only one thing about the whole trip then it would be this "The world is a much nicer place than what people generally give it credit for". Also women don't go crazy over men riding motorcycles if they happen to be handicapped in the looks and the intellect department which sadly is true in my case.

A motorcycle trip at the end of it is not about the different places or cultures you see. I mean if you have an IQ which allows you to tell that dogs and foxes are different animals or for that matter elephants and dogs are different animals you will definitely be able to experience the subtle and the not so subtle differences in geography and cultures as you pass by. The diversity in terms of culture, people and landscapes across the country is mind boggling. You have to see it to believe it. The colorful clothes in Rajasthan, the lush fields in Punjab, the breathtaking lakes and gardens in Srinagar, the naked mountains in Ladakh that change colours, the mighty almost impossible passes in the Himalayas all through from J & K - Himachal - Uttrakhand- Nepal - Sikkim to Arunachal Pradesh, Small winding roads through the misty tea gardens in Darjeeling, the almost inaccessible beautiful Buddhist town of Tawang on the China border, Majoli Island in Assam, the memoirs of the historical world war 2 battles fought in Kohima, the Scotland of the east as the Meghalaya countryside is called, the architectural beauty of Calcutta buildings, the Sun temple in Konark, the rice fields in Chattisgarh, the temples in Tamilnadu, the lush greenery with backwaters snaking through in Kerala. This is just a glimpse of what you pass across on a bike ride. Add to it the difference in dressing habits, culinary habits and languages. One cannot help but wonder that how is it that we manage to stay as one single country

But in my opinion a motorcycle trip is more about the small small interactions you have with people and the goodwill you earn. Its about the hotel boys in small towns who provide you the best service compared to the other guests there not because they think you are rich but just because you somehow managed to impress them. Its about the two young guys on a bike near the Mizoram Tripura border who led me to the highway lodge in a Tripura town cos it was dark and I was confused. From free lemonades in a dhaba in Rajasthan, to kids waving at you in the remote countryside of Ladakh, to tourists from Allahabad helping me get my bike in a truck when I faced an accident, to people in Nepal patting my back when I tell them of my trip, to people in Bhutan who always gave me a smile when I passed by them, to the person in Orrisa who stopped me on the road to offer me some Sai Baba prasad for my successful journey, to people who lead me to a rest house in some remote place in Mizoram as I had a language problem and we were not able to communicate, to people in Manipur who gave me Rs 1000 when I was short of cash, to a lady in Manipur who gave me a place to sleep when I was stuck in some remote village, to truck drivers in Manipur who transported my bike free of cost some 100 Km when my bike needed repair and with whom I slept under a truck on the side of a road, to people in Tamil Nadu who shook my hands when I was asking for directions, to a fruit vendor in Nagaland who gave me pineapple slices free of cost. Oh and by the way I forgot to tell you the best part about the guys in Tripura I just mentioned a few lines above. After helping me find a lodge we had some whisky mixed with beer (as we were short of water) and a wonderful dinner. Needless to say I was never allowed to pay for these things. It was on them. I could go on and on. 

Its the goodwill you earn that will just humble you. When you think about it there is nothing noteworthy you are doing that makes you think that you deserve all this kindness being bestowed upon you by people you meet on the way or the hospitality you are subjected to by your friends when you call on them on the way. I mean I am not making a change to anyone's life. Very often while I am riding I am searching for these answers. Well to be fair to myself I don't think I give out the kind of vibe that makes people want to clobber me to death. But then the closest I came to finding an answer was when I was drinking with truck drivers on the roadside in Manipur. One of the truck drivers after we all were pretty high looked at me and said " You know you are riding alone across the country on a motorcycle. Your family must be financially well off" What do I say. I nod a Yes. Then he's like "you know even if I had the money I would probably do it in a car or something, I would never be able to do it on a motorcycle". I was elated. I guess every man at some point in his life has thought about a long motorcycle trip and sleeping with Angelina Jolie. So I guess somewhere it does tend to impress people. But then when good things are happening I guess you shouldn't question them or seek answers - just enjoy the attention and be grateful for it.

And yes about the travelling alone part. I have been asked a lot of times that would it not have been better if I was travelling with a friend. Does it not get boring and all that. Well yes it does get boring but I think travelling alone makes you more free and you are more open to talk to other people. Talking to more and more people broadens your horizons in a way that you find hard to explain. No doubt travelling with friends is a lot of fun but I guess the number of new people you will meet and talk to would be a lot less than when you are alone. When you are alone as opposed to the popular belief that you are more scared, I have always felt it makes you fearless and you are more likely to trust people. Also being turned down by women does not hurt that much when you are alone.

At the end I'll just say do travel around India if possible. Preferably on a motorcycle, preferably alone. Its a wonderful country and you'll have wonderful experiences. Solo travelling is a very personal experience too. Your stories will be different but they will only be your stories. Whatever you are looking for be it spirituality, inner strength, love, patience, kindness or alcohol you might get it or you might not get it everytime but alcohol is something trust me you'll get most of the times.

The northeast - guidelines for Indian tourists

The northeast - Its always been a land which has remained out of the national consciousness. When I started this motorcycle trip I wasn't really sure whether I would have the motivation to continue till this point. But I knew if I made it till these parts, I would be spending a lot of time in these parts. Frankly I don't like to use the term North east to club everyone under a single shade as this is a region with a lot of diversity. I won't be surprised if someone were to tell me the demographic diversity in these parts would be more than that of what you would find in the rest of India combined. Anyway these are beautiful parts and should you decide to travel to these parts I hope this post could be of some help. Before I go state by state these are a few points in general you should consider

Pic Source

1. The roads aren't exactly the best in the country and if you plan a elaborate tour keep some spare days as buffer. 
2. It is safe. No matter whatever you tend to hear in the media, militant groups are active in only one state (Manipur and possibly some small parts in Assam - Nagaland has been in a ceasefire for a long time). Even there, as a tourist you should not be targeted unless you have the uncanny ability to be in the wrong place at the right time.
3. Bandhs for various reasons (separate statehood demands, anti incumbency bandhs by the opposition, implementation of inner line permits demands) have upset my itinerary in  these parts and these are things you might wanna check up on before planning a trip.
4. Traveling in the night is not permitted in some routes. I know of  two such routes - one is the Imphal Silchar highway and then there is a stretch before Agartala. There would be more I believe. Check on them but a simpler option is to travel during daytime only
5. Inner line permits are required to enter three states - Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland & Mizoram. Manipur no longer requires one for Indian citizens.
6. But check on them as there are protests in Manipur and even Meghalaya to implement the inner line permit system. 
7. Nagaland, Manipur & Mizoram are dry states. Although in Mizoram you get local alcohol in the shops and a local grape wine manufactured in the state. In the remaining four states the price of alcohol is either cheap or cheaper.
8. I traveled alone on a motorcycle all across India for 7 months and when someone asks I tell them India is a safe place and as a man you need not worry a lot about it. But I am skeptical telling the same thing to a woman. But this is one part of the country where I would be more confident telling a woman the same thing.

Assam 

Somewhere near Jorhat, Assam

1. The roads here are the best you would find in the whole area
2. No permits required for Assam
3. I have been a bit unfair in my travel to Assam as these are plains and on a bike I generally prefer the mountains as the weather is more conducive. 
4. I like animals cooked or caged, preferably cooked. So I never made an effort to go to Kaziranga. Everyone talks so much about it and this should not be a place to be missed. 
5. Majoli - the largest river island is a place you should try out. Specially the nearly 2 hour ferry ride from Majoli to Jorhat on the Brahmaputra is a treat. The Brahmaputra is a huge river - its almost like a sea.
6. Do try out the locally made rice beer in the tribal areas. Its cheap and really tasty.
7. If you are travelling alone on a bike be ready to answer questions on your marital status. Its a question that comes up in every part of India to be fair but in Assam it generally comes in the first 5 questions. In other parts it generally comes after 12 to 15 questions.
8. Blenders pride quarter is priced Rs 130 and a full bottle costs Rs 500. Make calculations accordingly for your brand of alcohol. (Prices as on Aug - Sep 2013)

Arunachal Pradesh 

Tawang city, Arunachal Pradesh

1. Permits are required to enter Arunachal Pradesh
2. Tourism is very restricted in Arunachal Pradesh and there are about 6 to 8 routes which are allowed for tourists. You need to take a permit separately for each of the routes. I took permits for the Tawang route and the Itanagar one
3. It is said there still are man eater tribes in these regions and that is the reason tourism is a lot restricted. I can't vouch for the veracity of these claims but I don't want to be the one to test it out.
4. Each permit costs Rs 20 each and two passport size photographs and a photocopy of some address proof. More information here http://arunachalpradesh.nic.in/enter_ap.htm
5. I got in 20 min on my way in Tezpur but like any government offices these things can take some time. So its never a bad idea to get them in advance. I go in these offices wearing a riding gear all sweaty and people generally are keen to help out a rider or they just want to avoid the sight of a man with all dirty clothes standing in the office. Whatever the reason it gets the job done quickly
6. There would be a provision to get the permits on a weekend also but ideally try to do it on a weekday. Arunachal was a weekday but I had to face some issues trying to get a permit for Mizoram on a Saturday - more on it later.
7. The roads to Tawang are one where your luck determines your passage through some stretches unscathed rather than your riding skills more so in the months when it rains.
8. In spite of all that Tawang is one city that is worth all the trouble. I do have a thing for Buddhist towns
9. How do I describe the roads in Arunachal. Well lets just say a person from Arunachal Pradesh residing in any other part of the country may complain about the weather, the pollution and a host of other things but I doubt he will ever complain about the roads.
10. Most importantly a blenders pride quarter costs Rs 100 and a full bottle costs some Rs 400 

Nagaland

War memorial, Kohima - Nagaland

1. Nagaland requires Indian tourists to obtain inner line permits. More info here http://tourismnagaland.com/Queries/EntryForma.html
2. If you are riding you can ride into Dimapur DC office and get a permit. 
3. It costs some Rs 150 for the permit along with 2 passport size photographs.
4. Nagaland is a very friendly place for bikers. Policemen invite me for a cup of tea in checkposts, everyone says ""have a safe trip sir" when I ask them for directions and they are done with it and on the Dimapur Kohima stretch when the hills start a roadside fruit vendor refused money for two big pineapple slices I had. Someone I just met on the street in Kohima arranged a guest house for me for free for a night. 
5. I could go on and on but let me just leave it here
6. The battle of Kohima as a friend told me was voted as the one of the most difficult battle for the British troops during World war 2. The war memorial and the war museum have great accounts of the battle
7. Hornbill festival in December is a major attraction and I do hope to attend that sometime.
8. Sadly this is a dry state. That just means you need to pay a higher amount to the hotel waiter to get alcohol but if you are used to buying liquor in Bangalore, Mumbai or Madhya Pradesh it doesn't really pinch you
9. And yes the Kohima city closes by 6 pm due to security reasons. Anyway in a dry state why the hell would you even want to go out after dark

Manipur

Near Imphal, Manipur

1. Earlier Indian tourists required inner line permits to enter. Now its no longer the case. However there are efforts to reintroduce it. So check up before traveling.
2. This is an area which has a lot of millitant groups active.
3. But as a tourist it should not be bothering you much
4. One interesting thing I saw there were some women wearing long bindi's on their nose rather than their foreheads. 
5. I wanted to photograph them but I have the courage of a mouse when there are pretty women in front of me. So I could never request them for it.
6. If you happen to be there do let me know if its actually a custom or something like that.
7. I was not drunk. I did see those women wearing bindi's on their nose. Trust me on this.
8. But the ride in Manipur has seen me bestowed with a lot of kindness. When I was in a border town with very little money and no ATM machines around someone gave me Rs 1000, when I was stuck in the middle of nowhere in a small village called Barak one lady gave me a place to sleep in her shop, my bike breaks down - truck guys truck my bike some 80 odd Kms to the next town for free.
9. And most importantly in a dry state I got Teachers whisky half bottle for Rs 600 in the black market. This is one act of kindness I would never forget 
10. Imphal also closes by 6pm for security reasons.

Mizoram

Football ground - Aizawl, Mizoram

1. You would need permits to enter Mizoram. More info here http://mizoram.nic.in/more/ilp.htm
2. The website might say different applications for different districts but you can get permits for all districts of Mizoram in one application.
3. Costs you around Rs 150 in total and 2 to 3 passport photographs
4. I did it on my way to Mizoram in Silchar and I did it on a Saturday but try to do it on a weekday.
5. The DC office was closed on Saturday. I had to talk to the DC, the people sitting in the office trying to convince them for over 2 hrs. I was polite, courteous, respectful - basically I sucked up. But then I got the permit
6. A fair amount of people do not speak English or Hindi. This makes them reply in very brief words or sentences and they tend to avoid eye contact so as to not prolong the conversation. Do not consider it rude.
7. If you are thinking I was treated this way because I was trying to hit on them you are totally wrong. Ok maybe you are right for 5% of the cases.
8. The number of snakes dead and alive I saw in Mizoram while riding in the interiors is way more than what I have seen in my whole trip. Be a little careful if you plan to camp on the side of the road
9. Also brush up on your dumb charades skills in case you are travelling into the interiors of Mizoram. It will help you overcome the language barriers and communicate
10. It is a dry state and Royal Stag bottle costs Rs 1000. But thankfully local alcohol and a locally manufactured wine are available in the market.
11. 'Zawlaidi' is the locally manufactured wine. Its a decent wine. If not for the taste try it for the name. Zawlaidi means 'love potion' in Mizo language.
12. Apart from the high the wine did not really live up to its name for me but then you might be luckier.

Tripura 

Sundari Temple in Udaipur - Tripura

1. You do not need permits to enter Tripura
2. Night traffic is not allowed on a stretch before Agartala so I had to stay over for the night at a lodge in Panisagar.
3. Two men on a bike helped me reach the highway at Panisagar and then invited me over for dinner and drinks. First impressions matter and I loved Tripura from the moment I entered
4. When I look back I did not know anyone in Tripura beforehand but I realize that the two days I stayed there I never had to pay for my food or alcohol. I love Tripura even more now
5. I just went to Agartala & Udaipur. Decent places to visit.
6. Oh by the way S.D. Burman is from Tripura. I had no idea.
7. Although I never had to buy alcohol but I am guessing a Blenders Pride bottle will cost you some Rs 400 to 450
8. Yes there is a place called Udaipur in Tripura

Meghalaya

Sunset in Shillong -Meghalaya

1. No permits required to enter Meghalaya.
2. But then there was a bandh when I was in Shillong precisely for this reason. Although unlikely to be implemented do check on it before you travel
3. On a bike ride looking clean is the least of my priorities. In fact a dirty look adds to the image. But Meghalaya is a matriarchal society and they judge you on your cleanliness. So try to look clean in these parts
4. Shillong is one of the most beautiful cities I have seen in the country.
5. Cherrapunji (Sohra as it is called there) is a beautiful place some 60 Kms away. Do ride if possible.
6. When I went to Sohra I did not get even one drop of rain. I don't know whether I should consider myself lucky or unlucky for this fact.
7. Do travel to Meghalaya. I do not know how to describe it exactly but the terrain is quite unlike what you would find in the rest of the country
8. I was offered a locally made pineapple wine in Cherrapunji at a restaurant. Brilliant wine. I could not get hold of it in Shillong. If you are travelling there and you feel generous do get me a bottle of that wine.
9. A quarter of Blenders pride costs Rs 115 and a full bottle costs Rs 450
10. Guwahati is just 100 Kms away. If you are going to Guwahati do keep 2 or 3 days to travel to Shillong and Cherrapunji also.

About Me:

I was working in an advertising agency when I decided to do a solo all-India motorcycle trip. I like to believe it's my spirit of adventure that made me go solo all across India but my friends (the few I have) believe nobody wanted to accompany me. My motorcycle ride took me to every state in India, parts of Nepal and Bhutan and one town in Burma. 

At the moment, I sit at home trying to write a book based on my experiences and coming up with ingenious excuses to not get married.

You can find more dope on my Facebook page and Instagram account

Guidelines for Indian Tourists entering Bhutan - updated

There is a lot of confusion regarding travel to Bhutan for Indian tourists and searching the internet did not really clear my confusions when I was about to enter. So I'll try to chart down my experiences and thoughts in the hope it could be of some help to someone. Also I am waiting for my permit for Eastern Bhutan and alcohol is not served on Tuesdays in Thimpu and I need to kill time.

Firstly let me mention that I entered by road in a motorcycle from Jaigaon (Indian side) / Phuntsholing (Bhutanese side). I am not aware of the procedures if you are flying into Paro. Also the easiest way is to get hold of a Bhutanese travel agent and get a guided tour. But I don't find such tours fun and this is a blog for people (Indian of course) who would like to get in through the road.

By road you are allowed to enter Bhutan through three points. I have entered through Jaigaon in West Bengal / Phuntsholing and plan to exit from Samprud Jonkhar that will get me into Assam. I stayed the night in Jaigaon and the next morning I crossed over to Phuntsholing in the immigration office at sharp 8:30 am IST or 9 am BST. You will need a Passport or a Voter ID card. Get it photocopied and fill a form and attach a passport size photograph with it. Typically they will give you a weeks permit and that too only for Paro and Thimpu. So in the form also you are only supposed to mention Paro and Thimpu and your duration of stay is a week. You can get your permit extended in Thimpu.

It takes some half an hour or 40 minutes to process. Try doing it early as once it gets crowded it might take longer. If you are not traveling in your own vehicle your work is done. Theres a taxi stand nearby which could take you to Paro and Thimpu or you could walk a Kilometre to reach the bus stand where you might get buses to these places. I don't really have an idea about the fares and all. But yes since I was in a motorcycle my work was not done. The Bhutanese are very helpful people. There was a travel agent who was there at the immigration counter and he took me to his office and helped me with the procedures for getting a vehicle permit free of cost. Its not really a difficult procedure. You need photocopies of you vehicles RC book, Insurance, your Driving License and Pollution under check form. Now my PUC was expired so I had to get back into Jaigaon and get it done. Submit these photocopies with the photocopy of your permit to the Regional transport office which is just at the bus stand. He will typically give you the same 7 day transport permit till Paro and Thimpu which then you can get it extended from in Thimpu.

After this start off to Paro or Thimpu. Both these places are about 180 Kms (mostly climb) from Phuntshooling. Roads are decent and you should reach in 6 to 7 hours if you don't hit the rains and maybe even 4 - 5 hours if you just don't stop to take pictures on the way.

Now there are a lot of things you would have heard about Bhutan. I'll try to make things clearer but I might end up making it more confusing for you

1) You are not allowed to travel alone in Bhutan

Well till Paro and Thimpu it should not be a problem at all. I am in a cyber cafe in Thimpu right now after being to the immigration office to get my permit extended and get a special permit to visit Eastern Bhutan. The lady over there asked me if I was alone and she said she was not sure if I will be allowed. But thankfully the Regional Transport office guy at Phuntshooling was so impressed by my bike ride story that he gave me a transport permit for 15 days and he mentioned all the Eastern Bhutan areas in the form so that I don't have to go to the transport office in Thimpu again. So I told the lady that I have a transport permit from Phuntshooling for all these areas and I don't think it should be a problem. She was surprised and then she asked for a photocopy of that form and said to come by 3 pm after lunch. So basically I am just killing time writing this blog. I am still not sure if I will be allowed but like I said the Bhutanese are very nice people to talk to and I think I would be able to reason with them and convince them to allow me to go in alone.

But yes it is preferable to have some company I guess

2) There are no ATM's in Bhutan

I had heard this and I am carrying a lot of cash with me. I don't like to do that. There are ATM's in Bhutan. In Phuntshooling my ATM card did not work in some 3 to 4 ATM's cause mine is a VISA card and these accepted Mastercards. So I faced a slight problem. But then I finally did manage to find a VISA accepting ATM. Also Indian currency and Bhutanese currency are of the same value and you can practically use Indian currency throughout the country. But just be careful with 500 & 1000 rupee notes as they might not be accepted everywhere. But I decide to be safe and keep Bhutanese currency only but I have used Indian currency once in a while without any issues. I haven't been to Eastern Bhutan yet and that might be a place where ATM's may not be very common

3) You need a guide to travel and it costs around $200 a day for permits into Bhutan

These rules are for people of other nationalities and are not applicable to Indians. I think even Srilankans and people from Maldives are also exempt from this but not too sure of it. Permits are free for Indians and getting your motorcycle in costs Rs 150 as a one time fee. Four wheelers might have to shell out a little more. I am not aware.

4) Hotels are very expensive here

Yes they are kind of expensive. Its not like you won't get cheap rooms but they are filthy. I am on a  budget trip so I have to make compromises sometimes. I reached Paro at 8 in the night and I was cold and wet and I did get a single room without an attached bathroom for Rs 350. It was nothing great but I could manage. The only problem was the bathroom did not have a geyser and I really needed a hot water bath or else I might have got sick. So I got another room for Rs 600 with attached bathroom and geyser and a TV too. But trust me in India in 600 you get a very respectable room specially if its offseason but this was the kind of room which will just make you wake up early in the morning and get out. Even in Thimpu the room I am staying costs 800 and this one is decent but does not have hot water. But luckily for me the taps in the bath area and the wash basin are not working. Not a big deal there is another tap and I can manage. But it gave me an opportunity to make a big fuss about it to the hotel guys and hopefully I will get the price lowered a bit. So this is one more reason its preferable to travel in a group. Decent rooms start from 1000 to 1200 and with another person sharing it won't hurt your budget so much

Things you ought to do in Bhutan

Now everyone has a different reason to travel and all I can say is that Bhutan is a very beautiful place. You just find out whatever you want to do. It has a lot of culture. You will find a lot of people wearing their traditional dresses. I can't help it but my way of describing it is that the men wear skirts and the women wear longer skirts. Check it out if you don't believe me

But leave that part. The Bhutanese are very polite and very friendly people. The only thing I would ask you guys to do when in Bhutan is to go up to some foreigners who are touring and strike up a conversation with them. Bring up the $200 a day tourist permit thing. And then with a genuine or a fake look of concern (depending on how hot the women in the group are) say something like its a pity tourism is so controlled in such a beautiful place. Thank God I am Indian. Just rub it in. After all how many countries in the world can you think of where being an Indian tourist is an advantage. Yes I live for the cheap thrills. Try it out. Its fun :)

Updated part:

Well to update you I got a permit to travel to Eastern Bhutan. So from Thimpu I went to Phobjika, Bumthang, Mongar and exited through Samprud Jonkhar.
Some pointers that might be of help

1. The eastern part is very beautiful. Try not to skip these parts.
2. The roads are not award winning types but are manageable. Do not be too fussy about the roads.
3. Vast stretches are without civilization but you will find a small village every now and then at some 40 - 50 odd Kms
4. The best part about villages in Bhutan is every village will have 2 or 3 restaurants where you get good enough food and yes alcohol is available in probably every store and is cheap. 
5. Point number 4 is absolutely true but then "Do not drink and drive". Its very good advise
6. In Phobjika I only found luxurious room 2000+ for a night but yes I was there at a time when it was not tourist season and I bargained, made a sad face and did everything I could and I got the room for Rs1000. But in peak tourist season bargaining might not really work. I really could not find cheaper looking lodges in that area.
7. In other places you could get very cheap rooms if you lower your standards a bit.
8. And yes there were ATM's in these areas but they are few and far in between and anyway I was carrying extra cash
9. The people are very nice over here. I say that again and again. These are places where I leave my luggage strapped on the bike on the road for the night on the main road without any fear. Even when I stop for lunch and all I keep my luggage, riding jacket and a few times even the bike key on the road even when the bike is not in my line of sight. I am confident that no one would touch my stuff.
10. I truly believe in point number 9 but yes keeping your wallet there might be pushing it a bit too far. But for all you know even that might just be fine. 
11. Make sure you are carrying just about enough Bhutanese currency because even though Bhutanese and Indian currency are of the same value no one in the border areas will give you Indian currency. I even tried in the Bhutanese banks but getting Indian currency from the banks is difficult as it involves a lot of formalities. Its because most goods are bought from India and everyone tries to save whatever Indian currency they have as in the Indian side touts take 10% commission to change it.
12. Like I had mentioned earlier use Indian currency throughout the country. They will gladly accept it. Preferably 100 rupee notes. 
13. Petrol costs some Rs 63 in Bhutan. So make sure you fill up if you are travelling in your vehicle

I really have to mention this. I had some 7000 in Bhutanese currency and I was a bit pissed off that I could not covert it. I would have to pay Rs 700 in India to convert it. So far Bhutan had been great and I was just leaving it on a bad note. But here is where I have to mention how the Bhutanese policemen on the border checkpost helped me out. I had asked them earlier where I could get it changed and they had suggested that I try the bank. So finally when I was leaving they asked me if I had got it converted. When I replied in the negative they asked me where I was heading to. I said Guwahati. They then said that Guwahati is just 100 Kms away and roads are good. I'll easily reach in 3 hrs. They told me they will get it converted for me if I could wait some 1.5 to 2hrs. It was just 11:30 a.m so I said fine.

As I mentioned petrol is cheaper in Bhutan. So a lot of Indian vehicles cross the border and fill up in Bhutan. 3 policemen took the 7000 from me and they started stopping all Indian vehicles entering Bhutan to fill up petrol. They asked them for Indian currency to exchange with Bhutanese. Slowly Rs 500 at a time they converted the whole amount for me in some 1.5 hours. And No they did not ask me any chai paani ka kharcha for their services. So these 3 policemen ensured that I only have good things to say about Bhutan.

So yes I'll say it again. Beautiful people, beautiful country - Bhutan.

Nepal - A country you ought to visit

When I had started the trip I had decided I would blog at regular intervals. I had also decided that I would be drinking occasionally. Well apparently I do come across as a man who isn't very firm on his decisions. So long story short now I have just realigned my decisions to justify myself. Now I drink at regular intervals and will blog occasionally. So even though I am enjoying my beer right now and I would like to pay more attention to that, I will take that Herculean effort and write this entry. Because Nepal deserves a blog.

The people in a place matter a lot in your opinion of the place. And that is why I was in love with Nepal within the first 200 meters. I was entering Nepal and my bike had a slight documentation problem. And lets not get into more details. If more details emerge I would come across as a very irresponsible person and in my blog I would not want to give out any impression of me which might lower my value further in the marriage market. If I happen to meet you in person I'll tell you about it or maybe I'll write about it when I finish the trip. But all said and done it was still an issue that could have been sorted out if someone sensitive enough was willing to listen. Indian custom officials refused to entertain me but the guys on the Nepalese side were sweet enough to welcome me in.

Now when you start off on a good note or a bad one for that matter you tend to stereotype it and the funny thing about stereotypes is that you tend to find it. After all stereotypes are your way of putting things in a box and you may not always be correct. Like for e.g. whenever I ask out women and they refuse (sadly happens all the time) I stereotype them as sluts and find solace. But trust me you will find it very difficult to hate the Nepalese. They treat you with so much respect. Just to blow my own trumpet a little bit - when you on a bike trip the people you meet on the way are intrigued and interested in talking about it. The hotels where I put up - where the staff know I have come on a bike with luggage loaded and riding gears I get so much attention that sometimes I make up stories to make myself look very heroic. Don't judge me by this, I am travelling alone and I love the attention whenever I get it. Had I been Shahrukh Khan I would have been nonchalant about all this but I am not and I sometimes resort to all this for the cheap thrills.

But even in cafe's where I go for a drink and the staff has no clue whether I came to Nepal on a bike or I ran away from India and came here after killing 70 odd people in a riot, I am still treated very nicely. One thing about Nepali's is that they love India. It is the place they dream to go work, make money and come back. In a bar where you have tourists from China, Japan, Europe etc and you are the only Indian sitting there, the waiters come up to you and ask "Aap India se hai ? India mein kahan se ? " and then they tell you their India stories or aspirations of working in Goa. These guys have the sweetest funny Hindi accents and sometimes I just strike up conversations or prolong them just to hear that Hindi accent. Again don't judge me - a lonely man needs his cheap thrills. I am perfectly aware that as a tourist in a foreign land the restaurant staff are only going to say good things about your country even if they are the planning the next biggest terrorist strike on your country, but Nepal's affection for Indians seem genuine. The above incident is not an one off thing, it happened in a lot of places.Maybe they are also surprised to see an Indian face in a normal bar & restaurant. Most Indian tourist generally spend their time in massage parlours or dance bars - if you know what I mean :)

I have been in Nepal for a week and I have just been to two places - Katmandu and Pokhara. I like the efortless and unplanned nature of my travel. In Katmandu and on the way to Katmandu I heard about this place called Pokhara and I decided to come here as well. I reached here and I am in love with the town. I have time till 28th July to exit Nepal but I think I'll be here only till then. I don't plan to do anything here. I am sitting here in this restaurant and the lake is some 300m away. But I don't plan to go there today. Maybe tomorrow or maybe dayafter. I don know. Its such a peaceful place. In most places when I am alone and having a drink and there's an attractive woman in the vicinity I tend to give them the Gulshan Grover look. For the uninformed its a lusty lecherous bastard look made much more effective by
1) Biting your lower lip on the left side
2) Slowly breathing in air through your mouth
3) Slowly licking your upper lip from left to right that says come have a drink with me in my hotel room.
But last night when I was drinking here with lots of attractive women in the vicinity I effortlessly had the cute Shahrukh Khan look of Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa that says it would be my pleasure to walk you back to your hotel in this beautiful moonlit night. Trust me there is something about this place.

Pokhara is a beautiful town. It has a very Rastafarian feel to it. See my choice of words. I could also have said Hippie feel to it but I am careful with my words. Hippie might make you think people doing weed all the time and indulging in all sorts of immoral activities. Rastafarian on the other hand is again people doing weed but trying to make the world a better place to live in. The kind of losers you would find in big cities giving out free hugs or performing in a flash mob. But thats not all that is to Pokhara. It has a lot of adventure activities like trekking, paragliding, rafting and what not. Its a bit like Rishikesh but a lot better because it does not have the morality attached to places of religious significance. I would suggest that you guys come here - preferably in smaller groups and take it slow. You could put a lot of thought on a foolproof plan to murder your boss or maybe finish reading the book you always wanted to - totally up to you. My dope is to walk around aimlessly in the streets after sunset listening to the soft music being doled out by the various cafe's playing your Beatles, Jim Morrison's and of course the Bob Marley's and the one or two odd local guys sitting on the streets playing the guitar.

At the end every place has a charm of its own. Nepal moved me because of its people. While I was riding through small towns and villages in Nepal I was checking out the attire and demeanor of the women here. No perverted intentions mind you. The best part about travelling in a bike is that you tend to observe a lot of things which you might miss if you are travelling in a box. I can just say that the burden of morality and culture of the society is not thrust that harshly on women as compared to India. Also traffic is pretty bad in the towns of Nepal. Road rules are rarely followed and vehicles cut through from everywhere but I have never heard anyone shouting or swearing at someone. Agreed I just had an outside view but on first impressions I feel they treat their women better. Maybe for all you know once inside the house they tie up the women and all men in the family practice their flying kicks on her. But the scenario seems unlikely. And its not like these men are weak. Gorkha soldiers from Nepal are part of the elite forces in the Indian Army, the British Army, the Singapore Police force and have their presence even in the personal bodyguard staff of the Sultan of Brunei. This is a strong race of people. The British were never able to rule them. Not really the kind of people you want to be messing with. But still these men teach you a very important thing. Being strong and being respectful (polite, humble, friendly etc etc) are not an oxymoron.

Finally the best part of travelling in Nepal - I am a foreigner here. I can do a lot of stuff here which I might feel awkward if I am doing that in India. Simple things like having tea in you hotel common balcony without your shirt on. It just feels great. Oh by the way if you are a woman reading this trying the above might not be that great an idea. But if you are the woman who is staying three rooms away from my room " Ma'am I pray that you do" :)

So finally the trip starts..

So finally I started. You know when you are starting a journey like this, there are a lot of thoughts running through your head. Will women just go crazy and fall for you when you tell them of your trip ? Will people on the roads stop their cars and give a standing ovation when you pass by ? Will people shower flowers on you when you are passing by villages ? Will oriental looking children run out of their homes and fight with each other to wave at you ? and so on and so forth. And finally the moment when I am about to embark on my journey I call up my Mom and in a voice that would give any Bollywood hero a complex I tell her "Maa mere liye aason mat bahana. mein sahi salamat wapis aaonga tere paas" (Mom don't shed tears for me, I'll come back to you fit and fine). And she says "Just give me five minutes. Let this serial finish and I'll call you back in 5 min". So I wait and after half an hour I call back and say the same thing again and she says "Beta jab bhi ghar pahunchega 2 packet doodh le aana" (Son whenever you come home, get 2 packets of milk). And she cuts the call. So with a heavy heart I kick start my bike and when I am about to put it in gear a message from mom on my phone. With moist eyes I open the message and it says "Make sure you check the expiry dates on those packets".

So with a foul expression that lasted for some 150 Kms in the ride I started. Heading out of the city in peak Bangalore traffic is always a pain. And on top of that when you have to wear a riding jacket in this hot weather because it won't fit in your bags you are not in the most cheerful of moods.But then people did stop their cars and give me a standing ovation. Well pointing their hands at me and laughing like crazy might not be a conventional definition of a standing ovation. But some minor twisting of facts never hurt anyone.

Anyway I trotted along and finally hit the Bangalore - Mumbai NH - 4. Riding on the highway was pure bliss. Stopped for lunch in some dhaba and while waiting for lunch to be served, the Dhaba owner instantly struck a conversation with me. I may have asked him "Do you know what I am upto with all these bags and all ? " some 18 times, but these are minor details which can be conveniently ignored. But I have a feeling he could not hear me properly because he kept on looking here and there. But after the 18th time he tried to convey something in sign language using his hands and fingers, mostly the middle finger. That was my cue and then I started to tell him about my plans of riding through all states of India and so on. But I guess he was really tired. I mean how often do you see a man sleeping while he is standing. He was snoring too. Guess he was really really tired.

So then lunch over I quietly resume my journey. And while listening to songs on my ipod I realize one can listen to Britney Spears and Justin Bieber without being embarrassed when one is riding alone. By the way I hope you guys are not assuming that I would do that. I am a cool guy who only listens to HEAVY METAL. So anyway its evening already and Davangare is the next exit. I decided to head off there for the night.

Now Davangare is like any other small town in India. Narrow roads, Curious people and porn movie posters covering 80% of the city walls. Suddenly an idea struck me. I could check into a lodge quickly and catch the night show of one of these movies. Oh don't start assuming that I am a pervert. Its just that all movies playing there are in Kannada and since I don't know the language I wanted to see a movie wherein I would get the story and the twist and turns in the plot without much difficulty. But for a small town this place has a lot of lodges. Or maybe I am just in that part of the town which is reserved only for lodges. Whatever it is, I was bloody impressed by the fact that room tariffs were displayed very prominently in the lobby. And the rooms were bloody cheap. Rs 250 for a single bed, with attached bath and a TV with cable. wow. You know when you are on a tight budget every penny saved is worth it. So I check in and head out to drink without any guilt.

 The next morning I check out and head to Goa. That story some other time.

The clueless rider

I am on the wrong side of twenties and I have a dream. I dream to travel. Travel on a motorcycle - far and wide. But if you ask me why I want to travel, I have no answers. Travel for me is the like the girl you are in love with. The mere sight of her brings in a range of emotions that feels wonderful but can't be really explained. But travel is different also. I mean if you ever express your love to a woman, you are suddenly relegated to the friend zone. Traveling does not have such a caveat. So nothing really to stop you from traveling. And if you don't have a job, the best thing is to travel.

So yes I am riding. But then I am clueless as to what to do. I really need to pass time for the next 6 to 7 months. Hence the need for a plan. So I plan to pass through the capital city of every state in India. This gives me a direction and I could use big words like national integration on gullible people I happen to meet. Also some shit about national integration could give me an edge in the race for Bharat Ratna if I am ever in contention for that. I even have a speech ready.

Anyway, I planned to start the trip yesterday but procrastination comes naturally to me. So I'll probably start the trip on Sunday. Maybe Monday who knows. But then that is the whole point of the journey. I am not going to stick to any deadlines and I decide how, when and what to do. I won't be answerable to anyone. Honestly if I was allowed to do all this in  my office, I wouldn't be doing this trip. But then you know managers are a bit touchy on these things. So I have to go on this trip. I have realized something and its a very important lesson in life -  "If procrastination is your only aim, try to make it look cool".

So here's my tentative route.

Bangalore -> Panjim -> Mumbai -> Gandhinagar -> Jaipur -> Delhi - > Chandigarh -> Jammu -> Srinagar -> Leh -> Shimla -> Dehradun -> Lucknow -> Patna -> Katmandu -> Gangtok -> Bhutan (if possible) - > Dispur -> Itanagar -> Kohima -> Imphal -> Aizwal -> Agartala -> Shillong -> Kolkatta -> Ranchi -> Bhubaneshwar -> Raipur -> Bhopal ->Hyderabad -> Chennai -> Kanyakumari -> Trivandrum -> Cochin.

And the places in between or places out of the way also whenever I am in the mood. I might change the order but the above mentioned places are something I intend to pass through. I would love to share my experiences and other stupid stuff I would do on the way with you guys. Here's the link to my fb page. I would be grateful for your support, likes and shares

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Clueless-Rider/101961743344289

When I am passing by your city your company would be very much appreciated. I am traveling alone and would love anyone who cares to listen to my stories. With liberal doses of alcohol I can get very creative with my stories - trust me.

And finally I really need to express my gratitude to friends who ensured that I do not let go of the plan. These are people I have irritated the hell out of but still they helped me. Also to parents so cool, who instead of clobbering me to death agreed to the idea and now seem quite excited about it.

But most importantly to that son of a bitch who rejected my job application. Ahh, I could have just worked peacefully had I got that job. Sigh :)