Motorcycle Ride to the World's Happiest Country - Bhutan

Pune to Bhutan - Motorcycle Expedition Experience

As the riders world dreams of riding to Leh, the so-called Mecca of riders, I always fantasized riding to Bhutan, the happiest country. May be I was a Monk in Bhutan in my previous life, that itself is so soothing to think about. 

In October 2016 last year with the least amount of planning for a two week international (Bhutan  ) ride we made it to Bhutan. We have successfully completed the trip and back home safely with least amount of glitches. We are lucky in that. Like they say small families are happy families, I believe in small groups are comfortable to ride. And what could have been much more comfortable than three people riding same machines.  



This blog is dedicated to that person in my life who I never believed that exists to give me the love, the care and the courage to fight with the world. 

Some appetizers before we start the buffet

View of Thimphu City.. That yellow fields, flowing river and majestic ghats.. <3

Yes, thats true.. Gross National Happiness is important anyday

Paro City Night long exposure shot..

The Best place I will ever visit - Taktsang Monastery aka Tiger's Nest

Rinpung Dzong - Night long exposure shot

They call it the second Switzerland on the earth.. I suggest they call it first Punakha on the earth..

One view in Bhutan - I promise you will be amazed in every frame..

Planning: 

May be we had just adequate planning for the trip. As per tradition, Whatsapp group was started two months before the trip. Luckily it was not the scenario of “group started with 10 members and people leaving every week with excuses”. I wanted to be sure with whom I am going even before I started planning 
Dates were finalized as October 8th to 23rd.
Final List: 
Me – Bhargav (starting from Pune)
Vivek (starting from Pune) – I met him through xBhp Pune Chapter. 
Pavan (starting from Hyderabad) – I met him in 7th grade in my school  

Me and Vivek were clear that we will parcel the bikes from Pune. Finally we have agreed on that we will parcel bikes along with us in the train. Pavan was in dilemma whether to ride from Hyd to Kolkata or parcel bikes. I insisted he parcel the bike rather than taking risk of riding two days or 1500kms alone. 

Step 1: The first step of our plan was to book train tickets. So I and Vivek had booked train tickets for Duronto Express and Pavan also booked his tickets. I was eager to train tickets because even if both of them drop out, I will visit Bhutan in trains or buses or whatever way but I am going to have the trip I wanted.  Being selfish 

Step 2: We got all the must carry items listed. The list covered from inner wear to thermal wear, ointments to tablets and lubes to spares. 

Step 3: Shopping for the trip. We did it in three different categories. 

- Online for first aid kit and puncture kit
- Probikers, Pune for Riding Gears, lube and bungee cord – I bought a new helmet MT Revenge for rides only (review follows)
- Decathlon for stuff like thermals, mini-backpack, rain coat, gloves, etc

Step 4: Getting the bike ready. Got it serviced about three weeks back so that I can be sure there are no glitches. 

Step 5: Having all the necessary documents ready. Must include

Voter ID
Driver’s License
Vehicle Registration
Vehicle Valid insurance
Valid PUC


Weeks flew by and we were just waiting to start off the trip so that no one can stop it 

Railyway Parcel and Service: 

Come D-Day October 8th. We reached Pune railway station and got both the bikes packed with whatever stuff we got. We dealt with an agent suggested by friend. Total two bikes parcels took about 3500 including packing charges. We thought it was okay. Here we did a mistake of getting the bikes parceled as two different packages. I will tell you how it screwed me after a day. So ultimately all went smoothly and this process took about 4hours. We estimated we will be finished we will be done in couple of hours but no, they took their time. People were ok-friendly as long as you pay them.

All three ended up carrying “Viaterra Claw Bag 40Kg” (review follows). Vivek and Pavan owned it and I borrowed from my friend. One more screw up, I forgot to take a rain cover for the bag as I the forecasts suggested no rain next two weeks. Do carry rain cover for the bags in any season. 
Here at 2.45PM I have realized I lost my parcel slip. I am doomed. I ran back to parcel office and told them the same. There will be another copy of original slip with them I have requested them to give it to me so that I can produce the same at Howrah station. I didn’t want to deal with people at unknown place so I requested them. They couldn’t help me. I took a picture of the receipt in mobile with a hope that it might be acceptable in worst case. Do not lose the receipt at any cost. You don’t want to deal with sarkaari leeches at the start of your dream trip.

Finally on-time we started our trip officially. Even though we were not our bikes, we know that the trip is ON and we are going far away from all the tensions of work, life, people, etc. Duronto experience was awesome. We just ate, chatted with strangers, people calling us crazy to ride motorcycles Bhutan made us feel proud of our spirits. J I am already in love with the trip.
Once we are Kolkata railway station, as I have already screwed up coz I lost my receipt. That was infact a big deal. So we left both the bikes in the station and decided to return tomorrow for them. Next day morning I had to file an FIR at railway police that I lost my receipt and so-and-so parcel is mine and I want to the custody of it. Atleast at around 3pm we got custody of both the bikes, only then my soul rested. Same day night my friend Pavan arrived, officially we are all together. 

Route followed:

Below is our itinerary and the route plan we have followed during the trip. I have mentioned the road trip dates here 

1. 10-Oct-2016 Kolkata to Silguri: Usual SH12 via Farakka, Malda and Kishanganj
2. 11-Oct-2016 Siliguri to Pheuntsholling via Sevoke, Damdim, Nagrakata and Jaigaon
3. 12-Oct-2016 Pheuntsholling to Thimphu via Gedu, Chapcha
4. 13-Oct-2016 Thimphu sightseeing
5. 14-Oct-2016 Dochula Paas, Haa valley
6. 15-Oct-2016 Thimphu to Paro
7. 16-Oct-2016 Tiger’s Nest
8. 17-Oct-2016 Paro sightseeing
9. 18-Oct-2016 Paro to Punakha
10. 19-Oct-2016 Paro to Siliguri: via Sevoke and Pheunstholling
11. 20-Oct-2016 Siliguri to Kolkata: returned via same route

You can also follow this Travelogue on xBhp, India's biggest motorcycling platform

One Friday Evening - Being a 'Rider'

One Friday Evening – Perks of being a ‘Serious’ Rider

Date: 11^th December, 2015

It was around 8pm when I entered Infosys’ MLPL (Multi Level Parking Lot) where twofloors are dedicated for bikers and 7 floors for cars .Yes, I find it ridiculous too, considering the number of two wheelers which are kept open under sun and rain. I just walked to my bike with an admiration as if it was the first time we are going on a ride. This happens every day ;) The typical process of warm up starts, start the engine and leave it to get heat after 10hrs of sleep and in the meanwhile wear the gear. You might be wondering what gear??? I would like to keep it always in between safety and comfort. Considering the Hinjewadi traffic and my distance of 7kms, 30% of my ride is in first gear and less than 20kmph and for the rest there are broad tyres with a little less traffic where I can hit the 60kmph mark. So my gear includes, Balaclava, Jacket (unarmoured), Helmet and then gloves.

So coming back to reality, my machine is idling and I am wearing the gear, then I see a middle aged person, 30-35yrs of age, relentlessly trying to kick start his bike. It was a Pulsar 135LS red coloured in not so good condition. Everyone around him are just leaving like kids run from school after the last bell. This happens every day too. He was ready to just push the bike to ground floor to the service shop where all they do is repairing punctured tyres. Seeing me wearing all the gear and looking like a ‘Serious’ Rider he looked at me and then my inner one woke up and asked him ‘Are you not able to start the bike?’ He said ‘Yes’ in a happy note, he understood I offered help. Then I removed all the gear to help and I don’t know but I was more than happy this time going away from my machine. Below is the conversation we have.

Me: “Just be cool and let’s try kickstarting it again”. I sat on the bike and tried. 5 times, no response. I can see the ignition starting but the spark is not catching the pulse.

Him: “I tried and I am tired now” with a childish smile.

Me: “When was the last time you started the bike?” it’s time to start some diagnosis.

Him: “It has been here since last two days.” There comes the catch, it is a winter and engine is cold. It just is talking time to warm up.

Me: “Don’t worry. It takes time to warm up being an old model it takes more time. Where is the choke for this bike?"

Him: “I don’t know” Yes he is just one in million commuters in India who knows nothing about their machine. I don’t blame them.

Me: “It should be below the fuel gauge controller. See you got it here” He was happy knowing something unknown about his 5year old machine. “Push it while you kickstart it will start. First let me know remove the spark plug and see” It’s fine. I attached it again. Now in two kicks the bike responded with a small pulse, third time it woke up like a lazy kid having slept all day.

Him: “Rise it more, more” I can see his feet off the ground with joy.

Me: “Yes no worries now” I varied the RPMs so that engine gets heated up fast and it did, I can hear the sound. I handed over the bike to him and said “Have fun, Hinjewadi traffic will keep it heated now”

Him: “Thanks a lot, Thanq very much” trying to shake my hand with one hand on the throttle ;)

Then he left like a kid with a new toy. I wore my gear and left the MLPL on my machine. Under the helmet, I was smiling big enough that my cheek bones don’t fit anymore in my helmet. That’s the most self-satisfying thing I have done all week J I didn’t do any mechanical wonder to start his bike but the joy of he leaving home with no tension on a Friday evening made my day or my weekend.

Picture abhi baaki mere dost….

They say ‘good deeds pay off’ I believe in this, but I didn’t know when. This time it was fast, this is how.

                Because I was helping him and I got into a delay of about 10mins, I now have to get stuck at the checking point of Infosys where all the bikes from MLPL get accumulated like ants at a sugar candy. It takes hell lot of time to get out of the campus than reaching campus every day. Had I started 10 mins before I would have zoomed past most of them and would have finished the checking fast but now I am stuck with 50 bikes ahead of me. Surprisingly I know most of the security guards who stand for checking just by a smile, I do that to strangers a lot ;) Some think I am crazy but it’s okay I keep doing that. I smiled at the guard in the four wheeler checking lane as usual, he could sense be being impatient being stuck there.

Immediately he came up to me and said, “Sir take the four wheeler lane and go”

I replied “No, how can I? It’s not allowed na and I didn’t finish the checking also”

He said “It’s okay sir, I will tell the guards” and then he shouts to the guard at the front “Leave Sir, I know him”

I entered the four wheeler lane and swiped for the last time for the week. Every two wheelers are glaring at me like “How can he go? Why are we not allowed? Shit I am still stuck, What the?” I can’t see the guard who helped going, but I lifted my hand and waved thanking him and in the RVM I can see a hand waving higher J This broadened my smile further.

What an end to the weekend? These two incidents just swiped off all the tensions and dissatisfactions in the work and all. I am now in at most peace. I keep thinking how did this happen? Only possible answer I could see, is with me. Moments like this make our bond stronger and me more responsible. Hope it goes for infinite miles…

BEST PARTNER...

Choosing Best Partner to travel with you for many miles is obviously a challenge in our country…

Naah!!! I am not talking about chores done by a matrimonial agent or so-called-family-friend-aunty; I am talking about choosing a motorcycle which syncs your style, your attitude and your need…

             I won’t address my motorcycle in third person as ‘SHE’ in my blog, because of two reasons.

• I don’t want to spoil the brand definition ‘Pulsar – Definitely Male’. After all I am a marketing student and I know the efforts behind building a brand.
• I don’t want to be tied up to a woman for my entire life. That’s the last relation I am looking for right now. Sorry Gals, my pillion seat is gonna be as empty as my wallet at the end of the month

       By the end of this few lines, if I have positioned myself as ego-centric male then I am doing my job very well.

While in Indian Institute of Management (if you are wondering what this is, it is IIM) for PGDM, I mastered in Marketing full-time, but I mastered myself in motorcycling double-time… I read and viewed as many reviews as the business cases I have read in two years of PGDM… I read more than my mechanical friends about various types of engines, gear ratios and all types of Motorcycle Jargons…

 Not delaying it much, I should start talking about the partner I chose. I am not going into technical details as they don’t sound as sweet as the exhaust sound of a litre class motorcycle…

DECISION MAKING:

              Since Yamaha launched R15 that was my favourite sports machine considering the styling and budget. After that Indian Motorcycle market has seen many contenders and few stood out to be winners as well. Having spent a good amount of time on my colleague’s Honda CBR250R, I fell for the comfort, power and engine refinement. In 2013, I made a decision of buying Honda CBR250R ABS and booked it (even I didn’t tell my parents about it), then comes the email saying “Dear Candidate, Congratulations for getting admission into IIM Udaipur.”. I jumped on my chair and almost the hit the roof in a marriage function, people around me thought I am insane, I got heart attack and almost gave me a CPR. Then I remembered there is a bike getting assembled for me in a plant. But it couldn’t change my mind which always dreamt of doing MBA in IIM. I knew future had something special for me.

            During first year of my MBA, Bajaj showcased Pulsar RS200, SS400 and CS400. I fell for the looks of PULSAR RS200 immediately, but there is always more than looks for a machine which are equally subjective. There is a debate going on about the looks of RS being overdone. I would say it is like Arnold’s body, the muscular structure might be looking overworked on, but ultimately you can’t take your eyes away. The 200cc engine seemed to be less powerful considering my passion of speed and thrill, but I decided for it considering an upgrade after five years. Reviews of the bike from Powerdrift, Overdrive, Motohive, Choosemybike.in, etc helped me prove my decision is correct and it can be considered for a purchase. But no on–road tests because it wasn’t launched in India till end of the march. I decided on Yellow colour even though it is too flashy. I am not buying 1L+ bike to get camouflaged in the traffic and on the roads… 

After convocation, I wished I got located in Pune, because all the video reviews done were on Lavasa road track where even I wanted to drag my knee and lean into those curves. The call from HR confirmed I am located in Pune and I started dreaming of those roads and monsoons. Once I moved to Pune, I contacted few Bajaj dealers and started asking about the delivery waiting period and test ride feasibility. Till the sale happens any sales person will be helpful and friendly. This is true in Bajaj’s case as well. I went to Gems Bajaj Akhurdi on 6^th June 2015, booked my bike by paying Rs.5000 and then took a test ride. I felt I already knew the bike by every inch (pictures and features were implanted in my mind permanently it seems ;) ) I didn’t need to ride for more than 5kms to get acquainted with the bike. I was promised delivery in 10 days, I was more than happy which shortlived.

WAITINGGGGGG:

                This period was much worse. I got obsessed more than before and started reading everything which comes under results for ‘pulsar rs200’ in Google. I joined xbhp finally, before this I was just a reader now that I am getting ma own bike I became a member. Joined Pulsar RS200 Ownership reviews forum and read every post from the first delivery.

                After 10 days, there was no sign of my motorcycle. I had a feeling not even the assembly of my bike is started in Bajaj Motors plant L I was becoming impatient day-by-day. I started calling Manager about my delivery every day twice (more than I call my Mom). After one week he expected me the most on the phone but good thing is he always used to answer my phone. He promised me the delivery in the first lot of July. On July 4^th I got a call that the bike is ready for the delivery, at that moment I felt like telling a 4yr old kid ‘Dad, brought you a toy’ and want to run to showroom jumping and hopping. But I decided to control my joy till Saturday i.e., 6^th July for the delivery.

                On 6^th july, I went to showroom and my bike was brought down in an elevator for PDI.

THAT MOMENT I FELT LIKE…

                                                                    To be Continued... 

I AM ANGRY

I AM ANGRY,

When I see a marker stain on the table when there is a clean white board which has never been used
When 4pm meeting starts at 415pm and discuss about increasing productivity

When someone move my chair from my workstation and I need to find another one every time

When I see spit marks all over the side walls on a road and on the pavements

When I see children begging at the signals in sun and rain to feed some lazy maniacs

When I see a big pothole on a road, after one rainy day, which was laid less than one month back

When I stop at a divider to take a U-turn and someone comes in wrong way opposite to me to cut the road

When I am being stared with angry looks when I stop at a signal because it turned red

When I am shouted at because I stopped before the STOP marker at a signal to allow the pedestrians on a zebra crossing

When I have to look to either way of the two way road to take a free left

When I see posts of women calling every men around her is a pervert and stares her in awkward way

When I see men talking shit about women wearing revealing dress and assuming she is a slut

When I see shares and likes for every other picture or news without knowing what's behind it
When I see people say the meaning of freedom is kissing in a public place
When I see people tell me the meaning of freedom is leaving Indian culture behind and westernizing themselves

When I see people changing their profile pictures or tweeting without ever cared about what happened until that day

When people say having fun only means to drink alcohol and dance drunk all night

When people see me not drinking or smoking and feeling pity that I am having a boring life

When people don’t give a damn about other’s lives by driving drunk at nights and show it off as a skill and control

When I park my bike and come back to see the rear view mirror is turned, and I need to adjust again

When people tell me getting married is the essence of the life and I am doomed if I don’t marry

When people tell me not getting married is the craziest thing that one can do

When people can’t tell me why I shouldn’t be unmarried for the rest of my life

When I have to write all this in a blog instead of discussing it with people around me

When I can’t list everything that I am angry about…

I WANTED TO REACT EACH AND EVERY TIME BUT

I was worried I would be called an ego maniac

I was worried I would be mistaken to have an OCD

I was worried people would think I am showing off

I was worried people would think I have an “attitude”

I was worried people won’t welcome me and would keep me away

I was worried people won’t invite me to their parties

I was worried people I might lose some friends and I might not make any friends

I was worried I might get beaten up to death on a road

I was worried once I die people might carry candles with my picture in the middle
I was worried I might never get to blog again... 

YET I REALIZE HOW BEAUTIFUL MY LIFE IS AND HOW LUCKY I AM TO BE HERE RIGHT NOW... YET I REALIZE EXPECTING TOO MUCH IS MY PROBLEM AND GET PREPARED FOR FUTURE...

(This read is neither to hurt anyone intentionally/unintentionally nor to get some attention. It's purely letting out the ANGER in me via a medium)

Facebook, the new substitute of coffee...

Nescafe have a reason to worry now, because it has got a new competitor in market. Or not Nescafe alone, it's the coffee/tea industry that should be worried.

Facebook for a very long time has been the epidemic for which no medicine is found yet. It succeeded constantly in proving that people are interested in other's lives more than their own.

According to the data, 60% of the questioned people roll out of their bed and check facebook updates. And the same percentage check facebook just before going to sleep. Facebook surpasses any other social media activities by long distance with next best youtube videos with 29%. May be it's because of the shows like 'How I met your mother' and 'Game of thrones'. Where is drinking coffee or tea in the list? People find time to check their facebook updates but not for having a coffee or reading newspaper in the morning. Newspapers have redeemed themselves with mobile apps and mobile sites. But what does Nescafe have to do for themselves? Does it have to create an android app which gives the users a feel of catching the aroma of fresh coffee in the morning?

India is predicted to have highest of facebook population by 2016. Every third in ten internet users in India have facebook account. Do you know that one-third of all the divorces filed has the word 'facebook' in it? Do you know over 25% people are dumped through facebook by changing relationship status? Do you know once Burger King offered free burgers for those who unfriended people on facebook? Do you know that out of five pictures clicked one goes to facebook? Do you know once in 2011 Ireland rewrite their constitution with the help of facebook?  Do you know that the recruiters prefer look at your facebook profile rather than your resume?

More you know the more you feel sorry for yourself!!! You don't have to share this blog on facebook, but share a cup of coffee with your friend sitting next to you.

Think... Think... Think...