Day 2 of our adventure saw us up and about before the crack of dawn and on our way to the Guwahati ISBT. In retrospect, I think we should have just taken the foot over bridge at Guwahati Railway Station and got a ride from Paltan Bazar. But the adventure of getting an auto (who I’m guessing ripped us off) and getting to the ISBT was something else. It seemed like we had gone half way to Tezpur in that auto. Anyway at the Bus Terminus we got a Buss that was going to Tezpur and finally got on our way.
Unfortunately it was a local bus and kept stopping for passengers on the way. We finally made it to Tezpur just before noon. We were lucky to find a Sumo that hadn’t yet made it’s quorum of 10 Passengers and was waiting to leave. Usually the Vehicles leave in two batches: 5:30 AM and 11:30 AM. Anyway we finally got on the move by 1:30 PM or so.
The road is the worst possible to say the least. Did I say road, sorry dirt track would better describe it. Construction seems to be on to make the road a 4 Lane Expressway and then a 2 Lane Highway all the way up to Tawang. Well packed in like sardines in the last row of the 2x4x4 Passengers configuration was going to make this journey less pleasurable. Add to that, the owner of the Tata Sumo was driving at a snails pace added to our woes. Had it been a driver, he’d have stepped on it. Then again, it could have been a bumpier ride in that situation.
Just before we reached the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh Border, we were stopped by tribal men and women who were dancing and collecting money from passer-by’s to celebrate “Bihu” which is their New Year. By early evening we reached Bhalukpong, Arunachal Pradesh Border and our driver took our Entry Permits to get them verified by the authorities and we entered Arunachal Pradesh. Our ascent into the treacherous mountains also started from this point. The military presence also started to show as we went further up.
Anyway we finally did reach Bomdila by 9:00 PM. The streets were desolate and the hotel staffs were glad to see us. They seemed worried that hadn’t shown up till that late and I can understand why after traversing those treacherous mountain roads for the past 8 odd hours.
Having reached Bomdila and completely sapped, we were glad that the hotel room was very nice. We immediately inquired about transport for our next leg up to Tawang and at Rs. 4,500/- for the trip, it seemed like Mountain Top Robbery. There was only one Tata Sumo in Bomdila and that’s the rate he’d charge as there were no more passengers making the trip.
Too tired we decided that we would take our chances the next morning and find our way to Tawang. After a quick dinner we called it a night, knowing that the next leg was going to be even tougher.
Unfortunately it was a local bus and kept stopping for passengers on the way. We finally made it to Tezpur just before noon. We were lucky to find a Sumo that hadn’t yet made it’s quorum of 10 Passengers and was waiting to leave. Usually the Vehicles leave in two batches: 5:30 AM and 11:30 AM. Anyway we finally got on the move by 1:30 PM or so.
The road is the worst possible to say the least. Did I say road, sorry dirt track would better describe it. Construction seems to be on to make the road a 4 Lane Expressway and then a 2 Lane Highway all the way up to Tawang. Well packed in like sardines in the last row of the 2x4x4 Passengers configuration was going to make this journey less pleasurable. Add to that, the owner of the Tata Sumo was driving at a snails pace added to our woes. Had it been a driver, he’d have stepped on it. Then again, it could have been a bumpier ride in that situation.
Just before we reached the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh Border, we were stopped by tribal men and women who were dancing and collecting money from passer-by’s to celebrate “Bihu” which is their New Year. By early evening we reached Bhalukpong, Arunachal Pradesh Border and our driver took our Entry Permits to get them verified by the authorities and we entered Arunachal Pradesh. Our ascent into the treacherous mountains also started from this point. The military presence also started to show as we went further up.
Anyway we finally did reach Bomdila by 9:00 PM. The streets were desolate and the hotel staffs were glad to see us. They seemed worried that hadn’t shown up till that late and I can understand why after traversing those treacherous mountain roads for the past 8 odd hours.
Having reached Bomdila and completely sapped, we were glad that the hotel room was very nice. We immediately inquired about transport for our next leg up to Tawang and at Rs. 4,500/- for the trip, it seemed like Mountain Top Robbery. There was only one Tata Sumo in Bomdila and that’s the rate he’d charge as there were no more passengers making the trip.
Too tired we decided that we would take our chances the next morning and find our way to Tawang. After a quick dinner we called it a night, knowing that the next leg was going to be even tougher.
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