Ever since I received my motorbike, I had the itch to experience her to my hometown & within the course of discover & expertise totally different components of our nation.

BHPian CBryder not too long ago shared this with different lovers.

The very best a part of getting misplaced is discovering your self.

Hey BHPians!

A bit about myself – I’m a Software program Developer in my mid-20s hailing from Assam. I moved to Bangalore final yr and acquired my first bike – Honda H’ness CB 350. She is about to show a yr previous and is totally wonderful! She helps me commute by means of BLR and I’ve additionally finished a number of excursions together with her – Ooty, Yercaud, Mangalore and a solo experience to Hyderabad.

I’ll focus on the above excursions in a future publish possibly! Let’s get into our agenda for this publish, lets?

Prelude

Ever since I received my bike, I had the itch to experience her to my hometown, and within the course of, discover and expertise the totally different components of our nation. I began planning this experience again in early 2022. I’ve some pals from Orissa who usually experience between BLR-Bhubaneswar, so I had a good bit of thought concerning the path to take, and what to anticipate on the street. The group I work for could be very versatile about WFO/WFH, so I received the approval to do WFH until December with my supervisor and the plan was on!

Day 0

I had ready the Google Maps Route again in June/July after discussing it with my pals from Orissa. The route I had deliberate was – Bangalore-Vijayawada-Brahmapur(Orissa)-Kolkata-Siliguri-Guwahati. The concept was to experience solely throughout the daytime. I created a listing of stops I deliberate to take and one other listing with all of the Honda Bigwing service facilities on the route – simply in case issues went south. After some psychological preparation, I received up one Saturday morning and determined I’m going to do it!

As per my plan, I wished to succeed in Kolkata in 3/4 days, take relaxation for per week after which proceed on to Guwahati. The very first thing I did was to verify climate situations on the route – they appeared favorable with a couple of 30-40% likelihood of rains in Orissa – all good! I utilized for depart for the upcoming week (wished to maintain some days as a buffer), received the bike serviced from Bigwing Ulsoor, packed my saddle baggage, booked accommodations… and simply couldn’t sleep. With blended emotions of pleasure and a few quantity of nervousness, I set out from Bangalore at 5:30 am.

Day 1: Bangalore-Vijayawada: 653kms

After talking with one in every of my pals from Orissa – I made a decision to take the next route until Bhubaneshwar – Bangalore-Tirupati-Naidupeta (connect with NH 16 right here) – Vijayawada.

I deliberate to take a break of 10mins each 1 hr and drink 1 litre of water each hour to stop dehydration.

Mulbagal Plain Dosa

First cease of the day was at 7 am at Mulbagal Dose, simply the very best dose/dosa I’ve ever had! The remainder of the route until Tirupati was easy, with the Chitoor – Tirupati expressway being the spotlight. The Stretch from Tirupati-Naidupeta was below building and in absolute shambles. I used to be struggling to keep up 50-60kmph with a number of potholes, diversions and heavy vehicular site visitors. Hope this stretch will get accomplished quickly.

I felt a very good quantity of aid once I related with NH 16 at Naidupeta. Felt a bit surreal once I noticed the signboards mentioning the distances to Vijayawada, Bhubaneshwar, Kolkata. This route connects such an enormous a part of our nation. The remainder of the experience until Vijayawada went easily. The freeway is in good situation. I reached my lodge in Vijayawada by 5:30pm. I had booked accommodations which had lined parking inside their premises.

My Highness was my solely firm on this experience, and I didn’t need something to occur to her! I parked the bike, checked in, took a bathe and napped for a few hours. I went out for a brief stroll within the night, there was nothing a lot to see within the space I used to be in. Nonetheless feeling a tinge of nervousness, I made a decision to get again into my room and mentally put together for the subsequent day. I ordered a veg Andhra thali for dinner – which got here with obscene quantities of rice and plenty of scrumptious curries. Tummy stuffed, I adjusted the AC and went to sleep.

Day 2: Vijayawada-Brahmapur(Orissa): 606kms

I awakened at 5am, freshened up, packed the saddlebags and headed out. As a facet be aware – Loading and unloading saddle baggage, placing on rain covers on the luggage is such a chore and simply the worst facet of bike touring I really feel! It was a pleasant nice morning, and I used to be again on NH 16 very quickly.

I had examine potential site visitors snarls and dangerous street situations at Rajahmahendravaram and Vishakapatnam, and so wished to cross them as early as attainable. NH 16 was largely easy with a number of diversions exterior Vijayawada. I reached Kovvuru Toll Plaza at round 8:30am. Though site visitors was skinny, the stretch until we attain the Godavari bridge was in shambles with a number of craters. Needed to take a number of precautions and negotiate this stretch until I discovered easy patches once more. I took a cease at Cafe Espresso Day close to Tuni.

My good friend from Orissa in addition to Google Maps had steered me to not comply with NH 16 into Vishakapatnam metropolis, and so that is what I did. Maps diverted me onto a state freeway close to Anakapalle. The much less I discuss this route the higher. Needed to face horrible site visitors with so many heavy autos whereas climbing a slim Rail overbridge – simply the scariest expertise of my journey.

After this stretch, Google took me on an adventure- it related me with an under-construction expressway which was partially open. Until date I do not know concerning the areas I handed by means of, I simply adopted the maps until 80-90kms. Fortunately it did finally lead me again to NH 16. The remainder of the experience on at the present time was completely blissful.

The climate was good, the roads had been easy and I loved the greenery and the huge farmlands of Andhra Pradesh.

I took a break at one other CCD close to the Vizianagaram junction. CCDs are the very best relaxation stops alongside this route I really feel – Air conditioned, snug seating, clear washrooms and free WiFi!

NH 16 continued to be butter easy and I saved bypassing so many cities and cities.

Crossing Icchapuram and coming into into Orissa was a sight to behold because the panorama was so inexperienced. I used to be warned about strict velocity restrict checks in Orissa, so slowed down a bit and maintained the velocity limits talked about on the indicators. I hit Brahmapur by 5:30pm.

Getting into the city, I had a heat feeling. The ambiance and hustle-bustle of this city gave me good vibes. I discovered my lodge, Resort HCB, managed to squeeze Her Highness into the tight two-wheeler parking house, checked in, showered and crashed onto the mattress. It was a typical old-styled funds lodge with respectable services. The sensation of nervousness I had started to fade away and I began to really feel enthusiastic about reaching Kolkata the subsequent day. However first I wished to check out some genuine Oriya delicacies. My good friend gave me the names of some eating places close by. Resort Khanti Odia was simply 500ms away from my lodge, so I made a decision to take a stroll, absorbing the night vibes of the city. I reached the restaurant and it was nearly empty – in all probability as a result of it was simply 7:30pm. I ordered a non-veg Odiya thali for INR 250.

Khanti Odia non-veg thali

It was a lip-smacking expertise! Prawns, sutki (dried) fish, Rooster curry, Egg curry, and so forth and so forth. After the luxurious dinner, I made a decision to check out the well-known Chenna Poda at a close-by candy store. I beloved the style – I’ll describe it as a cross between paneer and cheesecake. Submit this, I headed again to my lodge room and took a relaxation. Nonetheless, I couldn’t go to sleep. Possibly it was the caffeine in my blood from having had two chilly coffees that day or the fun and sense of security of reaching a state the place I might converse in my mom tongue!

Day 3: Brahmapur-Kolkata: 618kms

I lastly received some sleep at 3:30am, awakened at 5:30am and hit the street once more. Aspect be aware – I had a helmet-mounted DJI Motion 2 on this journey, however was thus far too nervous to consider recording something! I lastly began recording clips after leaving Brahmapur. I hit Chilika Lake very quickly. Seeing it mirror the morning daylight from a distance I wished to cease at a very good vantage level and take some footage, however simply couldn’t discover a respectable spot on the freeway. I did catch a glimpse of a prepare passing by means of the lake and it tickled the rail fanatic in me. Submit this stretch there are a number of constructions and diversions. In a single explicit stretch, there was a pointy diversion and an abrupt change within the street degree, the place my rear tyre hit a protracted piece of metallic and skidded a bit. I used to be scared that my tyre would burst. Stopped and inspected it, and fortunately the tyre was high quality.

The street floor turned good as soon as I reached Bhubaneshwar metropolis limits. It was round 9am, so there was a little bit of site visitors, with individuals commuting to their workplaces. I noticed a number of small meals vehicles and huts on this stretch with individuals gathered round them. I hadn’t had breakfast but, so determined to cease at one in every of them reverse the Kawasaki showroom. The outlet had Idly, Dahi Vada and Dosa. I opted for the Dahi Vada as my good friend had really helpful it.

Dahi Vada @ Bhubaneshwar

It was very properly ready and served in a bowl made out of a leaf. The meal was very filling in itself, and to complete off they fill your bowl with “Ghola Dahi” (buttermilk). The very best half is, this meal prices solely INR 25! Having recharged myself, I hit the freeway once more, confronted some site visitors until Cuttack, and after that, it was easy crusing all the best way until Balasore. Crossed some stunning inexperienced stretches of freeway. After Balasore, the NH 16 turns into an eyesore! Most of this stretch is a damaged two-laned freeway crammed with potholes and random velocity breakers. I used to be certain that my bike’s rims would quit on this stretch. Additionally, there have been a number of wrong-side driving idiots and cattle on the roads. The street floor improved a bit once I entered West Bengal at round 2:30pm by means of Jaleshwar.

Simply after coming into West Bengal

Had a bottle of water and received to talk in Bengali for the primary time on this journey! The stretch from Jaleshwar until Kharagpur junction was additionally below building however the total street floor was respectable. Confronted reasonable truck site visitors on the Dankuni Expressway after which heavy night site visitors whereas coming into Vidyasagar Setu. It additionally rained a bit on and off on this stretch so needed to placed on my rain jacket. I reached my vacation spot for the day – a cousin’s place at Naktala which served me sizzling tea and snacks. The Odo learn 1883 km.

I spent the subsequent 3 days (Wednesday-Friday) in Kolkata. Washed my using jacket, garments and rain gear on Wednesday morning and visited some relations in several components of town. On Thursday morning, I went to Honda Bigwing, Baguiati, to get the bike serviced. They discovered that the spark plug had worn out, and received it changed. Aside from that the bike was completely high quality. I handed by means of Salt Lake at round 9:30am and the site visitors was surprisingly well-managed. The street floor at Kolkata additionally felt a lot better as in comparison with Bangalore. Friday was one other relaxation day and I went out for dinner with my cousin and her husband.

Day 4:Kolkata-Siliguri:575kms

Began at the present time a bit late – round 6am. I had learn concerning the routes to take to succeed in Siliguri, and likewise spoken with some individuals who had finished this route. The very best route appeared to be Dankuni- Outdated Delhi highway- Kalna-Gouranga Setu-Krishnanagar- Farakka- Siliguri, so I adopted that.

A Tram in Kolkata: Uncommon sight today

Crossing the Vidyasagar Setu

Getting out of Kolkata itself took about an hour and a half, with horrible truck site visitors on the Dankuni Expressway – the second scariest expertise on my journey. As soon as I entered the previous Delhi freeway, the street was butter easy all the best way until Krishnanagar. From right here until Farakka, there are some diversions and rural site visitors however total it is manageable. Google Maps took me on one other journey in Berhampore the place it guided me by means of some rural roads and a police battalion to attach me with Ramendra Sundar Tribedi Bridge on NH 12. As soon as I crossed the bridge, the roads grew to become butter easy as soon as once more, all the best way until Farakka.

Prepare on the Farakka Barrage

As a baby, I used to be all the time excited every time we crossed Farakka on our prepare journeys. Felt the identical infantile pleasure once more whereas using over it and was fortunate sufficient to see a prepare move by means of on the similar time. The freeway has some damaged patches close to Malda, Google Maps took me by means of Raiganj city, which took a very good 35-40mins to cross. Undecided if the bypass is prepared.

I had learn concerning the dreaded Dalkhola stretch. Fortunately the bypass was open and I sailed by means of this stretch.

Kishanganj was one other place the place I confronted site visitors and a few dangerous stretches. I reached Siliguri outskirts by 7pm and reached my vacation spot for the day – one other cousin’s place by 7:30pm. Had a home-cooked dinner and simply fell asleep. Guwahati was simply only a day’s experience away. Though this stretch was the shortest of my journey thus far, it took essentially the most time and was essentially the most tiring. Kolkata-Siliguri is such an essential stretch and it takes 13-14 hours to cowl it. Hopefully, issues enhance as soon as all of the constructions are accomplished.

Day 5:Siliguri-Guwahati:474kms

I used to be fairly conversant in this stretch and therefore was relaxed. I left Siliguri at round 8am. Deliberate to take the Sevoke route, because it’s extra scenic and likewise as a result of there isn’t any truck site visitors. Very quickly, I had reached the Dooars – essentially the most stunning stretch of my journey.

Chasing a prepare by means of the Dooars!

Crossed the Coronation bridge, with the Teesta River roaring beneath. There was heavy police presence alongside the whole stretch that day for some purpose. Stopped for breakfast at Oodlabari, the place I met a gentleman using a Bajaj Avenger to Guwahati. He was curious after seeing a KA-registered bike there and we had a small chat. I might have ridden along with him however he was going at a gradual tempo of 50-60kmph so I bid farewell and went forward. Crossed tea gardens and innumerable bridges alongside the best way. I entered Assam at round 2pm.

It felt surreal, I had really pulled this off! In my pleasure, I barely took any extra stops and rode on and reached my residence in Guwahati by 5pm.

The Saraighat Bridge… House!

So there it’s, an merchandise off my bucket listing. My huge wall of textual content ends right here. I’m glad to have pulled this off and thank the gods for dealing with completely zero issues on the journey!

Some numbers

• Whole distance lined = 2956 km
• Whole gas consumed = ~ 85 litres
• Whole days on the street = 5
• Reminiscences collected = Priceless!

Odometer Studying: BLR-KOL

Odometer studying: KOL-GHY

6 states in per week!

The whole route!

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