Bhalukpong to Guwahati

bpong river
payeng accident
Rangeela
my petrol
dusty ghy
11 pm
21 April 2011
This was our last day of riding. Which was why we were reluctant to start. It was Nilu's idea to hand over the leftover meat and rice to the cook to turn it into breakfast. The cook did an excellent job of frying the rice. This time all the utensils were cleaned. After breakfast, we decided to head down to the Bhalukpong river. Despite his limp, Nilu joined us. Time was passing too quickly. Our vacation was nearing the end. We enjoyed a good hour at the riverside. Doley wetted Dutta and Gyan, Dutta lost the sole of his shoe, stones were collected as mementos. But we did have to leave sometime.
Finally at 1 PM, the return journey started. We filled up at the closest petrol pump. All except me. I had judged that my tank had enough petrol to make it to Guwahati. This would be proved very wrong later. It was then at the petrol pump that a frog jumped out from nowhere on my tank. It was startling.
We left Arunachal hoping to visit the eastern part next time. The ride was still adventurous. PayengDa met with an accident with a women on a cycle. She was bruised but OK. We applied first aid to her wounds gave Rs 500 as repair for the cycle and carried on. Had such an incident happened up north, the damages would have been much more.
We were in for a surprise. Many stretches that were under construction during our previous journey, were now complete. So, the going was very quick. Since, we were making such good progress, we stopped at a roadside ahaata at Tezpur. Rangeela bar and restaurant. They offered HeMan 9000 beer. Such was our reluctance to progress that we repeated our order.
Again, we started. It was 4 PM now. A stop only 10 minutes later. Beer is bad for the bladder.
It was getting dark now. Again, we started. This time, only I stopped. My petrol had run out. So much for my level judgment. My recently changed, lockable petrol Tee does not strike reserve. That was the root cause. Dutta was the first to arrive. He enjoyed a good laugh seeing that finally, someone else was the butt of jokes. I took some petrol from his tank and then some from Nilu's. Gyan waited a petrol pump 7 kms ahead.
We set off again after I fuelled up. This time we faced traffic. Lots of it. We had been lucky earlier owing to the festive season. It grew denser and denser as we neared Guwahati. Trucks from the entire seven North-Eastern states converge here. Doley had now relaxed to an easy going pace. I had to keep my visor open because the oncoming headlights sparkled on the visor. That meant, I had to brave the pounds of dust. The worst case is at the Brahmaputra bridge.
All of us regrouped after crossing the bridge, near Rajiv Chowk. The endurance was over. We went in a relaxed pace till Gyan's home. Dinner was already prepared. His parents were asleep. That was good for us as we were covered in dust. Gyan took out glasses and whiskey. This was the final cheers of the ride. We had one more day left at Guwahati. Tommorow would be the bike loading day.