The destination has been set Gangtok, Sikkim. My fellow rider was Raima Samui. The plan was very sudden. I can say one day before we started. It was supposed to be like this as a pre-planned trip never works with me.
We started at around 3:30 am (Planned to start at 3 am). I was super excited as this would be my first long and hill station ride. But to be honest, I controlled my excitement to the best as I was a bit nervous too. Thanks to Raima for keeping me running as if we were chasing the Sun :D. But don’t dare to ask her ;-).
Our ride was almost like jumping jack thanks to NH34. This awesome ride got suspended for more than an hour because of tire tube puncture in Raima’s bike. Thankfully, I got a chance to refuel myself during the break. Raima probably had decided to have dinner straight in Gangtok. God keeps watch for me it seems :-). Not only food I got a chance to take a nap as well. It was like like complimentary offer with one puncture repair ;p
When we started from here, the second interruption happened in the Dalkhola entry by traffic jams. Another hour went by. After we passed the traffic I insisted on a tea break as I am very much famous for sleep riding :p. Where we stopped, it wasn’t open for tea yet, but my request did work. And I had both mine and Raima’s tea (She doesn’t prefer tea). Still, the funny and dangerous part was, I did sleep ride to reach Siliguri and had a dream as well. And all these I informed Raima during our dinner time. Just imagine how could be someone’s expression after hearing this :-). Am I not impossible? No, you don’t have to say it, I know it 😉
So, we took a halt in Siliguri as it got dark and the first hill ride in the dark doesn’t sound good. What she suggests was about hill ride the views are, the more attractive part. How could I miss that?
The next day morning we started for Gangtok. After breakfast at the Tista riverside restaurant, we entered the Sevok road. Yes, picture time…
We reached Gangtok in the late afternoon. After a bit refreshment, we went for MG Marg, a must-visit tourist or hangout spot in Gangtok. We took our early dinner there and roam around. One of our biker friends Manish Gurung came to meet us and took us to his place. We spent a very good evening with tea and chat.
We came back to our hotel and checking our snaps. It was almost midnight and about to happen the most interesting part of our travel. If you have read till now then surely you worth hearing this one…
We had taken different snaps from our mobiles and we were exchanging those via Bluetooth. I insisted she does so for keeping the picture quality as good as the original. During the time she got a call on her mobile. But it was showing the caller picture on her mobile and playing the ringtone on my mobile. Yes, you heard it right. Wait, wait, it’s not ended here; when she received the call on her mobile the mic was used from her mobile, and the speaker sound is taken from my mobile. How was it? Have your eyes become big and round now? It’s expected actually. We were also confused about the incident as well. Why not? We were into it. Well, if you can explain the reasons behind the incident, please write it in the comment box as whoever listened to this story no one yet could explain perfectly. It sounds crazy enough.
Raima considered this as a ghost’s work, but I can hardly accept it without a proper explanation. I don’t know whether she slept that night or not, but I had a very good sleep. I had to for the next day return ride.
Again, we started early morning when it was yet to cover with Sunlight. There was fog also sometimes, but we cleared the road safely. While returning we took the Bhagalpur road. But before we left the Dalkhola, we got split and Raima lost her way too. After a long time when I couldn’t see her, nor before neither after me, I stopped and tried to call her and waited. From there we rode as close as we could so that we don’t get lost again. Before we reach Bhagalpur the second twisting part of our journey happened. How?
The road was good and two-lane. We were riding, let’s say 80-90 km/h speed. Both sides of the road have trees and the view was good as well. Not sure whether the maintenance work was going or not, but it could be. Why am I saying this? Just keep following me…
Raima was riding first and I was behind. All of certain I saw one of those trees from the left side, started bending slowly from its upper trunk, and then fall just like that. Will you believe if I say it was on Raima while riding? Well, it was. I thought she would fall with it, but she managed herself very well. Hats off to her. She pulled over a little far and I joined her. I just can’t explain how was it looking like when I reached for her. When she saw me the first statement was from her, “Hold.” And my question was, “What to hold, you or the bike?” Just imagine her expression… She shouted at me, “ME, ME you idiot!”
Her bike was full of small and medium-size tree branches. Headlight glass was broken etc. etc. It was not funny the way I explained it, it could have been ended in a bad accident. But thank God that it’s gone over small hurts and scratches. She was in pain, but she still rode with me till the end.
Bhagalpur was only a night halt before we reach our hometown. It passed with peace without any more drama. But the next day when we are about to leave and reached the hotel’s parking what we found? It took time to recognize our bike. It was completely covered, not with snow, but dust 🙁
We tied our bag on our bike and left. The next 50 km was an awesome off-road ride (for me). It wasn’t such a good experience for Raima though. We reached our home at around 4 pm and that was all of it.
So it was my First Hill Ride story. I hope you liked it in my broken English.
