MOTORCYCLE TRIP INDIA – RUMTEK 

After leaving Bhutan, we have to get used to the crowded and bustling India again. Plus, there’s the heat. From Jaigaon, we want to get to Sikkim as quickly as possible, meaning back to the mountains. We only need to cover 260 km in the heat. The road isn’t as bad as we expected. The traffic seems lighter than we anticipated. The weather is also in our favor – we have overcast skies all day, making the temperatures bearable. The only “mishap” of the day is a small navigational error, which resulted in passing through the awful and exceptionally crowded Siliguri.

Our planned route bypassed Siliguri by far. From Siliguri to Sikkim is not far anymore. Unfortunately, it turns out that we encounter a large wave of Indians heading to Sikkim for the Hindu festival of Durga Puja.

EXPERIENCES ON THE WAY TO RUMTEK 

The traffic is terrible, and the road is narrow, winding, and full of potholes. Most jeeps drive crazily, overtaking on bends and ignoring oncoming traffic. This, of course, causes several sharp brakes and skids on our motorcycles. We also see at least a few wrecked trucks at the bottom of the valley. At the West Bengal-Sikkim border, our permits are meticulously checked. All foreigners traveling to Sikkim must have special permits to travel in this region. The last four kilometers to Rumtek we ride in the rain. It’s high time to end the ride for the day.

In Rumtek, we stay in a small guesthouse located in the Buddhist monastery complex for which Rumtek is famous. We manage to visit the “Black Hat” sect’s monastery that same evening.

Then we hunker down in our cozy room. It starts to rain heavily. It rains all night and the next day without stopping. We can’t go anywhere – the wall of water makes it almost impossible to see. We have a forced day of rest, sleeping, and reading books. The next night is also rainy, but the morning surprises us with sunshine, and we can continue our journey north of Sikkim.

MOTORCYCLE TRIPS TO INDIA – SINGHIK 

The “national highway” to Singhik, charmingly named “North Sikkim Highway,” has very little in common with a highway. We don’t expect it to be one either. Unfortunately, the road, despite being the most important in the entire region, turns out to be a major failure. The width of the road no longer frightens or surprises us, but its condition is much worse than we thought. Every few kilometers, we have to deal with landslides or huge potholes. The 70 km to Singhik takes us almost 3 hours. Towards the end, we encounter a large convoy of jeeps with Indian tourists. Everyone gets blocked, and we have to crawl at the end of the group. Singhik, supposedly offering beautiful views of the Kanchenjunga massif, greets us with rain and clouds. It seems the downpour that caught us two days earlier in Rumtek has moved to northern Sikkim. We can forget about seeing Kanchenjunga.

We decide against going further north, where we were told, “the good road ends, and the dirt road begins.” With the current weather conditions, we would have to plow through considerable mud, and we have no desire for that. In Singhik, we stay with a local Sikkimese family. Communication is mainly through gestures, but it’s very homely and atmospheric. For dinner and breakfast, we get local delicacies served in pots. The only drawback is our “friend” – a large black spider resembling a tarantula that settles in our bathroom and refuses to leave. We have no choice but to make friends with it for one night.

From Singhik, we want to travel to western Sikkim. This time we plan to take local roads – no longer the highway. Knowing the state of the highway, we are a bit worried. Quickly, we find out that all roads in northern Sikkim, except the “highway,” are blocked and completely impassable. This is the result of the recent rains and the earlier monsoon season. There are so many landslides that local authorities can’t keep up with clearing them. We confirm the poor road conditions with several local carriers. Everyone says the same thing.

We have no choice but to return to Gangtok via our favorite “highway” and from there head west through the unaffected southern part of the region. In Gangtok, we stay for one night. We want to experience a bit of civilization. Jurek craves Italian food – we haven’t had a proper pizza in almost six months. He insists on finding an Italian restaurant, so we spend half the evening wandering the city in search of a pizzeria. It turns into a long walk, but we finally succeed! We find the only pizzeria in town.

That day, we also meet a group of Poles. Overall, Gangtok does not leave an overwhelmingly positive impression on us. The largest city in Sikkim and the regional capital lacks the charm of smaller towns scattered in the valleys.

Peeling is one of the favorite vacation spots for residents of West Bengal. They escape here from the heat of the Indian lowlands. From Peeling, you can enjoy the most beautiful view of Kanchenjunga in all of Sikkim.

Unfortunately, during our visit, the “Mountain” is constantly shrouded in thick clouds. However, we manage to walk around the area and visit several important Buddhist monasteries in Sikkim. All are beautifully located on cliffs, high above the valley. Unfortunately, it starts raining again in the evening. We are getting a bit tired of this Sikkim rain. Only in the morning does the weather improve, and through a “weather window” in the clouds, the mighty Kanchenjunga appears. Finally, we get to see it!

MOTORCYCLING IN DARJEELING

Riding a motorcycle in Darjeeling is also quite a challenge. The city is very densely built and vertically spread over a steep slope. Every now and then, we have to navigate steep (and, as usual, bumpy) turns, and the traffic is heavy. In such topographical conditions, sudden stops of our heavy Honda Africa Twin motorcycles, forced by unpredictable maneuvers of the Indians, are neither easy nor pleasant. There’s really no place to stand upright, and all other positions while braking result in a fall in my case. I have no chance of keeping the loaded “beast.” So, I try not to stop, honking like crazy at everyone trying to cut in front of or behind me.

We manage to get through the whole city without any unpleasant surprises. At the top of the city, we find a very nice guesthouse, where luckily, there is still one room available. We leave the motorcycles chained to a fence on a narrow street just below the guesthouse.

COLONIAL BUILDINGS OF DARJEELING AND HAPPY VALLEY TEA PLANTATION

In Darjeeling, colonial influences are clearly visible. Many buildings (especially schools) still remember colonial times. At the same time, the city has a carefree and idyllic atmosphere. A major attraction is the still-operating Darjeeling steam narrow-gauge railway. Of course, we have to take a ride on this whistling steam relic. Besides the steam railway, a must-do during a stay in Darjeeling is a visit to at least one tea plantation. We visit Happy Valley, the highest-located plantation. There, we can observe the entire tea-making process: from picking fresh leaves to packing them in beautiful boxes ready for shipment.

LEISURE TIME IN DARJEELING. A CLOSER ENCOUNTER WITH THE CULT ICON ROYAL ENFIELD

Visiting Buddhist monasteries in and around Darjeeling takes up the whole day. Intrigued by the hype around the local zoo, we visit it as well. Finally, we also have time to sleep in and leisurely “wander” around our favorite restaurants. We show up at the incomparable “Hasty Tasty” serving South Indian food at least twice a day.

We meet a very friendly couple of bikers (Enfield enthusiasts) who run a local travel agency, Adventure Unlimited. In addition to trekking and rafting trips, they organize various motorcycle trips around the area, in Sikkim, and even to Ladakh. We spend a lot of time chatting and “inspecting” various Enfields.

We allocate three days for the trip from Darjeeling to Kolkata. In the end, we manage to cover the route in two days, with one day being very, very long – 11 hours in the saddle. We leave Darjeeling before 6 am, catching a beautiful sunrise along the way. The first part of the road is the last bit of mountains. Traditionally, we choose a side road. We want to avoid passing through our “least favorite” Siliguri. The choice turns out to be a hit: the road is beautiful, empty, and surrounded by tea plantations. Kanchenjunga bids us farewell from behind.

As predicted, descending to the lowlands greets us with heat and increasing traffic on the roads. For several kilometers, we ride on a two-lane highway, which pleasantly surprises us. Apart from having to constantly watch out for cars and animals moving against the flow, the road goes quite smoothly and quickly. Even the heat doesn’t bother us too much. After 200 km, things get tougher. The highway ends as unexpectedly as it began. The next 200 km are on a very narrow and exceptionally crowded road – after all, it’s the main artery connecting the gigantic port in Kolkata with the north of the region.

The passages through towns are particularly challenging, and in terms of “absurdities and craziness on the road,” Indians surpass themselves. Arriving in Behrampore after 11 hours of road struggles, we are truly exhausted. We don’t even have the strength to visit the local palace. We find the only hotel in town and crash like flies. The second part of the route to Kolkata seems calmer and less crowded.

MOTORCYCLE TRIP TO KALI PUJA – KOLKATA 

The real jungle, unlike anything we’ve experienced elsewhere in India, begins at the city’s outskirts. We will never forget entering Kolkata. Fortunately, we don’t have to push through to the center and drive through the entire city. In Kolkata, we stay at a friend’s house – Avik and his family. Avik lives in the northern part of the city, and we find it quite easily. The family welcomes us exceptionally warmly and friendly. For a few days, we can participate in the real, everyday life of an Indian family, including the Kali Puja celebrations.

The family celebrations of this important festival for Bengalis are unique and unforgettable for us. Family gatherings, lunches, and blessings are endless (and families here are really large). Every night, practically until morning, the sky is lit up by fireworks. Special, colorful altars dedicated to goddess Kali are set up on the streets. Not without reason, the festival is called the festival of lights. At one of the ceremonies, I wear a sari, just like a real Indian woman. Avik’s mother and sister help me properly wrap myself in the five-meter piece of fabric. It’s not easy. Of course, everyone had a great laugh (including us).

DEPARTURE FROM KOLKATA

Due to price differences, we opt for sea transport to Gdynia, foregoing the previously planned option of flying the motorcycles to Germany. Despite the initial difficulties in discussions with Continental, it turns out that with each day, things go better, faster, and more concretely. Overall, all the paperwork goes without any problems. We also don’t have to “fight” with customs officers: Continental handles the entire customs clearance process without our involvement.

ENDING THE MOTORCYCLE TRIP TO INDIA – PACKING THE MOTORCYCLES

Packing the motorcycles in wooden crates is a new experience for us. Of course, we don’t leave our equipment to the “mercy of Indian packers.” Preparing (disassembling) the motorcycles and packing them takes us practically the whole day. Fortunately, the packing team and crate preparers turn out to be quite sensible, and we have no problems packing the equipment as we wanted. Only the working conditions leave much to be desired: the whole process takes place in a dilapidated, dusty, and industrial waste-filled port warehouse.

After a full day of work, the packed motorcycles are ready to be transported to the port customs area. At this point, our motorcycle adventure in Central Asia comes to an end. The last kilometers in Asia are ridden through a particularly crowded Kolkata that day (the ride is quite exciting). Now we have a few days for a “holiday without a motorcycle.” We decide to visit Odisha and its famous temples, with the Sun Temple at the forefront. We also want to “wallow” in the warm sea and enjoy the last days of sun and good weather.

TRIP TO PURI 

After packing the motorcycles, we meet with our Enfield friends. Together, we go to a small, hidden restaurant with South Indian food. As usual, everything is delicious. At 10 pm, we are driven to the train station on Enfields, but as passengers. A 9-hour journey to Puri awaits us, of course, on a sleeper train. The only downside to this trip was the air conditioning. The train staff seemed to want to freeze the passengers, and to avoid freezing, we had to wear everything we had with us. Puri is located right by the sea and is famous for the temple of Lord Jagannatha. Unfortunately, we could only see the temple from the outside; only Hindus are allowed inside.

The owners of a nearby private library take advantage of this situation for their own needs. They invite all white tourists to the roof of the building, which offers a beautiful view of the temple. Of course, all for a “voluntary donation to the library.”

At the temple square, we encounter an incredible crowd, even by Indian standards. Our rickshaw is completely blocked by pilgrims rushing to the temple. The chaos and noise are indescribable. We quickly escape to our quiet hotel, located 6 km outside the town.

REST IN PURI 

For the last two days of our crazy vacation, we want to rest in a more “civilized” way. We hunker down for two days in a hotel with a pool, located right by the beach. Besides visiting the amazing temples of Odisha (which takes up one day), we read books, walk on the beach observing local fishermen, swim in the sea and the pool, and, of course, enjoy great seafood. We have a small, two-day “retirement holiday.”

One entire day is spent visiting the most important temples in Bhubaneswar (the capital of Odisha) and the Sun Temple in Konark. The temples of Odisha are completely different from all the ones we have seen in India before. The Sun Temple is famous for its numerous bas-reliefs depicting the Kama Sutra. In general, all the temples are beautifully decorated with bas-reliefs. We also see ancient caves inhabited by people over a thousand years ago.

In three days in Odisha, we visit all the major monuments of the region. We also have time to rest. We actually conclude that we are so rested that we could continue the journey. Only we miss our family and friends.

RETURN TO KOLKATA BY NIGHT TRAIN 

From Puri to Kolkata, we again take a night train. This time, we prudently block the air conditioning. The train is full again. We arrive in Kolkata in the morning. Before the planned visit to Continental and the customs office, we manage to sleep for two more hours. This is supposed to be a big day, the day of the motorcycle customs clearance. When we arrive at Continental, it turns out that all the “work” has already been done. Customs clearance was managed without our participation. All signs indicate that we have secured the transport of motorcycles to Gdynia, with departure from Kolkata. What a relief. The last, seemingly simple task remains: exchanging Indian rupees for euros. But in India, nothing can be too simple.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE IN KOLKATA – THE CHALLENGES WE FACED

 For over 5 hours, we wander around the center of Kolkata from bank to bank and various exchange points trying to exchange rupees for euros. Everywhere we are turned away. In exchange offices, it turns out that only Indian citizens can exchange rupees for other currencies. Foreigners can only do the reverse exchange: from foreign currencies to rupees. In banks, we are told that only the State Bank of India can help us with such an exchange, and private banks can’t do anything about it. In five different branches of the State Bank of India, various problems arise. We are generally tired and, to put it mildly, annoyed. We haven’t faced such issues with the simplest task anywhere before. Even crossing the Chinese border seemed easier than exchanging money in Kolkata. Finally, we come across a liberal and customer-friendly travel agency. There we manage to exchange money “without official confirmations.”

TRADITIONAL MEAL CONSUMPTION IN INDIA

The day before our planned departure to Poland, we manage to finish all formalities. We spend the last evening in India with Avik and his wife at a house party at their friends’ place. As usual, it’s very pleasant. For the first time (and at the very end of the trip), we have the opportunity to try eating according to the local custom – with hands, without using cutlery. Until now, someone always handed us at least a spoon. Eating rice with hands is even more difficult than with chopsticks, but somehow we manage to finish the entire meal. Traditionally, everyone had a great laugh watching our struggles with the food on the plate.

One could say that this is the end of our journey through Central Asia. After 181 days on the road, we return home. It was fantastic!

TO BE CONTINUED… 

Join us on this incredible journey. Once or twice a month, you can expect another installment of our adventure. This way, you will feel the magic of those days, discover the beauty of the places we visited, and relive all the extraordinary moments with us. Each entry is not only a story of adventures but also of the challenges we encountered along the way, the people we met, and the cultures we had the chance to explore.

The world changes, but the memories of our travels remain eternal. What we experienced shaped us and enriched our lives with incredible experiences that we want to share with you. Each episode of our journey will give you the opportunity to travel through time and space, to places full of adventures, surprises, and beautiful landscapes.

We invite you to actively participate in this journey. We look forward to your comments and reflections, and maybe even your own travel stories! Your story can be an inspiration for us and other readers. Share your experiences, insights, and questions with us. Together, we will create a community of motorcycle travel enthusiasts, ready to share knowledge and memories. 🙂

Find out more

Discover all the stages of our historic motorcycle journey from Poland to India. Read more about the Motorcycle Expedition to India with Aleksandra Trzaskowska.