Day 6: Rawpui to South Vanlalphai

Day 6: Rawpui to South Vanlalphai

A few kilometers off from Rawpui, we stopped at the Pangzawl Market for tea. It was 6am in the morning but people were already up and about. 

After tea, we were on the road again riding through the hills with deep gorges on one side and tall hills on the other. The clouds covering the valley below were a spectacular sight and we stopped for many Kodak moments. The roads were small and narrow and with the overgrown bush growing towards the road, it became even smaller.

Sadly most of the pictures and videos taken on this trip got corrupted and I also lost a good 80% of the videos. It�s the same feeling that you get when you realize that you have a puncture in the middle of nowhere; with no tools to take off the tyre nor did you carry any pump/sealant. Yes, that helpless, frustrating, heart breaking, mind boiling feeling that engulfs you; yet with that slight hope of some help coming along.That�s how I felt too. I could recover some of the files with the help of a friend, but most are lost. Lesson Learnt. Next time, back up the files on the move.

Veering off the highway, we were on the backroads again. This was a lovely stretch with many waterfalls flowing across the road. It looked like a mini Leh � Ladakh Highway. With South Vanlalphai not far away, we took our time on the road and Andy and I took turns in riding around and taking photos and videos for each other. I think we could have made a neat documentary, especially with all the good �ol songs from Andy�s playlist.

On reaching Hnahthial, there was a bird sanctuary just next to the Petrol Pump. We couldn�t visit it then but hopefully soon again. We stopped for lunch and a bit of power nap at Hnahthial. The eateries or food shops are very differently set up in Mizoram. The shops are not crowded with tables and chairs but they are roomy with just a few tables and chairs with wooden sofas on the sides of the room/shops. In the interior parts, I had doubts on which was a home and which was shop. They look just the same. 

Riding on, we reached Darzo, my most awaited point of the ride. There was a big river that we had to cross by either a hanging bridge or a ferry. There was a new bridge under construction for small cars but it was not functional at that time. The path going down to the river bank was muddy and full of deep ruts. When we reached the river bank, there was no one around. We could see the ferries but no people around us. Being monsoon, the rapids were flowing ferociously and we thought that the ferries would not be functioning because of the strong river current. We didn�t want to turn back either because going back means riding uphill on the slippery and deep rutted path. But, if the ferries weren�t working, we would have no choice but to ride back up again and cross from the suspension bridge. Being a little worried and a little skeptical about the crossing, we did what we could do best to take our minds off it� started posing and clicking pics. Thankfully, after a few minutes, the ferry guys showed up. Phewww!! What a relieve! They helped us push our bikes onto the ferry and were also kind enough to take videos of the ferry ride for us. I was holding on for a bumpy ride across the river but it turned out to be pretty smooth and riding off the ferry felt like we were Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman on their Long Way Round ride.

That look of not wanting to cross by the Suspension Bridge :P 










On the other side of the river


The Suspension Bridge


Andy Checking out the bridge

I still look back quite often to this part of the ride. It was such a good moment for me. The sight of the ferries on the river bank, the ferocious muddy river, the suspension bridge and the thick forests was an experience on its own. And it also made us feel like Rambo would come out anytime with a Bazooka from other side of the river. 

Leaving Darzo Kai, we kept riding uphill to South Vanlalphai. The road was small and narrow with the bushes brushing your arms in the corners. You could hardly see two turns ahead, most them were blind turns and two cars can hardly pass each other. We saw a huge rock on the road which had just tumbled down from the hill-side. Hmmmm I guess the ferry guys were late for reason  

On reaching the top of the mountain, there was a view point from where you can see the endless chains of hills and mountains with the river deep between the valleys and the clouds hovering above the hills. Mizoram is full of these views and they get even better in South Mizoram. These are something which words can�t really describe. You have to see them for yourself and feel what it�s like to experience such great sights and amazing views.

That's what Andy Calls himself, The Element Rider 

We met Andy�s friend on the outskirts of South Vanlalphai and spent some time in his farm. After that we headed to the Rest House which Andy�s friend had booked for us. 

Fishes from the farm

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The view from the room was just amazing: the field, the hills, the fog was a sight you will never get tired of seeing. The tap in the bathroom had a mind of its own though. We waited for warm water from the geyser but finding the tap-combination for the warm water felt like trying to open a vault. No matter how much you try to turn the water levers, warm water would just not pour out. I could feel the water pipe from the geyser was warm but the water would not just come out. I never knew it could be so hard and we ended up having a cold bath again. I finally understood the saying, �So close yet so far� in it�s truest form on this day.

The Tourist Lodge




View from the room

We had dinner at the friend�s place with his family. They cooked fresh fish from their farm. It was a good meal and we came back for a good rest

Day 5: Champhai to Rawpui

Day 5: Champhai to Rawpui

It was a misty morning and it stayed that way for almost the whole day. Leaving Champhai, we hoped it won't pour down as much as it did when we arrived. It was a cool breezy morning with a slight drizzle, on and off. All in all, it was a fresh start for the day. 


Leaving the Circuit House


Breakfast





On the outskirts of Kelkang, we met a modern day cowboy on the road  Yes, with his four horses meant to carry the veggies from the fields to the market. It was a really nice encounter, us meeting the ‘cowboy’ and the bikes meeting their 'original' inspiration. 




The Cowboy



The road from Kelkang to Kaulbung was a gravel road winding through forests. The green surroundings, the gravel road and the two of us riding side by side was a spectacular feeling. When you ride outside of Aizawl, there are waiting/resting sheds after every few kilometers. These sheds have been most of our stopping breaks where we can just sit down, lie back and relax.
















We reached Khuangleng by afternoon and had our lunch there. Lunch was always good; Good Food! From there we rode on to Khawbung where we stopped for a tea break and were suggested to take a short cut to Biate. This short-cut turned out to be one of the best trails I’ve ridden so far – mud, slush and gravel through the middle of nowhere. Being an offroad enthusiast, the sight of bad, broken and no roads gets me real high. And riding through these trails was a treat for me. It is such a good feeling when you are riding in lonely places. Yes the silence does creep in but more than that, being amidst nature and riding along with a good buddy brings about a sense of serenity towards one's perception of things. That's why after a long ride, you keep longing for more. Or might have already planned for the next trip while on your way back from the current ride that you are on. It's like meditation, but extended for days.

Crossroad .. We went Right




Just looking at the pic makes me feel so fresh 


Some fun in the Short - cut




After 5 hours of riding in the forest trails we finally reached Biate in the evening and re-connected with the Old Lunglei Highway. It felt so good to see a hamlet after riding for almost half a day through lonely trails. The kids (neither mine nor Andy's  ) who were so excited to see the bikes made tiredness disappear; yeah, much better than redbull. 





My bike’s chain was really dry and we found a Workshop in Biate where we could oil the chain. I learnt that when you’re riding long distance in the monsoon, it’s better to carry an extra can of chain lube as the chain tends to become dry after every two days. The rain, puddles and muck keeps washing the lubricant off and leaves the chain dry.


Tightening and oiling the chain

Leaving Biate we rode towards Keitum. We took our time on the road, stopped for pictures, took breaks and just sat on the road with music blaring from Andy’s Bluetooth Speaker Bar. I realized these breaks are more enjoyable than the ride at certain stretches. Riding long distance is more about riding with your heart rather than with your mind. Like Andy said, too much calculations kind of takes the fun away from the ride as you tend to become tense and over-think. It’s nice to just stop when you are tired. It’s better to reach 1-2 hours late rather than keep stressing yourself. That takes all the fun away from the ride.





The road ahead
PC: Andy Vee


East Lundar Market


Soundbar Break! 

We were riding in the night and the LEDs were doing a great job illuminating the road ahead of us. I had just one of each but a pair of Flood and Spot LEDs is a boon for long distance night riding. A good illumination on the road means a cooler head to ride with. 



Andy rode over a snake and was feeling bad about it until he realized that his phone had fallen off from the side-box. We turned back in search of the phone but thankfully it fell off just a few turns away. I failed to see both the snake and the phone though I was riding in front, hence,Need better lights! 



We reached Keitum around mid-night and were trying to find a place to eat. All the shops were closed but we came across a person who called up one of the owners of the shops and they opened just for us. People here are very friendly and helpful, if they see you stop by the roadside, they will stop to offer their help and if needed, they will wait and help till your bike/car is fixed.


If you look closely, you can see an outline of me. Need fair and handsome cream! hehehOur plan was to reach South Vanlalphai but it was still a long way to go and we were tired after riding the whole day. So we decided to stop at the next Waiting Shed for the night. We rode till Rawpuii and stopped at the waiting shed there, happy to finally get to rest for the night. But man! We were in for a rude surprise visit. It seems the wild mosquitoes, or commonly known as Vaihmite (Vai-mee-tae) in Mizoram, were quite fond of bikers too as they gave us unwelcomed tags through-out the night. We slept for 2 hours after which we couldn’t take any more of the high 5s and tags of the Vaihmite. Got up and hit the road again at 5 in the morning.


Our room for the night