Kolkata To Bhutan By Road in Fiat Avventura


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I have got my new FIAT Avventura and we plan to take it to Bhutan by Road.
I am trying to write a small travelogue.

At the very first please excuse me , if I miss any point. I am not an avid writer and hence I may not be completely perfect in writing. Do ask as many questions as you like. I will try to give you answers as much as possible.

OUR GROUP

1. Me - Subhendu from Kolkata
2. My Wife
3. My Son - 16 yrs
4. My daughter - 7 yrs old
5. My brother - weight - 75 kg from Bilaspur
6. His Wife
7. His Daughter - 6 yrs old

A group of 7 in Avventura
Our Luggage -
1. 2 big suitcase of the size of 28 inch
2. 2 Big Size Rock sack
3. Innumerable small bags containing food for the road and other items.

The increase in size of the luggage was that we had to carry all our winter dresses as some places in Bhutan during our trip will have temperature ranging from 4 deg C to 18 deg C. With forecasts of rainfall , we had to carry umbrellas also.

It was communicated to us by some of my friends and relatives who had previously been there , that will be impossible for the kids to take Bhutanese foods as they eat lot of chillies. So for the two kids we even got a rice-cooker and rice. We had a kg of noodles of different types. But all these came back intact. Why ? I will tell you.

Four of us (myself, my wife and our kids) got our entry permits from Bhutan Consulate Kolkata. But my brother could not get his papers done.
We have to get the car permit also from Bhutan.

The trip planned. My Brother came from Bilaspur by train to Kolkata on 10.04.2016. We planned to start on 11.04.2016 at 4.00 AM in the morning.

Modifications i did in my car before leaving
1. Changed the headlight bulbs to Philips Extreme vision - there is a marked difference
2. Changed the tyre air to NITROGEN. Did not felt any difference , but then OK , people say it keeps tyres cool. Maybe.
3. Got a new car mobile charger as mine was creating problems.

We packed our luggage in the car on the night of 11.04.2016. There were two bags on the roof top of AVVY(!!!)
 

bhvm

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Re: Kolkata to Bhutan on Road

Absolutely Hooked to your thread!
Please keep updates coming!
 
Thread Starter #3
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Re: Kolkata to Bhutan on Road

Day 1
Started at 4.30 AM from our house in Dum Dum.
The planned route is Dum - Dum - NH2 - Burdwan - SH7 - Moregram - NH34 - Raiganj - Botolbari- B2B road- Dhantola - Islampur - Siliguri - Sevok - Hasimara.

My latest inquiry from friends with Ola and Taxi friends about the condition of NH34 is that , NH34 between Ranaghat to Berhampore is in very very bad shape. B2B road was taken into consideration to avoid Dalkhola traffic Jam.
We planned to go as as far as possible in Day 1.

Reached Burdwan at about 5.45. Took a small morning Tea Break. Since we had two kids , I knew we have to take more breaks.
The tea was refreshing.
The Tea Break with toilets lasted for 20 mins. We started off again
 

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Thread Starter #4
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Re: Kolkata to Bhutan on Road

SH7 is absolutely beautiful between Burdwan and Futisako where the cars average speed was 85-95 km/hr considering it was full of bends and through the villages. After Futisako , the road condition worsens and we reached Moregram about 8.00 AM - time for breakfast.
We had our breakfast beside Moregram BP Petrol pump . The car was again made full tank.
The Moregram crossing of NH34 is place to be seen. I can guarantee that even the moon's surface have smaller size crater's than this. Burdwan to Moregram a distance of 97 km took us exactly 2.30 hrs.

In breakfast we had roti from the house and sabji from the shop + Tea + Toilet + ciigs.

Started again at 8.30 AM.

Crossed Farakka Bridge without much hassle (!!!!) - God had surprises for me. After farakka you get 4 line Highway till Kaliachak.
I was driving at 100-110 kmph. Reached Kaliachak at 10.00 AM.

GOT STUCK

From My previous experiences, I took hold of a CTC bus back , and crossed the jam with much fighting , reached Malda at about 12.10 PM.
Till now everything looked OK and my plans to reach Dhupguri / maynaguri by late evening/night seemed possible. Then got into a jam at Malda By pass (by pass by name only- Toto and Auto ply on these roads). Reached a hotel on NH34 after crossing Malda town at about 1.30-1.40 PM.

We had our lunch by 2.00 PM and started again. Time was running out now. The four lane disappeared shortly and the road conditions slowly deteriorated , result the average speed dropped to 45-50 km/hr.
Took the botolbari B2B road just after Raiganj.
The road condition was good. But there is lot of traffic and the road goes through innumerable villages.
The end of the road i.e. towards NH34 Dhantola is again very bad , and even with 205 mm of ground clearance , I had a scrapped belly touch.
It was getting evening , and hence we changed our plans to stay at Siliguri.

Stopped at Islampur for a Tea break

We reached Siliguri about 8.40 PM and found a hotel and called it a day
 
Thread Starter #5
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Re: Kolkata to Bhutan on Road

DAY 2.
Original plan was to start at 5.30 AM. But then got delayed and started at about 6.15 AM after a car wash.
Reached the famous Coronation bridge and after crossing it , it was lush green tea estates and the famous Hasimara forest
Reached Bhutan border at 10.30 AM after in-numerous photo sessions in the jungle and tea estate.

We were welcomed at the border with a nice beautiful gate at the check post.
The moment you cross that gate , that very moment you will find the difference. The Indian side is road full of dirt here and there, rickshaws, auto , people HONKING , shouting.
 

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Thread Starter #10
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How much you paid for Philips
The pair costed me Rs 850/- approx. It was from a local vendor in my locality.

That day I was very hectic with my own business as I would be out for long 10 days every thing has to be explained to the juniors and to my partners. I was so tired that , i did not felt like going to the main market for the lights.

We packed our luggage at night and went to sleep at 9.30 PM. But since the habit of going to sleep at 12.30 PM , I was not at all feeling sleepy plus the excitement to driving in the mountains.

Got up at 3.30 AM in the morning. The kids were probably awake the whole night.

7 People in a Hatch... That's going to be one crazy t'log
YES 7 people. And the luggage of 7 people with winter clothes. Kolkata was 41 deg C at that time and Bhutan was Max 15 deg C and minimum 4 deg C.
Thanks to Fiat for making the top railing of Avventura functional. We could tie our luggage at the roof top without any attachment.
 
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Lovely travelogue..Pls continue.I am also planing to go to Bhutan this may end.Yesterday went to Bhutan Consulate and they told me permit iwill be issued only after 10th June.
 
Thread Starter #15
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Lovely travelogue..Pls continue.I am also planing to go to Bhutan this may end.Yesterday went to Bhutan Consulate and they told me permit iwill be issued only after 10th June.
If you go at the end of may what will you do with the permit in june?

7 people in a hatch is tight. But am sure you enjoyed.

Do you have a roof carrier or is the luggage tied to the roof rails
No carrier - You can see the photo. The roof rails were used

Can you elaborate specification of Philips Xtreme
55/60
 

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