Finally reached Namsai at 4:45 - it was almost dark by this time. Locals told me that the best place to stay is the Circuit house which is about half a km away from the Teenali (meeting point of three roads), the heart of Namsai. Bad luck: some VIPs are coming tomorrow, and the circuit house is out of bounds to commoners! Next try at the forest IB - this one turns to be an isolated place with gates locked. I decide to settle for whatever the lodge has to offer - which I am told is quite bad. Meanwhile, I visit the Theatre close by. Loud music is blaring from the speakers, and interrupted by the frequent announcements. The string of temporary shops selling boiled eggs, channa and some other eatables complete the picture.
Finally, time to head to the only lodge in town - hotel Woishali (!). Dingy rooms without electricity(people tell me that his outstanding power bill was over a lakh rupees and they cut the line!) for 70 bucks. Shared toilets, the state of which I don't even need to describe. Toilet on first floor looks unused, and hence safe to use. Water supply courtesy borewell. Two small candles complimentary!
I have a 15 rupee meal (dal+chawal+two subjies) at a close by hotel - and then do a round of the bazaar. Then do some checks about the distance to Guwahati. KP is going to courier some equipment to me which I intend to fit in Guwahati - I'll need to be able to change gears before I attack Shillong and Darjeeling!
Finally time to write down experiences on the laptop (quickly running out of charge). Will be asleep before nine. Target for tomorrow -Dibrugarh - about 120 km away. Promises to be mindless riding. I have an option to get a new deraileur at Tinsukia - but I am having some fun riding this mono-speed bike, and don't intend to change that till Guwahati.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Nice description of the shoddy hotel where you stayed. Complimentary candles to burn in the night, from a hotel owner who has n't paid 1 lakh rupees to the electricity board. The reason for no water availability, could be that he had outstanding bills with the water board too. ;-)
As you travel the breadth of India, you come across some funny people and he should be one.
Post a Comment