Riding through Bhutan on motorcycles

An awesome yet challenging trip as the roads and weather were rough and tough

Sandeep Patnala and B. Sai Karthik during their motorcycle trip to Bhutan.

Two city lads had spent their summer vacation in a way that very few die-hard travellers would dare to do. When the city was tormented by oppressive heat, Sandeep Patnala, an assistant professor in Lakkireddy Balireddy College of Engineering, and B. Sai Karthik, a business development manager at OYO Rooms, travelled to Bhutan, the Land of Thunder Dragon, on a 16-day-motorcycle trip starting from May 1. It took four days for the duo to reach the border of Bhutan from West Bengal and four days to reach the dragon land as they travelled by road on their motorcycles from their hometown Vijayawada, which is about 2,000 kilometres ride.

“The ultimate aim was going to Bhutan, which is located on the range of Himalayas, on our motorcycles and we made plans accordingly,” said Mr. Sandeep who is back in city. Narrating the sequence of the exciting trip to the neighbouring country, he said: “On day four of the trip, we were in Bhutan and got the immigration permission at Phuentsholing for us both and our motorcycles. We then rode through places like Paro, Thimphu, the capital city, Phunaka, Trongsa and others covering the entire road network in a week.

“It was an awesome yet challenging trip as the roads and weather were rough and tough. We had to manoeuvre through toughest mountain roads which were flush with mud following rains. Climate was the best part as it was cool in the night, hot in the day and rainy in the evening. Locals are very helpful and violation of any traffic rule is seen as major crime. Overtaking a vehicle and honking are strictly prohibited.”

Sai Karthik said they had travelled about 5,700 kilometres including 1,300 kilometres in Bhutan. “The roads are too dangerous for a novice motorcyclist on mountain roads. It takes seven to eight hours to travel a distance of 150 kilometres.”

The duo said they had carried spare parts of their vehicles along with repair kits, tents and other travel needs.

Mr. Sandeep and Mr. Karthik travelled along with a group of bikers on their way to Thimphu but they were unaware that one of them was actor Kelly Dorji, who played villain in Telugu and Hindi movies until he approached them.