Wild Wife in Assam

A Bike Trip in Assam.

Thursday and we are doing last minute packing. So we are off to Dibrugahr about three hundred miles east, Bhonti, Gita’s sister and Majoni,  sister in law, are coming with us. Deepa, another sister in law, is missing out as she has to take time out from work. I get the impression of some family discord over this. An easy flight on a prop engined plane that takes about an hour. Taking off north east over the Brahmaputra river and turning right over the Pakke Tiger Reserve then east following the river.  We are in Dibrugahr by early afternoon, collected by taxi and delivered to Chinmoy’s place near the village of Tini Ali. This is a literal name in that Tini means three and Ali means road. It is the meeting of three roads. Chinmoy has arranged for me to see a Himalayan and would hire it for me. I decline but have a ride on an old 350 Bullet that is a right gear change and left foot brake. No helmet, nothing just a nice breeze in shirt sleeves however it stops on me because the fuel tap is not on properly. Fortunately Chinmoy is with me on his Bullet and I’m quickly on my way again. I even manage to kick start it without drama. 

The old British Bike feel just like the old Bullet I had when I was eighteen now that is nostalgia. My Velocette Valiant seemed faster and so much smoother being a light weight flat twin. Later we went off to Tini Ali to see a Hamalayan that I could ride if I wanted the next day. It had a broken head race and had a very clunky steering. This would not be good for slow speed manoeuvring. Back to Chinmoy’s home then we were out again to see Chinmoy’s sister and doing a round robin visited one of our friends father  who is very ill and then dropped in on Neal Akash at his studio in Moran Hat, Assamese Pop Star. We have connections.Just d roping a few names if you can remember my article of my trip to L’Aigle 2018, when I had a sick bike and needed to take a car, “Not a bike trip’. The car you saw at L’Aigle was used in a pop video for another star Manas Robin. If you feel the need, you can see it on Youtube in the song titled Gun Gun. Then back for a few beers and a not very early night when a few biker friends popped around.

Majoni, Gita , Bhonti and me by the Brahmaputra.

Friday was the little trip out on the bikes with all of Chinmoys friends. I had a choice of bikes and chose the old Bullet I had ridden the evening before. It was Chinmoy’s brother’s bike. Totally illegal but was nice to ride for a change. Soon the road turned to a sandy track as we headed off to the banks of the Brahmaputra. Lots of pictures, selfies and videos were taken on the way. Just before the river we stopped for the rest of the family, in the car, to catch up. It was a photo shoot with Gita Bhonti and Majoni taking turns posing on the back of the bike. 

Gita stayed with me as we went on to the river back to park up. Deep sand is no fun two-up and it was hard work keeping the bike going where I wanted it to go. We had a picnic on the bank, more selfies and the ladies paddling and posing. We had a drone buzzing us taking more pictures.Someone had made a selfie stick from some available vegetation. 

Going shopping on the way.

On the beach.

Early afternoon we made our way back to Chinmoy’s to go out in the car. There were selfies and videos taken on nearly everyones phones. Not something I would want to do in the UK. I would be scared of dropping the phone. I know the damn thing would switch itself off or not work when you pressed the take icon or something just so I would not be able to manage it. Even so enough of the guys got pictures and videos making it the best part of the day.