Kolkata To Tripura Day 3 Alipurduar to Shillong

#kolkatatotripurabiketrip,#shillong, #hunter350, #tripura, #sudurerpiyasi
Today's ride was from Damanpur (near Alipurduar, West Bengal) to Shillong (Meghalaya) via Guwahati (Assam), more than 400km via three states. Due to fog we started late from Damanpur, at around 7:45am. But thankfully the road condition was all along good except for a few small stretches in Assam. Within an hour we crossed West Bengal - Assam border near Barobisha and entered Kokrajhar district of Assam. The road condition in Kokrajhar has definitely improved in last few years. After Kokrajhar we crossed Bongaigaon (famous for its oil refinery), Barpeta Road (the junction point for reaching Manas wildlife Sanctuary) and Rangia. After Rangia the road to the left headed towards Tezpur and we turned left towards Guwahati. Crossing the Saraighat bridge over majestic Brahmaputra river before Guwahati was a great experience. It took us more than half an hour to cross the congested city of Guwahati and finally cross the Assam-Meghalaya border. The 90 km distance from Guwahati to Shillong is indeed a rider's paradise. The beauty of Khasi Hills, the silky smooth winding roads the breathtaking view of Umiam Lake just 15 km before Shillong town will surely mesmerize you. Although we were a bit tensed about getting a suitable hotel in Shillong on the Christmas eve, but we could easily get a budget lodge near the TB hospital area of Shillong. The town is in festive mood on 24th December and looks really gorgeous. However, we are not near to explore Shillong (did it few years back). Tomorrow we will start early for Tripur. So a good night's rest is a must. Please stay with us for the next episodes of our Tripura ride in Hunter 350.