Drive off past the Catholic Mission leaving Hotel Blue Pine and Ziro. The road winds around out of the bowl valley in which Ziro sits before dropping over the other side. On our way down Niron was clearly having troubles with the horn, first not sounding and then sticking. In India this is a very concerning thing, especially in the hills. We have found from the driving perspective that the roads are quite narrow and thanks up here to the greatly varying surface conditions people drive in the middle and are loath to deviate fro their path or turn corners overly cautiously. Therefore the horn is used as the constant warning signal, though even then some people still come zooming around the corner. On the flats and less often up here the horn is also used to encourage both animals and people off the road. Sometimes this is successful.
The steering wheel plate was dismantled and various adjustments made in an attempt to resolve the issue but the sensitivity just wasn't right and so adjustments continued. As this was occurring passing traffic heard our testing and obviously took the stuck horn to be a challenge answering back in similar tones of metallic squeal. Thankfully after fifteen minutes of fine tuning it was decided that the issue was successfully addressed and so we were once again on our way.
Lots of traffic coming up as we drove down towards the big rice paddy fields on the valley flats at Yazali. Forced to stop for our first police check post since entering Arunachal. All fine as we continue on, Tesio pulling some weed through the window as we pass, which turns out to weed of a different sort. We have passed quite a bit since coming down but I had not really been paying any attention. Apparently can be enjoyed in Assamese curry and quite nice boiled with milk.
Pass another BRO drink driving sign variation, "Drive on horse power not on rum power". Come to a road junction where we take the lower road, the higher leading to Itanagar (the capital of Aruanchal Pradesh). Drive through Potin where there appears to be quite a few biscuit tin shed road side settlements of road workers. Climb back up and look down at a small dam that has pooled enough water behind it's walls that there is little evident flow below stream. Stop for chai before continuing back down still following the river past increasingly craggy countryside and large rock walls. The sun is shining and the day turning out to be quite hot with no sign of rain. Having dropped back down toward the plains the temperature is definitely increasing.
Through some really rough sections of road before it starts to improve at Kimin LPG bottling plant. Hillsides now lower foothills and increasingly vine covered. Stop again this time at Kimin Police station where we exit Arunachal back into Assam. Faster to head west on the flats then north. Mosquito sign warning regarding malaria. One of the points, no.5 reads "cooperate with the health team in the DDT spray operation" and no.6 " protect yourself from the mosquito bite by spraying DDT in your house".
Once back on the flats enter our first Tea plantations since last in Assam. Ladies with broad brimmed hats to protect against the sun. Onto the NH52 where our speed increases considerably. Slowing only to dodge the odd recalcitrant cow, goat or dog. Stop for late lunch at Prantik restaurant good food and value before continuing to Eco lodge at Potasali in the Nameri National Park. Accommodation in tents set up inside traditional thatched roof houses. Heaps of well fed mosquitos and unfortunately the tent nets had seen better days. Not totally paranoid but prefer experience over malaria, so we set up our mosquito net inside theirs but over the bed.
Wandered off in search of the Bharali river apparently 1.3km but we are given very limited directions and darkness was approaching rapidly. Made the river having passed beside some very healthy vegetable plots. Pass on the set dinner having been to the restaurant but nobody was around. Listen to the sound of geckos but otherwise silence.
The steering wheel plate was dismantled and various adjustments made in an attempt to resolve the issue but the sensitivity just wasn't right and so adjustments continued. As this was occurring passing traffic heard our testing and obviously took the stuck horn to be a challenge answering back in similar tones of metallic squeal. Thankfully after fifteen minutes of fine tuning it was decided that the issue was successfully addressed and so we were once again on our way.
Lots of traffic coming up as we drove down towards the big rice paddy fields on the valley flats at Yazali. Forced to stop for our first police check post since entering Arunachal. All fine as we continue on, Tesio pulling some weed through the window as we pass, which turns out to weed of a different sort. We have passed quite a bit since coming down but I had not really been paying any attention. Apparently can be enjoyed in Assamese curry and quite nice boiled with milk.
Pass another BRO drink driving sign variation, "Drive on horse power not on rum power". Come to a road junction where we take the lower road, the higher leading to Itanagar (the capital of Aruanchal Pradesh). Drive through Potin where there appears to be quite a few biscuit tin shed road side settlements of road workers. Climb back up and look down at a small dam that has pooled enough water behind it's walls that there is little evident flow below stream. Stop for chai before continuing back down still following the river past increasingly craggy countryside and large rock walls. The sun is shining and the day turning out to be quite hot with no sign of rain. Having dropped back down toward the plains the temperature is definitely increasing.
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| From Arunachal Pradesh, India. May-June 2011 |
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| From Arunachal Pradesh, India. May-June 2011 |
Once back on the flats enter our first Tea plantations since last in Assam. Ladies with broad brimmed hats to protect against the sun. Onto the NH52 where our speed increases considerably. Slowing only to dodge the odd recalcitrant cow, goat or dog. Stop for late lunch at Prantik restaurant good food and value before continuing to Eco lodge at Potasali in the Nameri National Park. Accommodation in tents set up inside traditional thatched roof houses. Heaps of well fed mosquitos and unfortunately the tent nets had seen better days. Not totally paranoid but prefer experience over malaria, so we set up our mosquito net inside theirs but over the bed.
Wandered off in search of the Bharali river apparently 1.3km but we are given very limited directions and darkness was approaching rapidly. Made the river having passed beside some very healthy vegetable plots. Pass on the set dinner having been to the restaurant but nobody was around. Listen to the sound of geckos but otherwise silence.
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