London to Mumbai by Road 2016 – Revisited
Day 60 – 26 October 2016
Into Bengal and an Unexpected Encounter in Siliguri
After a comfortable night’s rest in Pathsala, Team Kontiki enjoyed breakfast and set off at around 9:00 am for Siliguri, approximately 320 kilometres away.
The weather continued to be kind to us. For several days now we had enjoyed bright skies and warm sunshine, making the driving far more pleasant than the rain and mud we had endured in Myanmar.
Better still, the roads seemed to be gradually improving.
After the bone-rattling mountain roads of Manipur and Nagaland, even an average road now felt luxurious.
The journey westward took us through the fertile countryside of Assam, where lush greenery, villages, and farmland stretched as far as the eye could see. The landscape was noticeably flatter now, making progress easier and allowing us to cover ground more quickly.
At around 1:00 pm, we stopped to refuel.
What should have been a routine fuel stop turned into a delightful break.
The owner of the filling station was exceptionally friendly and curious about our journey. Once he learned that we had driven all the way from London, he insisted on treating us to cups of freshly made masala tea.
Naturally, we accepted.
Before long, tea was accompanied by a few snacks, and what started as a quick fuel stop became an hour-long rest and conversation.
These spontaneous encounters were one of the greatest pleasures of overland travel.
Often, it was the people rather than the places that made a day memorable.
Refreshed and re-energised, we continued our journey.
Sometime during the afternoon, we crossed from Assam into West Bengal, another significant milestone on our route towards Mumbai.
Unfortunately, Kontiki wasn’t entirely happy.
Once again, one of the recently repaired shock absorbers decided it preferred freedom and worked itself loose.
By now, this had become a recurring theme.
Fortunately, it wasn’t causing any immediate danger, so we decided to continue and deal with it later.
After nearly eight hours of driving, we finally arrived in Siliguri at around 6:00 pm.
What happened next was something we certainly hadn’t planned for.
Shortly after entering the city, we were stopped by a policeman.
At first, we assumed it was another routine document check, something we had become accustomed to throughout our journey.
However, it quickly became clear that this particular officer was not having his best day.
He appeared to be intoxicated and became increasingly rude and aggressive. He demanded documents, raised his voice, and repeatedly threatened to take us to the police station.
The situation was becoming uncomfortable.
Then something remarkable happened.
A crowd of local people began to gather around the motorhome.
Initially, we were unsure whether this would make matters worse.
Instead, the crowd quickly realised what was happening and began openly criticising the policeman for his behaviour.
People started telling him off, pointing out that we were visitors and that he was treating us unfairly.
The mood of the crowd became so hostile towards the officer that, for a brief moment, we genuinely thought they might physically confront him.
The policeman suddenly realised he had lost the support of the public.
Looking rather nervous, he decided that perhaps taking us to the police station was no longer such a good idea.
Without another word, he waved us on our way.
We couldn’t help but laugh as we drove off.
It was undoubtedly one of the strangest police encounters of our entire trip.
With that unexpected drama behind us, we found a reasonable hotel and checked in for the night.
A few celebratory drinks followed before we headed to a nearby restaurant for dinner.
Tonight’s menu featured chicken curry, fish curry, naan bread, and rice—a combination that Team Kontiki thoroughly enjoyed.
Afterwards, Ramesh and I spent some time chatting with local residents and hearing their stories, while Dayal wisely chose the comfort of the hotel and an early night.
As we reflected on the day, we realised that India never failed to surprise us.
One moment you are enjoying tea with a friendly fuel station owner, the next you are being rescued from a troublesome policeman by an angry crowd of strangers.
Only in India.
Tomorrow promised another completely different experience as we planned to leave Kontiki behind for a day and travel to the famous hill station of Darjeeling by train.
Distance travelled: Approximately 320 km (200 miles)
Route: Pathsala, Assam to Siliguri, West Bengal
Weather: Warm, sunny, and pleasant
Highlights: Entering West Bengal and enjoying traditional masala tea with a friendly fuel station owner
Most memorable moment: Being defended by local people during an unusual encounter with a drunken policeman
Vehicle update: Shock absorber worked loose again but remained usable
Dinner: Chicken curry, fish curry, naan, and rice
Accommodation: Hotel in Siliguri, West Bengal
Mood of the day: Amused, relaxed, and looking forward to exploring Darjeeling
Join us tomorrow as Team Kontiki swaps the motorhome for one of India’s most famous mountain railways and heads into the Himalayas to visit the beautiful hill station of Darjeeling.
