London to Mumbai by Road 2016 – Revisited
Day 66 – 1 November 2016
Into the Sundarbans and a Taste of Bengal
Today marked the beginning of a new chapter in our journey.
For the first time since leaving Leicester more than two months ago, Team Kontiki was down to just two members.
Early in the morning, Dayal left the hotel by taxi to catch his 8:00 am flight to Mumbai. We offered to accompany him to the airport, but in typical Dayal fashion he insisted he would manage perfectly well on his own.
So, after saying our goodbyes, we watched him leave.
It felt strange.
For 65 days we had travelled together through Europe, Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Myanmar, and India. We had shared breakdowns, border crossings, meals, laughter, frustrations, and countless unforgettable moments.
Now it was just Ramesh and me continuing the adventure.
The motorhome suddenly felt a little quieter.
Rather than dwelling on farewells, we decided to make the most of the day and visit one of India’s most fascinating natural regions—the Sundarbans.
After speaking with several local people and considering various options, we eventually decided to take Kontiki herself on the journey.
The Sundarbans lie approximately 100 kilometres south of Kolkata, where the mighty Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers form the world’s largest delta before meeting the Bay of Bengal.
The region is famous for its dense mangrove forests, rich wildlife, and of course the elusive Royal Bengal Tiger.
The drive, however, was far from easy.
The roads leading towards the delta region were narrow, uneven, and often in poor condition. In many places, progress was slow and required careful navigation.
At one stage, a police vehicle followed us for quite some time before eventually pulling us over.
The officers were curious rather than concerned and simply wanted to inspect our documents and learn more about our unusual journey.
After a friendly conversation and a quick check of our paperwork, they wished us well and sent us on our way.
Eventually we arrived at the village of Dhamakhali, where the road effectively came to an end.
Beyond this point, the Sundarbans are a world of rivers, creeks, islands, and waterways.
To continue, we had to leave Kontiki behind and board a local boat.
The journey immediately felt like stepping into another world.
Life here revolved around water.
Boats replaced buses, and rivers replaced roads.
After crossing to the first island, we spent some time buying groceries and, of course, a few essential refreshments for the evening.
While there, we struck up a conversation with the boatman who had brought us across.
He was friendly, cheerful, and eager to help.
Before long, we had reached an agreement for him to prepare our evening meal as well as lunch for the following day.
That sounded far more appealing than cooking ourselves after a long day.
From there, we took another boat further into the delta to a second island where we would spend the night.
By the time we checked into our accommodation, darkness was already beginning to fall.
The hotel was extremely basic.
Our room contained little more than two beds, a table, and a couple of chairs.
But after weeks on the road, luxury was not something we worried about.
A clean bed and a roof overhead were often all we needed.
After freshening up, we settled down with a few drinks and listened to the sounds of the island evening around us.
Not long afterwards, our boatman arrived carrying dinner.
The aromas alone were enough to make us hungry.
He had prepared a traditional Bengali-style chicken curry, accompanied by fresh rotis and rice.
The meal was absolutely superb.
Rich in flavour, beautifully spiced, and cooked with obvious care, it was one of the most enjoyable meals we had eaten in India.
Perhaps it was the fresh ingredients.
Perhaps it was the unique setting.
Or perhaps it simply tasted even better after a long day’s travelling.
Whatever the reason, we thoroughly enjoyed every bite.
As we sat there enjoying our meal in the heart of the Sundarbans, it struck us how different every stage of this journey had been.
Only a few weeks earlier we had been crossing deserts in China.
Then came the mountains of Myanmar.
Now we were sitting on a remote island in the world’s largest mangrove forest, eating home-cooked Bengali food under the stars.
This journey continued to surprise us at every turn.
Distance travelled: Approximately 100 km by road, plus boat crossings into the Sundarbans
Route: Kolkata – Dhamakhali – Sundarbans Islands
Weather: Warm and humid
Highlights: Visiting the Sundarbans region and experiencing life in the river delta
Most memorable moment: Arriving by boat on a remote island in the Sundarbans
Special experience: Enjoying a delicious home-cooked Bengali chicken curry prepared by our friendly boatman
Accommodation: Basic island hotel in the Sundarbans
Mood of the day: Reflective, adventurous, and adjusting to life as a two-man team
Join us tomorrow as we explore more of the fascinating Sundarbans, home to mangrove forests, winding waterways, and the legendary Royal Bengal Tiger, before continuing our epic journey towards Mumbai.
