The hardest day?

How to get from Dibrugarh to Mon

Today is possibly my hardest day, in terms of uncertain and long road travel arrangements and uncertain accommodation at my destination.

I wanted to get from Dibrugarh to Mon:

• My guidebook and internet research suggested that I need to get from Dibrugarh to Sibsagar, change and get to Sonari, and change again for Mon.  That’s 2.5h, 2.5h and 3.5h.
• Local enquiries at Dibrugarh suggested that but also an option to get straight from Dibrugarh to Sonari and then change for Mon.  That’s 2h and 3.5h.
• When I hit the road, I managed to get from Dibrugarh to Moran, change to Sonari and then change to Mon.  Each change required a rickshaw ride.  My timing for each change was perfect and I hate to think about how messy it could have been if my timing had been different.

Continue reading below for the details of the day.

My day’s travel in detail

Because of the early sunset, I slept at 2100 last night and was up at 0200 already.  I dozed till 0500.  My alarm sounded at 0530 and I hoped up then.

The hotel breakfast didn’t start till 0700.  I was thinking of setting off early but not without breakfast since it was a long day ahead.  So I wandered out at 0620 to check on breakfast options.  Despite broad daylight, it was pretty quiet out there with most places closed.  There were no signs of buses either.

So I returned to my room and killed time till I could order breakfast at 0700.  My meal came at 0730 and I checked out at 0815.

Bus #1.  Going to my street corner, I asked about buses to Sonari.  I didn’t get any positive response.  Then came a bus.  Again they couldn’t take me to Sonari but beckoned me to get on despite.  It was a split second decision to trust them, thinking that they would take me to Sibsagar to change.  In fact, they were taking me to Moran where I could change to Sonari.

The ride to Moran took 1h and cost INR50.  I was seated in the back row.  A friendly local asked for my phone number.  It’s happened before; in a few countries Malaysian are seen as a good connection to getting an overseas job.

Bicycle rickshaw.  I reached Moran at 0930.  The conductor put me on a bicycle rickshaw (INR20) which took me to the Sonari stand.

Bus #2.  It was a 20 minute wait before the minibus set off for Sonari at 1000.   The journey took around 1.5h going through scenery of brown rice fields ready for harvest and tea plantations.  It was full and at times had people standing as we picked up and dropped off passengers.

Electric rickshaw.  At Sonari, I had to change to an e-rickshaw (INR30) which was more like a golf buggy.  It took me to the Nagaland Transport stand.

Bus #3.  I had a little less than 30 minutes before the big bus departed for Mon.  I walked around a little and relieved myself behind a shed before boarding the bus to eat my jam toasted sandwich saved from breakfast.

Thirty minutes after leaving Sonari, we crossed a bridge into Nagaland.  We stopped for some admin checks for the conductor.  I then noticed that we had a few chickens on the bus with the clucking and crowing.  The scenery seemed to change quite suddenly once in Nagaland.  Rather than flat and dry, it was windy and lush.  It was a very dusty, bumpy 3h15 ride before I was dropped off at Mon.

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Getting a bed at Mon

At 1515, it was starting to look like very late afternoon.  I had to find accommodation.  I hadn’t booked anything.  Nothing was available online and I hadn’t made any phone calls.  I’m a bit sceptical about booking by phone … without any form of deposit they can give it away regardless if somebody walks in.

I asked an American Asian girl if she knew any places.  Her place, the Helsa Cottage, which was also my choice, was full.  The Helsa Resort was rather pricey.  She recommended the Teipha Cottage.  With the roads being so windy and not being online with Google Maps, it was quite hard to navigate myself there.  With some assistance I made it there.

The old lady running the place said they were full and left it at that.  The old man in the background insisted that she help  me further. They rang a homestay and found me a room.  They then offered me a ride there.

Hearing that I wanted to go to Longwa tomorrow, she helped me book my sumo (4WD) and also gave me the number for a homestay at Longwa.  She certainly warmed up after the first little bit.

My accommodation at the Wangsa Homestay was a big hotel-like edifice with a kitchen block that was black with soot inside due to an open fire.  It looked like an ambitious place that never took off.  While the room was clean, the sheets didn’t look like they had been changed.  And like last night’s hotel, the blankets go straight on you without a top sheet.  Ah well!

I ordered dinner and it was served in my room at 1730.  One of the men mentioned that their driver had to go to Longwa tomorrow and I can go for free.  I asked him to confirm the departure time, and it became more like a maybe.  I wanted them to confirm my breakfast time too … if going by Sumo, I’d have to eat a little earlier.  I didn’t hear back from them at all about the timing and also the bill for my stay.

After a shower,  I was ready for bed at 1900.  But I resisted and stayed up until 2000 and probably slept around 2100