Chilapata Travel

Last week we, a group of four nature enthusiasts, planned for a trip to Dooars. This time we wanted to explore the Chilapata Reserve forest area. We booked the Mendabari Nature Camp for two nights. This camp was at a pleasant 40 minutes drive from Hasimara railway station through a dense elephant infested forest. We did not book for the third night and planned for homestay in tribal village. I had been to Chilapata few times before and each time it mesmerized me with a different beauty.

We boarded Kanchankanya Express and it departed on time.  Next morning we woke up and found the train was running few hours late. Now if someone does not know, the Kanchankanya Express is the only train to reach Hasimara, Malbazar and Alipurduar. The train passes through a forest and through couple of tunnels after it crosses Siliguri junction. 

Our driver and old friend Rabi was waiting for us at Hasimara. We quickly started off for Chilapata. When we reached Mendabari, we met a family there who who sighted a couple of rhino in the adjacent grassland. 

Arunachal Pradesh from Kolkata Travel Itenarary

Day 1: Reach Guawahati and transfer to Bhalukpong, night stay at Bhalukpong, Rs. 600-1200 per rooms at lower Bhalukpong just after the checkpost of Assam Arunachal border.

Day 2: Start early enough and reach Dirang. Pemaling and Awoo are the two best hotels there. But more hotels are available in the market area. Take a walk to the Kameng river.

Day 3: Start for Tawang, again start early enough to cross Sella before noon, after 1-2pm the weather goes crazy there, snow falls and rains are usual in the afternoon. In road watch Jashwant Gar. 

Hotel Tawang is very good and cheap, and the the tourist lodge is even better. We stayed in the VIP suits there @1050 per night during 2011. The food is good too.

Day 4: Local sightseeing of Tawang, Tawang Monastery, War memorial are very good. Apply for permit to Bumla, the Indo-China LOC from DC office. If it is Sunday, then also you can get it from the office. Usually someone is there at the office to help the tourists, even you can get the signed form from the DC bunglow. Collect it before 5pm and submit in the BRIGADE beside War memorial as soon as possibe, usually before 6pm. At around 7pm they will give you the permit.

Day 5: Start for Madhuri (Or, Sungetsar) lake and Bumla. Use the whole day. The roads are pretty bad but not dangerous. Only SUV can reach to Bumla. The LOC at Bumla looks amazing. You can even see the Chinese soldiers through binoculars. The Indian Army welcomes you with hot tea and snacks.

Day 6: Start for Tenga. Many suggests Bomdila, but it is almost same as Tawang, with lesser cold. On the other hand Tenga is beside the river and is a military camp, very clean and very beautiful with the sound of flowing river all day through. Night halt at Hotel Aphet with Rs. 1100 per night. But the food is of real bad taste.

Day 7: Reach Guwahati, visit Kamakhya temple. It will take almost 10-11 hours from Tenga to Guwahati.

Travel Japan: Akihabara Electric Town

Akihabara is a famous shopping area  in Japan for electronic, computer, anime, and otakuchōme. New parts for PC-building are readily available from a variety of stores. Tools, electrical parts, wires, microsized cameras and similar items are found in the cramped passageways of Soto Kanda 1-chōme (near the station). Foreign tourists tend to visit the big name shops like Laox or other speciality shops near the station, though there is more variety and lower prices at locales a little further away. Akihabara gained some fame through being home to one of the first stores devoted to personal robots and robotics.

The area was just out of Sujikai-gomon city gate (present Mansei bridge) which was one of the city gates (Mitsuke) of old Edo (Tokyo). It was the gateway from inner Edo to northern and northwestern Japan and Kan’ei-ji temple in Ueno. You can read "HOW TO REACH AKIHABARA" for more details.

Many dealers, craftsmen and relatively lower class samurai lived there. Hundreds of electronics shops, ranging from tiny one man stalls specializing in a particular electronic component to large electronics retailers, line the main Chuo Dori street and the crowded side streets around Akihabara. They offer everything from the newest computers, cameras, televisions, mobile phones, electronics parts and home appliances to second-hand goods and electronic junk.

A few chain stores, such as Sofmap, Ishimaru and Laox, each operate multiple specialized branches along the main roads, while small independent shops can be found in the side streets. The only mega sized store is the Yodobashi Camera

Note that some of the electronics on sale are only intended for use in Japan due to voltage and other technical differences, Japanese language documentation and limited warranties. However, several stores also feature a selection of international models intended for overseas use, and most also offer duty free shopping to foreign tourists on purchases of over 10,000 yen (passport required). goods, including new and used items. New items are mostly to be found on the main street, Chūōdōri, with many kinds of used items found in the back streets of Soto Kanda 3- complex on the east side of the station. 

After shopping is completed, there are many restaurants and street side food stalls to hang out, like the below one.