Category: BHUTAN THUNDER DRAGON

Yesterday afternoon as we turned into the track up to our accommodation in Paro, I went to grab another gear and all drive stopped with no loud noise even.

At first I thought it was a slipping clutch but that was soon ruled out due to lack of smell. In the driveway we worked out it was a Diff problem and most likely a sheared keyway and nothing broken.

We arrived at the resort on the string of shame where we would be spending 2 nights.

Julie and I got some clothes on that could get dirty and went and started.

We pulled the pinion out of the front of the Diff and it was all fine; so that meant we had to dig deeper for the problem and that was a time consuming job. So with Julies encouragement it was decided we had to dig deeper tomorrow instead of going to Tigers Nest on the rest day. It was very nearly dinner by then so we just shifted the car to flatter ground and collected some local timbers and bricks to block up the car ready for a flying start in the morning, after good nights sleep. Sleep wasn’t that great with the thought of whether we could fix it or not.

Julie and I started working on the car at 0630hrs and it was just 4 degrees but thankfully it warmed up early. We had only been going about 20 mins and Alistair Caldwell turned up and said “What do you need doing”. Alistair stayed with us all day, and was a great help as he is an unbelievable wealth of car knowledge and a funny company to boot. We stopped for breakfast at about 0800hr while waiting for the mechanics as we needed to borrow a big socket. Once Charlie arrived he gave us a hand to get the Diff out and disassembled.

Alistair and Charlie were both keen to see how my diff worked as I had been trying to explain it to them last night and all morning. Penny’s diff was designed in 1913 so has no resemblance to a modern diff in any way.

By about 1030hrs the diff was out of the cars and apart on Alistair’s new Picnic Blanket and everyone then understood how it worked.

We then knew it was FIXABLE.

We found the keyway on the left side was sheared in the gear on the end of the Axle. As the taper on the Shaft was slightly damaged from the gear spinning on it; but after 2 hours of filing and emery taping and checking with bearing blue, we fitted a new piece of key steel and started the assembly process.

While Julie and I did the filing and polishing Alistair worked on a couple things on his car and Charlie helped other people on their cars.

When we got to reassembly time, Charlie and Alistair both were able to come and help in the process as it takes a few sets of hands when you don’t have the proper stand to hold the diff. By 1515hr the car was all finished in time for Julie to go and have the body scrub that she had booked the previous day.

Alistair and I went for a test-drive down the hill to where we had broken down and back again for a test and Penny did everything by the book. So all that was left was the mammoth task to tidy up all the tools.

After a shower it was time to henpeck out a blog post before heading to dinner and to collect our Bhutanese National dresses.

Next blog I will cover the rest of the drive from yesterday and onwards.

In the words of our 2 sons we got up at Silly O’clock this morning. The alarm went of at 0445hr so as to meet at reception for a 0515 departure to a local wildlife reserve to look for Elephants and Rhinoceros. We all got in to little open 4x4s and headed of to the park. ½ hour later we stopped at the gate to pick up our guides and into the jungle we travelled. About 5 minutes into the Jungle we site our first group of elephants so the excitement level in the group way high with great expectations for the morning. We spent nearly 2 hour on the lookout but the Rhino is still mythical for us all. We did see wild Peacocks and Peahens plus quite a bit of other birdlife along with many other Indian tourists on the same quest as us.

We returned to the resort for breakfast before doing our Blogs and departing for the day at 1130hr. The first stop for the day was only 12ks away for lunch at a plantation down some very narrow country roads. As we where leaving for the afternoon drive we passed a shed with a small engine running with some machinery and a fire. I decided to stop and investigate what was happening.

We found a small rice processing operation inside with the motor running a dryer, a screen and a mill. The process was the rice was put in dryer for about 5 minutes then into the mill for a similar time till the husks were broken off and the rice slightly rolled before being feed through the rotary sieve to separate the grains from the husk. The really interesting thing was that one man feed the husk in to the fire drying the grain slowly.

It was then into the traffic mayhem for a couple hours to the afternoon visit at a tea plantation and processing facility. Sadly we were delayed and when we arrived the processing had stopped for the day and everything was being cleaned so we didn’t see the complete process.

The border was only 12ks so in no time we arrive at custom to get the carnet filled out then on to immigration for our Indian exit stamp. I must say it was probably the fastest road exit border I have ever done.

Then through the Arch into Bhutan where we were meet by our guides and taken straight to our hotel to park before walking back the 200 metres to get our passports stamped. So the whole process is as slick and fast as could be asked for.

This morning we woke at 0500hrs as some of the group walked to a lookout place to watch the sunrise over the eastern Himalayas. As the sun rose through the haze we could see the sunn lighting up the 3rd highest mountain in the world. This was one of those mornings if the haze had vanished down the valley the view would have been spectacular.

Following breakfast we looked around the shops trying to find a local cap big enough to fit my Noggin. Sadly that mission was a failure by the time we have to leave town for our 96 k drive for the day.

Everywhere you go in Darjeeling there are lots of water pipes and hoses running along the street, I think everyone must have there own water pipe from the top of the hill where the spring is located.

As we headed down the mountain fighting with the heavy steering around the endless corners, I decided that since I had fully overhauled the steering box before our departure I’d try removing the steering damper. Removal only took about 5 mins and we were off again. Pulling away from the roadside the steering was considerably lighter and I was excited until I hit the first pothole 10 metres later, then my dreams and aspirations of light steering came crashing down. The death wobble that I had fitted the steering damper to fix was still there. As I pulled over Charlie the rally mechanic who had come up behind us at this time refitted the damper, so in no time we continued the drive back down to the plains and on to our over night stop at Chalsa.

This trip was not without some mild hindrances in the form that we lost a very slight amount of paint. A local had started to over-take us and slowed down in the process to take photos then ended up trapped out there had had to pull back in behind very quickly for oncoming traffic. His next overtaking move was a complete fail because in the process of passing and rubber necking he pulled back in too soon and creased his rear door and rear left panel plus tore half of his rear plastic bumper. He pulled up in front of us jumped out of his car and while we were taking photos of him he said “very very sorry Sir, very very sorry Sir” then jumped in his car and drove off as quick as he could.

Julie was most excited about getting to our accommodation this afternoon as she was collecting the Saree (Sari) she had ordered from Siliguri. I have to say she did look stunning in it for dinner last night (some may say I’m biased).

The day’s drive has ended at a quite nice retreat in the forest near Chalsa and tomorrow morning we are off chasing the One Horned Rhinoceros.

Yesterday was reuniting day. We saw Penny the day before as we got to the Cinderella Hotel in the dark after a long days travel from the Sunderbans.

We both rose early so we could get down to the car park for some pictures before the crowds arrived. The cars were all decorated with flowers and little pray wheels and statutes.

After breakfast it was tinkering time ready for a shake down drive to calibrate our tripmeters then up into the foothills to visit a small school before lunch in a park with some local dance performances.

Our departure was slightly delayed due to when we went to drive off we found that our Clutch plate had stuck to the Flywheel. Alistair gave me some very helpful advice in getting it unstuck and we were of into the traffic mayhem. It was so great to be back driving Penny and been in the chaos with all the bikes, trucks, tuk tuk, rickshaws and then dodging the cows that sleep in the middle of the road and everyone just drive around it till it shifts.

After returning from lunch we had time for a quick shower before ducking to a local shop to collect my Kurta (see the photo so you understand what it is) that we had ordered the previous evening and we had to wait for it to be made to measure. Then we all boarded a bus to take us to the train station.

As Adrian Shooter is involved in some of this rally he had arranged for a stream train ride up to Rongtang Station on the 2-foot gauge railway track to Darjeeling. While we waited about an hour at the station for the track to clear of other trains, before our departure could take place we walked down to the engine shed to see the engines being prepared for our journey. This walk took us past some of the many homeless in India that call the station yards home. As soon as we boarded the train we where served of dinner and drinks while we travelled across the flat to Sukna station at the foot hills of the mountains to take on more coal and water for the climb up the hills. It was went the train started the hill climb that we got that great sound of a Steam engine really working hard, and at times with the speed getting down to not much more then walking pace it was really working. Our steam engine also appeared to have no spark arrestor in the Stack as the harder it worked the greater the fire works show was with hot sparked being sprayed 10 -15 meters in to the air. Just as well the forest is green and lush.

About ¾ of the way to the top our steam engine stopped being a steam engine and became a big blue hot water system with no Choof Choof .

Luckily our buses for the return journey were close by so we disembarked the train and boarded the buses when the decision was made that the engine was not going to make it that night.

Today was the start of the driving proper. So after all the cars were blessed we departed for the climb up to Darjeeling for our overnight stop. The climb to Darjeeling took us through acres and acres of tea plantations and around countless bends. At one stage we travel along a ridge top that forms the border between India and Nepal with the border only marked by white posts, so Julie and I walked over and crossed in to Nepal so the she can say she has been to Nepal.

We made several stops in villages en route with this invariably causing traffic chaos as the crowds gathered around the cars to take photos and look at something that is rarely seen in this neighbourhood. In some of these towns the locals play a gambling dice game on the street. It caused great excitement when I decided to have a couple of wagers and even more excitement whenever I won. After making a small donation it was time to continue on to Darjeeling.

When we arrive in Darjeeling I didn’t think you could have a town on such steep hills. We where greeted at a very old hotel called the Windamere which served a great lunch for us all.

I decided to write for my blog after lunch so as not to get to far behind as its always very difficult to catch up.

Just got the photos to do then post it after Dinner tonight

Taking a break from getting the blog together I went and checked Penny over followed with a walk down the street to check out the local retail therapy.

The Windamere is a very quaint colonial hotel. When I returned from the shopping trip it was getting very cool, only to find a great coal fire in the fireplace so very snug and romantic indeed. While at dinner the turn down service had been around and everyone’s bed had a hot water bottle in it.

So till next time this is Max and Penny signing off. Read Julies blog to experience the trip through her eyes.