Information - INDIA

route/road conditions:
shiliguri - darjeeling - shiliguri - changrabandha and benapole - kalkota
the roads by them selves are good (asphalt) or lets say not bad…
the challenge in india is the traffic but it's not as terrible as many would say.
you just have to accept that you will never have the priority! and get used to the notice of the horning trucks as well as the bells of the rickshaws.

visa:
got mine in Kathmandu (Nepal), month double entries, 80$, takes a few days to arrange (see Kathmandu for details)

monnaie:
- 1 euro = 56.9913 INR
india is cheap! but you need to figure out the price of the things as it can be also very expensive if you forget to bargain well. most of the brands now have a mrs on the packet, witch means maximum roupies... with the price.
some shops try to mask this with pencil or so and it's not always easy to find it, but if you look carefully you will find it and then you can be sure of not paying more than this but... it can be less if you try. 
you can get money from the atm or bank and change $ or euro in the bank or private changer (often better rate than the bank, especially if you ask a no receipt deal, nobody never asked me those receipts at the borders, was my third entry and exit in this country)

bike shop:
i never looked for some... there are probably in main cities. along the road there are many stands for rickshaws that could be helpful in case of problems

nourriture & logement: :
gh (shiliguri – darjeelin - kolkata) and camping (seldom alone except if you stop when it's already dark)
in the restaurant thali a meal should cost about 20 to 30 roupies. gh are about 100 roupies as an average. it's possible to camp in india, at least i did which of course as usual is the cheaper way! but of course be ready to get company from the villages....

carte:
apa map "india north east", 1/1.500000 (bought it in kth) = useless map, a lonely planet map would do the same job!

internet:
surprisingly the internet quality in india is not so good and it's quite expensive.



kolkata / calcutta information:
- accomodation:
salvation army guest house (70 rs for dorm) on sudder street (touristic quarter)

- traffic:
not as bad as i expected
i easily found my way to sudder street with just a lonely planet copy map.

- plane ticket:
flying heights tour and travels, flyingheights@yahoo.co.in, phone: 22520390/65217054, mob 9331044692, 2 cowie lane, kolkata 700016 (close to sudder street), kalkota-bangkok=5000rs (110$) with gmg company, they arrange the plane ticket in no time, no problem with the bike and the extra weight

- internet
20rs/hours not too bad when there is electricity.....


ROAD FROM KATHMANDU TO CALCUTTA (KALKOTA): (20 days, 1591km)
kathmandu (kth) – shiliguri - darjeeling (sikim) – bangladesh - kalkota (kkt):

KATHMANDU - SHILIGURI:

SHILIGURI - KALKOTA (VIA DARJEELING AND BANGLADESH)

Sikkim and road to bangladesh:
one of my rim break down on my first day so.....
back to shilliguri via MONGPON with a glued rim....
from shiliguri you have to go to CHENGRABANDHA (indian border with bangladesh) (=BHURUNGAMARI on bengali side)
Be aware than CHILAHATI border is close to foreigner
change and hotel at the border, hassle free border if you have the visas