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| An illustration of Shehzadi crossing the Hooghly into Kolkata carrying the mud, rain, paperwork, and general nonsense of a four-continent overland journey |
China Overland Part 5 ended at Tatopani, after the long run from Saga through Lake Manasarovar, Mount Kailash, Nyalam, Zhangmu Port, and the wet descent through the Zhangmu gorge. China had been permits, altitude, guided roads, oxygen hotels, pilgrim kitchens, and controlled exits. Nepal began with the Sino-Nepal Friendship Bridge, a landslide report, three broken road sections, and a truck that suddenly needed a shed instead of a highway.
This post begins where that bill came due: Tatopani, Kodari, the Araniko Highway, a foot crossing through the Bhote Koshi gorge, a flight to Kolkata without Shehzadi, the return to rescue her, and the long road home through Raxaul, Bihar, Barhi, Shaktigarh, Bally Bridge, Salt Lake, and Saini Toyota.
Nepal to India Overland — Post Summary
From Tatopani to Kolkata, this Nepal and India arrival episode follows the broken road from the Sino-Nepal Friendship Bridge through Tatopani, Kodari, the Araniko Highway landslides, and the Bhote Koshi gorge. The route then turns into a split journey: Shehzadi locked in a border shed, us crossing three damaged road sections on foot, a hired 4x4 to Kathmandu, a flight to Kolkata, and a return by air to Patna and hired car to Raxaul once the road reopened. From there, we went back through Birgunj to collect the truck, drove the repaired Araniko Highway out of Nepal, entered India at Raxaul, crossed Bihar through Motihari, the Ganges corridor, NH 22, Barhi, NH 19, Nirsa, Shaktigarh, Bally Bridge, and Salt Lake, then reset the truck in Kolkata during Durga Puja week and at Saini Toyota.
| What's Covered | |
| ⛰️ | Tatopani Holding Point — Shehzadi parked in a shed as the Araniko Highway landslides close the road |
| 🥾 | Foot Crossing the Landslides — three broken road sections above the Bhote Koshi, crossed on foot |
| ✈️ | Kolkata Without the Truck — a flight to Kolkata and Puja-season waiting days while Shehzadi stays in Nepal |
| 🚧 | Road Reopened — the return flight to Patna, a hired car to Raxaul, and the drive back to Tatopani |
| 🔐 | Raxaul and the Border Paperwork — Shehzadi crosses into India, carnet and customs at Seema Shulk Sadan |
| 🛣️ | The First Indian Road — NH 527D through Bihar, Motihari, Nalanda, and Rajgir route memory |
| 🌧️ | Barhi Rain — a flooded overnight stop on the Chota Nagpur Plateau edge |
| 🏙️ | Barhi to Kolkata — NH 19, the Grand Trunk Road, Shaktigarh langcha, and Bally Bridge into the city |
| 🎉 | Kolkata Reset and Puja Week — Durga Puja pandals, family, and the truck's home reset |
| 🔧 | Saini Toyota — the service-bay ending after Venice, Dushanbe, and Nagqu |
