Bundu – Ranchi – 47 km
The day began with predictions of a significant hill looming ahead.
The estimated uphill distance varied from one to 10 kilometres.
However, it turned out to be approximately 13 kilometres with a climb
of barely two kilometres.
Midway through the day, a truck driver, smelling of alcohol,
approached us to take a selfie. It was concerning that very few of
these drivers had valid driver’s licenses. Coupled with poor road
conditions and narrow roads, and adding alcohol to the mix, it felt like
a miracle that we made it to Ranchi unscathed.
Finding accommodation in Ranchi was more challenging than
expected. Despite numerous hotels along Main and Station Road,
none were licensed to accommodate foreigners. Eventually, we found
overpriced lodging where we stayed for two days to allow Ernest time
to recover from his upset stomach.
Ranchi – Hazaribag – 96 km
The day promised a climb up to the Hazaribagh Plateau, but none of
it materialised. Instead, we found a massive descent. The route was
nothing short of hair-raising, with countless trucks flying past at high
speed. In addition, the area was known as a coal mining area, and
the black dust clung to our sweaty limbs. All this made for a stressful
day and I was happy to reach Hazaribag (black face and all) where,
luckily, we found accommodation at the first place we enquired.