For long I have wanted to visit Ziro. With a name like that, its an irresistible attraction ! Arunachal Pradesh is full of places with interesting names - take your pick from Miao, Singing, ....... I chose Ziro !

Ziro is an old town, located at a height of 8000 ft . Summers are very pleasant, but winters are cold - at the fag end of winter now, it's still very cold. It's the home of the Apatani tribe, one of the important tribes of Arunachal Pradesh. Ziro has been on the shortlist for UNESCO World Heritage Site status ; one of these days that is bound to happen.

The scenery around Ziro is lovely. Pine clad hills, and rice fields all around makes for very pleasant surroundings. This is not the best time of the year to come here - during and post rains, I believe the greenery is even more stunning. But this is good enough for me and I am drinking in the atmosphere suitably braced for the cold. One of the advantages of traveling by car is that you don't have to watch what you pack. My car looks like a small shop. So no shortage of woolens - fully clad, I must weigh twice my normal weight !

I am staying in a log cabin - wood being one of the best ways to keep out the cold. It's a charming place, away from the town itself . Completely serene and silent, it makes for a lovely stay. Power is infrequent and is only for about 12 hours a day or so. Mobile connectivity is poor. What better way to be cut off from civilization, although the town itself, where everything exists is only 4 kms away. The place is new being just 3 years old, and was opened by the daughter of the British administrator who founded this district -Subansiri - in 1946. He , and his family, are held in high esteem by the Apatanis. This is a recurring theme, we will find all around in Arunachal Pradesh . It was the British who brought the tribes into the mainstream and the person who did it is much loved and respected even today.

The Ziro music festival, held in October, has become a cult event. It is apparently the largest outdoor music event of its kind in the country. The music is however rock, heavy metal and all modern stuff - no traditional music at all. Groups from all over the country and some from other countries come . Hordes of visitors land up . The meager accommodation around gets filled up and most visitors simply pitch tents around the venue. Not my type of entertainment, but if you fancy such things, come to Ziro in October.

The only negative of Ziro is the appalling roads that lead up to it. It took me 8 hours today to cover 150 odd kms. Its going to be like this for all my time in Arunachal Pradesh - speeds of 10-20 kmph is all that is possible. Twisty hill roads require intense concentration and this is the first time I am feeling the solo drive ; there just isn't the time to look out of the window and take in the glorious scenery of the drive. Would any of you like to fly in and take over half the driving ? Vincy ?!!

PS : No internet or mobile connectivity for the last three days; hence the silence. I am doing good; thanks to all who enquired. Even now, the bandwidth is tiny; so I can't load photos. I'll publish the text and then notify you when I am able to upload the photos (probably in 4 days). The photos are lovely; so worth waiting for !!

PPS: Photos uploaded now