Long Day’s Bus Journey from Shillong to Guwahati with a Stop at Orchid Lake at Umiam

19 Nov, Tue:

Shillong-Guwahati

Long Day’s Bus Journey from Shillong to Guwahati with a Stop at Orchid Lake at Umiam.

And so, we finally arrived at the second last day of our trip. This was the day we would leave Shillong, capital of Meghalaya, and make our way to Guwahati, Capital of Assam. So without wasting any time, Llew and I finished up our packing and went down to the community dining room for breakfast. We fueled well on toast with omlettes, poha and fruit with coffee. There was a discussion on the amount of money that should be collected from each tour participant to tip our wait staff at the hotel and also our driver, Steven. And after we had decided on an amount that suited all, the money was collected and the payment was made.

Our bags were brought down to the main Reception area from where we made our way to the Laithumkrah junction and piled into our bus to begin the long journey—about 4-54 hours depending on traffic--that would enable us to leave the mountains of Shillong and return to the plains of Guwahati.

Exploration of Orchid Lake at Umiam:

Yes, we did all take our preferred spots on the bus and before long, we were off. We did have one stop, about an hour later, when we arrived at Orchid Lake at Umiam where we had a longish stop. After alighting from the bus, we walked the short distance to the lake front where boating possibilities lay ahead for anyone so inclined. Most of us, however, declined the opportunity, having done enough boating on the Umngot River, just a couple of days previously. Instead, we made sure we used rest rooms as we had no idea when we would come upon decent ones again. That done, we strolled around, took a few pictures—it is a very wide and very picturesque lake, being encircled by mountains—and then got back on the bus again.

Lunch at Excelensia Restaurant:

We made one more stop before eventually reaching our destination: we stopped for lunch at Excelensia Restaurant, the same place we had eaten on our way into Meghalaya. This time there was a choice of chicken or vegetable biryani or a thali. Llew opted for the chicken biryani while I chose the chicken thali. It was okay—really nothing to rave about. Once again, we used rest rooms at this spot.

And then, after another long stint on the bus, at which point we did try to break the monotony of the journey by singing some community songs, we arrived on the absolute outskirts of Guwahati, very close to the airport but with absolutely nothing around at all except a dusty, construction-ridden highway. Our hotel was called Hotel Ashiyana and I have to say that it left much to be desired. After the cozy homeliness of the hotel in Shillong, this did not appeal at all. Suffice it to say that we all wished it had not been the last stop in our travels because, unfortunately, this was the impression we’d take home with us.

Most of us just stayed in our rooms until dinner time when we made our way downstairs to another community dining hall. Once again, we were presented with the inevitable thali—this time I have to comment on the quantity that was simply enormous. Even though we tried to finish it all, most of us left quite a bit of food behind as there was simply too much of it.

All that was left then was to return to our rooms after eating our fill and going off to bed. It is amazing to be how tired one can feel when all one has done is sit in a bus all day!

Until tomorrow…cheerio.

Natural and Cultural Feasts in the Capital of Meghalaya—Don Bosco Museum Of Indigenous Arts and Culture, Cherry Blossoms in Bloom at Ward’s Lake and Attending the Shillong Literary Festival

18 Nov, Mon:

Shillong:

Natural and Cultural Feasts in the Capital of Meghalaya—Don Bosco Museum Of Indigenous Arts and Culture, Cherry Blossoms in Bloom at Ward’s Lake and Attending the Shillong Literary Festival

Today turned out to another wonderfully fulfilling day and one that was the stuff of which really brilliant vacations are made. As usual, our day began with breakfast in the community dining room where we feasted on toast with onlettes, poha, toast with preserves for those who wanted it, fresh fruit and coffee. Fueled on this repast, we made our way to the junction point at Laithumkrah to board our bus for the first item on the schedule. It was a museum and I was, honestly, quite skeptical about how good it could be in remote Shillong. Well, I was truly blown away.

Visiting the Don Bosco Museum of Indigenous Arts and Culture:

This Museum is truly a masterpiece. Now, as a trained, certified Museum Docent with 27 years’ experience (I gave tours to international visitors at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City), I have never met a museum I did not like. And I do view museums with a critical eye because I do know what to look for and how to make the most of a visit. So, it was with some reservations that I visited this museum. And, believe me, I could not have been more mistaken or astonished!

First off, we were met by a representative of the Museum who explained its layout and structure to us. The visit is self-guided—there are no docents. However, if you start at the bottom (the basement) and work your way up, you not only proceed chronologically (which is the logical way to do it), but you will not be tired despite covering seven floors (as there are only 7 steps separating each tier) as these are short tiers. They are quite brilliantly planned out and organized with alternative male and female restrooms on each floor. The galleries are vast and are superbly planned. We began at the bottom and made our way to the top. On the fourth floor, we stopped for refreshment in the little café. This museum was designed to showcase the culture and lifestyle of the tribal people who populate the Seven Sister States (and the one Little Brother): These are Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh with Sikkim being the Little Brother. A majority of the acreage of these states is covered by indigenous tribes who still maintain the traditional modes of living. Artifacts and heirlooms from their midst were assembled to be placed in this museum and then professionally curated so as to bring method and organization to their placement. The end result is a wonderful space that contains paintings, sculpture, decorative arts in the form of carpets, basketry work, metal items, ceramics, leather goods, embroidery and needlecraft, wooden carvings, farming implements, domestic objects, agricultural dioramas, weaving, spinning, fabric production, taxidermied animals and birds, plus interactive exhibits and installations that can be accessed very easily on the many computer screens on the floors. As this museum was built entirely through funding provided by the international Roman Catholic Salesian Order of Don Bosco (that has branches in every part of the world), and no governmental, federal or state funding whatsoever, there are exhibits that feature the ecumenical and evangelical work undertaken by the various Orders of religious priests and nuns attached to the endeavor. But it was all so perfectly explained and done in a spirit of secular philanthropy that one did not get the impression at all of it being merely an exercise in public relations. The only defect I found was that the pieces on display were not dated. Hence, one had no idea about their age: an absolutely indispensable part of any museum experience for a visitor, to my mind.

Be that as it may, this was truly a world-class museum and definitely worth visiting. As if this were not enough, at the very top, on the rooftop of the seven-storey building is a “Sky Walk’. You can step out on to the roof and walk alongside it and get amazing 360 degree views of the city of Shillong (from the church and school right at the base) to the far-flung hills and mountains in the distance. So, yes, overall, this was a novel experience for us and one that will stay with me for a long while. It helped to take a short breather at the café and get a drink and a snack to refuel before moving on. In the gift shop on the ground floor, we indulged in a bit of retail therapy and bought ground spices, jewelry and other knick-knacks—all of which fund the tribal programs. At the end of the visit, we piled back into our bus and headed to our next stop—a restaurant for lunch.

Lunch at City Hut Dhaba in Shillong:

Through the past few days, we have been in rather remote places for lunch as we spent most of the day outside, sight-seeing. So, it was something of a relief to be able to enter a really lovely restaurant called City Hut, which is one of the better known eateries in Shillong and one of the best-reputed for its food. We made our way to a private section inside past a small waterfall and an abundance of greenery. The place is famed for its Chicken Tikka Masala, so it made sense for us to tuck into that with nothing other than rotis and salad as a starter.

True to its reputation, the Chicken Tikka Masala was outstanding. We had a very companionable meal around a large communal table—as we had all learned to get on with each other ,by this point, and knew our companions well enough to stick around with those who company we enjoyed. We also knew which sour pusses to avoid like the plague. So, lunch was lovely and we ate our fill and were ready to move on, when we were done. The advantage of nice eateries of this kind is that you also get to use a decent rest room—an occurrence that is still rather rare (shamefully) in India.

A Walking Tour of Ward’s Lake:

The next port of call for our little group was Ward’s Lake. This absolutely idyllic man-made lake is set around the most beautiful Victorian gardens—not surprising, considering that it was laid out and dug in 1842 when the British, who owned and farmed all the tea plantations in Assam, needed a space to take the air and decided to design it on the basis of their best-known country gardens back home in England. And so there is a kidney-shaped lake (in which you can do a spot of boating, if it takes your fancy), flower beds still filled with late summer blooms (cannas, in plenty), towering trees that form a canopy as you stroll down the well-demarcated pathways and, get this, of all plantings, an abundance of cherry trees! And what’s more, these cherry trees just happened to be in bloom at the time that we were there—although I am still nonplussed at the phenomenon. I mean, India is in the Northern Hemisphere (just north of the equator, yes, but still very much in the Northern Hemisphere) where it is Autumn at the moment. Now, cherry trees, all over the world, bloom in the spring in the Northern Hesmisphere (as in Japan, for instance—or in the UK or the USA). So, how on earth were these cherry trees blooming in the autumn? There is simply no explanation of which I can think.

Attending the Shillong Literary Festival:

So, anyway…the strange phenomenon of blossoming cherry trees in the Fall aside, we lingered beneath them and took a fair share of pictures under their soft pink boughs before we made our way to the Shillong Literary Festival which just, purely by coincidence, happened to be occurring in Shillong at the time of our visit. I was absolutely delighted as this trip meant that I completely missed the Tata Lit Live Literary Festival occurring at the NCPA in Bombay! So since Mohammed could not to go to the mountain, the mountain came to Mohammed! Certainly that was how I felt when I chanced to come upon the Schedule for Day One (the day we were there) and discovered that three really famous literary luminaries would be presenting in the evening: Vikram Seth (whose works I have actually taught in my courses at NYU), Jerry Pinto (who happens to be a friend) and Shobha De (a celebrity who is a no-fail, best-selling author in India—although barely known in the West).

I had announced in the bus, just before lunch that Llew and I would be attending the Festival (which was free of charge) and invited anyone interested in joining us to come along too. I was surprised when four of our participants immediately decided to join us as did Anita, our tour guide. And so, we entered the shamiana that was set up under the cherry trees and joined hundreds of other book-lovers to listen to contemporary writers from around the world talk about their writing. For the next four hours, we were rooted to our seats and heard all the writers above—some of whom (like Jerry) entertained and enthralled his audience and others like Seth maintaining their distance and coldness in the face of really stupid, embarrassing questions from the audience. After the festival, Llew and I went up to say Hello to Jerry and to pose for a picture with him, at which point, I noticed that Shobha De was also near at hand and managed to get a picture with her too. Overall, it was a thrilling experience to come to Shillong and hear authors with a global presence comment on their work while being interviewed about their creativity. I felt very privileged that we were able to get some worthwhile cultural pursuits into our travels in the north-east too. Truly, it is amazing what you will come upon when you travel and how important it is to grab opportunity by the horns to make these spontaneous possibilities a reality.

All that was left then was to round up with the rest of our group, who had wandered off to a restaurant to use restrooms (the worst restroom experience of our entire trip) in a place that asked you to pay to use a space so gross that the less said about it the better.

We managed to find two cabs to take the eight of us back to our hotel where we headed straight for dinner and feasted on rice, papads, chicken curry, vegetable and a salad with ice-cream for dessert.

Indeed, it had been a very happening day and we were really happy to have made the most of it.

Until tomorrow…cheerio.

Discovering Cherrapunji: Tea Gardens, Exploring the Arwah Caves and the Nohkalikai Waterfalls and the Seven Sisters Waterfalls.

16 Nov, Sat:

Shillong and Cherrapunji:

Discovering Cherrapunji: Tea Gardens, Exploring the Arwah Caves and the Nohkalikai Waterfalls and the Seven Sisters Waterfalls.

Another day in Meghalaya saw us explore an area about which every single one of us has studied in high school Geography classes—Cherrapunji, a place that receives the world’s highest rainfall, year after year. It is known to the local people as ‘Sohra’. I’m not sure why the British changed its name to Cherrapunji. As you can imagine, this is also the greenest place on earth. But while a country like Ireland, which receives rain almost every single day of the year, can boast at least forty shades of green, there is just one uniform green in Sohra.

b>Breakfasting and Setting out:

By this, our third day, we had become quite familiar with other members of our group and had learned names as well. This made breakfasts a very congenial meal with most of us sitting around two tables and feasting on hot, buttered toast and omlets, poha or puri bhaji, and fruit. There was butter and jam at the table, so those inclined towards toast alone, also had their needs met. We found the wait staff extraordinarily obliging. Lucky, a young star among the staff was quite tireless and met every demand (and there were several). He was calm, polite and extremely helpful. Indeed, the people of this region are wonderfully simple and quite charming indeed

However, on this day, Llew and I chose to stay in our rooms and eat the Chinese meal that our lovely tour guide, Anita, had most thoughtfully left for us. All we’d had the energy to do on the previous evening was throw ourselves on our bed and crash (as we had reached our hotel at 4.00 am). And so the food she had laid out for us (rice, noodles, chicken, pork) had been left untouched. We thought it would be a shame to waste it and so we ate the previous night’s dinner at breakfast-time—which was actually quite cool. This allowed us to join the rest of our group at the junction, a good hour later, rather than in the breakfast room.

A Visit to the Tea Gardens:

Assam, in the minds of most people around the world, is synonymous with tea and tea gardens. When the large state was divided in the mid-1970s I believe, it was partitioned into Assam (North) and Meghalaya (South). Hence, some of the tea gardens fell within Assamese territory, others in Meghalaya. Since we were en route to the Arwah Caves and were actually passing by a tea ‘Farm’, that was where we made a stop.

Now tea gardens are delightful visual expanses of greenery that slope down hills in the form of short, plump bushes. The ones at which we stopped were no exception. They were exceedingly pretty and we were told that we had about twenty minutes to dally amidst the bushes, take pictures, buy tea at the small shop, if we wished, and would then get back in the bus.

But, inevitably, if you have a stop, you will have delays. Some needed washrooms, others needed to do shopping, still others needed to feed local stray dogs--the activities were varied and every single one of them took time. Still, although Llew and I have posed in tea gardens in Darjeeling and in Munnar in Kerala, we posed one more time amidst these emerald rows under the bluest, most cloudless skies. And after everyone had accomplished the varied tasks they wished, we were back in the bus and whizzing away to the Caves.

A Stop in the Mawkdok Valley:

En route to the Caves, we made an impromptu stop at the Mawkdok Valley partly because there was a small issue with the engine of our bus that needed to be addressed. We were told to take a walk so that our driver could deal with the problem. We found ourselves on a bridge called the Duwan Sing Syiem Bridge overlooking the pretty Mawkdok Valley where we stretched our legs. Llew and I felt fortunate to finally find ourselves some Kit Kat chocolate bars—not even the larger stores seemed to stock them. These became our dessert after every meal.

With the bus engine issue addressed, we were off again and heading off along mountainous bends to the Mawkdok Valley. We passed by delightful scenery, beautiful rows of hills that disappeared in blurry, grey lines in the distance. And, eventually, we arrived at Sohra/Cherrapunji. It was very clear we were at an extremely high altitude as it had become distinctively chillier and because we could see low-hanging clouds swirling above us—in other words, we were actually above the clouds. But first, before we went out on an expedition, we needed lunch!

Lunch at Orange Roots Vegetarian Restaurant:

We stopped for lunch at a vast restaurant called Orange Roots which was probably the only vegetarian restaurant around for miles as it was simply packed to the rafters by Gujaratis who are strict vegetarians and will not deviate from their preferred diets and restaurants, no matter where in the world they might be. Hence, we were placed at tables overlooking the Ramakrishna Mission Buildings in the distance as thalis were placed in front of us. Only this time it was a pure vegetarian thali with no non-veg side dish accompanying it. It was very tasty though and very clean—so no complaints at all. The food was very clean and seconds, or even thirds, were freely available, should one have a ravenous appetite. I enjoyed the meal, but even more, I enjoyed the fact that there were clean Western style toilets that I could use at the end of the meal.

Off to the Arwah Caves:

The Arwah Caves were a complete revelation to me and quite easily, one of the highlights of my trip. Llew and I have explored caves and caverns in different parts of the world (Poland, Slovenia, Virginia) and they often merge in one’s mind without any kind of distinction. Still, it is always a thrill to get down into the bowels of the earth and to explore the subterranean worlds with all the mysteries that they carry. Anita had informed us that these caves were once submerged under water—in prehistoric times, probably—which is why it is not unusual to spot marine fossils on their walls. Now how cool is that?

So once we alighted from the bus, we began the long trek along a clearly marked path, overhung with tropical vegetation that reminded Llew and me very much of the hiking we had done in the Rain Forest in Costa Rica and Brazil. In fact, I took pictures and sent them to our English friends, Sam and Mary (whom we had met in our group in Costa Rica and with whom we have become very close friends) so that they could see how similar our walk in these Cherrapunji forests were to the hikes we had taken in Arenal in Costa Rica.

Once we arrived at the mouth of the Caves, we posed for pictures and then began our descent into the depths below. And believe me, nothing could have been more exciting. The caves are dimly (but adequately) lit, there are stepping stones that help you negotiate your way around dry land to avoid the flowing stream that ran the length of the caves. Within a very short time, we spotted the famed fossils and I was super excited at our find. Further ahead, the cave roof hung really low and we had to bend our heads to avoid getting bumped. Luckily, there were absolutely no bats in the cave—nothing can be more creepy, believe me.

So on we went, minding our steps and enjoying the eerie atmosphere of the caves, the echo generated by the close proximity of the walls, the manner in which nature has cut these wandering paths that take you to a dead end, after which you have no choice but to turn back. We paused as a group to take pictures with those members who had braved the long trek down and the long hike in the caves. It was truly exciting and filled me with a sense of Indiana Jones Adventure.

When we’d had enough of cave-exploration, we made our way back to the mouth of the cave and then began the long trek along the narrow hillside path to get back to our bus. Each of these excursions, I must add, are physically daunting and take a whole lot of energy and enthusiasm—but they are fully rewarding and is the reason we travel as much as we do, isn’t it? I have to tell you that this cave excursion was simply phenomenal, in my opinion, and I would heartily recommend that everyone do it, if they get the opportunity. It remained one of the highlights of my trip.

Two Iconic Meghalaya Waterfalls:

There were two other sites we had to cover before the day was through: both waterfalls, they are cited as the most visited venues in the state. The privilege of having a wonderful driver who can take hairpin bends on endless mountains in his stride cannot be underestimated and we were lucky to have Steven. He made his way along curving, narrow mountain highways to the Nokalikai Falls first, where we were led to a lookout to gaze over a steep drop. There we saw a narrow ribbon of water snake its way down a steep escarpment and fall into a pool at the base. These falls have a rather gory legend attached to them—about an abusive husband who threw the body of his stepdaughter down the valley in jealousy. His wife, haunted by his cruelty, is said to linger amidst these falls. They are also the tallest single plunge waterfalls in India and I was glad that we were able to take a couple of clear pictures. Because, just ten minutes later, the clouds had descended from the heavens and completely engulfed the valley. The falls were no longer visible as a thick shroud of grey appeared before us.

Those who’d seen the falls earlier, then began lingering by the shops as they bought spices, trinkets and other souvenirs. Others bought refreshment in the form of really lousy tea and coffee. After unnecessary lingering aimlessly, we finally moved on and alighted at our next stop: the Severn Sisters Waterfalls.

Well, as this is not the monsoon season, water falling down this steep granite wall is only just a trickle. Instead of manifesting itself as seven separate skeins, there was just one, rather thin thread visible. Hence, it was nowhere near the impression it is supposed to create. Still, these must-see sights are always a part of a tour itinerary of this sort and I was glad we stopped here too.

Back to Shillong:

All that was left then was to get back to Shillong where we knew we’d be stuck in the customary traffic that enters and exits the city along a single dual-carriage artery that leaves no room for deviation into any other minor lanes. Our jovial tour operator, Savio, composed a song with a single word, “Jam. Jam Jam” and burst into song every time we encountered these bottle necks! It created a light-hearted spirit of fun in the bus and brought a smile to all our faces. Finally, we did get to our junction from where we began the ascent to our hotel.

Dinner was at 8.30 pm and on this night, it was a Manipuri Meal. It contained all the components we had grown to expect: rotis, rice, papad, vegetarian and non-vegetarian options and dessert (caramel custard—which was simply awesome). After eating our fill, we bid each other goodbye and returned to our rooms to call it a night.

Until tomorrow…cheerio.

Discovering Shillong, Capital of Meghalaya, Plus Laitlum Canyon, Mawphlang Sacred Forest, The Elephant Waterfalls. And Boney M and Akon at the Cherry Blossom Festival 2024.

15 Nov, Fri:

Discovering Shillong, Capital of Meghalaya, Plus Laitlum Canyon, Mawphlang Sacred Forest, The Elephant Waterfalls. And Boney M and Akon at the Cherry Blossom Festival 2024.

Today was a truly incredible day. We had a full taster of the scenic, natural beauty of the Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Mountains that merge into each other as we drove, for what seemed like hundreds of miles, to get to the most picturesque, hidden nooks and crannies of this area. But first, we awoke after a refreshingly restful night to the knowledge that breakfast would be served at 8.30 in our community room.

Breakfast with the Group:

Breakfasts with this tour group were always delicious and satisfying. There was something for everyone. Llew and I always carry our decaff coffee sachets when traveling in India as we are well aware that there are never available, no matter where we might be. Hence, we used the electric kettle in our room to heat up water and took our large coffee cups to the dining room for hot milk to make ourselves reviving cups of decaff coffee.

Meanwhile, a buffet breakfast had been set out: I had several slices of hot, buttered, white bread toast (I never eat white bread except when on vacation) and a masala omlette. There was also poha as an option (very good indeed) and fruit (apples, skinned and chopped) and with this very handsome repast, we were ready to face the day.

Our Sight-Seeing Begins at the Laithlum Canyon:

Our daily to-ing and fro-ing from our hotel involved a ten-minute walk (uphill or downhill, depending on your direction). Our bus was never waiting for us when we arrived there—we soon realized that time is a very stretchable thing in this part of the country where there is no accounting for traffic jams (which are among the worst I have ever seen—but more about that later in the post).

When our driver, Steven, eventually arrived, we piled into the bus and were off to our first stop of the day: Laitlum Canyon. This involved a very long drive (seemingly two hours—but perhaps it feels this way as the road is not a straight one. Going up and down mountains, curving around treacherous hai pin bends with deep dips on the other side, over roads that are dusty although the sides are bordered by thick vegetation, makes driving a very dangerous business in this region. Yet, the spot is only 23 kms south of Shillong.

Arriving At and Exploring Laitlum Canyon:

From the car park to the viewpoint at the Canyon, it is a long and dusty walk past small shanties selling fresh fruit, candy and soft drinks. ‘Laitlum’ means ‘end of hills’. It is a popular tourist attraction and there were several tour buses that had arrived there ahead of ours. As a result, the canyon was peopled quite generously with most congregating around the railings overlooking the valley and the mountains up ahead to take pictures. Our group took its share of pictures too and then stopped to admire the utter silence of the canyon, filed with mountain slopes draped with verdant greenery. What struck me was the profound silence of the area, punctuated only by the exited cries of tourists as they surveyed suitable photo spots. There is a winding path that actually leads down into the valley (should one be fleet-footed enough to undertake such a challenge). Most visitors content themselves, as we did, with gazing at the mountains disappearing beyond the realms of visibility on a wonderfully clear day. About half an hour later, we’d had our fill and were ready to move on to explore newer pastures. Reports have it that Bollywood has discovered this area and that Rock On 2 was shot here.

A Walk in the Woods--Into the Mawphlang Sacred Forest:

Back in the bus, we whizzed off to the next port of call: the Mawphlang Sacred Forest. It took us about a half hour to get there and once we alighted, we walked just a short distance to a vast yellowed plain. Somewhat startlingly, at its far end, was a belt of green growth—the fabled forest.

We were met by a guide whose name was something of a Khasi tongue-twister. He, therefore, told us to call him ‘Vax’! I think he said his name was Vaxy-Nelson (but I could be mistaken). Anyway, he was a cheerful chap and we were happy to trek behind him into the depths of a dense forest filled with tropical growth. It reminded Llew and me very much of the woodland hikes we’d take regularly at Lake Mohegan in Fairfield or at Southport Woods in Connecticut.

When Vax began his commentary, he informed us that locals believe that the 78 hectares of land are protected by the local deity, Labasa, so not even a single twig can be taken out from here. The forest entrance is marked by tall stone monoliths. The trees are so tall (because untouched by human hands) that they form a thick canopy overhead into which sunlight does not penetrate. The forest is sacred also because it grows a tree that produces a thick and hard berry that can be peeled to reveal the sacred beads that Hindus use to string together to make a sacred necklace called a ‘rudhraksha’. Vax demonstrated the manner in which these beads have a sacred power that allow them to move when placed between the thumbnails of a human being. Indeed, his demonstration made it very clear that movement (a sort of spinning) was taking place as we tried to do the same. Further ahead, he took us to an uprooted tree that had recently fallen in the forest. At its root end, most of us posed for pictures.

Once we emerged from out of the Forest, we took a group picture at the entrance/exit as well as at the sign that allowed us to remember where exactly we were. It is common knowledge that when one is on a short trip, the places one sees tends to visually merge together so that one quite loses track of where one was and when. These signboards are clever markers of space and Meghalaya has them at every significant spot.

On our way to the Forest, we passed by extensive limestone hills that are being successfully and ruthlessly quarried to create sandstone blocks that our guide, Anita, informed us were being exported by the ton to neighboring Bangladesh. They made striking visual vignettes as we passed by.

Lunch at Aurora Restaurant:

By this point, it was late afternoon and our tummies had begun their habitual rumble. We were taken to a hotel called Aurora which had a nice restaurant on the ground floor. I have to say that the biggest benefit of taking these package tours is that one does not have to go hunting around for eateries at meal-times. The tour operators have already done the necessary recces to find suitable sites and it is good to be shepherded by them to these venues for meals. Also, as one has paid for them fully, you do not have to put your hand in your pocket for any more spending (unless one desires to tip the wait staff).

Lunch was the somewhat predictable thali that came with a bowl of chicken curry. It was substantial and tasty and did the trick. We used restrooms and piled back into our bus for the second leg of our travels. We were off to the Elephant Falls.

Exploring the Elephant Falls:

When you have mountains, it is inevitable that you will have waterfalls. And Meghalaya has its fair share of them—some more impressive than others. The Elephant Falls rate right up there with the best and for very good reason. The three-tiered Elephant Falls with its tree-scented woodlands are a sight to behold, especially in the monsoon. A well-marked stepped path takes you from tier 1 to 3 down a hill, along slabs of rocks with water flowing over them. It was the British who named the spot Elephant Falls after a rock scape on the left that resembled a pachyderm. Though the rock was destroyed in an earthquake in 1897, the name stuck.

Many members of our group declined the long and steep downhill trek, probably fearing that the uphill climb would be too strenuous. Many went as far as Tier 1 and then turned back. Notwithstanding the level at which one stops, there is something to enchant and delight. Llew and I joined about three other couples who resolved to get right down to the base—a not untiring effort, but certainly one that brought rewards. The stones were rather uneven and often rounded—which made footfalls quite treacherous. One had to scale them gingerly for fear of twisting an ankle or a meniscus! Still, we managed to make it to the very bottom and, in the process, enjoyed the sound of rushing water as it hurried down under well-structured bridges. At the very base, there was a large tank with steppingstones that made the scene somewhat pretty.

Having enjoyed the falls, it was time to get back up and this proved to be a big slog. Anyway, by God’s grace, we are both still agile enough to undertake such exercise. I tried my hand at zig-zag climbing which, reportedly, puts less strain on your leg muscles and is less tiring, And indeed, I did find it to be so. I shall certainly keep this in mind when next we are at one of Maharashtra’s forts!

Back near the car park, we had the opportunity to do some minor shopping for trinkets. Llew and I bought our magnets—one for Shillong, the other for Meghalaya—and with that our shopping was almost done. We have stopped doing any travel shopping in general and but for magnets or small Thank-You gifts for neighbors or friends who water our plants when we are away, we buy almost nothing at all.

We were back on the bus again, before long, and heading off to our hotel Our official sightseeing for the day was over, but there was the long and bumpy ride to get us back to hotel base. While for most of our group, the time had come to relax and look forward to a hearty dinner and bed, for Llew me and two of our companions, Raul and Alifya, the evening was only just beginning. So do bear with me when I tell you of the nerve-wracking adventure we had as we readied ourselves for the next segment of our day.

Attending the Cherry Blossom Festival 2024:

It was our Tour Leader Savio who had told me, on the phone, while we were still in Bombay, that the annual Cherry Blossom Festival just happened to be taking place in Shillong at the same time that we would be there. This is a musical extravaganza that attracts young music lovers from all the Seven Sister states. Consequently, it attracts some of the biggest names in the music world and this year, the two biggest draws were Boney M (a group from the 1970s that we both happen to know really well) and Akon, a solo Afro-Caribbean singer, of whom we had never heard. Hence, we purchased our tickets to the concert online before leaving Bombay and persuaded Raul and Alifya to buy their’s too. Fortunately, they did and, believe me, it was a matter of the deepest relief to me to know that we were not alone on this mad enterprise. For mad was what the evening turned out to be.

So, for starters, we called a cab and although it turned up late (we were getting quite accustomed to the city’s notorious traffic and never expected anything to arrive on time), we were off and away at about 7.00 pm. We were advised by Steven, our driver, to avoid the main roads which would be packed solid as the city had received a vast influx of folks for the festival. He suggested we take the back roads and although they would be dark and less traveled, would keep us moving and actually get us there. Our cab driver was instructed accordingly and off he set.

Well, you had to have nerves of steel to withstand the journey we had to the venue. We were told that it was 22 kms away but along curving hairpin bends, you might as well be traveling 100 kms. Furthermore, it was not long before we left civilization behind and entered into the profound heart of the jungle in which it was absolutely pitch dark. But for the glow of our car’s headlights, there was nothing to guide us forward. Initially we had a string of cars ahead of us (probably all taking the same route to the venue) but, as time went by, we lost them all until there was just one lone red car ahead of us. We believe that our driver got lost at this point because we lost the red car and then were entirely on our own for what seemed like hundreds of miles. Can you imagine how unnerving this can be? Pitch darkness, not another vehicle in sight, fog circling all around us, not a sound except for the car’s engine!

I fell fast asleep at some point and when I awoke, two whole hours had passed once we had set out. By this time, we were on a very busy road with traffic completely engulfing us. Llew informed me that we were about 3 kms from our destination and since the car was not moving at all, all the others in the car decided to get off and start walking. All we needed to do was join the throngs of other participants along a straight road and we’d get there.

Realizing that we had no choice at all, that was what we did. We left out driver behind (after ensuring we could keep contact by an exchange of phone numbers) and took the road in our stride—quite literally! We trudged on for what seemed like forever with cars occasionally inching past us just a whisker away from our hips. It was seriously crazy and but for the fact that I did not want to seem like a wimp, I would probably have sat there and wept. So picture us, walking forward, one little step at a time, over a road that was filled with loose stones—any one of which could have caused a twisted ankle. You had to look down with every step you took while at the same time trying to dodge vehicles moving at snail’s pace past you.

Eventually…and I mean eventually, the lights of a Ferris Wheel came into view and I realized that we had finally reached! No greater relief have I ever felt in my entire life. Even at the point that we were at the venue, we had to go through the song and dance of security clearance. Our tickets were scanned, then our wrist bands were produced and clutching those, for dear life, we joined hundreds of young folks as they made their way inside. About three hours after we’d set off from our hotel, we were finally inside! Hallelujah!!!

Inside the Cherry Blossom Festival’s Grounds:

The Cherry Blossom Festival is held inside a massive open field that, I was told, had five main stages. We were fortunate to get right away to the Main one. The loud sounds of music were already audible to our ears. Alifya informed me that Akon was performing. Indeed, once we entered, I could see that he had masses of fans—any amount of young people know his music and know it well. They were eating right out of his hands. They knew his songs well and they were singing lustily with him. Forget about finding a seat to rest my weary behind, we were lucky to simply have a spot at which we could stand comfortably. I thought I would just sink down and die! But as the young couple went out to look for a rest room, I gave myself a stern talking to and decided to perk up. I had made the conscious choice to be there, we had spent a sizeable sum for the tickets and I was damned if, after all the trouble we’d been through, I was going to give up. I decided to get into the spirit of the evening and enjoy it as much as I could.

As I do not know Akon or his music, I resoled to people-watch. And boy, how entertaining that turned out to be. The crowd around us, dozens of people thick, really made my evening. The girls were dressed to the nines in current Western Fall fashion that I found fascinating: think leather jackets (yes, it was cold but not unbearably so), skimpy mini skirts or slinky midi dresses, opaque or transparent thights, knee-high leather boots and warming, cozy scarves. It was marvelous. Not to be left behind, the guys were in grand Fall fashion too. There was a lot of weed in the air, a lot of smoke, a lot of alcohol as cans of beer were chugged down. It was a wondrous sight. I simply could not get over how Westernized, how well-informed in western music, how easily the genders mixed and mingled and how vast were the hordes.

After a while, the young couple decided to go and get something to eat. Their trip to the restrooms had revealed that were un-usable (just as I had expected). I mean how can you control a crowd of so many thousands, all high on alcohol or weed, when they need to use the restrooms with the frequency that is expected in that state??? It simple did not bear thinking about.

Our quest for food (it was almost 11.00 pm by this time and we were hungry) led us to a series of food kiosks where burgers, fries, pizza and the like could be purchased. But, of course, it was much too late and most of the food had gone. We were very lucky to get a couple of pizzas and some water and with that, we satisfied ourselves. Deciding that I had to call upon my habitual resourcefulness, I looked desperately for a chair as I simply had to sit down, I had been on my feet for hours on end and there was a limit to my endurance. By God’s grace, I saw a kiosk with two vacant seats. I went forward and begged the lady there to lend them to me. She obliged immediately, But first, I needed food. Armed with our pizzas, we made our way back and having sunk into that chair, I decided that I was simply never going to get up! And that’s how and where we had our dinner. Meanwhile, our young friends had found burgers and a pizza and fries and chocolate and what have you and were filling themselves with all these eats. I honestly do not think I’d have survived the evening without their energy and optimism to prod me on.

Boney M then, to our grand relief, came right after Akon who went on and on for much more than an hour. Llew, Raul and Alifya decided to try to worm their way to the front for this set as this was the reason we had actually come to this place. I was much too comfy at the back to leave and told them to go ahead. A few minutes later, once Boney M took to the stage, I moved my chair outside and then climbed up on it to get a good view, albeit a very distant one. I actually used my phone to do some videotaping.

Boney M did not disappoint. They did all the familiar classics that we know so well: Sunnie, Daddy Cool, Brown Girl in the Ring, Rasputin, etc. Then, when they announced their Rivers of Babylon hit, we were informed that they’d be joined by the world-famous Shillong Choir! You can just imagine how thrilled I was to hear this! Of course, I videotaped the whole thing as the Choir in the background, provided back up. It was just brilliant and totally made the ordeal of getting there and staying there worthwhile. Then, to my disappointment, the MC announced that they would need to cut their set short as they were running out of time. Just when I thought they would do Ma Baker, they swung into No Woman, No Cry instead. By this time, the others had come to find me and tell me that they’d managed to find amazing spots that gave us superb views of the group and that they had fully enjoyed the set. They urged me to join them in the front and this time, I did. As we nudged our way to the front, I had a far better view of the group but, of course, it was still quite a distance away. Even so, it had been a simply superb set and all of us were ready to make our way home in the full knowledge that the reason we had braved the crowds and the traffic to get there was fully vindicated.

And then began yet another ordeal: trying to connect with our driver so that we could meet him at a chosen spot and get our ride back. Ha! Forget about it! Long story short, the driver lacked any decipherable communication skills and there was absolutely no telling where he was or where we ought to go to meet him. By this time, we had made our way out and were on the street, right in the thick of traffic that had come to a complete stand still. It was like a massive parking lot in front of us. At this point too, to get away from the thronging masses, I found refuge in a small tea shop where I plonked myself on a bench and waited as Raul and Alifya tried in vain to get in touch with our driver. They too finally found seats and sat down to wait as waiting was all we could do. Meanwhile, it was almost 1.00 am and loads of people had started to leave the venue to try to find their way home. We might have sat there for over an hour before the young couple informed us that they would walk along the stalled traffic to try to find our car and driver. And so, off they went.

The first time they set off, they drew a blank. They returned saying that they had walked really far and that he was nowhere to be seen. They sat down and having no choice, once again, waited. Then, by some miracle that I simply cannot fathom, they decided to go out and look for him a second time—and guess what? This time, they did find him. Alifya came back to tell us that he was about half a km away, still stuck in the midst of the other cars and going nowhere slowly! Llew and I followed them in the dim light of small local tea shanties, accompanied by loads of other people. By this time, it was past 1.00 am and the concert had ended. Everyone was trying to make their way home at the same time. Can you imagine the nightmare of it all?

Well, eventually we did get to the driver and as we were very close to the VIP entrance, he simply swung into the curve of traffic emanating from that channel and making a U-Turn, he started his journey back home. All I can remember is giving Llew by phone (as mine was the only phone that still had some juice in it) so that he could use Google Maps to help the driver find our way back home. And that was the last I remember. I just tossed my head back on the seat and fell fast asleep. When I was awakened by Llew, we had arrived at our hotel. An hour and a half had passed and we were back, safe and sound, after one of the worst experiences of my life.

It meant that we had to wake up the hotel staff at almost 4.00 am to open the main gate which had been locked. One of them sportingly obliged and we were inside, taking the steps two at a time to our room and then simply throwing ourselves down on our bed and crashing! We had reached home, safe and sound.

Was it all worth it? And would I do this again? Honestly, I don’t think so. I’m no longer of the age when I could take such hairy adventures in my stride. So, no, I would not recommend the Cherry Blossom Festival in Shillong to anyone ever again.

Until tomorrow…cheerio.

The Start of a Most Exciting Introduction to North-Eastern India

14 Nov, Thu:

Bombay-Guwahati-Shillong

The Start of a Most Exciting Introduction to North-Eastern IndiaThe Start of a Most Exciting Introduction to North-Eastern India

Our trip to North-Eastern India (a first time for both of us) had occurred very suddenly and unexpectedly when a friend in my yoga class, Fran, asked me if I was interested in joining her on a trip to Kashmir that she would be taking in less than a week! Her son, her intended companion, had suddenly dropped out and she needed company. And so it was that I became introduced to Savio D’Costa of Savio Tours whose ads I had been seeing for quite a long while in ‘The Examiner’—a Catholic weekly newspaper for which I always write an article in the annual Christmas issue.

I told Fran that she had given me too short a notice for the Kashmir trip, but I did end up chatting on the phone to Savio (for the first time) who then informed me about his imminent trip to Assam and Meghalaya which would be leaving in ten day’s time. I found Savio to be polite, very well-informed and very accommodating and decided it would make sense to travel with him. Quite literally, on impulse, I put the idea across to Llew and, next thing you know, we were looking at airfares (as Savio’s outfit does not book air or train tickets) and finding them quite within our reach, decided to take the trip.With our airfares booked, our trip was a done deal. We were off to visit North-Eastern India which we had heard was quite beautiful indeed.

Flight from Bombay to Guwahati:

Our Indigo flight out of Bombay to Guwahati was scheduled to leave at 8.40 am. This meant that we’d need to be at the airport at 6.40 (2 hours in advance for domestic flights, 3 for international ones, is the rule of thumb we follow). Indigo uses Bombay’s International Terminal (T2)—which means we had more time to bargain for the journey to the airport than if we were going to the Domestic airport (T1). We left our flat at 6.00 am, were really lucky to find a passing rickshaw at 6.10 am and off we went along traffic-less roads to the highway that dropped us to the airport at 6.40 am.

The line at the Indigo counters was lengthy and Llew and I decided to play a little game—to try to spot our fellow-tour companions as we knew that two other couples would be on the same flight with us. However, the crowd was great, the line snaking and there was little chance that we would find our targets. Not even as we were boarding our flight could we recognize them. However, we had been rather amused by a couple whose humorous exchange had caught my ear—we did not recognize them as our tour-companions then; but they would turn out to be Sunil and Nisreen who were indeed in our tour group (and turned out to be the most fun folks of the group and the ones to whom we were instantly attracted). Needless to say, a package tour (as we know from experience, having taken such tours in Costa Rica and Morocco) always throws up some folks to whom you will take a liking and become friends and some folks whom you will prefer to avoid like the plague because you simply do not get along or have absolutely nothing in common with them. This trip would prove to be the same. Sunil and Nisreen are definitely friends with whom we would like to nurture a closer friendship.

Our flight was pleasant enough. We’d bought breakfast from McDonald’s (breakfast burgers and coffee) before boarding as we are well aware that airline meals need to be purchased, are heavily overpriced and not of one’s liking. Hence, with our tummies full, we could sit back and doze during the flight or spend some time on our phones (as Llew did) or read (as I did). I had begun reading ‘A Nautical Adventure’ by Emile Joshi before leaving Bombay and I continued reading it on the flights back and forth (and finished it). A fascinating read indeed.

Arrival at Guwahati Airport:

Savio and his wife, Anita, who would be accompanying us on the tour, were supposed to meet us as soon as we exited the airport. Accordingly, we looked for them and then found them soon enough. It was not long before we found the rest of our tour companions, including Sunil and Nisreen (whom I recognized immediately as the couple who had exchanged amusing banter between themselves at Bombay airport) and Raul and Alifya, Savio’s son and daughter-in-law, who were also joining the group.

A few feet ahead of us, other members of the group had already assembled, having taken earlier flights or having arrived yesterday. We introduced ourselves to each other and within minutes, I discovered that three alumni of St. Peter’s International School in Panchgani (of which I happen to be a Trustee on the Board of Governors) were going to be in our group (Sunil, Harish and Savio). What a coincidence! As it turns out, Savio is an alumnus of the school and the other two were his batchmates. They are now on a Whatsapp group and decided to join Savio on this tour. We met another couple from Goa, Bevinda and Cipriano, and two other couples from Bombay: Joan and Allan, Davida and Gilroy. We’d be a total of 14 folks on the trip—which, in my opinion, is just the right size.

We were all piled into a large-ish van (after our baggage was stashed in the back) and we were off to Shillong. So, Guwahati was just a dropping-off point for us as it happens to be the closest airport to Meghalaya. The ride was long, really long—a good four plus hours. We were introduced to our driver, Steven, who also happened to be an alumnus of St. Peter’s! He stayed with us throughout our travels and did a fantastic job.

We had welcome relief from the long ride when we broke journey at Excelensia Restaurant where we were served a Chicken Thali. We would eat several Thalis before this trip was through. Non-vegetarians were presented with an extra bowl of chicken; the vegetarians were presented with something that was palatable to them. The food was quite tasty and plentiful and we had no reason to feel anything other than fully satisfied with the meal. I discovered a fondness for papads which we received at almost every meal. We would use the same restaurant on our return to Guwahati airport at the end of our trip. This meal was also a good way to get to know some of our companions and it certainly broke the ice.

Our long ride continued on the second segment of our journey to Shillong. After we left the plains, the temperature dropped a bit. The bits we saw of Guwahati en route to Shillong were far from impressive. We were definitely on the outskirts of the city as we left the airport and there was nothing much to see except a few decrepit buildings, any number of shanties and small make-shift shops serving local necessities.

Entry into Shillong and Settling into Cassiopea Hotel:

Our entry into Shillong was equally unimpressive—but this was probably because darkness had already fallen by the time we arrived at our destination: Laithumkrah, a busy junction whose focus was a roundabout structured around a whole lot of hotels, restaurants, shops, etc. Alighting from the bus, we were told to follow our tour leaders to our hotel which involved a five minute walk uphill along a narrow street to another narrower street and into a third narrow street (narrowest of the lot) until we arrived at ‘Cassiopea’ which was to be our residence for the next five nights. I had been told that we’d be put up at a “home stay” which is Indian-speak for a B&B. I was, therefore, expecting a very homely, casual sort of family residence with a few bedrooms given out to paying guests.

I was quite pleasantly surprised then to discover that our residence would be a proper hotel—albeit a small, very modest one. Llew and I were parked up on the highest floor (the second) and put into a decent, welcoming room with a large double bed, a sofa and a few amenities including a microwave oven and a fridge. We had an en suite bathroom that was spacious and impeccably clean and I thought we’d have nothing to complain about. And then I saw it: a really tiny insect on our spotlessly white bed. It was so tiny that I couldn’t even tell what it was. I suppose when windows are left open in these mountain locales, one can expect creepy crawlies to enter. But I do wish the rooms were more thoroughly fumigated.

First Dinner at the Hotel:

As our tour package provided all meals during our trip, we were told to assemble in the small dining hall for dinner at 8.30 pm. By this time, everyone was tired (it’s amazing how tired you can get simply sitting in a vehicle along bumpy roads) and ready to attack a plate of dinner and get to bed. So we reassembled in the dining room and were happy to find a buffet laid out for us.

Dinner (indeed all of our meals) was adequate. Quantities were enough, food was tasty and there was something to satisfy everyone. There was also rice, dal, vegetable, salad and a non-vegetarian protein (usually chicken). Then came dessert (ice-cream with fresh chopped fruit). People were starting to feel comfortable with their fellow travelers, by this point, and were ready to begin the next day’s exploration.

Not too much later, we said our goodbyes after being informed that we would re-convene for breakfast at 8.00 am. Back in our room, I did a bit of photo-blogging before the two of us fell asleep at the end of a day that was devoted entirely to travel.

Until tomorrow…cheerio.