Disclaimer: Every part of this trip was nothing but perfect to me. There was a lot of things worth complaining about, but I guess I'm trained to ignore all of it. And that's just one of the things solo (roaming) does to you.
Day 1 (24 Feb)
Due to bad time management and the uber protests in Bangalore I was pretty sure I was going to miss the flight to Guwahati. Took the airport bus anyways (with absolutely no hope) and at half-way I got reminded of the web check-in I had done the previous day(! Yes I am a bit stupid that ways, probably the excitement, probably not), and now there was a small speck of light (I had 30-45 minutes and I was still on the bus). Reached and ran up to security and reached the gate 5 minutes before they started boarding. Phew!
The flight was at around 10am and I reached Guwahati at around 1am. Took an Uber to reach the OYO I had booked at Paltan Bazaar. Checked in, freshened up, lightly planned the route of the next 4 days and left for the Bhramaputra Dinner Cruise. The cruise was why I had booked the OYO near the train station, surprisingly I had an amazing sleep inspite of the multiple train hoots. The cruise was for 2 hours and they board at 7:30pm, it was entertaining and filling! Definitely worth the money and time. Oh, and it was Mahashivaratri and there were processions in the MG road area.
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| Mahashivratri procession in Guwahati |
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| The cruise ship |
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| Performances in the cruise ship |
Expenditure for the day- Flight: 3500 . Transfer cab: 350 INR . Food: 500 INR (Excl. dinner) . Dinner cruise: 1000 INR
Day 2 (25 Feb)
The plan for today was to rent a bike and reach Shillong. I had enquired a few places where they rent motorbikes in Guwahati and Awerides looked like a very professional bike-rental place. Hence after checking out of the OYO at around 11am, I went to rent an available bike for the next 4 days. The cheapest option that was available was the Yamaha FZ, for 4 days, including a helmet. Shillong was around a hundred kms from Guwahati and they said it was good 4-lane highways only along the way. Except for like a stretch of 2 kms or so, at various stretches, the roads were very good.
Took off at around 12 noon and reached the Pear Tree BnB at 2pm. Now this place is at a good location and is quite a luxurious place for a bnb. Ordered food from Wok which was the closest and also read it had good ratings. Was supposed to take a stroll to Police bazaar in the evening, but since the temperature kept dropping from 12 degrees to even lower, I did not leave the room. Thankfully there was a heater in the room and I must say it was a blessing.
Now to confirm the plan for the next 3 days, I wanted to go to Dawki and Mawlynnong, but research suggested I go to the double decker bridge at Cherrapunjee. I booked a standard room at the Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort (CHR) and hit the bed and slept like a baby.
Expenditure for the day- OYO:1300 INR . Bike rental: 3600 INR . Pear Tree BnB: 4000 INR . Holiday Resort advance: 1000 INR . Food: 500 INR
Now to confirm the plan for the next 3 days, I wanted to go to Dawki and Mawlynnong, but research suggested I go to the double decker bridge at Cherrapunjee. I booked a standard room at the Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort (CHR) and hit the bed and slept like a baby.
Expenditure for the day- OYO:1300 INR . Bike rental: 3600 INR . Pear Tree BnB: 4000 INR . Holiday Resort advance: 1000 INR . Food: 500 INR
Day 3 (26 Feb)
There were a few places I had starred on Google Maps like the Mawsmai caves and Elephant falls. Reached the Elephant falls at 12pm, spent 30 mins there, tried to buy a scarf, because it was quite cold to be riding without scarves and/or the gloves.
From Shillong, post checkout and the Elephant falls, I left for Cherrapunjee at 11:30am.
The ride to Cherrapunjee was around 45kms from here and the terrain is quite scenic, vast and very good, except at very small stretches.
Reached the Mawsmai caves at around 2:30 and clicked a few pictures there. It's indeed a pain to be carrying the rucksack and the helmet along, but since there wasn't another way, it wasn't a big deal anymore.
Note: Google maps shows the Ecopark (or something) as the entrance to the Mawsmai caves, but the cave was a little further to the ecopark detour.
Reached the resort at around 3:30 pm, checked in and asked about reaching the living root bridge. They said it was a 6-hr trek to the Nongriat village that hosts the double decker bridge. Dinner and breakfast are complimentary buffets here.
From Shillong, post checkout and the Elephant falls, I left for Cherrapunjee at 11:30am.
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| From a viewpoint on the way to Cherrapunjee |
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| Cherrapunjee |
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| Bikes are great posers |
Note: Google maps shows the Ecopark (or something) as the entrance to the Mawsmai caves, but the cave was a little further to the ecopark detour.
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| Entrance of the cave |
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| Exit of the cave |
Yes it is as small as you think (and see) it is.
A few more photos of Cherrapunjee (aka Sohra) and a few views from Shillong to Sohra, the place that used to have the highest rainfall in the World.
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| On the way to the resort |
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| Sohra sunset from the resort |
There was bonfire in the evening and it was heavenly to have been able to warm up with a natural heater. Talked and made acquaintance of the other people who had come over to warm themselves up, and as always they felt it weird and new to see a person going around all by herself.
Expenditure for the day: Scarf+buff: 200 INR . Food (lunch): 500 INR
Day 4 (27 Feb)
It was the day of the trek and there was going to be a lot of work for the legs. There seemed to be 3000 steps to reach the double decker bridge and 1700 of that was all at one stretch, the rest a bit scattered. The bridge was in the Nongriat village, which can normally be reached only by foot, they said. The Tyrna village can be reached by bike/car and the climb down starts at the "Bro n 2 sister cafe" which can be seen on Google Maps.
The white house like structures on the mountain across (towards the right, along the center) is Nongriat.
The climb down wasn't very easy, as it may feel and sound. A few hundred steps down and the calves start to shiver. After a few hundred more it seems to fade away. But make sure you carry food (sandwiches/chocolate/biscuits) and water (I made myself a litre of Glucon-D orange (which is available along the houses/village after the first 1700 steps), and it worked very well as an encouragement).
After the first 1700 stretch of steps you will have a few places for refreshments and 2 bridges made of steel wires like this, to cross. I guess this is how you cross the valley between the mountain you come from and the mountain you are headed for.
Taking a guide along is not a compulsion, neither am I going to advise it. There are a few houses along the way and it's not really a dense or a man-less place to get lost in. I went with the young group of 3 (which had a newly married couple and their neighbour lady), who had started from the same resort, but we went at our own paces. I had a ligament tear that was in its final weeks, but it still is healing and I am not really sure how this trek has contributed to that, let's say that the ligament was just another thing that I had forgotten during the trip.
The climb up now-
Sure was tiring, but the feeling of having seen this man-made wonder, constantly reminded how worthy all of this was. Reached the Tyrna base village at 3:15pm. We started from the resort at around 8:30am, by the way.
Spends for the day: Food and snacks: 500 INR.
The white house like structures on the mountain across (towards the right, along the center) is Nongriat.
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| Nongriat is the white houses on the mountain across |
There was a shorter living root bridge at a detour and that was when I first got to touch and feel the roots that intertwined and made a strong bridge. The roots were supposedly rubber tree roots which were trained to form a bridge by the locals. It was discovered and made known to the public by the uncle who owned the CH Resort. He also added he found the bridge when the resort was already in construction, in the year 2000.
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| The Living Root Bridge |
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| A friendly spider on the way |
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| The blue water will never seize to amaze me. |
And here we are now!
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| The double deck |
For the Maggi lovers out there.
Taking a guide along is not a compulsion, neither am I going to advise it. There are a few houses along the way and it's not really a dense or a man-less place to get lost in. I went with the young group of 3 (which had a newly married couple and their neighbour lady), who had started from the same resort, but we went at our own paces. I had a ligament tear that was in its final weeks, but it still is healing and I am not really sure how this trek has contributed to that, let's say that the ligament was just another thing that I had forgotten during the trip.
The climb up now-
Sure was tiring, but the feeling of having seen this man-made wonder, constantly reminded how worthy all of this was. Reached the Tyrna base village at 3:15pm. We started from the resort at around 8:30am, by the way.
Spends for the day: Food and snacks: 500 INR.
Day 5 (28 Feb)
Since there wasn't a preferable option of riding on the 27th, I had to stay another night at the CH Resort. And after breakfast and checking-out of the resort, I left for Guwahati, with terribly aching, tired legs.
A few photos from the way back-
A few photos from the way back-
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| Towards Shillong |
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| The Umiam lake |
Reached Guwahati at around 2pm, gave back the bike and checked in at the Awesome Palace (a luxury business hotel!). The King room was available for just 2699 INR and it was so goddamn cozy and nice, if I may add!
Couldn't afford to give the legs some rest, as I did not want them to get used to rest. After lunch, I slowly walked to the PVR nearby and watched Lion (the movie) and slowly walked back to the hotel after. Such good sleep it was, not to forget the pain in the legs growing each day. The only soothing thought was the pain cycle and the thought that the pain will ultimately have to come down after it peaks.
Spends for the day: CH Resort: 6500 INR . Movie: 200 INR . Food: 200 INR
Day 6 (1 March)
The flight was at 1:50pm and after checkout I booked a cab to reach the airport. It was a peaceful departure and arrival. Reached home in Bangalore at around 7pm.
Spends: Hotel: 3000 INR . Cab: 350 INR . Airfare: 3500 INR . Airport bus (Blore): 240 INR.
In summary...
The entire trip costed me around 29k and it definitely stands out because it was a birthday trip and the wish was made true.
As it happens on all the roamings, there was a lot of talking to self, inward quests and thinking out loud. It's an amazing feeling to think about how peacefully I've slept, outside my homes (in Salem and Bengaluru). All this only makes you want to roam around more and get out more. I still do not have my definition of travel; And all I do is pick a few places, research, pick a place again with the strongest urge, pack and go. Planning happens before, after or during the trip.
It's quite random and I do seem to enjoy it. I do not want to see the World or even travel across India before I die, Leh-Ladakh and the Himalayas aren't even on my list (coz there is no list). I just want to be able to travel when I want to, and I want to travel only when I get comfortable leaves which I do, thanks to the startup I work with. I don't hate Mondays, neither do I feel the need of an escape form my work life. Now tell me that isn't a sweet simple life :)
Video will be available on my Youtube channel soon, by the way.
Brilliant and awesome. Much inspiring and motivating. A nice way to take a break from the concrete jungles.
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