"We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us" and this was the quote best suited to us when we planned to go on a trip during our Bihu vacations from Guwahati. Everything was planned, we were ready to hustle. Hold on, don't just start assuming what we were upto. It was just a little trip we had planned, me and my friends, we go to Cherrapunji and have some fun days together. It was supposed to be the trip we all remember and be all nostalgic upon when we grow old. We were exited to the core and soon the travel day arrived. Wait, did I tell you about the day before?? Well as I said, we were exited. We planned a dinner night outside the city, went there, had dinner, and came back so tired that even the thought of travel would feel terrifying. My group was falling apart, the didn't want to travel. I obviously couldn't let that happen so I tried and tried convincing them. I made them sleep and literally shouted at the top of voice, we had to wake up early. I slept, we all slept but the official dumbass of our group didn't. Yes, Seemansh was up and running. He woke us up in the middle of the night and asked up to be ready for the trip tomorrow. And then as we woke up got all dressed and ready, we found him sleeping!! With a lot of effort and shouting and convincing, we made him come with us. Soon we were on the road to Shillong. We we exited and full of energy, we were filled with adrenaline and so we slept, oh yes we did. I was in deep sleep when suddenly the sun felt a little warmer. The light felt pretty strong when I slowly opened my eyes and gazed upon the guys doing chai pe charcha. The driver had decided to stop for tea. I have seen a number of roads and been on a number of trips, but trust me when I say this was one of the most of beautiful of them roads.
So we finally reached Shillong, where after our breakfast we went to Wards Lake and spent a little time there, but as Shillong was not our final destination we began our search for another taxi which will take us to Cherrapunji.
We found one, at our desired price and finally after a two hour tiring journey we reached Cherrapunji. After reaching there and without wasting any time our cab driver took us to the first view point which was The Mawkdok Dympep Valley View it was a place where one can enjoy the view of a valley with trees and a small stream flowing somewhere at the bottom of the valley which we were only able to hear and also a spot for good profile pictures.
And after spending some quality time there we went ahead as we were short on time. Mawsmai Falls was our next stop, although those falls looked like they were on their death bed but you cannot blame the falls for that as we were the ones who went there at the time when it was not raining but still there was water, and no doubt the view was awesome. While few of my friends were standing inside the boundaries of the view point, the rest of us went out for just a few pictures, knowingly that it was dangerous but fun and fun was the only thing we went there. So we had our clicks, sat there for a few moments and then started moving back towards our cab. But those few moments were not enough, when we found an empty and large field just opposite to that view point where there was a small waterfall and big stones where one can sit and enjoy the peace. But peace never lasts for long, and all of us started to throw stones and were trying to hit each other’s stones, after doing this childish activity we went back to our cab and were on the road again.
The next stop of this exciting trip was Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, it’s a school which consists of a museum where one can behold the beauty and diversity of the culture and traditions that prevails in the North-Eastern part of India, as the museum tells a historic tale about the lifestyle of the people of North-East. The Ashrama is situated on a hill top from where one can see the beauty of the place. After the tour of that beautifully made Ashrama we moved on to our next stop Nohkalikai Waterfalls. Again a waterfall but this time with a lots of water and sight to behold of mountains, a valley with blue and clear water flowing from it and countless trees which made it more beautiful, but a trip to places like this is incomplete without having some adventurous fun. So taking this in mind three of us went down on some stairs which were situated a little ahead of the waterfall viewing point, with a sign board that says "go down for extra adventure", so three of us went down expecting that we can go down to the blue water that was falling from above but after going down a few stairs we saw a dead end to our expectations. So yeah we were not able to go all the way down to the water but the stairs were a good spot for some pictures and having a little snack in peace with no people around. After going back upstairs we walked a few meters where there was another view point which displays the entire valley in a beautifully designed frame. So this was the most beautiful viewing point of the trip till this point. And after a few moments of admiration we were on the road again.
The next stop was Nohsngithiang Waterfalls or The Seven Sister Falls, the name explains it all that it is a fall where one can see seven streams of water falling from the same hill, with a slight view of the community that is situated inside the forest and little stream flowing opposite to the point where one can sit with legs in the cold water. The only disclaimer about the falls of Cherrapunji is that you cannot go inside the water, but can definitely have a great time with all that cool wind and a beautiful sight.
So the last point of the day was Krem Mawsmai Limestone Cave, a cave beautifully crafted by nature. It’s a cave twisted enough to check your body flexibility. There is a pool at the exit point of the cave and a small hole on the roof of the cave from where sunlight enters the cave creating a perfect spot for pictures. And for a little more adventure few of us went a little more inside the cave it was a path we found on the right hand side in the middle of the cave where there was no light but a path worth going in for a little more of nature’s craft. With this the first day of our trip to Cherrapunji came to an end.
Few of us went ahead in search of a hotel with the taxi driver and three of us waited there and while waiting had a quick snack break after which we received the location of our hotel which was near the Seven Sister Falls view point. So we started to move but with the help of GPS the road seemed a little more easy and boring so we took the "Road not taken", it was a path from inside the forest with a stream flowing and empty grass land and a perfect view of the sunset.
So after a little more of adventure on this track we finally reached to our destination a hotel where we took a room which was not very expensive. So after a little rest and dinner which we took outside the hotel from where we were clearly able to hear the falls as it was all dark and a clear big moon was in front of us. Sitting there we enjoyed our meal with some stories. And the day came to an end with a bonfire inside our hotel.
Second day began with nothing special but alarms, a normal breakfast and all of us got ready and were all set to leave when we got the shock of our lives or at least of our trip, the cab we called was an Maruti 800 and our second day began with a task, a task of adjusting 7 people and a driver into a Maruti 800, it was as impossible as it is impossible for Po to touch his feet, but as I already mentioned above that "a trip to places like this is incomplete without having some adventurous fun". So somehow all of us adjusted ourselves into it and without stopping anywhere on the way we reached to our final destination; not our death but actual final destination of our entire trip and that was Living Root Bridges. The most beautiful place of our entire trip, a place nothing like someone has seen before. A place no one would like to miss until and unless there is some serious medical issue, the reason why four people from my group missed all the fun. So the rest of us went ahead in order to complete a total of 7 k.m. trek and all the way down descending 3000 stairs. Honestly the path to those bridges was more difficult than the path of love.
After a few stairs two of us were far ahead then the other two, so we purchased our ticket and a few Parle-G packets as we were hungry and went ahead. Just after that ticket counter there was a diversion where the right path leads to Longest Root Bridge and the left one will take you to Double Decker Root Bridge. Two of us took the right turn and the rest two who came after us went to left, this was the funniest situation as we were thinking that they might be coming behind and those two thought that we went ahead. So we went to the Longest root bridge clicked few pictures and then went down the bridge to take a quick dip into the most cleanest and bluest water I have ever seen so we went down and then the rest was history, just kidding but instead of quick we were inside the water for almost an hour.
Then we came out and started to climb back from where we started as we thought that this was the only bridge and then we saw the diversion and all I saw was more stairs. We went ahead and finally met our long lost friends taking bath in another river which was even more cleaner and bluer, so we again went down and then yes this was a quick dip, after which we went to Double Decker Root Bridge again after climbing a few stairs and two small bridges made of nothing but iron rods. Finally we were at the Double Decker Bridge where again we saw the clean and blue water, but then it was a point when we said enough bathing for one day.
So we went a little ahead where we saw a few campers and asked them about the rainbow falls which were 2 k.m. away from that bridge and we were in no condition of going ahead and besides few of our friends were waiting for us on the starting point of the trek. The journey started all the way to the top with the company of red ants. After an hour or so we finally found a place to halt, sitting on the stairs with none other than our loyal companions red ants, honestly we took four breaks. And finally we reached the top where again took a break to catch our breath and reenergize ourselves. After successfully completing the trek in six hours we were in our cab again, after reaching back to the town we had our lunch and booked a cab which will take us back to Guwahati. With this our two days trip to Cherrapunji ended with lots of funny and exciting memories. "The trip was more fun because we went there as travelers and not as tourists".
TOTAL EXPENDITURE- Rs. 10,000.
SEVEN PERSONS- 1,500 PER HEAD .
INCLUDES FOOD, TAXI, HOTEL AND OTHER EXPENDITURES.
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