Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging
Got up with just one direction of Shillong. Still not sure of whats the plan as no homework has been done. Notice that the rear tire has gone bald!! And i am heading to the wettest place on earth!! Any way have to live with it now and asked Santosh to place an order for the tire to be delivered in Guwahati so that i can change when i get there next. Again lack of planning, else the tire could have been there by now.
Any way with not much riding today start of late after breakfast by 10.30. Tough ride across the busy Guwahati streets. Boy was the traffic chaotic! After like half an hour catch the right turn towards Shillong, which had board welcoming to Meghalay. Was very inappropriate place for a pic and carried on. Soon the road opened up and road itself was awesome. And yup its twisties time. Smooth wide twisties. But the fun spoiled by the numerous trucks plying. Unintentional shoe scrapes all the way. Pretty tight S curves. Can see a truck break down every now and then. Have to be careful cos not sure if the next curve has a broken down truck and will have scurry to get around it. After couple of surprises slow down. The ride is only getting bettor. Lot more mountain hugging ride. And get near Shillong by 2 pm. Did not expect Meghalay to be predominantly Central Asian christian people. The city seems pretty developed but hardly any place to stop. Did not feel comfortable to stop and take pix with the stares of people around. They looked angry or its just me getting paranoid. Did not feel like staying there and wanted to head out to Cherrapunjee, and Cherrapunjee holiday resort in particular if i manage to find it. Then may i can go on a trek to check out the living root bridge if possible. People not really in mood to give me directions. I enquire the army personnel whom i come across for directions.
Getting out of Shillong see a left road with Shillong view point. Turn the bike there and ride for some time in the narrow winding road and gets to the top plane above and it was great to look at the hills around. The view point is supposed to be inside an airforce base and the guard says he will do through checking if i want to go in and the view is not very different from what can be seen some distance back. Well not really in mood for taking out the luggage, i turn back. Stop where i could get good views. It was bright sunny and getting cold as well. Since i am on the way to Cherrapunjee, thought of pre-emptively wearing the rain gear and be ready to the downpour. Now the ride from Shillong to Cherapunjee was very very interesting. Every thing seemed strange. the people the roads the kinda quarrying they made by the road. Looked more like mud harvesting that stone! Strange out crops of rocks near quarry sites. Nearing cherrapunjee get the first view of Divan syn or some thing valley. It was very strange compared to the valley i have seen before. Looked like somebody had made a big V trench in flat land! the top of the valley was pretty flat on either side. Now i get to ride on top of the valley to the right. This is again very strange and interesting ride. Going on twisties on pretty much the same level without climb ups or downs! It got windy very windy and chilly cold as well. But bright sunny all the way. Looks like not rain today. Dunno if the pictures express the strangeness but the ride was very good. Meghalaya is very beautiful. But there is a cement factory on the way which spoils quite some views and lot of quarrying along the road for it.
Get to Cherapunjee to find it a sleepy town with very less activity. Got only one word strange place. The resort i was looking for if 15 kms further at Laitkynsew village. The names of places around also very strange. Villages named Mavshomok etc. Looks like all the way from Shillong to Cherrapunjee lots of places to visit. Falls, view points, Ramkrishna mission etc. Pretty confused as to where to go. But Holiday resort and root bridges, direct me towards the resort. Which is now a narrow road to the right from the cherrapunjee town. Its actually climb down now from the top of the valley to the middle of it. All the while hoardings promoting the resort. Looks like a family picnic place and i thought it was adventurous. If the narrow road through the forest is not enough, there is some road construction going on and layer of rocks making the bike wobble. And i thought it would be a pleasant ride till the resort. Well i wanted adventure! After the offroading and climbing down the edge of the valley for some time roads improve and get to the resort with the parking lot overlooking the valley. Its all bone dry and i am like a silly guy present myself at the reception in rain gear. Its seems not raining much these days and rains not expected for 2 more weeks. Hmm... so does not rain like mad all year! Thats news to me!! And as expected due to the holidays all the 6 rooms are booked. Only tents for 500 rs is available. Well it was already 4 pm. so thought can as well try it. While having food, Mr Dennis, the resort owner who tells me to check out the Mowrang view point before the sun fades.
Take my bike and pass through the quite villages. Thought a village, unlike the ones on our side, the houses were pretty modern and big with all the amenities. All quite pretty quite and yes got the word strange! Ride through couple of villages when the road ended at a parking lot kinda place above a school. See the steps going down and asked couple of ladies who confirm it. Well that should be quick i thought. Getting down passed by pretty houses. Again all quite. Just the chuckling of kids concentrated at some places. These people leading a really simple and peaceful life. But the houses had all modern amenities, like electricity TV etc. The steps seem to go on and on and finally on to a wide path going to the forest! A local says its the right path and finally see the view point. Thought it may not be so good compared to Bhutan views. But wrong. This place had its own charm. With the sun setting behind the opposite ridge and the valley below with the snaking river. It was all great. There was this rural family taking a break from their hike. A preview of a pic of them cheered them up. With sun down its long walk back to the bike.
Lot more kids out now. Small naughty boys! Thought like any other place waving at them would make them happy but boy are they naughty, they kids threw stone around me though not directly at me. That was fun for them. Again i say strange kids! A lil walk later. Few small girls stopped they play and looked at me with curiosity with my riding gear on. Thought the small girls would not throw stones so waved at them. Couple of them made faces! Hehe again i say strange kids! Any way get back to the bike and ride slowly through the villages and lot more kids playing out on the road. With strange stares saw a cover of some thing fall lil ahead of me! Man these people are strange!
Get back to the resort by sun down. Dive into my tent for some rest. Again strange network connectivity. Only BSNL works not Airtel. Man again having trouble with fone network. phew. with nothing much to do had food and watched a few army families enjoy their time around the bon fire. Mr. Dennis arranges for a guide to the trek tomm with the Double Decker root bridge being the main attraction. Head back to the tent and typing this.
Any way with not much riding today start of late after breakfast by 10.30. Tough ride across the busy Guwahati streets. Boy was the traffic chaotic! After like half an hour catch the right turn towards Shillong, which had board welcoming to Meghalay. Was very inappropriate place for a pic and carried on. Soon the road opened up and road itself was awesome. And yup its twisties time. Smooth wide twisties. But the fun spoiled by the numerous trucks plying. Unintentional shoe scrapes all the way. Pretty tight S curves. Can see a truck break down every now and then. Have to be careful cos not sure if the next curve has a broken down truck and will have scurry to get around it. After couple of surprises slow down. The ride is only getting bettor. Lot more mountain hugging ride. And get near Shillong by 2 pm. Did not expect Meghalay to be predominantly Central Asian christian people. The city seems pretty developed but hardly any place to stop. Did not feel comfortable to stop and take pix with the stares of people around. They looked angry or its just me getting paranoid. Did not feel like staying there and wanted to head out to Cherrapunjee, and Cherrapunjee holiday resort in particular if i manage to find it. Then may i can go on a trek to check out the living root bridge if possible. People not really in mood to give me directions. I enquire the army personnel whom i come across for directions.
Getting out of Shillong see a left road with Shillong view point. Turn the bike there and ride for some time in the narrow winding road and gets to the top plane above and it was great to look at the hills around. The view point is supposed to be inside an airforce base and the guard says he will do through checking if i want to go in and the view is not very different from what can be seen some distance back. Well not really in mood for taking out the luggage, i turn back. Stop where i could get good views. It was bright sunny and getting cold as well. Since i am on the way to Cherrapunjee, thought of pre-emptively wearing the rain gear and be ready to the downpour. Now the ride from Shillong to Cherapunjee was very very interesting. Every thing seemed strange. the people the roads the kinda quarrying they made by the road. Looked more like mud harvesting that stone! Strange out crops of rocks near quarry sites. Nearing cherrapunjee get the first view of Divan syn or some thing valley. It was very strange compared to the valley i have seen before. Looked like somebody had made a big V trench in flat land! the top of the valley was pretty flat on either side. Now i get to ride on top of the valley to the right. This is again very strange and interesting ride. Going on twisties on pretty much the same level without climb ups or downs! It got windy very windy and chilly cold as well. But bright sunny all the way. Looks like not rain today. Dunno if the pictures express the strangeness but the ride was very good. Meghalaya is very beautiful. But there is a cement factory on the way which spoils quite some views and lot of quarrying along the road for it.
Get to Cherapunjee to find it a sleepy town with very less activity. Got only one word strange place. The resort i was looking for if 15 kms further at Laitkynsew village. The names of places around also very strange. Villages named Mavshomok etc. Looks like all the way from Shillong to Cherrapunjee lots of places to visit. Falls, view points, Ramkrishna mission etc. Pretty confused as to where to go. But Holiday resort and root bridges, direct me towards the resort. Which is now a narrow road to the right from the cherrapunjee town. Its actually climb down now from the top of the valley to the middle of it. All the while hoardings promoting the resort. Looks like a family picnic place and i thought it was adventurous. If the narrow road through the forest is not enough, there is some road construction going on and layer of rocks making the bike wobble. And i thought it would be a pleasant ride till the resort. Well i wanted adventure! After the offroading and climbing down the edge of the valley for some time roads improve and get to the resort with the parking lot overlooking the valley. Its all bone dry and i am like a silly guy present myself at the reception in rain gear. Its seems not raining much these days and rains not expected for 2 more weeks. Hmm... so does not rain like mad all year! Thats news to me!! And as expected due to the holidays all the 6 rooms are booked. Only tents for 500 rs is available. Well it was already 4 pm. so thought can as well try it. While having food, Mr Dennis, the resort owner who tells me to check out the Mowrang view point before the sun fades.
Take my bike and pass through the quite villages. Thought a village, unlike the ones on our side, the houses were pretty modern and big with all the amenities. All quite pretty quite and yes got the word strange! Ride through couple of villages when the road ended at a parking lot kinda place above a school. See the steps going down and asked couple of ladies who confirm it. Well that should be quick i thought. Getting down passed by pretty houses. Again all quite. Just the chuckling of kids concentrated at some places. These people leading a really simple and peaceful life. But the houses had all modern amenities, like electricity TV etc. The steps seem to go on and on and finally on to a wide path going to the forest! A local says its the right path and finally see the view point. Thought it may not be so good compared to Bhutan views. But wrong. This place had its own charm. With the sun setting behind the opposite ridge and the valley below with the snaking river. It was all great. There was this rural family taking a break from their hike. A preview of a pic of them cheered them up. With sun down its long walk back to the bike.
Lot more kids out now. Small naughty boys! Thought like any other place waving at them would make them happy but boy are they naughty, they kids threw stone around me though not directly at me. That was fun for them. Again i say strange kids! A lil walk later. Few small girls stopped they play and looked at me with curiosity with my riding gear on. Thought the small girls would not throw stones so waved at them. Couple of them made faces! Hehe again i say strange kids! Any way get back to the bike and ride slowly through the villages and lot more kids playing out on the road. With strange stares saw a cover of some thing fall lil ahead of me! Man these people are strange!
Get back to the resort by sun down. Dive into my tent for some rest. Again strange network connectivity. Only BSNL works not Airtel. Man again having trouble with fone network. phew. with nothing much to do had food and watched a few army families enjoy their time around the bon fire. Mr. Dennis arranges for a guide to the trek tomm with the Double Decker root bridge being the main attraction. Head back to the tent and typing this.
Road towards Shillong...
Some beautiful twisties..
Whats Meghalaya without Megha!
Uoami Lake outside Shillong
Shillong outskirts..
Taking a detour towards Shillong view point..
Looked like lot of clouds towards Cherrapunjee
Sohra is the local name for Cherrapunjee
Strange quarrying
Awesome Dowansing Syium valley...
Amazing ride along the ridge of the valley...
Coal factory worker...
A view point on the ridge...
Places to check out around Cherrapunjee...
43m error...
Sleepy town of Cherrapunjee...
Cement factory spoiling the view around..
Strange sleepy villages around Cherrapunjee..
Approaching the resort...
Now the dreaded rock and roll on the stones!!
Road improves near the resort...
The cherrapunjee holiday resort..
No room so staying in that tent...
Its quite comfy as well...
Some villages i cross to check out the Mowrang view point.
Get down the steps through the village...
With no body around i am wonder if i am going the right direction...
Catching the sunset at the awesome view point...
A village family enjoy the same vista..
Bonfire at the resort in the evening...
Village with lights...
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