The Blog

Some stories from Meghalaya

Tourists, Travelers, and Pilgrims

The problem with not having a plan is that things almost never work out the way you somewhat imagined them to happen. That was my experience for almost all days in Meghalaya. I found myself in situations that I was trying very hard to avoid. Things like riding in middle of nowhere through the jungle while it’s raining. Doing the same again with strangers after it’s completely dark. Getting into trouble with local authority. Having to skip places I wanted to see since I stayed up playing games all night with people I met. One failed plan after another, even though I had no plan. I wanted to know who I should blame for all my troubles and of course, it is me.

I was left awestruck exploring Meghalaya the first day with Harsh. It is such a beautiful place. “A picture is worth a thousand words” and I really tried to take pictures of the landscapes as best as I could but none of them truly depict how beautiful it was really. We had some trouble getting started on our journey the very first day. The plan was to go to the Bamboo trek but since we woke up late and wasted two hours sourcing another helmet, we decided to do other things. I spoke to a police officer the entire time my new friend was trying to get a helmet for me. I sipped 5 cups of tea while the officer and I spoke about what I was doing in Shillong.

No one told me how much more difficult it is to trek your way back up. I imagined that the actual treks (this one was not really big, 15 mins one way) that I had planned will really be the end of me if this baby ass one is taking so much effort.

Once we reached our bike it was already too dark and beginning to rain. Seeing how there is nothing we can do to avoid riding in the dark and rain, we decided to have tea and maggi from a small hut next to us. Honestly, at that point, after having ridden on terrible roads for hours and surviving the smallest hike imaginable, maggi tastes really good. Especially while you contemplate about going ALL THE WAY back. I really loved the village. I could live there forever and I remember Harsh saying the same thing.

Exploring the villages there is another treat, It’s a really different life from the perspective of an onlooker like me. Small kids waved at me as I rode through the roads. Old People sitting at the door of their houses, looking at you. I often wondered if they are amused by the fact that they have a visitor or if they are upset after seeing the 1000th one. At least the kids were amused, they would invite me to play football which I always said no to. Biggest regret.

Another favourite part of traveling for me were the people. I had never imagined that I’ll speak to so many people on the way. The guy who was telling me about his life, standing at the edge of the door of the moving train and Josh along with the people I met in hostel, the few friends I made for a few days, it was all very fun.

When I was in Sora, I stayed at a very lavish camp, I realized that it wasn’t a camp camp after reaching. It was a quiet place though so I was happy until a group showed up after which I was not. I thought my peace will be ruined but It was so pleasant to talk to them, the thought I had earlier of being annoyed disappeared. I loved talking to Tota, he was a part of that group. Very friendly. I pulled his leg a couple of times and then felt bad for doing it. We sat around a fire that I occasionally rekindled while M asked us difficult questions. I missed them for whole two days after they left. That is a lot of moping for someone you spoke to for two hours.

Sora was the nicest place that I went to in my entire trip, It’s a small town mostly settled along one road that cuts through it. You can reach one end from the other in 30 minutes. There I met N at my first and biggest trek of my life. It was 8 hours long. As someone who sat on his ass and changed config files for work, this was too much. N on the other hand was a seasoned hiker and we roped each other into going to Krem Chympe.

Later she roped another guy, S into this plan and two days later, the three of us, people who barely know each other were going to another very remote place to see a cave I know nothing about.

Nothing went according to the plan that day. We had to wait for our special car that would take us to the place, We had to hike in the sun which we got to know about after we reached. By the end of the trek there was no terrain. No footing. We just reached, somehow. I lost my glasses the moment I entered the water, only to be saved by our guide but it was really worth the trouble. During the hike at a rest stop N said, “I am never making plans with randoms again” I think she thought we were pissed. I replied by “fuck you, man”. After looking at that cave, I wanted to take it back. It is the most beautiful thing I have seen in my life (yet). Only the cave was fun though, our trip back from the cave was riddled with same problems if not more. It got dark before we started our hike back because we waited for a car that never came. I was happy though, I got to see stars because of the failing plan. I think I’ll forever remember N and S.

I wanted to go to the bamboo trek the next day but I injured my leg in the cave so I had to spend the rest of my days in Guwahati looking out of a balcony.

Honestly this would not have been possible if not for all the people I met and my friends. Roommate who supported the idea from the day I told him about it. G, Y, and DD who let me crash at their home. Valkyrie who walked endlessly with me to show me around in Kolkata. The friendly woman in Assam who took me to a hospital because I could not find one. AK47, JFK and D, who thought of giving me riding boots for my bike trip. The Aunty in Bhadrachalam who showed me around the city for no reason at all. The old uncle at a tea stall in a village in Meghalaya who somehow spoke hindi and was happy to talk to me as long as I was there. The list is endless but these small things really added up in the end. Thank you.