Cherrapunjee

Wettest place on earth -A cycling trip to Cherrapunjee

Shillong to Cherrapunjee route Fig: Shillong to Cherrapunjee route Return from Cherrapunjee towards Shillong Fig:Return from Cherrapunjee towards Shillong

 

 Pedaling to Charapunjee started around morning 6 0 clock. Even though it was not so cold as assumed, as we start riding, our assumption happened to be wrong. Due to downhill from the starting point and the cold  breeze, our fingers were becoming so numb, such after riding few kms we have to decrease our speed. Soon after the downhill route goes through a gradual uphill around 7 kms . Despite of the climb ,Shillong cold air was enough to defeat to keep our body warm. We stopped at the end of the climb near the Shillong Peak. Shillong peak is the highest point of Shillong, where u can get the beautiful glance of the town . Chillness of the air , forced us to take a hot red tea in a small local shop .By that time Sun rays also giving us warm welcome for the day of the tour. fig 2.jpg Our ride continued with low intensity rolling road followed by few nice downhill at the beginning till the junction of Dawki and Cherrapunjee . fig_5 fig_5.4 Cherrapunjee bridge: Here it begins the platues of Cherrapunjee’s nice  and deep lines of hills, anywhere you see only green lines of hills. Moderate chilled wind and the downhill slopes was making my body to be covered with one more layer of cloth. After few hour of cycling..our stomach started gurgling.Can’t resists to take a plate of dal rice with few pices of yammy pork.Then continued our journey through a limestone cave named Lumshynna cave till seven sister falls(Nohkalikai falls) .We were enjoying the downhill almost 10km before we end our one way journey till the fall. cave_1.jpg
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IMG_20161230_135403 IMG_20161230_142527 IMG_20161230_141933 Imagine a view of earth touching the sky over the green hills, can be observed from that point. If time was not a constrain for us, would have gone for an amazing track through the landscape till the top of the fall. Body also indicating to re-fill with energy by that time, and the immediate stuff was to take few packets of jam before we had our lunch .By the way , few mixed fruit jam and resins were happens to be our stored energy bank. Decided to move back fast, keeping in mind the darkness as . We were yet to realize that that much of the return route was a gradual climb and the sun was about to hide for the day. IMG_20161230_163823 Inclination of the hills and the cold winds was making our pace slow. Every time subconscious mind was insisting us to ride fast, as there was a long way to go back till the city .Darkness and December cold was another part of it .There you can realize the darkness of night unlike the our residential area in city .Barely you meet any cars passing by you. Soon after the sun set, coldness in hills comes drastically. Desperately feeling like, whenever we see any fire , we must stop to warm our body in comfortable working conditions. IMG_20161230_182105 Started feeling that uphill was better than downhill at that point , because downhill speed and the cold air making our uncover body parts numb, specially fingers. Luckily we saw a small village shop with a bonfire to get little warmness .Still we were unable to figure how much to go back to get any nearby place for a halt for the night .Even though the nice tarmac road, due to darkness and the sudden hairpin at the downhill resists me to maintain the speed. After riding for around 15 km in the evening, we took a cup of coffee to make us warm once we have seen the Cherrapunjee bridge with a café .Felt little relaxed thinking we were able to figure out the remaining distance till the city . Around 10km form there we take our halt for that night .We were so desperate for a fire that , just after reaching the resort ,thought of getting a bone fire prioritizing more than the meal even though there was nothing in the stomach. IMG_20161230_205355 IMG_20161230_200431 Soon after a nice meal with a bowl of smoked pork(tested first time in my life) we sat again at the bonfire gossiping about the local attraction with few local guys. By spending the night in the midst of the beautiful hills with minimal resident, we could able to feel actual hill side atmosphere, making our Cherrapunjee trip more memorable.

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