Travel

Filipinotes – Days 6,7

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….continued from Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5

Waking up at 5 AM during a vacation. Check. Ok, 5.10. We left the hotel a little after 5.30 for our flight at 7.50. Coco Huts had cost us 10800 pesos, and was totally worth it. Very helpful staff! This time the flight was from the Caticlan airport, 45 minutes – 1 hour away. The transfer crew thankfully were more helpful with the baggage, and we even had the van all to ourselves. At the Caticlan jetty, we had to pay porters about 20 pesos per bag/per shore to get it into the boat and out, but it’s worth it from experience! From the jetty, we were taken to the airport, and had to pay airport fees of 200 pesos each. But it’s a nice, small, clean airport and there’s WiFi. The Cebu flight was on time and we reached Manila around 9.

We realised when we landed that the hotel had arranged transport for us from Terminal 1! We boarded the transfer bus to Terminal 1, and it promptly broke down on the way! Thankfully, we were picked up immediately by another bus and dropped at Terminal 3 departure. We made our way to Arrivals and tried to find the taxi counter where our transfer to the hotel had been booked. The folks there studied the mail print out with a reverence and attention that made it seem like an archaeological specimen! Turned out English was a forgotten language there, so they pieced together letters and formed words, then tried to understand the sentences that resulted. We repeatedly kept saying Nissan and even stood in front of that specific counter but they waved us into silence as they studied the manuscript! The girl at the Nissan counter continued giving her undivided attention to her chewing gum. No multitasking, no sir! Half an hour later, they had reached line 6 where Nissan appeared, and the girl was summoned to take care of us. She wasn’t convinced, but spat out the gum and proceeded to her next task with the enthusiasm that our nation’s leader displays before giving a speech.

The car took another 15 minutes to get to us, and from there we took an hour to get to Casa Bocobo. It cost us 600 pesos, and much cheaper that the 1000 peso options we were given by other airport taxis. We suspected that metered taxis would have been cheaper. At Casa Bocobo, we were told that check in time was 2 PM, and the earliest time we could be given a room was 12 PM – checkout time. We spent the next two hours staring at various available walls. While D sulked, I was busy multitasking – the combination of a lack of breakfast and the early wake up provided me some material to start a headache.

We stubbornly decided to have a meal only at SM Mall of Asia, our destination for the day. At 12.30, we were taken to our room, and I discovered that I would need an adaptor to charge anything here! We quickly freshened up and took a cab to the mall, 250 pesos and about 20 minutes away. After getting there, and discovering that reading about the 4th largest mall in the world and understanding its ramifications were two different things, we realised that there was no way we’d be able to cover it in a day! We surveyed the lunch options and decided to go multi-cuisine at Pho Hoa. After a quick but excellent meal Pho, Kungpao chicken, Brochette, mango juice and Black Jelly drink and 855 pesos later, D was heady with the prospects of the massive shopping time ahead of her, and my headache gave a me a welcome message!

The interactive maps at the mall were helpful but upside down and we spent quality time getting lost, but since we weren’t looking for anything specific, it was okay and we kept discovering new avenues and shops! I found an old favourite that had disappeared from India – Springfield! There was also a smaller version of ODEL in Lanka, and we rued the fact that we had already picked up stuff for everyone! This place is obviously a shopper’s paradise, and I frequently wanted to ask D if she needed tissues to stem the salivation. Across the road was the bay, and at about 5.45 we made our way there to watch the sunset. The promenade was alive with crowds, kids playing and mime acts! The mall had a huge number of options that allowed us to watch the bay as we had dinner. After inspecting the options, we chose Abe where we tried Manok sa Luyang Dilaw, chicken in coconut milk, and Betute, farm frogs filled with minced pork. :) D was queasy about the latter when she ordered and kept asking if they’d be fried, but I saw none of that later as she crunched away the dead frog’s legs! :D Rice and beer and sangria followed. The bay view was beautiful, and the meal cost us  1100 pesos. Worth it, and the only thing that spoiled it a bit was my nagging headache. The taxi back cost us 300 pesos, we gave 50 extra because the driver was a sweet old man, who looked like he could survive in Bangalore traffic. :)

Back at the room, I asked for an adaptor – unfortunately not available, and confirmed our taxi for the airport, thankfully available. Thus ended Day 6, our last night in the Philippines.

Day 7

The plan was to visit a nearby mall. We had given our breakfast preferences the night before and quickly consumed that in the restaurant. The adaptor was finally available as well!

Robinson Mall happened to be a really short walk away, and on hindsight, we should have just lunched here the previous day! The shopping options were quite good as well, and we bought more here, despite having less than 2 hours. This has become a ritual, the last day frenzy and the rush to the airport. We reached Casa Bocobo just in time. We had already paid the 2500 pesos due. Stuffed the new acquisitions into the bag and hoped into the cab which was waiting. 650 pesos took us to the airport. We changed currency from the one option available. This airport is an 80s style one and doesn’t really have options to do anything much. The Malaysian Airlines flight to KL was delayed after we boarded and some fidgeting later we were on our way. This one didn’t have screens, so we were a bit bored. At KL, we were back in the familiar corridor and killed time (with the help of chocolate drinks at Old Town and currency exchanges involving amounts less than $10 :D ) before the flight to Bangalore! Four hours later and the last 15 minutes of Life of PI and 3 episodes of Big Bang Theory later, we were in Bangalore. After the sloooooow motion Immigration queue, and a Meru, we were finally home!

I loved Philippines more than Bali and Cambodia – Palawan for its beauty and balance with nature, Boracay for the sunsets and the buzz, and Manila for just being an awesome city to look at and be at. Thailand is probably close in terms of mind space. Philippines had everything we wanted in a vacation, and is relatively less touristy. It was well worth the visa headache, which involved us submitting everything we had except my dad’s horoscope and property documents, and cost us Rs.3500 each! The trip cost us about Rs.1.9 lakhs with flight tickets (including within the country) at about a lakh, staying options at around Rs.4ooo, meals at about Rs.1500 each and shopping of course! In essence, ranks right up there in terms of journeys, and highly recommended! :)

The End

Filipinotes – Day 5

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….continued from Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4

Another lazy day had been unplanned. The only planning as usual were the meal spots. For breakfast, D had identified a crepes joint called Ti Braz nearby, which also had other breakfast options. Though the beach view was awesome, we chose to sit inside, and were served a pretty mediocre breakfast for 820 pesos. Back at the hotel, we asked for a spa session, which had been advertised in the room in the form of a brochure. That was confirmed for later in the day. Since we were to leave early the next day, we also asked them to check with the guys who were supposed to drop us at the airport on when we’d have to leave. We wandered about all morning, tasting a Boracay version of a breezer, (chocolate flavour dominated) shopping, and as per plan dropped in at Mesa (part of the Boracay Regency) which had a ‘modern Filipino’ cuisine….and WiFi :) After sadly learning that the Ostrich meat wasn’t available, we had a Tilapia simmered with mustasa and gata (mustard and coconut) that seemed like a stew, beef cooked two ways (crispy and saucy) and a  laing fried rice. The fish was almost like a stew with mustard leaves and quite good. The crispy beef was bland but the saucy one made up for it. The Laing fried rice has pork in it. Enough said. Washed down with Rum-Coke. A fine meal at 1275 pesos.

We slowly walked back to the hotel, a short walk away, and got to know that the spa appointment was at 4, and we’d be picked up the next day at 5! :O A nap later, we learnt that the spa would be coming to us! The mobile massage squad did their job in the room itself! Cost us 700 pesos (for two) and worth it! Massage services are the only ones giving food outlets a run for their money in Boracay. Across the beach front, you will be accosted by those advertising massages, or adventure stuff. I slept off and missed the sunset but D managed to catch it, though she said it wasn’t as beautiful as the previous day.

Dinner was planned at Jony’s, in the extended Station 1 section. We had actually thought of having lunch here, but then flipped the plan. That turned out to be a good idea. This was a quieter area, and we could watch the sea peacefully. We had catfish, a chicken preparation inspired by the Chinese, and plain rice. D ordered a Mango-Pineapple shake that turned out to be better than her ex-favourite Jonah’s! Inspired me to try a mango shake as well, and it was really good. A perfect last meal at Boracay – 1129 pesos. We talked about the shops we’d seen that seemed to have been started in the 80s, and wondered what kind of adventurers had made their way to Philippines then. I remembered reading Alexander Frater’s “Chasing the monsoon” and the feel of India in the late 80s it gave. That’s one of the reasons I blog – years later, I hope someone, from all of this, would be able to get a glimpse of how the world was, and how a life was lived. A page across time. :)

We slowly walked back to the hotel, and received a message that the pick up was at 5.30. I hoped I’d be able to keep a promise to myself to avoid early morning adventures during vacations! Thus ended Day 5.

Filipinotes – Day 4

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continued from Days 1, 2, 3..

For the first time during the vacation, the morning dawned like one! We’d slept listening to live music and woke up after 9! Though Coco Huts gave a 20% off on breakfast at their Army-Navy restaurant in the premises, we decided to explore a bit. Beach facing options were the focus, and we found Cafe del Mar a hundred metres down. D, as usual, managed to pick up an awesome Chef’s special omelette while I got more standard fare! Couldn’t complain though, especially given the awesome view and a bill of 540 pesos. The table number was 21. #youremember We’d been told that since the heater in the room hadn’t been fixed, they’d be shifting us to the family room. They did that soon as we got back from breakfast. This one was spread across 2 levels (and a mezzanine one in between)  and could accommodate about 6 people! We were requested to use only the lower floor and the balcony. Fair request. Like all rooms, this one too was all wood, and had a verandah facing the beach.

We hadn’t made any specific plans for Boracay in terms of what are called ‘activities’. The only planning we did was figuring out the places to eat at! D Mall featured a lot in our research, and on our way the previous night we’d seen it on the road and thought it was a bit away. But on the beach, it seemed much nearer. It’s just off the beach and the first horizontally spread out mall I’d seen. :) As if the eating options on the beach weren’t enough, this one had many as well, along with shopping options! But D had one destination in mind – Jonah’s Milkshakes, and she claimed to have seen it on the road the previous night. After getting on to the road we ambled a bit before realising that we should probably ask someone. Turned out that it was right after the spot where we’d been dropped the previous night! My turn to look at D accusingly! Our mango and mango-pineapple shakes were delivered in bottles, and proved to be a task to finish, though it was good! We shopped a bit, seeing Gandhi in the strangest of places, and a restaurant called The Hobbit House (turned out that they had one in Manila as well) where they employed midgets as servers, before dropping the stuff at the room and heading out for lunch.

A Thai option was available in the form of Saneh Thai, where we planned a light lunch of Tom Kha soup and a Chicken Satay (because nothing else was available) I also asked for a ‘Rhum Coke’, (not a spelling error) perfect for a balmy afternoon. Cost us 850 pesos. After another round of trinket shopping, we thought we’d explore the area a bit more. We went further along the beachfront (to the left of our hotel) and marked options for future meals. One of the places that did give that was the Coco Cafe, where we had some nice coffee and great WiFi for 305 pesos. ;)

Once we got back to the hotel, I also found spots that gave me access to their internet, which had proved elusive the day before. After a brief rest, we got out to catch the sunset. Turned out to be one of the best I’ve ever seen. There were boys doing sand art, and when we clicked pics, they politely asked for money. :)

After some more sunset clicking, we walked to the ‘right side’ of our hotel and were almost deceived that we were at one end. But we could proceed along the beach and discovered there was a quieter area with restaurants beyond. Again, we mistakenly thought this would be Station 2 or 3. Boracay has 3 Stations – 1,2,3 in descending order of ‘happening’ quotient. :) Our hotel was at Station 1 and it turned out that this quieter area was actually an extension of 1. Tito’s, a stone’s throw away from our hotel, where we hadn’t been able to get a table the previous night, was kinder at 7.30 and Absinthe, and Sisig were consumed, along with some great music. Some tummy space had been reserved because we wanted to try out the Mati Chocolate Sin at Zuzuni, right next to our hotel, a dish recommended across the web! The day before we had reached the place pretty late and they had claimed they were about to shut shop. The dish turned out to be quite good (chocolate usually is!) and together, the dinner cost us 980 pesos. I quite cheaply hung around just outside Coco Cafe, and browsed the web even as D browsed fish stalls!

Back in the room, live music could still be heard, and I slept in the comfort that the next day could be another late start! Thus ended Day 4.

Filipinotes – Day 3

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….continued from Day 1, Day 2

This was another 7 AM starter, but this time we could skip the bath since the plan was to island-hop. This was a custom plan since we had a flight to catch at 3 ish, and typical plans ended later than that. After another hearty breakfast, we waited. One of the hotel boys knocked in a while, and happily announced that he would be the tour guide! It would seem that the original guide had vanished. Instead of the tricycle planned for the drop to the pier, we got a van, and almost reached the boarding point for the Honda Bay tour. Almost, because we took a ‘shortcut’ that got us to a boat that was brand new! I think it probably even hadn’t gotten its permit yet! A tiny patch of paint hadn’t dried on the boat floor. D promptly chose to step on it, and fell. She didn’t show me the bruise then, but the purple spot still hasn’t gone! Nice start! The good part though was that we had the 10 seater boat all to ourselves.

The plan was to go to 3 islands, an official guide announced. The first was Luli island, which had a nice blue diving board, which we didn’t try. A Japanese group also arrived and were posing away as usual, and obviously chattering incessantly. The cafe there was only just about opening as we left. The next stop was Starfish island, and there was a nice long stretch to walk. Our hotel guide insisted on snapping our pics regularly! By the time we left, the school group from the previous day made their appearance, this time in ‘colour dress’. :) The last stop was Pandan Island, the most touristy of the lot, and with the highest entrance fee as well, which covered a table/cottage charge as well. We chose a table and then proceeded to go swimming, much to the relief of the guide who was afraid that our enjoyment would be incomplete without swimming. Amazing water it was, temperature and colour, and we spent an hour before having the lunch that the Mercedes guys had packed for us. There are also live sea food counters if you’d like those. The place has clean shower areas and cubicles to change.

The return trip was uneventful, but at the point of unloading, our bag broke and the camera almost fell into the water! Nice end. We had to wait for a few minutes before our pick up van arrived. The hotel owner and his wife, an elderly couple, were in it and they played some great 70s tracks as we drove back. A shower later, we were ready to leave. The entire package without the island entrance fees (750 pesos for 2) but including the tours (Mercedes arranged them for us) cost us 9000 pesos. They were really a friendly bunch of folks, and we’d recommend the place highly.

After paying an airport fee of 80 pesos, we waited for the Airphil express flight to Manila. It was a short flight, but they gave us nuts and biscuits! :D I asked for coffee, and regretted it. Black! At Manila, (Terminal 3 again, so no transfers required) our next flight to Kalibo was delayed! It actually turned out to be the same flight we’d come in. This time, I declined coffee! The flight was half empty and by the time we landed, it was quite dark, though it was only just after 7. The airport had this on-the-decline feel to it. We were met by our transport guys, and after a short wait, led to a bus. D was pissed because she had been promised a van. We had paid 2200 pesos for a 2 way transfer, (Boracay Best Deals, because they got us the room in a place we wanted, but My Boracay Guide might be a good option, I think, though they cost the same) but could see 250 pesos/person (for one-way) signboards, though it wouldn’t cover the last bit of our journey to Boracay. You can get to Boracay from 2 airports – Kalibo and Caticlan. The latter is better and nearer, we chose Kalibo only because it had night flights operating. Caticlan is a smaller airport and dos not have flights that land later in the evening.

The bus driver seemed to be having an argument with the crowd, but we finally started. After an hour and 45 minutes of twists and turns and dark stretches, we reached the Caticlan jetty. Carrying luggage into the boat was our own headache! Thankfully, the boat fees had been paid! We ‘walked the plank’ into a crowded boat. D got irritated when they dropped a tarpaulin sheet to cover the ‘window’, but the waves that followed soon after made it a wise decision. Some massive rocking and 15 minutes later, we reached the Boracay side. A van was waiting for us…and others. Another ride, during which we dropped off the others, we stopped on the roadside. We were a bit dismayed because we had chosen our hotel Boracay Coco Huts solely for the beach view! But it turned out that the last 100 metres or so had to be walked. The hotel was indeed on the beach, and the room was really cool – small but classy with lots of wood and a balcony, but we learned soon that they had a problem with hot water!

We wanted a quick dinner before we crashed, so we ignored our list and dropped in at Aria, which looked decent. Italian food – pasta, pizza, and a San Miguel Pale Pilsen (quite solid!) later, (1300 pesos and good food) we were ready to drop. It was around this time that I began noticing that the Philippines’ traditional costume (for women) was hot-pants. With that promising thought, I closed Day 3. :)

Filipinotes – Day 2

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…continued from Day 1

Day 2 started early – D has this habit of not letting us slip into a vacation that easily, so she makes plans so as to phase it over days. :D This meant that we had to get out at 7 AM. After a filling breakfast, we got ready just in time for the Travelerspal guys who were organising our trip to the Underground River. We were dressed to get wet, but were told that wasn’t the plan. So we quickly changed clothes and got into a van which could accommodate 8. I was thrilled.. for about 5 minutes, by when the other passengers had been picked up from other hotels nearby! But it was still comfortable – not with my back, but in general. Our guides were the Men in Pink :) One of them reminded me of a Telugu/Hindi villain – the guy who played the swami in Sarkar, but a much fairer version! :)

There were stops at regular intervals because our boat was booked for 1.30 PM, and that helped. The first stop was for a fantastic view of the bay, and D also bought more nuts, water and a souvenir. A trip to a fairly neat loo cost 20 pesos. The next stop was at Ugong Rock. Cave hiking and ziplining (450 pesos/person) were the activities, and though I was tempted, I didn’t want to spend the rest of the days nursing a worse back. D went though, and thoroughly enjoyed. I’ve noticed that in people – they tend to be happy when away from me! Strange! I sat down in the waiting room and heard the local guide repeat the spiel (including the punch lines and the laugh!) about 3 times, then started reading news clippings. Apparently, this was Ugong Rock’s second attempt at becoming a tourist destination. The first time around, drivers never stopped between Puerto Princesa and Sabang, so it flopped. This time they had more funding from an agency, and tour guides were helpful. The men worked in the fields and fished, while the women worked on tourism. This meant that there was a balance – local life isn’t tampered with much, and they have a stake in making sure the ecology is preserved. This was a trend that I noticed here (across Philippines) – people were serious about nature and preserving it. In fact, they have a planting event too each year. More power to them!

In about an hour, D got back and showed me photos. Seems the other couples were extra nice to her. :)  We proceeded to Sabang, and the driver (after warnings) played ‘roller-coaster’ on smooth roads. The other guide called a tiny bridge the ‘Miracle bridge’ very seriously, and then said that it was called so because it was a miracle it was still standing! We had an hour to kill and for lunch, after we got there. (part of the day trip deal that cost us 1500 pesos per person) Lunch was buffet with beef and pork and chicken and rice! We wanted to try woodworms but there was a huge crowd. After lunch we wandered about on the pier. Loos cost, but we were ok with this – at least they were maintained clean, unlike those Bali ones! D saw a jeepney again and looked at me accusingly. Thankfully, I was saved by the boat.

Clear blue skies, aquamarine water and we were off to the Underground River after paying an Environmental fee of 50 pesos/person. The first boat left us on the island from which it could be accessed. A short walk got us to the second boat point. But there was a huge batch of school (or college?) kids, dressed in green, and that meant that we had to wait quite a bit for our turn. We wandered around taking pics. One of the girls in green offered to take snaps for us, but we politely declined. She was quite the photography buff as we saw her later too, with others’ cameras, clicking away happily. :) A monkey and its baby arrived to offer distraction. After a long while, we got our turn. Vested and helmeted we got into the boat as the staff kept clicking away photos! “Everybody wave”! We had a really funny guide, and I really would’ve liked to understand his Filipino comments as well. The passengers at the front of the boat also play ‘lightboys’. The guide tells them to point a flashlight given to them as per his instructions. Once inside the subterranean river-caves – one of the seven new natural wonders of the world, we saw the ‘bat cave’, with Batman – Boatman jokes from the guide. Rock formations that looked like Jesus/John Lennon depending on your religion, he said! It is quite spectacular – specifically the ‘church’, where rocks have formed ‘biblical scenes’ over millions of years! Humbling stuff!

We got back to Pier 1, after D purchased photo prints. (of us, which they’d shot earlier) At Pier 1 we even saw a boat sinking! (check the last few seconds of this video) We were a bit antsy as we had a dinner reservation at Kalui (so packed that you couldn’t get in without reservations apparently) at 6.3o PM and didn’t want to miss it. But we took only just over an hour to get back. The driver played DJ while our ‘Hindi villain’ slept off!

We got back to Puerto Princesa and Mercedes to learn that Kalui was closed – Sunday! By this time Mercedes had given me WiFi access and the next option was Badjao. Relatively, it was a little off, but I think that’s a perception because of the dark stretches in between. But 50 pesos for the ride meant I wasn’t so right. The web told us to have the tricycle wait, since getting a ride back wasn’t easy. But we saw enough tricycles parked there, so ignored the warning.

Badjao is an excellent dinner spot, thanks to its location on the shore, and there’s a definite buzz about the place as well. From the menu, we tried the Cali, a pineapple fizz drink, Calamansi juice, (sour citrus fruit) the Chicken Binakol soup, the much lauded seafood platter and pork! Except for the shrimp and crab, I managed to help finish the platter! The soup was different from anything we’ve had before – with tender coconut pieces and a sweet tinge! Loved it. The pork actually took a backseat. All for 1500 pesos.

We saw a couple from our morning tour there as well. The ride back was a fleece job- 100 pesos, and the guy actually had the gall to ask us if we wanted a city tour the next day! Thus ended Day 2!

Filipinotes – Day 1

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In a departure from our usual forays into South East Asia, we chose to fly Malaysian Airlines this time, after an MS excel battle that saw as many as 3 plans for the same destinations being made and deleted to balance places, planes and prices. We began the journey at midnight on a Friday with an in-flight mutton dinner. A very auspicious beginning, I thought. :D My back, taped after a physio session, pretended to be on my side until we landed at KL, at the airport we’d never seen so far. (we used to land at the cheapie airport thanks to the Air Asia flights we took) We expected to do the entire transit visa gig here too- in fact, the dates were planned so that we wouldn’t have to take another Malaysian transit visa. Surprisingly that was not required and our next flight – to Manila – was to be boarded just down the corridor. But that was a good 3 hours away, so we slept on the seats – perfect for lying down as well!

We got a sense of Malaysian hospitality while boarding the next flight. A female passenger was carrying massive cases as cabin baggage, and was told by the staff – an old lady – to transfer stuff and send one as check-in – first politely, then sternly, then rudely! The tone never changed, just the facial expressions. Great entertainment! :D We watched ‘Life of Pi’ on the flight – all except the last 15 minutes! D saw about 5 minutes more thanks to an earlier start. I fidgeted thanks to my back and wondered if I should have traveled by raft!

We landed at Terminal 1 at the Ninoy Aquino international airport – named after the opposition leader assassinated in 1983, I learned later. The airport looked like it was made around then as well, though it was clean! We changed currency ($ to PHP) and boarded the transfer bus that would take us to Terminal 3, to board our next flight that was about 4 hours away. We also learned that in the Philippines, counting worked as 1, 2, 4, and then 3 in terminal transfers. They played Gangnam Style in the bus and asked us for 20 pesos each for the trouble. :D D saw a jeepney (jeep + rickshaw used for public transport) outside and clamoured to sit in one!

Cebu Pacific, our next airlines partner, ruled Terminal 3. Yellow was everywhere! This seemed a newer, swankier, neater terminal and had a fairly equipped food court. We had a quick, but excellent meal at Kenny Rogers Roasters for 370 pesos. D continued to embarrass us by asking a customer for water! I expectantly, shyly, went to something called a Comfort Room, but it turned out to be just a loo. Cebu didn’t feed us anything in the roughly 1 hour flight, and we landed at Puerto Princesa  at just before 8.

We had booked shelter at Mercedes B&B, and they were at the tiny airport to pick us up. The car turned out of the airport and then turned again and we’d reached! I said we could have walked. No one laughed. They don’t serve dinner, so we asked for recommendations. Kinabuchs, which was also on our list, won out and a tricycle was called to get us there. 20 pesos, as we watched the nightlife and numerous restaurants on the roadside. It was close, but this time I didn’t say anything. Fast learner.

Kinabuchs was bustling! A giant outdoor screen played a football match. But most importantly, they served crocodile! We asked for a Crocodile la Bicol Express and a Bistek Tagalog. The first was cooked in coconut milk with finger chillies and the second was a Filipino style beef preparation. Red Horse seemed to be the local favourite beer, so we asked for that as well. The crocodile was almost like chicken, and the beef was good too. Red Horse was quite mild. All at 900 pesos.

The tricycle guy happened to be still around, so we asked for a ride back. This one cost us 30 pesos – because it was late or we were heavier! Auto drivers of the world united on one and a half! Our room at Mercedes was simple, but clean and functional. The plug points here were India friendly but we learned later that it would be good to carry around an adaptor. Meanwhile, we slept. Thus ended Day 1.

Shillonging Day 4 – Peaks and Falls

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Contd from Day 1, Day 2, Day 3

Ajmal managed to be late citing tire problems as an excuse. My legs were tired too, but D seemed to be even worse off, stooping like an old woman when she walked. I laughed, but my back hurt when I did that! Breakfast was standard – paratha and omelette. The night before, Ajmal had claimed complete ignorance of where Laitlum – one of our destinations for the day – was. Though Chintu also professed no knowledge, he was kind enough to find out and draw a map for us. Google Maps helped too.

We decided to go straight to Smit, and from thereon to Laitlum. Despite the map, it was difficult to find. It was really an ‘edge of the world’ place, and though there was heavy mist, it was quite an awesome view. Unfortunately the damn mist wouldn’t allow the canyon view to pose for photos! It takes just over an hour from Shillong, so it’s really worth a trip, for the silence and awe. :) Ajmal, as usual, had no idea on where the 100 year old house in Smit was, so we had to skip that!

 

 

 

The next stop was Shillong Peak, and it had begun raining heavily again! But it cleared for a few minutes just as we reached the peak, and so we were able to catch the splendid view, though there were clouds and mist. D also got to wear the traditional Khasi costume for Rs.50. While climbing the little watchtower, D suddenly realised that she had developed a fear of steps. :D

    

Elephant Falls was next. Appearances and sounds were deceiving, and when D realised the number of steps that it would take to reach the third level of falls, she immediately balked. The first level was easy, and I went till about the second level, but from my vantage point, didn’t see a lot of sense in going to the third. I also realised that the place seemed to be a favourite rendezvous for the young Shillong crowd, and didn’t want to disturb their, erm, best practices.

We got back to Laitumkhra after spending close to an hour in Shillong traffic! This time we were adamant about finding Sesame, and finally did! It was in a little building called Shoppers Cove near the Municipal Parking Lot in Laitumkhra! We entered the dimly lit, tiny outlet and discovered that they really didn’t serve local dishes as various stories had informed us! So Pork Chilly Mushroom and a Chicken Chopsuey it was! We then went back to the hotel, totally tired.

We were too lazy to even go out for dinner, so the plan of visiting Cloud 9 in Police Bazaar was dropped. Instead we ate waffle cone ice creams at the Baskin Robbins outlet nearby. :D A sweet last night in Shillong.

Day 5: On the return trip, Ajmal was supposed to stop at Barahpani, but didn’t deem it worthy enough. Instead we got to see several man made waterfalls on the road, with truckers being the major contributors. Ajmal seemed to be focused on sending us heavenwards even before the flight, and had a curious habit of accelerating on hairpin curves and places where there were boards that stated speed limits of 20-30 kmph. Have to mention here, that we found a Kerala restaurant at 9th Mile! Seemed closed though. The Guwahati airport does have a couple of options for snacks. At Kolkata we sat at our regular CCD hangout just outside the main building and killed a few hours. Indigo proved to be as 6E as it always is in terms of sticking to time.

The trip cost us around Rs.60000 inclusive of everything – tickets, hotels, meals, taxi. We went through Traveloearth, but really wouldn’t recommend them mostly courtesy Ajmal. Both White Orchid and Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort are functional and clean. The trip was worth it thanks to the day spent at Cherrapunjee,  a couple of really nice people we met – Chintu and Angela, and for visiting a place that a favourite author set her first book in – also her birthplace. I am a huge fan of Anjum Hasan‘s writing, but on Day 1, I became skeptical of her description of Shillong. However, by the end of the journey, I could completely relate to the place in “Lunatic in my head” though it is set in the 1990s. It would seem that Shillong has grown since then, but hasn’t really moved.

Shillonging Day 3 – Rooted

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Contd from Day 1, Day 2….

Cherrapunjee had decided to show us why it deserved the ‘wettest place on earth’ tag. Being from Kerala, we were not really wet behind our ears when it came to heavy rains. But this was something else! Many times we saw the sky clear up, but it was like two government departments. The skies never communicated to the rains, and the latter just kept falling unabated. We wondered what we could do since the checkout time was 12. After breakfast, we cancelled the guide and the packed lunch plans, and went back to staring at the rains.

By 10.30, it had reduced to an irritating “won’t go away and won’t let you go anywhere either” level, but we decided to get out anyway. That was when Angela completely lived up to her name. Our plan was to drop the Double Decker Bridge trek plan and see the Single version, but Angela said that the path to the latter was made of stone steps, and thus more slippery, so we should attempt the former, and the longest Root Bridge and a Single Root living bridge were anyway on the way. She gave us a detailed map for us – till the point the car could go, and the longer stretch beyond. To top it, a little gift from them, and a Perk each. (we were as delighted as kids!) Then followed another example of thoughtfulness and concern when she said that we should carry plastic bags to cover our heads, and promptly gave us a few. She also advised Ajmal – no easy task – on the car route. And thus we bid adieu to the wonderful Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort.

Despite Ajmal’s best efforts, we reached the starting point of the trek. Telling him to wait there, and have a quick lunch (and come back soon) if absolutely necessary, we started out. 2500 steps, the signboard warned. Yes, we knew that when we signed up. The first 1.5 kms, Angela had told us, were the toughest, and boy, it was! Steps after steps, and steep ones at that. I gave up counting after 15. It was either my balance or the balance number I could focus on, since the steps were slippery thanks to the rain. Handrails exist for a tiny stretch much later, but at several points, you get a clear idea of how deep your final fall would be! Walking down, I remarked, was tougher, since the chances of slipping were higher. So I led the way. Staring at the map Angela had given surprisingly did not reduce the length of the trek! I wish they had some ‘you are here’ mechanism in terms of the number of steps. We finally reached the village where the right turn would take us to the longest root bridge and the left, to a single root bridge, steel rope bridge, the double decker root bridge and the end point, with natural springs. Even typing it seems exhausting! We went right and reached the longest root bridge fast enough. The mandatory photo op done, we retraced our steps, and then continued on the ‘left’ path. The cement steps feature was no longer available, and after the smooth stones threatened me a couple of times, I took my slippers in my hand and continued.

 

The steps continued to be steep, and the rain became nastier, so after several “we’ll go till the next corner and then decide” we finally decided to go back. :( Though I’d decided not to look up, I did, when I reached the village, and massively shuddered. Since I wanted to catch D in case she slipped, I erm, bravely let her take the lead. I began strongly, humming ‘how many steps must a man take before he can reach a car’, but soon had to spend more time trying to figure out when and where my next breath would come from! At one point, I even contemplated settling down in the village below, and waiting for the day a car could make its way there. D dealt with it much better. An old woman coming down said something when I smiled at her. We both understood the need for minimal communication. We successfully lost our way in the last 100m, and came upon a sight that I had come close to seeing several times in the 2.5 hours we had been trekking- God, in the form of a church. We retraced our steps and found that the great man had gone for lunch! Thankfully he deemed it fit to return soon and we asked him to take us back to the hotel. He wondered if we were talking about the Cherrapunjee one!

This was also the day that we were supposed to see the cleanest village in Asia  - Mawlynnong, but thanks to our tour operator’s excellent planning skills, it was not possible, since it was too far away! On the way back to Shillong, we also realised that the word ‘resort’ was used loosely here, and these places could actually be considered only as a last resort! Angela’s Perk was lunch! Shillong’s traffic jams reminded me of Bangalore’s worst, and we finally reached White Orchid at 5ish.

  

We asked Ajmal to come by around 6.30 since we wanted to explore Police Bazaar. That sortie turned out to be a futile one, as neither the Police Bazaar, nor its adjacent roads – GS Road, Jail Road, actually led to anything interesting.

We decided to go back to Laitumkhrah for dinner, and since the search for Sesame again proved futile, and Munchies was full, had to visit Café Shillong again. Shillong Chicken cutlets, Khao Suey and Shillong Noodles with Chilly Chicken followed. Unsurprisingly, the cutlets came after the Khao Suey (they gave us dried shrimp with it and D identified it before I killed myself again) The noodles and chilly chicken was a spicy combination, I quite liked it. We asked the restaurant manager for the directions to Sesame, and he did try to help us, with ‘look down for the signage’ and ‘near the Police Station’ being the best tips.

 

We finally returned to the hotel, knowing fully well that the next morning would be full of aches!

Shillonging Day 2 – To Cherrapunjee

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Continued from Day 1

Day 2 was slightly kinder as we got up at 7.30 and had plans to start off for Cherrapunjee by about 8.30. Breakfast was paratha and omelette, served at 8. We were slightly delayed though, but set out just before 9. The journey took us through some extremely picturesque landscapes and we stifled the urge to tell Ajmal to stop the car so we could take snaps. We were secretly afraid that he might continue without us. We stopped at Duwan Sing Syiem on the way to Sohra, and then at Nohsngithiang falls before continuing to Cherrapunjee. Soon, it was easy to understand why Meghalaya is called the Scotland of the East. It has to be those endless meadows.

 

 

It was immediately after that, soon as we passed the Mawsmai caves, that Ajmal got it into his head that we had to see the Indo-Bangladesh border. Of course he had no idea where it was. So he just vaguely drove around for a few hours, despite several suggestions from us that we turn back. I have a feeling that his ancestors must have come from Bangladesh, that is the only plausible explanation for his extra bout of madness. It passed at about 11.45 and we got back to the caves. That was another bizarre experience as we splashed into the cave with another large set of tourists. Slippery as hell, the only way out was to just keep plodding ahead, amidst shrieks from kids and their parents alike. Ignoring Ajmal’s suggestions to eat at a restaurant there, we decided to proceed to our hotel, following spirited little yellow signboards along the twisty, curvy way that had some amazing views.

The Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort, about 15 kms away from the main road, is an establishment that’s totally unique. We reached just in time for for a late lunch – Pork Chilly, Chicken  Neiiong and Butter Tawa Rotis. There is something very homely about the place – the people, the large hall with the computer, common television, and photographs and handicraft items on the wall. We rested for a while in our clean and functional room. A musty smell was mostly solved by the freshener that the staff sprayed just before we got in. :) There are  costlier Executive rooms too, but we had an awesome view from our room. D went out to take snaps while I napped. Around tea time, we were given a little file on local legends, and the treks we could go for. THE thing we wanted to see was the famous double decker root bridge, unique to this part of the world. But that was for the next day.

Sipping tea, watching the sunset and a view that’s one of the best I’ve ever seen, we chatted about the resort itself. The main building had a bungalow feel to it and we wondered if it was government owned. I had become a fan of the place – the little yellow signs on the approach road, the way the staff interacted with us, the copious documentation available on various aspects about Cherrapunjee, their efforts on sustainable and inclusive tourism etc- and told D that I sensed a smart and creative mind behind this. As we strolled, an oldish gentleman stopped to chat with us. We gathered that he was in charge, and wondered if he was probably a government employee, a very amiable one at that! :) Probably an IAS officer who had chosen to skip the bureaucratic rat race? It was only a few hours later that Google pointed me to the amazing love story of Denis P Rayen, who owns the place. The love in this case for not just his Khasi wife, but for Cherrapunjee itself. :) Suddenly, everything we were seeing around us, had an explanation. I kicked myself for not recognising him from the photo in the little office room and having a longer chat, which would undoubtedly have been an interesting one! Several times on this blog, I have written about the purpose of life, I think this guy has at least gotten close to nailing it.

Meanwhile, the view progressed further on a scale of awesomeness, and even the two noisy couples (and their noisier children) couldn’t take away from our experience. It wasn’t just the view – mountains and plains and the tiny town on the hill nearby, or the lights far away slowly flickering on as the sun set, it was the entire ambiance, the spells of silence…. It was magical, and by far the best part of our trip.

 

 

(more pics)

Dinner consisted of Pork Dohkhleh (highly recommended) and a Jadoh Stem Chicken, which seemed like a regional variation of the Biryani. We also made elaborate plans for the trek the next day – a guide, packed lunch – and were guided perfectly by the staff. Sometime during the night, I was awakened by a loud noise. It was a thunderclap, Cherrapunjee had just said hello. But that’s a story for the next day.

Shillonging Day 1 – 4 states

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To protest against people being unwillingly sent back to the north east, we decided to willingly go there. Actually, we had booked the tickets quite a while back. :) It had been a while since “Gang talk” happened, and since D seemed to be acquiring the taste from Zingron, we thought now was as good a time as any to go Shillonging!

Early we woke – 3.45ish – to catch the cab at 4.15 and reach the airport in time for the 6.40 AM flight to Kolkata. 6E is known to be punctual to a fault and we had no intention of taking any risks. We arrived early enough and true to form, the flight took off right on time. Kolkata airport was exactly as we remembered it, but then 2 years is hardly time enough for that phenomenon to change! We thankfully didn’t have long to wait since the connecting flight to Guwahati was just a couple of hours away. Breakfast was at Subway! Kolkata is not the kind of airport that gives you a wide array of choices, so you can probably stop smirking now!

We had been informed by the tour operators that a person would be at the Guwahati airport to collect the balance amount, and with him we would find our driver, Ajmal. We saw a person carrying a placard with D’s name. In just 5 minutes, we were able to establish, with the help of a passerby, that D was indeed the D he was waiting for, and in turn, he was reasonably sure he was Ajmal! Introductions done, we started our journey towards Shillong. From the massive bovine presence on the road, we figured out how Cowhati got its name! Lots of greenery dotted with brick kilns and markets. We seemed to have arrived just in time for one of their celebrations, which involved people trying to spit on moving vehicles, including our own. White cars were given preference – probably more points.

The person who was supposed to meet us for the payment finally met us outside town, and wished us a pleasant journey after he counted the money. We stopped to fill petrol at a station that had its own complex patterns of how differently sized vehicles should exit. Just to spice it up a bit, they also used a larger board for smaller vehicles. But Ajmal was smarter by a league, and used the entry path to exit. Ha!   In fact he was so good that we didn’t even know that we had already crossed into Meghalaya. 4 states in about 6 hours. 2x Chetan. We stopped soon at the L.C Woodland Dhaba and dug into rotis and Chicken Butter Masala, which actually turned out to be quite tasty. My friend from previous travels – the splitting headache  -announced itself immediately after. Ajmal celebrated by playing Silsila. (Hindi, not Malayalam)

We slept most of the way to Shillong, though we did wake up in time to catch the amazing scenery as we climbed. Though the journey is a 3 hr one, we took double that. Part of it was the last mile traffic jams in Shillong. That’s a story in itself! Once we crossed that hurdle, it was time for Ajmal to do his bit. Having no idea of where our hotel White Orchid was, he promptly took us to Orchid, parts of which were white in color. It was also the home of the village idiot who proclaimed that he had been living in Shillong since 1979 and there was no place named White Orchid. He played the same sentence in a loop until I said I could pay him to shut up. While he considered that, we called up the hotel. They were very helpful and gave Ajmal directions to get there. But Ajmal, whose IQ cannot be measured by petty human standards, rebelled against directions, and stopping near a petrol pump gave that as the landmark to the hotel people. The hotel staff said they would be there in a couple of minutes. In subsequent calls, he also created a fantasy world nearby which had a hospital and a bridge. I used Google Maps and urged Ajmal, but he silenced me with a glare that would have made internet watchdogs proud! Finally I made him move in the direction that Google gave me and voila, there was another petrol pump. Ajmal complained about what the world was coming to when a town could have two petrol pumps.

White Orchid was a tiny guesthouse but we were given a warm welcome by Chetan Kumar (aka Chintu bhaiyya) who would prove to be a godsend many a time in the next few days. We skipped dining there and asked for directions to one of the many places on our list – Sesame in Laitumkhrah, just over a km away. We used the most common transit form – the Rs.10/head taxi, but just couldn’t find the place. We finally settled for Cafe Shillong.

A cosy little cafe on the first floor, a few buildings after the famous Jadoh. We were the only customers though the only big table had a ‘Reserved’ sign. Tiny tables on the balcony gives you a good view of the street. From the not-so-elaborate menu, we asked for a Pork Momos with soup, and for the main course, a Shillong beef steak with mashed potato and a Chicken Bastenga. The soup was thin but flavorful and the momos, tasty, though not a match for the Delicacy ones in Bangalore. :) The Shillong beef steak was well, a beef steak in Shillong, with a tangy sauce and well cooked meat. The local rice wasn’t available for the Bastenga, so they used white rice instead. It had a spicy chutney and a very strong bamboo+other shoots flavour and smell. To wash it down, we asked for a Hot Chocolate, a reasonable drink. The bill came to about Rs.700.

 

 

We took the taxi back to Malki Point, home to White Orchid, and slept in a spartan room after watching Kung Fu Panda for a while. :)

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