One of the most memorable family vacation of mine came in fall of 2006, when all of us packed our bags to get a flavor of the tourist haven that North east of India is. Once there, one thing that hit me strikingly hard was that fact that, I had never seen so much green at any one place and at any one time, from the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra, to the jungles of Tezpur, to the Assam tea estates and to the virgin mountain slopes en route to Cherrapunjee.
Our first stop on the itinerary was The Kaziranga, to see the beautiful one horned Indian rhino. Putting up at the Tezpur circuit house, on the banks of the wide, beautiful and beckoning, Brahmaputra. That night we enjoyed a dinner floating atop a small steamer boat, gorging on a specially prepared buffet which included fish pakodas and to go with them this most jhaal finger licking good chutney you would have ever tasted, spring rolls, fried eggs, chicken, orange souffle and fruit cream salad. And If you looked out side the rickety steamer boat you saw these distant tiny little flecks of light which were perhaps other fishing boats or floating steamers. We in fact even had some one seeing a woman dressed in a white sari looking towards us from one of the fishing boats!! For other travelers Kaziranga offers a decent boarding and lodging facility at various lodges, mostly around the national park area. The Kaziranga is massive, and we decided to tour one of its zones riding in an open jeep. Our park guide proudly displayed the gashes he had received in two separate encounters with a rhinoceros. He smiled rather reassuringly and told us that if at all a rhino or a tiger was to attack at us he would try to scare away the beast with loud metallic bangs on the jeep's body and if the animal did not deter, he would then have to use his gun. But needless to say he said, that we were safe in his company. At Kaziranga we saw herds of this prehistoric survivor, moving about the tall thickets of Elephant grass and lazing around in swampy marshes. Among other animals we saw the majestic barasingha, hog deer, langurs and the wild Indian Elephant, with a young rambunctious one almost attacking us out of panic. Thankfully for us the loud metallic bangs did wonder. In the area surrounding the wildlife sanctuary you can see the famous Assam tea garden plantations and even get to see how you get your daily cup of tea.
Next onto our itinerary was, as the British called it the "Scotland of East", a sobriquet for Shillong, the capital city of Mehgalaya. Lying in the cradle of pines, conifers, pineapple shrubs and other exquisite flora and fauna the city offers an undulating terrain which serves as a constant source of attraction for tourists. The city is also home to a very fine tradition of rock n roll and country music. It would come as a surprise for you, to know that Shillong is the only city celebrating Bob Dylan's birthday. You can enjoy this music along with excellent oriental cuisine at one of the city's many restaurants and clubs. Other site seeing attractions in Shillong include Shillong Peak, the highest point in the city which from its very famous Shillong Point gives you a panoramic view of the entire city of Shillong. Shillong is also home to beautiful lakes and waterfalls. Elephant Falls, Spread Eagle falls, Crinoline falls, all of them offer a great treat of nature and are most suitable for a day out picnic with friends and family.
Situated about 56 km from Shillong on the India Bangladesh border is Cherrapunjee. Set against a backdrop of heavy set rain bearing clouds and breath taking beauty, it is surely a place to discover during the Indian summer monsoons. And as much as the destination it is the long meandering drive to it that is worth a hundred suns. Trust me on this, once you do the roads every bend and every turn would remind you of that picture perfect road you saw snaking through the forest in a web shots wallpaper. And once at your destination, there is this small outpost with a small tea shop serving snacks and cold drinks, but when you look beyond there is this most magnificent and breath taking view. Where the cliffs of Cherrapunjee kiss the plains of Bangladesh. These cliffs are first to be hit by the monsoon winds looming over the Bay of Bengal making Cherrapunjee the wettest place on planet earth!
So, make sure once you decide to unravel the adventure out here that you do not miss out any of these eastern wonders on your itenary! Have fun and Happy Globe trotting!
