[neel385]

Left Shillong in 1994,and a lot has changed since then, most of it good. Incidentally, I spent 3 months each winter for 6 years in Shella. So Shillong, Cherra nad Shella are close to my heart.
Shella however is a little known place which is extremely beautiful and serene. We used to stay in tents on the banks of the river, so spent a lot of time in the surrounding jungles. There are amazingly beautiful spots on the jungle towards Bangladesh. I hope that the Bamboo bridge across the river at Shella still exists, though, at this time of the year, it might be closed. Hope to see more pics, specially of Shella.

[San Phrangmung]

So after two piece of bread toast and five tea spoonful of canned baked bean, i left Polo Orchid hungry and drove to Halari restaurent point for some real filling breakfast.

Tourist view point shelter by Assam Rifles: Inaugurated by DG, AR, Lt General HS Kanwar in July 2003 on Polo approach road

[Ironhide]

Originally Posted by San Phrangmung

@ IronHide I feel really good to have come across someone who has travelled to some of the off limit, out of grid kind of places in the region.

Thanks San. I really got to see a whole lot of the places there, and trekked a fair bit there. The beauty of the place was heavenly.

Few months back my brother did visit Umrangso lake for a lunch trip from Haflong. The police escort told him about days when they would say their last prayers before taking this road. Yesterday on the other hand there was gun battle in Garo hills. So few places are still no go areas for lone travellers. And as you are aware every few kilometers has diffrent groups with their own mind.

You are right. The police were often targeted in the Umrongso/Garampani area. That period was really tense, there were a whole lot of underground outfits and one hardly saw any tourists. However with the declaration of ceasefire by the principal outfit there some two years ago there has been a semblance of normalcy in the district. What the Assam Govt needs to do now is to promote the area as a major tourist destination.

On the govt advertising part, the lack of tourist infrastructure needs to be addressed first. Plus things like ILP are major put off along with the growing popularity of kidnapping industry in some pockets.

I agree. The ILP is an age old system invented by the British and we are still following it. This only adds to the sense of alienation. This somehow gives the impression that we are in a different country once past the Brahmaputra. Why should we have a permit system at all? Isn't it my country, however far remote it may be, after all?

But what i see happening in Khasi Jaintia hills area is really promising, plan to visit Ranikor side next to experience a new initiative first hand.

That is encouraging news.More such initiatives need to be undertaken. There is a whole lot of of beautiful Northeast lying unexplored.

[San Phrangmung]

After the real pet puja with the Chow of Halari, it was time for the drive to Shella border through single lane district and village road for most part.

On way was this old massive Soviet era typo cement factory that looked like some fallen spaceship out in this pristine greenery.

[samarjitdhar]

Wow, San. Thanks for the pictures and the neat little travelogue. Brought back memories from my trip in Nov, 2011 when I visited the place. I visited the Mawsmai cave though it was late evening but guess what, we had lunch at Halari too. It was part of my Shillong-Kaziranga trip though not a complete road trip from here. I flew to Guwahati and then the rest of it was done by road. I liked the condition of the roads there and after the proper 4 laning of the Guwahait-Shillong road, that drive will be awesome. Its up there in my next road trip plans .

[San Phrangmung]

Originally Posted by neel385

Left Shillong in 1994,and a lot has changed since then, most of it good. Incidentally, I spent 3 months each winter for 6 years in Shella. So Shillong, Cherra nad Shella are close to my heart.
Shella however is a little known place which is extremely beautiful and serene. We used to stay in tents on the banks of the river, so spent a lot of time in the surrounding jungles. There are amazingly beautiful spots on the jungle towards Bangladesh. I hope that the Bamboo bridge across the river at Shella still exists, though, at this time of the year, it might be closed. Hope to see more pics, specially of Shella.

Thanks Neel. I just returned from a 3night family trip from Shillong and Cherrapunjee. This time two nights in Police bazar and a night at Sa-I Mika park, Sohra.

This visit was exciting as well with dense fog, rain and sunset at Dain Thlen falls. Also had lunch at Baba Lodge at PB for the first time.

Would love to hear more about your adventure in Meghalaya, specially camping by the riverside.

Originally Posted by samarjitdhar

Wow, San. Thanks for the pictures and the neat little travelogue. Brought back memories from my trip in Nov, 2011 when I visited the place. I visited the Mawsmai cave though it was late evening but guess what, we had lunch at Halari too. It was part of my Shillong-Kaziranga trip though not a complete road trip from here. I flew to Guwahati and then the rest of it was done by road. I liked the condition of the roads there and after the proper 4 laning of the Guwahait-Shillong road, that drive will be awesome. Its up there in my next road trip plans .

Thanks Samarjit, the more i visit Meghalaya the more i want to go back. I hope you are able to come back a second time and explore more of this beautiful and mystic land.

Once i compleate uploading the first trip pictures i will add the Dain Thlen waterfalls area pics which also calls for a second visit.

Here adding few snap from trip II

While returning @ Sa-I-Mika exit........from the main road visibility was 5 feet and had to move in 2nd gear till that hanging bridge point mostly.


The bridge at the Snake Vampire falls


And here's the closer shot.

[San Phrangmung]

Here comes the photograph from post Halari point village where the road becomes narrow and curvy.

[San Phrangmung]

Driving down towards Shella from Laitkyenshew turn point upto main Highway joint