Distinctiveness - Travel and Lifestyle Blog

Mother Nature's masterpieces (including the two young fellows) The second day of a trip can be either really exciting or deeply depressing depending on the circumstances. Even in Meghalaya , the abode of the clouds.  For instance, the second day of a week-long vacation is likely to keep everyone in an upbeat mood. However, the second day of a weekend trip can be quite melancholy. There's always sadness looming at the culmination of good times.  That was how I felt on a Sunday morning at Quinton Enclave, a quaint little homestay right in the heart of Shillong . We were all a little sore from our ten-hour drive around North East India the previous day. [ Also Read:  A Drive to Krang Suri Falls, Meghalaya ]  There was another six-hour drive ahead of us. The thought of holidays coming to an end only added to the gloom. I sat at the small desk, working on my laptop, but mostly lost in thought. The tea turned cold. It was a lazy morning. That was of course, until Messi wo...

The delights of finding a pocket of heaven on Earth Have you ever stumbled upon something unexpectedly good when it was least likely to happen? I’m sure you have. It’s beautiful how life works out sometimes. Hope and despair work hand in hand to churn up a magnum opus. That was what happened when we set out to visit Krang Suri Falls one July morning (Read: A drive to Krang Suri Falls ). After a seven-hour trip, we found only despair. Life gave us a shot of hope in the form of Kibo Restaurant and urged us to look up and seek the brighter side of things. Find the rainbow in the clouded sky. This is the story of what happened next. Drive to Shillong from Amlarem Krang Suri Falls to Shillong is a scenic drive Buoyed by a fulfilling meal, we continued our journey through rural Meghalaya, heading towards Shillong. The disappointments of missing out on Krang Suri Falls was immediately forgotten as we indulged in Meghalaya's picturesque landscape. There was a sight to behold at every...

Krang Suri Falls There are few things in the world as exciting as the anticipation of a long-awaited trip. A lot of effort is required behind the scenes to script a successful trip, and it all starts with an idea. A brainwave. A craving for the road.  A touch of Wanderlust. "Isn't it strange that we have never been to Krang Suri Falls yet?" That. That was the exact moment when it all started. Almost immediately, we were thinking about the trip. Soon enough, it was on our mind all day and then, all week. We began planning for the journey. We started scouting the route on the World Wide Web. And pretty soon, it was time to leave.  The anticipation of a long-awaited trip hits its record high on the night before the journey. On a Friday evening, we finished our chores in time and hit the bed a little earlier. My seven-year-old son, however, remained deep in thought. "What is it, Messi?" "Do we have to leave at the break of dawn, Baba?"  "Yeah....

A picture from years ago, which always urges me to keep the wanderlust alive [Photo Credit - Sudip Pandit] I recently went on a long drive to fuel my wanderlust. The positive was that it was a long drive home and when you take the route home, the world always looks rosier. However, it was only when I was returning back, at the end of my holidays, that a certain thought struck me.  It was a beautiful afternoon outside, my stomach was full of the wonderful Pork curry I savored at Bongaigaon and my tongue was still relishing the reminiscent flavours. The road was empty, Mohit Chauhan was singing “Phir se Udd Chala” on the stereo and I was feeling a bit nostalgic, wishing that I could have spent a few days more at home. I snapped out of my daydream with the sound of drums beating at a distance.  Bit by bit, the sound got louder, until I realized the actual source of the sounds. As the long stretch ended in a turn, I saw a group of Bikers emerge from the bend, pa...