We all have millions of travel stories to share and talk about. Now, sit back and go back a little and see if the part that you just talked about is which part of the story? The part that you were okay in talking about or the part that you didn’t tell anyone!
Okay, let me help you break the ice and then you can tell me your bloopers in the comments section. I love travelling and when it comes to doing mistakes in travelling, no one can beat me.
So when you plan your travel, there is a set procedure you follow right? You decide the place, you decide the dates on which you want to travel, then book tickets, and make your hotel reservations and then start packing. This is the correct way that many people know about and also follow it.
But for people like me, planning starts hypothetically. I start with shopping for the destination I am (hypothetically) travelling to. Winter clothes for winter travel, Beach outfits for beach travel, summer outfits for summer travel. This is how I start. Then I start looking for tickets which get very expensive until I book them because taking the right decision at the right time is so easy. Let’s not talk about making the hotel reservations…
Since the beginning has been so nicely planned, imagine what would the trip be like.
Shillong is a beautiful place and people who have not been there, should definitely go and experience the beauty that place offers. I decided to travel to that place in November. Just for your information, I HATE WINTERS!
So it was the day of my travel and like every other normal human being, I booked a cab for the airport which got delayed due to some reason and after making me wait for like 30 mins, the driver cancelled the ride.
So I had to take a bus to the airport with all my “important” luggage. I couldn’t have afforded to wait anymore. I reached the airport and the flight got delayed…
For 2 hours! :)))))))))
I didn’t have any further flight to cover. But in case you have any such scenario, please take travel insurance that covers, flight delays, flight cancellations, luggage lost etc. It is better to secure yourself and your belongings than to wait at the airport and do NOTHING!
Shillong doesn’t have a direct flight, so you have to get down at Guwahati which is the last airport and nearest to Shillong (70 Km). From Guwahati, you can take a taxi or a bus to Shillong. The beauty by which I was surrounded made me forget every struggle that I had been through since morning. Guwahati was little warmer than Shillong. It was pleasant and I thought I got the right clothes, but I spoke too soon… Shillong is freezing in winters.
Since I did all my bookings a week before leaving, everything was unavailable. The hotel rooms that were available at that time, were costing me an arm and a leg. So I decided to stay in a homestay which was a good and homely place to stay.
The best part about the homestay was CROSS VENTILATION.
Philosophically it was great weather when you love winters but when a person who is not a winter fan travels to Shillong in winters, huge preparation is needed.
Shillong, the Scotland of East has winters that can make the oxygen inside your body cold. And it needs proper packing which includes jackets, cardigans, quilts, wolf’s skin. But since I am a girl and I decide to shop first and then pack. Plus rains there are unpredictable. This is what I didn’t know, so I thought it is not important to carry a raincoat. So what I got for myself for a trip to Shillong in NOVEMBER was an off-shoulder top because, why not????
I made sure to smile in all my pictures so that my Instagram fans (which are 100 people amongst which 80 are family members) do not feel bad.
But the reality was different…
Moral of the story is that winter packing should be done in a proper way. So that you don’t shiver every time you get out of your room.
Shillong is a place where you will find waterfalls everywhere around you. I had made sure I see every waterfall in Shillong. But the ones that are far cannot be seen due to intense fog and the ones that are close can blow your mind, so choose wisely.
The waterfalls have slippery stones, and it is not advisable to jump on them.
You might sprain your ankle. This is what I did. And in case you are planning to jump, please keep a first-aid with you. I did not have any first-aid with me so had to rush to a nursing home that was quite far. And the rest of my trip went well with the crepe bandage wrapped on my foot.
But don’t go by my experience, Shillong is definitely a place to visit once in your lifetime. Just never make a mistake of not taking your winter clothes with you.
Also, I would love to read funny bloopers about your trips. That might make me feel better about mine.
