Showing posts with label Travel after Retirement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel after Retirement. Show all posts

Our Planning for Meghalaya Tour

 Our Planning for Meghalaya Tour

In my earlier post “Leisure Travel During Post-Retirement Life” [https://post-retirementlife.blogspot.com/2024/04/leisure-travel-during-post-retirement.html] I emphasised on proper tour planning in advance and also focussed on luggage management as well as important items to be carried during travel. This time we made our plan for Meghalaya Tour less than a month in advance as our youngest son decided to go for tracking in Himalaya Range. We decided to make a tour to Meghalaya during his tracking period. Accordingly, we made a plan to proceed on Meghalaya Tour on 2nd May 2024 and to return back on 6th May 2024.

2. We first booked flight tickets to Guwahati from Kolkata for both onward and return journey. Then I applied for booking Holiday Home at Shillong for two days. After confirmation of booking of holiday home at Shillong, I first tried to book a holiday home at Kazi Ranga, Assam. Initially, we planned to spend two nights at Shillong, one night at Kazi Ranga and One night at Guwahati, Assam. After getting rejection of my application for booking of holiday home at Kazi Ranga, we decided to spend all the four days in Meghalaya i.e. two days in Shillong and two days in Sohra (Cherrapunjee). Accordingly, we booked one homestay at Sohra (Cherrapunjee) for two days. This homestay was booked in hurry without verifying its distance from the main location of Sohra and its proximity to Taxi Stand and markets. It was far away from the main location of Sohra. This was the mistake made on my part. Mistakes are part and parcel of any task including planning. Instead of repenting for the mistake it is better to learn lesson from the mistake and go ahead. We also did the same.

3. During the last week of April, I went to the office of Meghalaya Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) in Kolkata for getting detail information on the tourist spots in Meghalaya. They gave me tourist information guide and other booklets. They told me that there is an office of MTDC near Hotel Polo Tower, the place where I would be staying for two days in Shillong. They advised me to book conducted tour to Cherrapunjee and other places like Dawki, Mawlynnong, etc. from MTDC office at Shillong. I first contacted MTDC, Shillong over telephone and told them to book two seats on 3rd May for conducted tour to Mawlynnong & Dawki and on 4th May for conducted tour to Sohra (Cherrapunjee). They forwarded me tour details through WhatsApp. They advised me to make payment at the counter of MTDC, Shillong on 2nd May after reaching there. I got lot of information on important tourist spots at Shillong and other places in Meghalaya and also the information on transportation facilities in Meghalaya. They told me that it would have been better to approach them before booking tickets and accommodations so that something better plan could have been chalked out to cover maximum tourist spots. This is another learning experience for me.

4. We had the information about the weather conditions in Shillong and other places in Mehgalaya including Sohra (Cherrapunjee). We also knew that rainfall is heavy in Sohra and therefore we carried umbrella as well as raincoat with us. We also carried woollen garments and jackets for protection against cold though the temperature at Kolkata was 42 degrees Celsius before proceeding for Meghalaya Tour. It was not easy to accommodate our belongings in one trolley as we had to carry winter garments, raincoats and umbrellas which occupy more space. Any how we accommodated our belongings in one trolley bag by using the techniques mentioned in para 4(iii) of the previous post “Leisure Travel During Post-Retirement Life” [https://post-retirementlife.blogspot.com/2024/04/leisure-travel-during-post-retirement.html]. We had one trolley bag for check in luggage and one handbag each for myself and my wife to be carried as cabin baggage.  

5. Scheduled departure of our flight on 2nd May was 7.50 am in the morning which got delayed by 30 minutes. We started at 5.30 am from our home and reached Kolkata airport at 6.00 am. After check in and completing our security check we proceeded towards lounge to have breakfast by swiping our debit cards (SBI Wealth VISA Signature) having the facility of complementary lounge access. Token amount of Rs.2.00 was deducted from each card swiped for access to airport lounge. This card allows complementary lounge access thrice in a quarter. It is advisable to have such debit or credit card having complementary lounge access in airport. There are many other cards having the facility of complementary lounge access which one can check and verify. We also availed lounge facilities at Guwahati Airport during return journey. One need to check the list of airport lounges where complementary access is allowed for the holder of such cards.

6. It is very much essential to estimate the time of arrival at the final destination after taking into consideration the scheduled time of arrival at the destination airport, expected time to receive the check in luggage, time to walk out of airport to Taxi Stand and the estimated time to be taken by the taxi to reach the final destination i.e. hotel and also the expected time to get checked in to your hotel room. Accordingly, we planned to visit MTDC Office at Shillong to make payments for conducted tours to Mawlynnong & Dawki and to Sohra (Cherrapunjee) and thereafter to visit Ward’s Lake. We did accordingly in Shillong on 2nd May.  

7. Our Tour plan was finalised. On 2nd May we reached Shillong and visited Ward’s Lake in the evening on the same day. On 3rd May we visited Mawlynnong and Dawki by conducted tour operated by MTDC. They charged Rs.700 per person for that conducted tour by bus. On 4th May we checked out from the hotel in the morning after taking complimentary breakfast and proceeded for Sohra (Cherrapunjee) Tour operated by MTDC. They charged Rs.500 per person for that conducted tour by bus. After completing all the sight-seeing in Cherrapunjee we got down there and stayed in Cherrapunji for two days. We enjoyed heavy rainfall in Sohra (Cherrapunjee) for the entire day on 5th May. On 6th May, we came back to our home after completing our Meghalaya Tour which will remain memorable for us.

8. We completed our Meghalaya Tour as per our planning and taken lot of photographs and video shoots to keep our tour memorable forever. Our experiences with photographs at each and every spot that we visited will be elaborated in subsequent posts. For detail information on important tourist spots in Meghalaya, conducted tours, accommodations, etc. one can visit the website of Meghalaya Tourism i.e. www.meghalayatourism.in



My Rajasthan Tour - Visit to Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur and Thar Desert

 My Rajasthan Tour - Visit to Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur and Thar Desert

As a part of my Rajasthan tour with my family members, we first visited Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan and thereafter visited Udaipur and Mount Abu. We left Mount Abu in the morning of 28th December and started our journey to Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur. In my previous three posts I have shared my experiences and brief information about the places that I visited with my family in Jaipur, Udaipur and Mount Abu. In this post I would like to share my experiences and brief information about the places that I visited Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur and Thar Desert.

1. Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur

We reached Mehrangarh Fort in the afternoon and we had taken lunch on the way. This fort is located on the top of the hill which is at a height of about 122 meters above the surrounding plains. It was built in the year 1459 by Rao Jodha Rathore who founded the city of Jodhpur in the same year. This fort is having seven gates, the brief details of which are mentioned below.
(i) Jai Pol i.e. Victory Gate built by Maharaja Man Singh to commemorate his victories over Jaipur and Bikaner armies.
(ii) Fateh Pol which literary means Victory Gate was built to commemorate the victory of Maharaja Ajit Singh over the Mughals.
(iii) Gopal Pol, the second pol after Fateh Pol.
(iv) Dedh Kangra Pol still bear the scars of bombardment by cannonballs. 
(v) Amruti Pol is in between Dedh Kangra Pol and Loha Pol.
(vi) Loha Pol is the final gate into the main part of the fort complex.
(vii) Suraj Pol is the inner most gate which provides access to palace complex and Daulat Khana Chauk. 

Within the fort you will find several beautifully crafted and decorated places. You will also find various paintings, palkis and other articles used by Royal Families inside the palaces. There are five palaces inside the fort. 
(i) Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace)
(ii) Phool Mahal (Flower Palace)
(iii) Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace)
(iv) Sileh Khana (a place of storage of weapons or the armoury)
(v) Daulat Khana 

                            ☝ Daulat Khana



👈Inside Daulat Khana

👈 Palki (Traditional means of transport in those days. Palki was used as a means of transport mostly by Royal families which was carried on shoulders by four to six persons for transportation.)






                  Beautiful Paintings inside the Palace 👉






After completing our visit to Mehrangarh Fort we proceeded to hotel for taking dinner and for night stay. On the next day morning i.e. on 29th December 2023 we proceeded towards Thar Desert.

2. Thar Desert

We reached the tents of SAM Desert in the afternoon where we were allotted tent for staying overnight. After keeping our luggage in the tent, we proceeded to enjoy the evening in Thar Desert. In the Thar Desert we enjoyed camel riding. We were there till sunset. Sunset was beautiful in Thar Desert. Before Camel riding we had Desert Safari which gave us thrilling experience. Sunset view in the desert was very beautiful. We have taken photograph of sunset view in the desert. Camel riding was also a thrilling experience for me as I was doing camel riding for the first time. I was very much scared of falling down. However, I enjoyed camel riding with my wife. After sunset, we came back to our tent in SAM Desert.



                                       

                                        Sunset in Thar Desert 👉 








It was a unique experience of staying in tent in the desert and that too during extreme winter. Daytime was comfortable due to sunlight. After coming from Desert Safari, we assembled in the central place where a stage was arranged for cultural programme. That place was almost equidistance from all the tents in the camp. Snacks and tea were served during cultural programme. Traditional Folk Dances were performed by the local artists. We enjoyed the cultural programme with snacks and tea. There was a bonfire kept in the middle of the stage. Ghoomar Dance, Bhavai Dance and other folk dances of Rajasthan were performed by the artist.  




               Bhavai Dance Performed by the Artist 👉
Artist was performing dance with seven pots kept one over other on her head.






After cultural programme we all assembled in one tent for dinner. That tent was specially made for taking meal. After taking dinner we went to our respective tents. In a chilled winter it was really thrilling to spend one night in the tent. In the next day morning after taking our breakfast we proceeded toward Jaisalmer.

(Note: The historical facts mentioned in the article are collected from Wikipedia and some other sources in public domain.)  
 

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