Double Decker | Zero point one

It was after Eight years that I came back to Double-decker bridge. Last time I came in 2011. Again, I was fortunate to visit the Double-decker trek (Plus Natural Swimming pool (which we missed last time) and Rainbow Waterfall (which was made accessible post 2011).

Similarity and Differences

• In 2011, it was Durga puja Holiday this time in 2019 it's Diwali holiday, though both are in October.
• In 2011, i came with my colleague-cum-friend and in Bike, but this time i was with my relatives.
• In 2011, I had experience very plain region trek of Orissa, which now I don’t consider as trek. But now in 2019, the main two trek I did was Tadiandamol - Coorg Trek and Dud Sagar Trek among many.
• I still carry my SONY HX9V along with me, but I rarely took any picture, since I got more powerful and handy camera in hand the One Plus 5T.
• Last time we forgot to keep our biker jacket and other heavy stuff, hence we were heavy loaded. But this time, with my experience of previous trek, I knew what to carry and wear.
• Many things also change with time. In 2011, i was a happy mainframe developer but now I am trying hard to come to open system. I am more focus on my career than i was in 2011.
• I had a girlfriend in 2011, who is now my wife in 2019, and to be more precise, mother of my New born Baby (mere 7 days old).
• In 2011 i took the bike trip with intention of writing a travelogue to make it memorable, and in 2019, i didn't even plan for double-decker trek and it happened with series of events unfolded, with definitely no intention of writing a travelogue.

Only the Eight-year gap and so much changes in life, compel inner me to write the short travelogue in my WhatsApp, so as to capture few moments in my fast-moving life.

Beginning

It so happened that i came with my parents to Shillong and went for sightseeing in

Day 1) Cherrapunji viewpoints

Day 2) Dawki and Mawlynnong village

Day 3) double-decker and Rainbow fall and natural swimming pool (blue lagoon).

I was more of a Guide for my parents in this Shillong trip. And the idea of writing a travelogue strike me only after second half of the second day of sightseeing. When i saw Mawlynnong Village and it's transformation from the time I saw in 2011.

Once i got the idea to write a brief travelogue, i knew how much and where all and what all to jot down the timing and all. Also I knew where all to take snap, which I am using now to make the travelogue.

One day prior, we arrange below things

1) Six to Seven Boiled egg

2) Salt and pepper

3) Glucon-D, which is for eating.

4) Six-Seven Snickers for instant-energy.

08:25

We started from Shillong at around 07:44 and had a north Indian breakfast at Unnamed shop at Jhalupara Taxi Stand.

10:44 | Descend start

Around 10:15 or so we reached Mawshanok village. Previous day i had seen the transformation cum commercialization of Mawlynnong village and i expected the same from the Double-decker root bridge. And Double-Decker did not put me down as there were quite a number of tourist vehicles and 100s of tourist who came both in cars and bikes.

Compared to last time i.e. in 2011, this time instead of searching for a guide we need to negotiate with the guide. By the way, we needed a Guide, not for the Double decker but for the Rainbow Fall. In 2011, due to time constraints, we went till Double-decker and not till the Natural Swimming Pool.

And many were talking about Rainbow fall, which I think became more accessible for tourist.

My Bamboo Stick | Added my name

One of the things i hate about our start is, locals were selling Bamboo stick for 20₹, which i felt not necessary as in all the trek we had found some stick on the way to our trek. But later on along the way, i realized that in 2011 i didn't use any stick, so if u are going to a decent distance, 20₹ is worth a spend.

Starting the descend

Once all set we started our decent at 10:44.

Once we descended to 1500+ steps we reached our first milestone, "Longest single Decker bridge"

11:30 | Trip Time 46 min

We left single Decker bridge at 11:30, after some time we saw a small church.

First Steel Bridge

Steel Bridges

After 10 min (11:40) walk we got the first steel bridge and at 12:00 we got to a second steel bridge, which was not the one which i saw in 2011. And Guide confirmed the same.

I could see the old bridge was one level down.

Second Steel Bridge | Old bridge beneath

Scared groves

Scared Groves

In between two steel bridge, around 11:58 we passed through "Scared groves" , and we were cautious for not swear or use slang.

At 12:11, we reached second single Living Root bridge.

Double Decker Bridge

We reached halfway to our trek, and the main attraction of the trek, Double Decker, around 12:20.

Total trip time to reach Double Decker was 1 hr. 36 min.

Initially we planned not to stop in Double-decker, and directly go to Rainbow fall. But due to tiredness and knowing that rainbow fall is 90 min more (probably ETA 15:20), we thought, by the time we come back, we won't get visibility to click picture. Hence, we spend some 25-30 min to rest and click pictures. By the way, more than clicking picture, it was WAITING to click picture, coz the Double Decker was throng with people. And not in a single frame, we could get a shot where another person is not there.

Started towards Rainbow Waterfall

Around 12:45-50 we started from Double Decker, our first milestone was the football field.

And at around 13:05-13:07 we crossed the third steel-cum-living-root bridge.

By the way, one of the major difference between 2011 and now was all the stairs from starts to Double Decker Bridge are cemented, which is one of the reason, tourist are much in number and also we could come to double decker in 1hr 36 min, which could not be possible with the rock stairs we seen in 2011.

I am telling it now, coz while going from double decker to Rainbow Fall, there was old rock stairs.

Rainbow Fall 14:15 Trip Time 3hr 30min

Trek from double decker to Rainbow Fall was not with much stairs(comparatively), but due to longer distance, rock stairs and already done half the trek, it was a bit difficult. Though all the walk it was worth the effort after we saw the Rainbow fall.

When we were going, trekker who was coming back, motivated us by words to go to the rainbow fall since it was worth the watch.

Just before reaching Rainbow falls, we needed to pass through narrow paths, which was one side hill and another side steep gorge towards the river.

And after 1 and half hour walk from double decker we reached rainbow fall at 14:15, total 3 hr. and 30 min from start.

Rainbow in center

Lunch

We had boiled eggs in rainbow fall and click some pics, and after spending 45 min, we left rainbow fall at 15:00.

On our way back, around 45 min, we reached a natural swimming pool (Blue Lagoon). And enjoyed some cold swim and swimming. And at 16:26 we left from the swimming pool.

The Way Back

By 16:38, we reached back to the third steel-cum-living-root bridge, we knew we spent quite some time in swimming pool, and darkness will soon engulf the valley.

Once we reached back to the double Decker bridge, there were no tourists and i took that opportunity to click some pictures in 2011 style, but those didn't come well, due to visibility.

The second and first steel bridge we passed at 17:07 and 17:16 respectively.

The Climb

Now the huge task was ahead of me. Climbing the stairs to our starting point.

And i was able to climb very slowly because of short breath or breathlessness.

Around 17:26 we reached the church, which is near to the first milestone (first living root bridge). And from their 1500 steps were remaining.

Shot of church in low light

In 2011, i was taking 100 or 70 steps and relaxed for a min or so.

I thought to try the same approach, but couldn't do, max i could reach till 30-35 steps and took a break of 30-45 sec to catch my breath.

The last 1500+ steps, which while coming took 15 min, took me an hour. It was pitch dark and we needed to use our phone torch. And by 18:26, we finally came to Mawshanok Village.

End and Farewell.

We started at 10:44, reach Double-decker at 12:20 (Trip duration 1 hr. 36 min.)

Started from Double-decker around 12:45 and reached Rainbow Fall at 14:15 (Trip duration 3hr. 31min.)

While returning, we started from Rainbow fall at 15:00, spend some 30 min in Natural Swimming pool (blue lagoon) and left it around 16:20 and reaches Double-decker at 16:55 (Trip duration 5 hr. 10 min.)

We reached the church at 17:26, where 1500+ steps still needed to be climbed (Trip duration 6 hr. 12 min.).

And the last one hour of trek I took was to climb those 1500+ steps to reach to Mawshanok Village at 18:26.

Total Trek time 7hr. 42min.

Fitness tracker read: 19903 steps | 12.6 km | 249 Kcal burned.

Credits

Thanks, Finda and Shristi for being good trekking partners. And for having patience with me at those last 1500+ steps 😊. I needed to push Shristi, since it was her first time (for any such big trek), hope she will forgive me 😊. Also, thanks to our Guide, Bor, who enjoyed with us in this trip, and instead of a typically timekeeper, he enjoyed along with us.