RCdeB
08:45 LHR to 22:30 Delhi (GMT+5.5 hours) Uncomfortable early start but comfortable flight with Air India. Good to see Lindsays and Knights on board proving this trip is actually happening.
A few films later, welcome to India & have a nice scam!
Helpful chap shut me in a taxi for R.2,500 (£25) short drive to a hotel that wasn't the one I booked with it's review "smells of piss and bed infested with termites". Hot and cold running cockroaches were a welcome upgrade.
04:00 woken by personal cockroach alarm on head.
Set off in search of replacements for all the things foolishly left at home and, more importantly a replacement hotel. Picked up some breakfast in the smoggy Aerocity.
Effects purchased and a suitable hotel found, nipped back to check out of Hotel Beautiful Cockroach. Resisted the offer from the tuk-tuk driver to take me to Hotel Garden Peace nor even Hotel Wankhars Butterfly. What three words seems to be big here.
After a short rest, headed to 19:30 rendezvous at Hotel Pete Sue for beers.
Back in time to welcome Hamish for a short night at OPO The Alpino.
05:30 Terminal 1, Indira Gandhi International Airport, check-in for flight to Shillong at 7:10.
Lush green betrays the rainfall figures of the region and the local dress display at baggage claim included a wicker umbrella worn like a tortoise shell.
This made a good distraction from the fact that a number of bags didn't quite make it out.
The 40 minute journey to Tempura Heritage Hotel took what turned out to be the regulation 2 hours thanks to the permanent state of traffic jams in the whole area. A lot were caused by work on improving the roads.
Happily the hotel has a fine bar and a kitchen that produces pretty good food.
A fine breakfast in hotel was followed by 20min (1hr) bus drive to 4 for All pitch for training game.
A fine run around was had by all, some people even managed to control the ball. Lots of goals were scored and lots of shots saved.
The three pups lived up to their billing with incredible energy and enthusiasm. Hat-tricks abounded but Pete Knight and Alex Lindsay were the stand out goalkeepers with some amazing saves.
Back to the hotel for late lunch and beers, showers and evening beers followed by a group meal in the restaurant.
08:00 another fine breakfast followed by 09:00 depart for 55min bus drive to "river swim, cleanest village in Asia and living rope bridge". Drive through spectacular landscape of East Khasi Hills towards Bangladesh, 1/2 hr stop for a bit of avalanche prevention work. A few pot holes seem to stump lots of drivers so traffic was slow.
13:30 we arrived at river/beach on Bangladesh border in the West Jainta Hills. Lunch by the beach variable but mostly enjoyed. A bit of swimming for some and standing on the painted stones marking the border, then return via living root bridge Nohwet (it was wet even in the dry season) in Mawlynnong.
Pretty much the whole day bouncing around in a bus was reminiscent of Pakistan. Hats off to Alexandra for additionally enduring 10 hours of Hamish talking to her non-stop.
Edge of Shillong plateau
more photos
Click image for higher resolution - apart from last one obvs!
Enough of all that tourist stuff, now onto the serious events. Yesterday's training day however seems to have not been a waste as we're in top form for the 3hr drive to Jowai.
Clutching our new fully logoed Man City kit we arrived at 11:10 in plenty of time for the kick off at 11:00. The stadium was amazing but we were all a little concerned by the enormous pitch!
It felt incredible to be there and, after warming up to Queen's "We are the Champions", we were introduced to the local dignitaries, officials and the Jaintia Veterans 11 together with men and women dressed in local dress who turned out to be the local symphony orchestra and ballet company
3-2
(Hamish Bain 3)
Post match line ups
A great game, mostly in slow motion and with a local crowd of supporters who were thoroughly entertained judging from the peals of laughter that rang across the pitch. We certainly relied on the three youngsters who sped the game up and were instrumental in the RESULT 3-2!
After the match, showers and lunch we jumped back into the buses to visit the Nartiang Monoliths before returning to the hotel for evening beers followed by a group meal in the Hotel restaurant. Here the man of the match award was announced!
MAN OF THE MATCH: Hamish Well he did score a hat-trick!
Morning lie in but to avoid withdrawal symptoms we all jumped back on the bus and left at 9:00 for a sightseeing trip.
"From your hotel to Dympep Valley, it will take around 30 km, approximately 57 minutes. Here, you can try zip-lining and wear a traditional dress. From Dympep Valley to Noh Kalikai, it’s a viewpoint located at the parking area. Noh Kalikai is the highest plunge waterfall in Asia, with a drop of 335 meters. It’s about 24 km, taking around 50 minutes. From Noh Kalikai to Arwah Cave, it’s 5.8 km, which will take around 20 minutes by car. From the parking, we will need to walk around 400 meters to the cave entrance. Inside, you will see fossils, as well as stalactites and stalagmites in beautiful natural formations. The cave is large, with a 200-meter-long interior. It is a one-way route, meaning you will enter and exit from the same entrance."
A bit yes no!
Evening meal at Rynsan, Shillong
good food in a very pleasant restaurant
08:00 Optional trip to Shillong Whitewater Village, Kyrdem Kulai for kayaking warm up for game tonight.
also option "Police Bazar is our only place for shopping.But they can get nice shawls etc from Kiniho which is handwoven and made of eri silk"
Who could resist the temptation to get back on the bus for a couple of hours?
Back to hotel for late lunch then an hour to prepare for bus to the match.
1-1
CS11 won after penalties 1-2. Chris Hough scored for RCdeB & Steve Wier scored his penalty.
Pre match line ups
Videos, photos and report here.
After match escort to Police Officer's Mess for an excellent party with wonderfully generous hosts.
Once a similarly generous amount of beer, wine & spirits had been consumed, Steve was instructed to take over the Karioke!
Steve was up to his brilliant best with "He ain't heavy" by the Hollies.
Then Hamish dragged Ali G up to sing "That's why the Lady is a Tramp!" - it was the Champagne moment of the tour as they bantered off each other producing an incredibly entertaining rendition that can only be described as unique! Of course there had to be an encore so they went for "Baby it's cold outside". Well it was but we had the fire going and everyone started dancing so we soon warmed up.
After we had eaten, Steve started up with Liverpool's anthem "You'll never walk again!" Cue for more singing and dancing. The Chief Secretary doing a few numbers with a colleague. A brilliant evening!
Hamish & Alex G take it away
Back to the hotel top bar for some pool & drinks to wind down.
9:30 Bus to magic sacred forest for a ritual sacrifice but although none of us were suitably bearded to perform the ceremony...what goes on in the woods stays in the woods!
Beer and lunch at the Hotel & we said goodbye to Gus (sad face!) It hit home that the tour was coming to an end! After popping along to Shillong town we headed off to the last night party at our hosts for the tour
At the party the customary speeches: Pete W thanked our hosts not only for tonights party but also for arranging such a fanastic time. Aiban, Ador and their team were truly wonderful. He then presented the Man of the Match 2 award to Steve who, together with Claudio were the solid defence that kept the score at 1-1, but Steve had scored his penalty!
Chris H then brought the tour to an end by announcing the results of the vote for Champagne moment, dancing at the end of Match 2 was pipped by the hilarious yet excellent karaoke by Hamish and Alex G.
The coverted Man of the Tour was won by ...
Pete West for getting the whole thing off the ground, liasing with Aiban and Ador in Shillong. Truly an epic tour and superbly organised and run.
The success of every tour is not just down to individuals and this was no exception, the whole group of guests, players and locals all entered into the true spirit of RCdeB bringing bon homie across the generations and across the globe.
After more farewells, 07:30 Bus to the airport through Shillong traffic past the lakes and off ...
We all owe an enormous debt of gratitude to everyone who made our stay in Meghalaya so special. As Pete said, we are particularly grateful to Aiban for his incredibly generous organisation in arranging and covering the costs of the amazing pitches, match officials etc as well as drinks and dinner at the Police Officers Mess and at his house.
Also our helpful, kind and generally brilliant personal guide Babitlang, what a star!
