Saga of Shillong (3.0)

Chapter 3 : The Cherry Blossom Festival

Shillong’s airport is not a big airport. It is a small airport sitting at the lap of Shivalik Himalaya. Hardly 3 or 4 aeroplanes take off daily. Even it’s terminal area was also empty. There was no rush, no extra security; as if it’s a temporary movie set. Maa and Masi couldn’t stop laughing in amusement. Maa Said, ” Looks like the playground of my old school.”
While collecting the luggage, I saw there was a labrador dog sitting sadly at the entrance. It was an on-duty sniffer dog. But its eyes melted me. I was thinking about putting its head or say ‘hello’. But Later I dropped the idea. Who knows if it barks at me, who will guarantee that I won’t be put to jail under the suspicion of smuggling? After all, it was an on-duty sniffer dog.

The road from the airport to the main city is 20 kilometres long. The hotel manager already sent us a driver. At first, the man-child of our group (my father) conquered the back seat. And my mother scolded him, “Just get down. I will sit on that seat. You will start vomiting when the car starts climbing up the hill.” Oh, my poor father!!
I already grabbed the front seat, my favourite one. He said, “Please let me in.” Trust me I was not willing to let him. But who will dare to cross my mother?
That 20 kilometre was really mesmerising. The wind was no so chilly as the temperature was nearly 20-degree celsius. The cherry trees started from the point we just crossed the Umium Lake. It was a huge lake. I have never seen such a big water body. Looking at the cherry trees it really felt as if someone has put a pink cover to block the sunlight.