Traveling aint meant to be easy...
...But that's half the fun. Its not until I reflect on what we have done over the last week that I start to appreciate it.
Finally over the Manali-Leh experience and as you no doubt can tell I am still alive! Trip from Leh to Srinigar took two days with an overnight stop at Kargil. Spent half of the trip with my face in my hands hunched up in a fetus position as I was convinced we were going to go over the edge of the very narrow one lane passes. But we didn't, and we made it. The next worry was the very big military presence here. Army everywhere. Machine guns on every corner. Big mog trucks driving past filled with masked men and mounted machine guns. I just keep telling myself that if I keep out of their way they will keep out of mine and its working well so far. Very few tourists in Shrinigar so got a fairly good deal on a house boat on Dal lake. Gorgeous. Been there two days but feels like two weeks. It seems the lovely family we are staying with have it in their head that we are filthy rich and want to leave Kashmir with every possible souvenir from the area. Even the father took us to a carpet factory yesterday during a sightseeing tour that we had paid the man good money show us around town. He still wont give up on Nick 'why you not buy a carpet?...Very good investment...'' Cant really blame them though...We are probably the last source of income they will get till next summers tourists. Its a strange feeling knowing that they will never have opportunities to things that I have back home. Watching discovery channel last night, a show on mega structures being built in Vegas or something and one of the eldest sons was fascinated saying he had never seen a big building like that before. To me it was just another skyscraper but was strange to think that this young man may go his whole life and never see a skyscraper in a big city.
I am becoming more and more aware of how fortunate I am to have the opportunities I do.
Anyway, on the main land today for some time out from the family. I swear if we allowed them to sleep in our bed they would. Its been steadily raining all day and night so they bus trip we had planned for the morning to Jammu looks sketchy. I read in my guide that the hilly road is prone to landslides too so started to get a bit worried that we may get stuck here. Its Friday today, coming to the end of Ramadan so half the town is praying at the Mosque but we finally found a travel agent who was open and had power so was able to advise us of our options. We have now booked a flight for tomorrow out of Shrinigar to Jammu where we will get a bus or train to Amiritsa. It was not too much more that a private Jeep would have cost us anyway and much less trouble so I am relieved.
Well this post is getting longish and I never read long posts so doubt anyone will read this but if you are good on you and thank you.
India pics here
Peace, love and mungbeans babes xxxx
Finally over the Manali-Leh experience and as you no doubt can tell I am still alive! Trip from Leh to Srinigar took two days with an overnight stop at Kargil. Spent half of the trip with my face in my hands hunched up in a fetus position as I was convinced we were going to go over the edge of the very narrow one lane passes. But we didn't, and we made it. The next worry was the very big military presence here. Army everywhere. Machine guns on every corner. Big mog trucks driving past filled with masked men and mounted machine guns. I just keep telling myself that if I keep out of their way they will keep out of mine and its working well so far. Very few tourists in Shrinigar so got a fairly good deal on a house boat on Dal lake. Gorgeous. Been there two days but feels like two weeks. It seems the lovely family we are staying with have it in their head that we are filthy rich and want to leave Kashmir with every possible souvenir from the area. Even the father took us to a carpet factory yesterday during a sightseeing tour that we had paid the man good money show us around town. He still wont give up on Nick 'why you not buy a carpet?...Very good investment...'' Cant really blame them though...We are probably the last source of income they will get till next summers tourists. Its a strange feeling knowing that they will never have opportunities to things that I have back home. Watching discovery channel last night, a show on mega structures being built in Vegas or something and one of the eldest sons was fascinated saying he had never seen a big building like that before. To me it was just another skyscraper but was strange to think that this young man may go his whole life and never see a skyscraper in a big city.
I am becoming more and more aware of how fortunate I am to have the opportunities I do.
Anyway, on the main land today for some time out from the family. I swear if we allowed them to sleep in our bed they would. Its been steadily raining all day and night so they bus trip we had planned for the morning to Jammu looks sketchy. I read in my guide that the hilly road is prone to landslides too so started to get a bit worried that we may get stuck here. Its Friday today, coming to the end of Ramadan so half the town is praying at the Mosque but we finally found a travel agent who was open and had power so was able to advise us of our options. We have now booked a flight for tomorrow out of Shrinigar to Jammu where we will get a bus or train to Amiritsa. It was not too much more that a private Jeep would have cost us anyway and much less trouble so I am relieved.
Well this post is getting longish and I never read long posts so doubt anyone will read this but if you are good on you and thank you.
India pics here
Peace, love and mungbeans babes xxxx
posted by Heather at
13:30
2 Comments:
Yep read it all.
I quite like reading the same thing from different perspectives. I'm guessing you've got the culture shock you were after.
By
Anonymous, at 4:16 pm
Culture shock doesn't feel like the right words to describe it...its beyond anything I have ever known or felt. Thanks for the interest Trent.
By
Heather, at 7:57 am
Post a Comment
<< Home