www.flickr.com

Monday, June 27, 2011

Mirage

(dedicating this entry to Mehrage, our persistent houseboat keeper who tried his luck with us tirelessly and to the point of exasperation) 
 
Morning light, whispy mist, shikara bustle on the water and bursts of colour dipped in mountain surrounds. Waking to a new paradise, I soak up the atmosphere from our front porch.
 
At the end of our two day stay in the summer capital of Jammu&Kashmir, I think I can say that it is one of the most traveller friendly places I have ever visited. As in all great places there are two things that stand out: natural splendour and incredibly friendly people. Since the unrests in the region, foreign tourism has been slow to return. Of course everbody is eager for international visitors to come back, as tourism is the main source of income for J&K, but the warmth of the people extends beyond those directly gaining from tourism.
 
We have met delightful people in Srinaghar and I want to pay tribute to some of them. Danesh, Enrique Iglasias-loving school boy who invited us for tea at his home; Faruk, who organised our houseboat stay and went beyond duty to help us with our onward travels to Leh; respectful Ahmed, who is back home for his university holidays and shared his views and city with us for an evening. There are more - people who offered us liftss in town, chatted to us in restaurants and paddled our boat. While bargaining was sometimes done, people honestly offered us local prices for transport, food, tailoring and shopping. It is very rear to gain such an insight into local life when visiting for as short a time as we did. 
 
I fear that as foreign tourism returns to the region, this will change. Yet Mix and I both hope to return to this paradise some day. Maybe you'll join ;)
 
Our journey takes us on to Leh. 422 km, 2 days. We have considered returning to religion and placing our life in the hands of gods as more perilous mountain passes await and the general attitude towards the journey seems to be one of "Inshallah" (if it is God's will)...eventually decided against it though and will clutch each others hands hoping for safe arrival instead.