Writing this blog, eight years after our first Kashmir trip.
Yes, "first trip" to Kashmir in our early 30s! So much has already been said about this "Paradise on Earth" that I'm sure my blog will do little justice to capture its magnificence.
For me, the song "Yeh Haseen Wadiyan" from Roja defined Kashmir. A visit there, without listening to this song is sheer waste. I know, it's too much of a Bollywood-ised situation. But Kashmir for me, somewhere, is Roja.
Our trip to Kashmir, like most of our travels, was a sudden plan. I would consider ourselves lucky because it was a fairly seamless trip, with us discovering the wonders of Northern India in a considerably good amount of time.
I will not get into the details of the itinerary. My fading memory (yes, I am reaching my late thirties) and a cyber ransomware attack some years back, took away a whole lot of pictures and videos from us. But what I remember, through some of the pictures we managed to save, was that we explored the most popular destinations - Srinagar, Sonmarg, Pahalgam and Gulmarg.
Our journey and our first experience of an actual snow fall started in Srinagar! We were greeted warmly by our hosts and treated to the most yummy coconut cookies from a local bakery and the oh-so-famous Kahwa. The cherry on top, of course, was waking up early morning to snowfall and looking at the entire sleepy town go white. Bliss!
Our first "touristy spot" was of course the calm but chilly Dal Lake!
We had reserved the houseboat stay for the return as we planned to end our trip in Srinagar.
What followed next was more exploration of other wonderful destinations. Enjoy the pictures!
After this exciting horse riding with stunning views, we came across a place where we could only walk and look around. Because, of course, the snow was almost knee-high!
After Sonmarg, our next stop was Pahalgam.
Pahalgam was another beauty altogether and offered unending scenic views. Visual treat for sure!
Gulmarg of course came calling next. We tried skiing for the first time and were amazed at how 5 year old ones skiied like pros. Even if you aren't in for sporting activities, Gulmarg offers something to everyone. Poets and photographers will especially be over the moon!
I really feel I am writing this blog in so much hurry by just posting these pictures; but these are the only memories I have. I would love to visit Kashmir again to evoke the little writer in me.
Choosing the right hotel was also important for soaking in as many beautiful views we could, for the days we stayed here!
It was time for us to return back home and we ended our trip in Srinagar, in a traditional Kashmiri houseboat.
Hope you enjoyed these pictures and we hope we can go back to this paradise on earth to capture more memories!
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