KASHMIR, THE CROWN JEWEL OF INDIA!!
The lofty snow-clad mountains of The Himalayas, frozen Dal Lake, snow-covered trees and house-roofs across the streets washed in white-snow, continued to dwell in my dreams, the moment we booked our tickets for the Kashmir trip. It was a 10 days group-trip with my friends, leaving family behind.
How to plan a trip to Kashmir
We took the flight from Chennai to Delhi, and then a train from there to Jammu. To our dismay, all our pre-booked seats were occupied by brazen-faced locals, who failed to get down even after several requests, dampened our excitement with their explicit impudent behavior.
Soon after we arrived in Jammu, the nine-hour cumbersome journey ended with very little sleep. All the more, I couldn’t eat anything in the chaos.
In the hot summer of May, the lovely wintry day of my dream began to melt as I set foot in Jammu Railway Station; the warmth of the black-colored sweater of Vero Moda turned blazing hot! At 42 C, unnerved, I began to sweat and almost fainted in the hectic journey.
After drinking a glass of juice (No, it was force-fed by my friend 🙁 ), I recouped a little strength to walk along to catch the bus to reach Srinagar, the capital city of Jammu and Kashmir.
With the aura of a picturesque Himalayan valley as a backdrop and Kashmir nestled just below, securing us with its mountainous border will make us forget all our preconceived notions about the state. The panoramic view of Dal Lake in Srinagar makes you feel that you’ve discovered a hidden paradise on this Earth.
You could watch soldiers at every 10 Ft distance. A big salute to all the soldiers! This beautiful paradise, soaked in silence, still remains in a bizarre state by its own rules…
Post the sumptuous meal at the restaurant, we boarded the bus to Srinagar.
Climbing up the hill, the exquisiteness of the Jhelum River flowing magnificently in the heart of Srinagar, all along the banks, enthralls you despite the slow-paced moving vehicles at an altitude of 1730 m.
Hours of waiting on the road due to heavy traffic might test your impatience. Consequently, it took us eleven hours to reach our hotel in Srinagar. Glad we stayed closer to Dal Lake Srinagar! Our first day ends on this tiresome journey.
It was a cold, misty morning; we were buzzing around to get ready to go to Shalimar Bagh – The Mughal Garden in Srinagar.
Are you looking for places to visit in Kashmir in 2 days?
Take a look here: Places to visit in Kashmir in 2 days
With luv,
