After just under a week in Ladakh I was descending on the scariest road I have ever driven to Kashmir. People call it "Paradise on Earth" so I was curious to see how it held up to such praise. From Leh the road from hell descends the steepest terrain and valleys I have ventured through. The road is rocky and patchy, with entire sections missing along the way. We drove through the night in a shared jeep heading to Srinagar, which takes about 16 hours. One section was closed for two hours and we slept in the car waiting for the military clean-up crew to scrap some snow away and fill in a couple missing patches. When they finally decided to open the road again an enormous convoy of about 200 vehicles awaited the gate to be raised. They all revved their engines and jockeyed for a position near the front of the line-up. Once they let the first vehicles go the race was on! By 4 am the quiet valley high in the mountains was filled with the screeching noises of tires spinning and horns blasting. I asked my driver what his big hurry was as he passed vehicles with half our jeep hanging over the slippery cliff composed of loose gravel.
"We have to get across the India gate before some idiot gets in an accident."
I assumed he wasn't talking about us.
Apparently, there's a small window of time where everyone roars through pass as fast as they can before:
a) meeting oncoming traffic when there's little to no room for passing one another (literally this road is 3 meters wide)
b) someone has an accident and blocks traffic in both directions while a military tow truck picks them up
c) an entire section of road slips away or is blocked by a melting section of ice and mud that lines the soft road.
It became pretty obvious why we roared at 60 kph across the steepest switch-backing road I've ever seen. I tried taking pictures but the road was too bumpy and stopping was a LUDICROUS suggestion at this point. We slowed down occasionally, but it was just so the two guys next to me could throw up the chai and chapati from the midnight pit-stop. Once past the narrowest section of road, known as "The Gate of India" the green landscape started to appear and the arid desert terrain of Ladakh was behind us. We were in Kashmir, and speeding onward to Sringar.
Srinagar is known across India for it's romantic Daal Lake, which is packed full of houseboats along it's shore. They range from budget (a couple planks with a bedspread) to deluxe cabins fit for any honeymoon. Being on my own, I opted for one above the budget range and dealt with the sound of a highway overpass instead of a lapping lake. The town itself was exploding with Indian tourists in every direction and all the streets were packed with vacationers (June is when people start getting time off). Similar to Ladakh, Kashmir is known for it's trekking. The landscape is very impressive with vistas similar to those you would find in Swiss Alps or the Kootenay's perhaps. The valleys that wind between the snow-capped mountains are high, and the rivers flowing among them are all scattered with the remains of winter glaciers. The forests are full of pine and fir, which reminded me of any backpacking trip you might take through the Rockies. Even the birds sounded the same! The only big difference is the herds of sheep and goats that clog every trail across the country side.
I opted for a brief overnight trek and was brought to a small gypsy village where I assumed I was the first tourist to open up the season. The majority of people around were squatters setting up tents along the river and begging for rupees as I walked by. Up the trails I would pass numerous families all begging for what little water I had left in my bottle. It was an eye opening experience. I gave what I could, but it usually didn't leave them satisfied.
After ascending to nearly 4000 meters a beautiful meadow opened up views each direction of the valley and across the nearby mountain range. It was a gorgeous spot to relax, with only the distance whistling of shepards and "baa-ing" of hundreds of their flock. That night I stayed in a small hut resembling no more than a roof and four walls. It was warm compared to Ladakh, but my host kept insisting I take more blankets for the chilly evening. The next day was less than idea however. I had paid for a guide to show me along the river, and looked down at an 8 year old boy instead, who was eager to show me around. On top of that, I also was harassed by a very well-dressed crew of men that had no business being that fashionable. They followed me and my guide-trainee some ways up the mountain before I thought we should turn back. I wasn't too worried, but the look on the eight year old's face when I said to turn back told the story. He took a different trail to avoid meeting them on the way back and I fumed at the organizer of my trek for cutting corners on what is typically a rather expensive trek. It's obviously recommended not to trek in Kashmir alone (with good reason), so prices usually range between 2000 - 3000 rupees (40-60 USD) per day, including transportation.
When I got back I was in no mood to see the rest of the packed circus that was Srinagar. I packed my bags and headed for the taxi stand without arrangements already made.
Big mistake.
Before I could say the word, "Jammu" I was being tugged in four different directions. My backpack was being forcible removed off my shoulders (despite my best efforts to squeeze it tight) and I felt as if I was getting rug-burn from all the different hands grabbing me by the wrist. Even when I was seated with my bags secured on the roof, another taxi driver would pull me out of the car and start undoing my bag from the roof, before my driver would catch him. Yes, it was pure madness. This was the last section of winding descending road I would be taking coming down from the North and it was a long stretch indeed. Nearly 10 hours down, down, down from the Kashmir highlands into the capital of Jammu, where the train line begins once again. I was relieved when I made it there late at night. Kashmir is a unique experience, apart from the rest of India. Mostly because they don't believe they are Indians in the first place, they are Kashmirs (or Kashmiri?) In any case, the prices are high there, and the negotiations impossible at times. Instead of bargaining a price, they'll just try to convince you why the price they offer is fair to you, but not budge. My houseboat captain kept reminding me:
"Remember my friend, you are in Kash-More not Kashmir" as he rubbed his forefinger and thumb together.
Any itineraries of your own, usually need to include parts your not interested in seeing, or exclude sections they might not profit from. Mind you, this is just the experience of one visit, but I would compare it to wading through molasses. It's also possible that coming from Ladakh, I was expecting a higher standard due to how well organized and regulated their tourist industry is up there. In any case, it has breathtaking scenery and is a gorgeous place to find yourself in the alpine wilderness.
Just make sure you bring enough water for everyone.
Tim
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