DREAM TRIP

2 years ago I had this wonderful opportunity to cover the most beautiful locations on the surface of the earth , normally when we talk about some of the most alluring destinations in the world ,it’s hard to pin point just a handful.Whether it be the mighty Alps of Switzerland or the most serene lakes of Canada ,the world has an astonishing to do list to offer which may take an entire lifetime and some more to uncheck.

The places that I travelled in the summer of 2018 will easily make your list of top places you would want to cover before this journey called “life” ends. Very often we end up getting so busy in the daily hustle that we forget to appreciate the simplicity of life.Travel has astronomical benefits and I can give you umpteen number of reasons to take that vacation which has been pending for a long time but one thing that drives me to travel to different places -the proximity to nature.

31 March 2018 , the date that corroborated the trip I have awaited since the time I got to know there’s such a heavenly place in my beautiful country. INDIA is so vast and has so much to offer that travelling it in itself can be equivalent to an entire world tour. A trip to Kashmir and Ladakh was something I least expected and I am glad that the lion’s share of time was spent in booking tickets and eventually confirming the trip rather than months long arduous planning which eventually leads to nothing extraordinary but worst a complete disappointment if things don’t go according to plan.    

      

If I be honest, there were certain apprehensions regarding the trip.The part of the country that I was about to set my foot on has been a contested territory for the last 70 years,India and Pakistan have fought 4 wars over it and the terrorist groups are widely spread, no wonder Kashmir is the world’s most militarised zone.Close relatives literally warned me to travel at my own risk.I never asked them from where this piece of mind came from but after the completion of the trip I can with no doubt say -none of them ever visited the valley.I cant deny the precariousness I had in my head ,not out of fear but for the fact that this was a completely different place I was heading to ,nevertheless,this only motivated me to take the leap.

SO IT BEGINS...

It was the 13th of April 2018 that I boarded my flight to New Delhi. There are no direct flights to Sri Nagar from Bhopal so its gonna be a long journey before I reach my destination. It was a 3 hour long wait at the airport and normally during such times I prefer living in my own world ,playing games , reading books or just having a little nap but this time around I couldn’t help but observe the individuals who were heading back to their home. The unique and appealing attire that I only saw people wearing in films was now a thing to admire in reality. They were communicating in Kashmiri which was incomprehensible but that entire experience definitely made the gatehouse appear like a mini Kashmir .I was so intrigued that I hardly left the waiting area and also my gadgets didn’t lose any of their batteries.
It would take us over an hour to reach the capital and I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. I got this intuition that the upcoming 10 days are going to be really special.

THE HEAVEN ON EARTH..

15,000 ft above the sea level over the valley is an experience in itself, It would take another 20 minutes before we land at Sheikh-Ul Alam International Airport yet the current glimpses were a treat to the eye. I never witnessed a snow fall before and seeing mountain tops covered with snow was simply mesmerising.  Kashmir is not only about beautiful mountains engulfed with thick snow ,there was greenery everywhere the eye can see. I never saw such a craze for a window seat ever in my life, for many like me this was the first time in Kashmir.The captain had to make multiple announcements urging the over zealous passengers to remain seated and how can I miss the frightening turbulence that made the flight a roller coaster ride ,thankfully only in intervals.
When landed ,the journey from the runway to the airport premise is never something to be excited on unless of course you are in an alluring destination like Kashmir. The Airport is located at the hub of the city surrounded with beautiful peaks, wherever you look , you’ll find a majestic scene .You will encounter an absolute eye candy of an arena as your first thing in Sri Nagar.Tourists wanted to take a piece of it but as mentioned earlier , apart from being the most beautiful its also the most sensitive of zones and it didn’t took much time before the cops came charging in to make sure the security wasn’t compromised in anyway. I didn’t took any chance and rushed straight into the airport admiring the nature’s poetry.

Just The Beginning..

The trip has just begun, practically I haven’t yet set my foot on Sri Nagar , its just the beginning of the most beautiful , thrilling trip I was a part of. In my upcoming articles I will share about my experiences in the Delightful Sri Nagar , the exhilarating Ladakh , the divine monasteries  , the mighty Khardungla and so much more.After going through all the content you would be in the same places at least in your mind and surely would try to make it a reality.