Gulmarg
We started out for Gulmarg early in the morning. The 40km road from Srinagar to Gulmarg is bestowed with nature's abundance. Just as we leave the streets of Srinagar, one is greeted by the Jhelum river which flows along the road for a few kilometres of the road. On both sides of the road, the mountain ranges crowned with their snow-capped peaks stand guard. No wonder its called 'the Valley'.
The first feel of snow can be an exhilirating experience. We were as excited as 6-year old kids getting their first bicycles. There are many spots to visit in Gulmarg. Soon, we were surrounded by guides with their ponies. After some bargaining, we agreed on what we thought was a good deal (only to find out later that we were fleeced). Not being the types of those who grew up riding horses, I found the ride on the malnourished ponies pretty bumpy. But it was fun and offered many opportunities for Orkut-able pics (maybe Facebookable nowadays). Now, it seems pretty easy in the films, but believe you me, skiing is not for the faint-hearted (or for the weak-kneed either). That's what we found out the hard way by taking a few nasty falls on the slopes of Khillanmarg. In English, it means 'a place to play'. This place used to be the summer capital of the Prince of Kashmir state. It has some pretty bungalows made of pine wood. After a few cups of hot tea, we moved further on horseback (ok...ponyback). It was a trail through the pine woods with snow laden bushes along the way. Strange as it may seem, a church lies in the middle of a vast meadow here. Renovated in 2003, it exemplifies the adage that beauty comes in small packets. One is tempted to think that there couldn't be a more peaceful on earth. Only to be reminded by our guide that right across the fence at some distance is a heavily fortified military base of the Indian Army.
As afternoon turned to evening, we knew it was time to be on our way back. By nightfall, we were back in Srinagar, which wore an even more deserted look than during daytime. Under the suspecting eyes of the military patrols, we reached our hotel. It was now time to recharcge our batteries as had been on the go for quite some time now.
