As snowfall recently grounded flights and held life hostage in the valley, a tourist from Mumbai made noise over her “harrowing” experience. But beyond the bad-weather-triggered incident, Kashmir has always been a traveller’s delight.
SPORTING shades, scarf and pink coat, a tourist from Mumbai lately became the talk of the town for what she called “ranting” about the “absence of arrangements” in the snowbound Kashmir capital.
As part of a frantic vacationer horde—some of whom had earlier flown in droves for the New Year snow celebrations in the valley—she was heading home after the classic winter struck the valley.
Amid her jammed journey toward the airport, the miffed Mumbaikar detailed her “harrowing experience” in a video that went viral on social media and created the mixed reaction.
Despite being grounded by the bad weather as others, the tourist went on the map the inadequate facilities in the place that enthralled her till the blizzard triggered a panic flight.
But barring what the snow-hostage holidaymaker lately asserted, Kashmir has always remained the sightseers’ delight. Some backpackers are making no bones about it in their travelogues.
Mayuri Singh Sengar
When Mayuri Singh Sengar went on a bike trip from Srinagar to Kupwara, the solo traveler felt a connection with Kashmir.
In her blog Life Beyond Usual, Sengar writes about the “warm hospitality” and the mesmerizing beauty of the valley.
An ex-legal advisor in the electricity sector, Sengar was a little disappointed by the busy highway—like the Mumbai tourist—but she felt warmly welcomed in Kashmir.
She spent “a wonderful time” engaging with everyone, from the bike mechanic, the police personnel at the check post, and local people to servers at the restaurant.
Elisha Donkin
In her blog Going Somewhere, hiker Elisha Donkin describes the valley as the most peaceful place she had been to in a long time.
She describes her full of hospitality Kashmir trip as heavenly.
Despite staying in Srinagar where she saw the army on every street, the solo traveler went to Aru, and thought the lush-green landscape belonged more to “Switzerland than anywhere in India.”
Svetlana Bhagawan
Traveling to Kokernag during spring gave Svetlana Bhagawan a very precious respite.
The solo traveler and an entrepreneur in her blog Maverickbird writes about spending two nights in Jammu and Kashmir state-run resort without any hassles.
Located in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, Kokernag is famous for trout breeding.
Trouts being non-indigenous to Kashmir were introduced by Norwegian scientists, Svetlana writes, “Till today, the taste of those trout dishes lingers on my taste bud and it is the first sensation that comes at the thought of Kokernag spring.”
Sandeepa and Chetan
The couple bloggers visited Thirman village, inhabited by Gujjars, during their valley vacation.
They write about an incident when a Gujjar woman suffering from fever delayed her hospital trip to offer them Nun Chai.
“Such hospitality was the biggest gift of our travels in the Himalaya mountains,” mentioned the couple in their SundeepChetan’s travel blog.
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