So after a huge amount of travel Danielle and I have made it to Kashmir! Our first stop was Srinigar and I absolutely loved it. I don't know if it was just being in a place where the temperature wasn't melting my insides or what but Srinigar was an amazing place. To get there we took a 9-10 hour jeep ride to go about 300 km which was insanely bumpy but had the most incredible scenery.
Anyway, first place we stayed in Srinigar was on a houseboat because thats what you do there. Most tourists stay on Dal Lake which is right in town but due to a super sweet hook up from some guys we met in Khajuraho we knew to stay on the much more peaceful and beautiful Nageen Lake. They set us up with a hosueboat that was wayyyyy too nice for us but because it turns out Kashmiris are the nicest people in the world we were allowed to name our price and it turned out to be such a fraction of the real price that I can't even write it out! The boat was beautiful, all carved pine wood and tons of carpets everywhere. We spent two nights there and it was like heaven. For the first time since being in India I really felt like I could relax. It was nice and warm during the day and cool at night so no more dying of the heat. There was a beautiful deck on the back of the boat and we would sit there, be served delicious tea and read. We also had a little canoe that we took out a couple of times, once for the sunset and once during the day. We were some of the only people out on the lake when we did and we watched huge Kingfisher birds flying all around and great herons. At night we would sit on top of the boat and there were amazing stars.
Meals were included on the boat and we were given the best food that I have had in India. First night was fresh brook trout that was just perfect along with veggies and rice and fruit. Next night we had the most amazing lamb kebab things where the lamb had been minced up with amazing spices and then cooked around a metal spike. It was amazing. Our time on the boat was a very needed break from the craziness of India. It was wonderful to just do nothing but read and look at beautiful scenery.
Anyway, first place we stayed in Srinigar was on a houseboat because thats what you do there. Most tourists stay on Dal Lake which is right in town but due to a super sweet hook up from some guys we met in Khajuraho we knew to stay on the much more peaceful and beautiful Nageen Lake. They set us up with a hosueboat that was wayyyyy too nice for us but because it turns out Kashmiris are the nicest people in the world we were allowed to name our price and it turned out to be such a fraction of the real price that I can't even write it out! The boat was beautiful, all carved pine wood and tons of carpets everywhere. We spent two nights there and it was like heaven. For the first time since being in India I really felt like I could relax. It was nice and warm during the day and cool at night so no more dying of the heat. There was a beautiful deck on the back of the boat and we would sit there, be served delicious tea and read. We also had a little canoe that we took out a couple of times, once for the sunset and once during the day. We were some of the only people out on the lake when we did and we watched huge Kingfisher birds flying all around and great herons. At night we would sit on top of the boat and there were amazing stars.
Meals were included on the boat and we were given the best food that I have had in India. First night was fresh brook trout that was just perfect along with veggies and rice and fruit. Next night we had the most amazing lamb kebab things where the lamb had been minced up with amazing spices and then cooked around a metal spike. It was amazing. Our time on the boat was a very needed break from the craziness of India. It was wonderful to just do nothing but read and look at beautiful scenery.
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