Ladakh : Part 2 (Kanpur-Srinagar)

"If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six sharpening my axe."
-Abraham Lincoln

 A very well said quote in fact!! I experienced it..To plan a trip of 15 days, it took 2 months..Preparation details can be seen in part 1 of this blog series..It was fun actually.. Reading various blogs about Ladakh..Reading various itineraries..discussions on the itineraries, many thrilling experiences..asking suggestions..It never felt tiresome..I got to know amazing unknown things..History and Geography..Words of inspiration to take this trip..Words of precautions..And much more..I had to summarize it in my way and importantly implement it..During the actual trip and after trip happened, I came to know that many things that have been put on the web were simply apocryphal, though not major part..But one has to be careful about them..
So after rigorous preparation for the first big self-planned trip, we set off for the real expedition..Luckily train at Kanpur for Delhi (Puri-New Delhi) arrived on time (Average delay for the train was 3 hours :o) and we reached Delhi almost in time around 630PM...So the start was good..The next train was scheduled at 10PM and it was Duronto (Old Delhi-Jammu)..Everybody was curious about this train :) We had already heard about this train a lot since it has started..And it happened to be one of the best train experiences ever!!!

Boarding on Duronto..Fun forever :)

 The train reached Jammu 7AM (12/6), on correct time..Having done some breakfast lazily, we got fresh and stepped out lo leave Rail journey..We started hunting for a private vehicle to Srinagar..There are many options available..Public transport/Private Transport...We preferred latter one..Sumo,Tavera,Bolero,etc.(Forgive my little knowledge about vehicle names)..But one can find every type of vehicle depending on your needs like number of people traveling, budget, comfort and time..We had limited budget, 6 young people (comfort can be negotiated :)) and plenty of time :) So we decided to hire a Sumo till Srinagar..6 persons are ideal for a Sumo without a carriage..Even one more person may make it cumbersome..After a lot of haggling, we agreed for Rs.2800 to Srinagar..I guess thats little more though..Around Rs.2500 was OK..Other vehicles like Tavera might cost little extra..around 700-1000 extra depending on your bargaining skill..Public transport was too available..But none of us was in that mood at all..and also though we had plenty time, but not 'nuff to avail public transport as it takes around 10-12 hours from Jammu to Srinagar compared to 6-7 hours by a private vehicle..Plus latter option allows you to mould your journey in a way you want..Stop wherever you wish, resume whenever you like!!And the best part of the whole event was the road trip than sightseeing!! Yeah, it was the crux of this odyssey :) Whenever we six guys discuss this trip, the most fun appears at the transition part from one place to other..

We left Jammu around 10AM (12/6), hoping to reach Srinagar till late evening..Traffic and road conditions might pose a problem unexpectedly..Rock sliding and traffic jams are vey common in this area...So we were hoping for good..Another issue..We still were not sure where to stay at Srinagar..Left the issue to solve on the spot..Driver was a great person..Very adept at driving.. Good storyteller..He knew where to involve in our conversation and where not to..So neither at all irritating nor in a complete solitude mode..We stopped a while at a restaurant before Patnitop..There is not at all any problem of fooding during journey to Srinagar..Things were normal till then..Temperature was high as usual..The day was bright and fresh, and brimming with life..There was a song in every heart..And if a heart was young, the song issued at the lips (Envy you Twain for the saying :))..Bursts of laugh were being heard continuously..Lotta different things were in discussion..Some serious, some new, some typical boyish, and some blah blah :D But as we started climbing the first range of Himalaya and approaching Patnitop, nature too started changing..Hot air converted to balmy breeze..Greenery could be seen everywhere..Deodhar forests made their presence..We were entering again mighty Himalaya!!

A stoppage at Patnitop..

Patnitop is a hill station situated in Udhampur district at a height around 2000 meters..It is around 110 kms from Jammu..It sits in the Shivalik belt of the Himalayas..There was not a bit arid part that could be seen..Normal routine things stopped..Everyone stepped out of the vehicle to have a feel..I had been in Himalaya before and after this trip..But every time I enter, feeling is never the same..Each time a new incredible wave of satisfaction runs throughout the body!! 

At Patnitop..

We didn't stop in the city..Had a little break outside..Then soon hit the road again and soon had a break again :p To have lunch..You will find Rajma-rice everywhere in J&K..The main food..But excellently prepared..One thing for sure..Wherever I have gone in Himalayas, be it Chamba, be it Nepal, be it J&K or be it Arunachal Pradesh..You will be served with dal-rice and sometimes you will not get anything else..Parathas are also very common..We had lunch quickly..Had a time to click photos of Chenab river..

Chenab river..

Above the clouds :) After Patnitop and before Titanic View Point.. 

Valley of rice farms!!

First peek to snow capped peaks !!

Titanic View Point..

Titanic View Point..

"Capture us" mode :p

With the refreshed mood, we started again to Srinagar via Anantnag..There is a diversion to Pahalgam (another beautiful hill station) from here..Another road goes to Srinagar which is at 55 kms..This is very very sensitive area and military could be seen everywhere..A little scary feeling ran through..We wended to Srinagar..In between Anantnag and Srinagar, there is a huge market of cricket bat..Bats made here are exported to all over the India..It was almost late evening as we reached Srinagar..We asked driver to take us to a good hotel..The option for Shikaras (Houseboat) in Dal lake was a very expensive option..Rs.2000-4000 per night per room..So we preferred a hotel near to Dal lake..It was a heavy tourist season..We had heard about Srinagar so much till now, so we were very excited to roam in the city..We checked in a hotel..Hotel was so so..Only one double bedroom was available..But we decided not to search for other hotel and squeezed six bodies in a room :) Rs.800 was the rent for a night..It was a night call..so not much problem..In fact, room was 'nuff spacious for six.. 

Then we left immediately to have dinner..Having done dinner, we started searching for an ATM to withdraw money..To our surprise, we were unable to find a single working ATM :O..Finally, after exhaustive search, we found one with working condition..Amazing!! We still had some time to return to the hotel..So decided to have a walk along Dal lake and through market..Dal lake was awesome at the night..Shikaras were adorned with colorful lighting..We desperately wanted to live out there in Shikaras..But sorry boss!! Budget problem :( We sat along the Dal lake for some time..Had some chit-chat..Enjoyed cool breeze..Returned to hotel..

So we reached Srinagar at the end of second day of our trip..The Summer capital of J&K..A sensitive city..But at the same time a very beautiful city with beautiful lake and gardens.. With marvelous gift of nature..We wanted to have a taste of it and its surrounding..But an issue was still unanswered..As mentioned in the first part of this blog, we were unsure about 13th June's plan...Whether to have a day for Srinagar and its surrounding or to leave immediately for Ladakh and spend that day there?? I was inclined to Ladakh as Srinagar and Kashmir valley is well accessed most of the times with less days in hand in the future than that of Ladakh which is difficult to access and needs much more time to explore..Some of us wanted to have at least a day at Srinagar and some were neutral...So what's the plan for 3rd day?? Let me answer the question in the third part of the blog :)