Sunday 29 January 2012

North India Trip - Day 2 @ Kashmir

Date: 12/12/11
Route: Gulmarg-Dal Lake
--Sunrise--
It's about 7am. We were up early to see the sunrise.
The sky turned pink in colour.

Temperature dropped to below zero degrees during the night, and we cld see frost all over the place in the morning. That's the masterpiece by Aunt Jo.
We were at the "roof top" of the boat house.
View from the roof top.
9.45am. Dal Lake still looking dreamy~~~
--Gulmarg--
We're on our way to the famous skiing hill station Gulmarg. Superb snow mountain and scenery greeted us~~~
Lovely villages.
A Kashmiri woman let us took photo of her.
Here we are! Plenty of snow!!!!
To the Gondola station.
Our experiences to take the Gondola were not good. Thanks to the local guides, they always managed to spoil our mood somehow. I don't wish to remind myself what happened so I won't blog it here. Lolz!
The cable cars from afar.
We can still see many Kashmir soldiers in the mountiains.

View from the Gondola ride.
Snow mountain range from afar...spectacular!
 We reached the place where people get to play snow sleighs or ski.
 The snow mountains are lovely, but the sun is too bright for me to take pictures...
 The so-called snow sleighs.... I didn't take it. My tour mates felt "cheated" as the sleigh ride was not as expected, and it's not cheap.




 --Apple Farm--
 En route to our boat houses at Dal Lake, we stopped by an apple farm.
 Luckily I brought my long zoom lens, so I cld take clearer pics of the apples on the trees!
Apple tree.
 The villages looked so different in the evening.

 --Dinner--
Our butler prepared delicious food again~!
 Curry chicken.
 Cauliflower.
 Vege...
 Mutton meatballs. Delicious.
Fried bananas....too much flour though.

Monday 2 January 2012

North India Trip - Day 1 @ Kashmir

Date: 10/12/11-11/12/11
Route: Singapore-New Delhi-Srinagar
--Changi Airport Terminal 3--
I had been excited for a few weeks. India is really exotic huh? Actually it's not exotic to me, but many people were very surprised that I would visit the country.
Finally got to see this magnificent Merlion at T3!!!
 Angry birds were around too! Loved these displays.
--T3 Departure Hall--
The Eiffel Tower was found at the departure hall. Equally stunning!
and Angry birds found at the redemption counter. So cute~
--Jet Airways 9W17--
Departed at 2310.
My first trip with an Indian airline. Luckily for me, Jet Airways changed their usual plane to New Delhi and I finally got to sit in a A332 with personal inflight entertainment!!! I missed the small screen so much. Unlike the reviews, I found their crew to be friendly and their plane was well maintained. Nice experience.
The small screen which accompanied me for 5 hours.
Reaching New Delhi soon~
--New Delhi: Hotel Africa Ave--
Reached the capital at 4.48am SG time, and that's about 2am Indian time. We got another flight to catch later in the morning. Reached the airport hotel at 4am plus Indian time. The hotel was more like a boutique hotel commonly found in South East Asia. Nice & chic. Facilities were good too.
Our bedroom.
--Travel to Srinagar, Jet Airways 9W603--
I shall use Indian time for now on. 
We departed for New Delhi's domestic airport at 9am to catch our 11am flight to Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.
Jet Airways is using the brand new terminal 3, and the domestic airport is linked to international airport. Hence, the facilities and architecture of the building was the same. This domestic airport is the best I've ever seen so far.
It's an hour from New Delhi to Srinagar, and the flight was pleasant as well. Our "snack" was a super delicious sandwich and we were served coffee & tea.
When the plane started to descend as we were reaching Srinagar, we could see magnificent and stunning views of the Himalayan mountains!!! I did not managed to snap pics here as I removed the battery from my camera. (This is for safety precaution). I shall show you the pics on the return leg.
--Srinagar: Dal Lake--
Srinagar's temperature was lower than New Delhi. Once we were outside the airport, we quickly took out our down jackets. Hoho~!! It's winter!!!
Super nice sceneries on our way to the boat houses at Dal Lake.

A beggar on the street. Common sight here.
We saw lots and lots of boat houses. They are all over the huge lake. The boat houses are the no.1 attractions and must-stay-place when you're in Srinagar. Enjoy the sceneries of Dal Lake below~!
We reached the jetty and took a Shikara to our boat house.
The colourful Shikaras.
Got to see the snow mountains around the lake!



Awesome~!
Interesting flower/vegetation found on the island.
We finally reached our boat houses!!!
Macro shot of a bee!!!
--Kings Rose--
Our room was right behind and it's the biggest room among the 3. These are our beds.
Our room.
Toilet.
The wood used to warm the room.
The corridor.
The living room.
--Lunch--
Our first lunch in the boat house.
Soup.
Kashmir bread.
Chicken dish.
E.W's veggie.
Rice.
Curry veggie dish.
--Dal Lake tour--
It's time to visit the lake~!!!
The two Kings Rose Shikaras.
Our boat house.
The little lane between the boat houses.
Loved my cam! The art effects were bloody useful~! Enjoy the pics!











Sunset~


The villages. So many locals are living here.







Super nice sunset.



We saw the floating markets. They sold all sorts of stuffs.




--Dinner--
A better shot of the dining room.
Kashmir nan.
Curry potatoes!
Veggie.
Fried fish~
Curry mutton. I think mutton was not that bad after all. Lolz~!
Temperature dropped after evening, and needed some time to get used to the cold.
My first day in India ended....