sindhu solo traveller blog - sindhusolotraveller

Hello! It’s great to hear that my first blog about your Kashmir journey received a lot of interest. Let’s dive into the second episode of your Kashmir adventure.

if you are missed reading it click here to read my first episode

Train Journey

I was on a train, super excited about my trip to Kashmir. I had 400 rupees in my wallet, but all I could think about was seeing snow for the first time. I couldn’t sleep a wink the whole night, just daydreaming about it.

I set my alarm for 5 in the morning because I really wanted to see the sunrise over the snowy mountains.

When it went off at 4:30, I got up and started getting ready. I put on so many layers of warm clothes because I knew it would be freezing.

Something Strange

But then, I noticed something strange. Everyone else in my train compartment was looking at me funny. I didn’t understand why. They weren’t wearing warm clothes like me. They seemed okay with just their regular stuff.

Even though I was confused, I didn’t let it bother me. I was too excited about my Kashmir trip to worry about what others were thinking.

I asked a boy for the window seat on the train, and he gave it to me. I eagerly looked out, hoping to see the snowy mountains of Kashmir. But all I saw were towns and villages passing by.

I kept waiting, excited to see the mountains, but they never appeared. Everyone in the train was staring at me because I was wearing so many warm clothes.

Is it Jammu Kashmir?

After two hours, the train stopped at a station. Everyone got off except me. The last person asked where I wanted to go. I said, “Jammu Kashmir.” Then he told me we were already there.

I was shocked. I thought Jammu Kashmir would have snow, like in the movies. But it didn’t. I felt really disappointed and confused. Eventually, I got off the train, still trying to understand what had happened.

Tsunami & Earthquake

I looked at the railway board and saw it said “Jammu Tawi,” not “Jammu Kashmir.” I realized I had come to the wrong place. Feeling lost, I approached an army person at the station and asked if this was Jammu Kashmir. To my dismay, he said yes.

It felt like a tsunami and earthquake had hit me all at once. That moment I felt like I had wasted the 400 rupees in my pocket.

Another shock hit me when I started sweating in the warm weather. I hurriedly took off all my winter clothes and stuffed them into my bag. The place felt strange and noisy as I walked outside, nothing like what I expected. It had the ambiance of a mini Delhi.

Everything start at the tea shop

I went to a tea shop and ordered a chai, sitting on a small stool. My mind was in a whirlwind of confusion. For the past three hours, I had been bombarded with surprises and shocks, and I couldn’t make sense of anything.

Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, I checked my phone and saw I had no signal. What!!! no tower, My prepaid number wasn’t working in Jammu Kashmir. my god how many shock in one day, Never get these many shocks in any place I have traveled in the last few days.

A Kashmiri Man

Sitting in the tea shop and I am feeling lost, a Kashmiri man noticed me and he asked, Are you okay? i am just okay, i replied and i asked if he had a mobile signal & hotspot so I could find a backpackers hostel nearby. He said there were only hotels around and it wasn’t safe to stay alone.

Then, surprisingly, he offered to let me stay at his home. He didn’t ask any questions about me. I wasn’t sure if I should accept, but I thanked him and asked for help finding a mobile hotspot instead.

He helped me get internet on my phone, but I couldn’t find a good place to stay within my budget.

At that moment, he told me I was like his sister and invited me to visit his family for chai. I didn’t have much choice, so I went along with him. I stayed with his family for a day. There were seven people in his family, and they were all incredibly friendly and kind. I was pleasantly surprised and deeply touched by their Kashmiri hospitality.

Instagram Story

The next day, I posted a story on Instagram about my journey in Jammu. A message I received on Instagram took me in a different direction for my travel.

Yeah, I’ll sign off now. catch up with you on my next blog.