Big contrast within the same state

Leaving Jammu

It looked like I had chosen a good day to leave Jammu. Compared to the overcast weather I’ve had yesterday on the bus, it was a scorcher.

Feeling guilty about not having explored Jammu, I walked across to the Raghunath Temple across the road for a look-see before breakfast.

I took a tuktuk to Jammu airport around 1045 with the aim of arriving at 1100, two hours prior to my flight’s departure to Srinagar. I heard that security would be tight so thought the extra time would be useful even though I knew the airport is small.

I got through security at the barricaded walls fine. At the next security point, the man refused to let me through till an hour before the flight. I had to wait in the large foyer with a few others together with lots of flies and a few pigeons who had made nests amongst the airlines’ ticketing signboards.

When my hour was nearly up, the woman behind the ticketing counter beckoned me and asked me to enter the terminal but the security guy still wouldn’t let me through until he saw her waving me in.

At check-in there were lots of signs saying that hand luggage wasn’t permitted for security reasons. I went through in my had the various valuables I’d want to quickly transfer to my cargo shorts, if required.

Fortunately, these restrictions are in place only when security is heightened but the signs seem to stay up the whole time.

After check-in, I went through the third level of security to go airside. I had to identify my check-in luggage before boarding, when we were subjected to a fourth check.

Sometimes I wonder if the checks are that effective. I notice that my hand luggage checks and body scans weren’t conducted within close proximity. There is plenty of opportunity to people to transfer prohibited items between their pockets and hand luggage.

Perhaps things aren’t well thought out. I remember in one airport they give you a metal plate with a number as a receipt for your laptop while it is being scanned. One carries the plate through the metal detector and it invariably sets it off!

Kim was onboard the flight to greet me and show me to my seat. He acts like working crew even when on holiday.

Arriving in Kashmir

The flight to Srinagar only took about 40 minutes. The landscape is very different from Jammu; it is very green here. But the weather was very hot as well. Regardless, I’m pleased to be here as the security situation was looking pear-shaped a couple of weeks ago when I first arrived in India. There were reports of problems and curfews.

We taxied to our houseboat some distance away on Nageen Lake. The man at the prepaid taxi counter implied that he didn’t like Indians and that they’re Kashmiris, not Indians. I asked if he preferred Pakistanis to Indians, and the response was that he didn’t like them either … I suppose he could get into trouble for saying that he liked Pakistan more than India!

It was nice to be away from the hustle and bustle of Srinagar. I had chosen the Peacock Houseboats based on various hotel websites and the ratings they had gotten. The price seemed reasonable based on the guidelines in the Lonely Planet. We were pleasantly surprised by how big, spacious and clean it was.

In fact, I think it is the cleanest place I’ve ever stayed in all of India!

We chilled for the remainder of the afternoon, only to be interrupted from time to time by boatmen selling crafts like lacquer, carvings, silverware and pashmina.

It is amazing that Jammu and Srinagar, both within the same state are so different in terms of the landscape, beauty and its people.  What a contrast!