Srinagar

Reporting live from Srinagar

Ten years ago while participating in Raid-de-Himalaya I treaded this route. It was unrelenting, gruesome and needless to say tiring. A decade later, for reasons of work (although more of adventure - I could have also flown), I did the route again. BEFORE and AFTER is very much what I am here for.

In sum - a lot of development has happened and still happening. Remarkable 4 lane road uptil Udhampur, thereafter going through Ramban and reaching Banihal is a stretch, as it is under construction and prone to lot of traffic jams. The moment one crosses Banihal it's an all together different story. Wide divided roads, and the new tunnel - Banihal Qazigund tunnel - WONDERFUL - you are no longer subjected to the old narrow Jwahar tunnel and jams on both sides of it. Even so, now you no longer need to go to Patni Top, there is a tunnel right under the mountain saving one quite a bit of turns and kilometres. Beyond Banihal tunnel, is a wide 4 lane concrete highway taking you on flying speeds to Srinagar. Anantnag and other towns are completely bypassed and you end up straight at Srinagar. Good job done.

While this trip has come in the backdrop of recent targeted killings in Srinagar town, the timing of it could not be challenged. Now that I am here, I can say that the fear of it is from afar than on ground. Yes, I have noticed a few people staring and what not, but then again in recent trips I have only flown and never driven on my truck. 

Pushing off to Leh tomorrow - and yes it is for work. Best possible situation for me. Driving to these places not just for adventure and solace, but also for work. Inshallah we shall do well in the region.

PS: My first laptop was given to me by my father 15 years ago; or one and half decade ago. The machine today is no less than a relic for a museum of an era gone by. Other machines came in as time went by, but they were all desktops. In last years, as travel for work became prevalent need for mobile computing arose; however, it wasn't that pressing, but the idea that more be pumped into a depreciating and outdating system had been a blocking force. 

While it might be said that I project a case of sane thinking at this instance, but, when it comes to spending on the bike - there's no logic, no rationale, no economics. The devilish pull of Apple's MacBook has been casting its spell for a while, and may I say I gave it the due resistance of many years before succumbing. So while, all this could have been said and told when I was back, but doing so in the comfort a bed, sipping your black tea to the refined sound of MacBook keyboard - I couldn't wait.

I just wanted to do this, to have this experience - is all.