The past couple of days have been the best (and worse) days of my life.
I said goodbye to my friend Enni and took a bus 6 hours to Kulchi on my way to this little town called Lamyouru. On the bus I met the nicest French guy and these two couples from C. Slovakia . The French guy's name was Timothy, and immediately after meeting him I felt like I was talking to my brother. He was so down to earth, and we got along really well. In Kulchi there was no ATM to use, and I only had rupees (3 dollars) in my purse. I didn't have enough money for a rupee guest house, or a bus ride to anywhere except back to Leh. The couple and my French friend offered to pay for a taxi to Lamyouru, but it was only 10kilometers, and I suggested hitchhiking with my Timothy. He was totally up for it! So we walked down the road in this small town with him carrying two bags of food for his upcoming trek. We stopped and a nice family pulled over and gave us a ride to Lamyouru.
Immediately after getting out of the car a nice old woman with tan skin, and pink cheeks offered to take me to her 100rupie guesthouse. Over the next 24 hours, I ate dinner with her 4 children, and stayed up till 2am in the morning talking with Tim before he went to sleep on the roof of the guesthouse. I slept in my warm bed, and woke up the next morning at 5:30am to help Beziz (the 17 year old daughter) milk their cows. We milked the cow, or more like SHE milked the cow, because my hand were a little slow and it was hard to grip the miniature cow's udders. After watching me take 5 minutes to get 1 cup, she suggested taking over. After milking, I put the pail in the kitchen, and we took the cows for a walk 2 hours up into the mountains to eat herbs. The sun was just coming up, and the rocks that looked like a moon land were illuminated with a desert glow. It was so beautiful!
We met this old lady on the way with colorful dress, and a cloth tied around her head. Her skin was tan and rough, but eyes bright and she had the cutest little voice. I helped her collect cow paddies for burning. The air smelt of lavender and mint which the cows were eating, and we left them to graze in the valley as we went back to their house. Breakfast time I helped roll rotis, and packed my bag to go. They were the sweetest family I have ever met!
I started walking down the main road, for about half and hour and didn't catch a ride. This was the 1st time hitching by myself in India, and waved down a few cars which didn't stop. Finally an Indian man pulled over, with a French woman in the front seat, and they drove me all the way to Kargil. I was so blessed to have such a nice ride, with plesent people. We told jokes and took lunch together on the way. I was on my way to Shrinigar- which supposivly is one of the most beautiful places in the world- and I was going to stop at little villages along the way. But since I had no money, I had to stop in Kargil first to use the ATM. However, when I arrived, the ATM was out of service for a powercut was issued by the military the day I arrived. Speaking of coming down from the mt. top.
The couple dropped me on the main market to find a guest house. The drive from Lamyouru had taken 5 hours and it was now 2pm. I immediately noticed a change in the atmosphere as this was no longer a Buddhist community but Muslim. Since I am drawing closer to Pakistan, almost 95% of the population her, in Jammu Kashmir, are Muslim. I now had 200rupies in my wallet, and the men were looking at me like I was a piece of chocolate cake they wanted to eat. I felt like I could get raped at any moment, and didn't feel safe. I stepped off the main road, and went into a "cheep" guest house. I walked through the downstairs resteraunt filled with large muslims chowing down on rice- and the room went silent as I walked past. I followed a man upstairs to the room where on the floor it looked like someone had shaved their entire head-full of hair and left it there. There were empty cigarette boxes on the bed, and the toilet looked and smelt like a elephant with dysentery had been in there for 2 hours. I gave the man a look like "are you kidding me?" And left without saying a word.
5 guesthouses later, and having a guy with the biggest uni brow on planet earth try to sell me a room, I wound up in this guesthouse owned by an old Punjabi with a grey stash like Buffalo Bill. He gave me tea, and offered me a 500rupie room with dog poo on the floor. Let's just say the tea was nice. I shared my predicament of only having 200rupies, and he offered to pay for my bus ride to Shrinigar. I could even stay in his room from 9 to 11pm for free. It was "no problem, no problem." Even after I told him I was married and didn't sleep with men, he said reassuringly "okay, your husband is trekking we can enjoy for tonight, no problem." I again walked out of the shop aghast and saying nothing. I kept walking noticing that on the street were only men staring at me and whistling. Women wore burkas or full body coverings with glasses. I walked to the taxi stand and saw a woman with her children waiting on the side of the road. I asked them if they were going to Drass valley (a valley not far from Kargil), and she nodded yes.
Soon after a taxi full of men came by and we all crammed in, for a majestic ride to Drass. I sat by the woman and her 2 year old daughter, who half way through the ride became sick from all the jerky driving and cigarette smoke, and started vomiting out the window. I held her little body as the yellow fluid flew in the air out of the car. She was so sick, and someone offered a rag which I dipped in cold water and put on her forehead. After she threw up, she seemed to feel much better. We drove through this incredible green valley, and enjoyed the towering mountains. They got out at Drass, and she gave me a big hug looking me in the eyes with thanks. The mom also gave me a hug, and a big 3 toothed grin.
I got back in the car, this time being the only woman among 6 men. Needless to say I was praying the whole time. I stuck to my story of being married, and an Australian, as we passed through the incredible tall mountains. There were wild horses running through the valley with little babies by their side. Huge herds of sheep gathered and ibex wandered across the road. It was then and there I decided I wanted to be a shepherd when I get older. We kept driving and it started getting late. After dark, I was re-positioned in the front seat between two guys. After dark, men's hands come out. Both of them casually touched my thighs where their hands rested. At first it was hard to tell if they were touching me or not, and then the driver made it obvious and started rubbing my thigh. I elbow jabbed him really hard and said "please stop!" really loud. I could tell he was embarrassed, and neither guys touched me the rest of the time. I would have slapped him, but because of the space in the car, my had was smashed under my butt.
We stopped in Shrinigar at 11pm, no longer in the mountains. I got out with these two teachers who were married. They were really nice and we walked to this cafe where they sat to eat dinner. I just wanted to go to sleep and there was a man in the cafe who said he had a boat house. Shrinigar is the capital of Jammu Kashmir and surrounded by lakes. Instead of guesthouses, people have boathouses so you sleep in thier boat on the lake. I followed him through the busy night market to his boathouse where his family was already asleep. He showed me to a room filled with mosquitoes, but clean. I had a good feeling about sleeping the night here, and he quickly came back and started sticking incense in the walls to fight off the bugs. I had eaten nothing all day, except a biscuit and chai, so we went to a close by cafe and I got mixed veg with roti. The servers were all brothers, all of which had deformities.
I had a strange feeling in my stomach. The air didn't feel the same as it did in Lamyouru. I immediately felt defensive from the taxi ride, and went to sleep with a well locked door. The mosquitoes came, and I didn't sleep well at all. I woke up and had breakfast, kashmiri tea, and journaled about all that had been happening. The owner of the guesthouse was so caring and kind. I spoke with his brothers, and decided that I wanted to find a guesthouse off the water.
2 hours later we walked to the lake side, and went to a floating post office. I mailed a letter home, then we took a shakara (small boat like in Venice), to his uncle's guesthouse. I am actually here right now writing. It's really cute. Still kind of on the water, but clean and decorated like the titanic. I ate lunch with his wife, and sons, who were very respectful of me. We talked about Islam, and the Kashmir culture, how they don't consider themselves to be Indians. We sat out on the deck watching Indian tourist float by in the shakaras. All the men staring and taking pictures of me. I felt the air was so apressive. After talking with the family for a while it was hard to keep having a conversation when my Australian nationality didn't match up with my British accent. I finally told them I was American, and they all laughed. A few seconds later some Indian guys drifted by in a boat whistling at me. I gave them the finger, and asked my friend how to say fuck off in Kashmiri.
I left the house for dinner going to the main road and looking for a place to have dinner. I found a small juice stand and had some orange juice, glad to enjoy the huge lake and view of distant mountains. There was these two Indian men who came up for juice, and we started talking. One had a British accent and the other one was Kashmiri. We started talking then went to dinner in their car around on the other side of the lake. I had dal and thali, and they said they were going to the mountains tomorrow. They invited me to join them and share their jeep. I thought about it and decided to go with them tomorrow. We listened to music and drove down the road back to my boathouse.
Before I was thinking in Leh, I wish I could extend my stay here. But now I'm here in Kashmir I feel like I just want to leave. I am always being stared at and yelled at, people are constantly telling me hello, and asking me where I'm from, wanting me to buy something, and giving me a smile like they want to rape me or something. It's scary and creeping me out. I feel it here more than I do in Delhi. This whole time I've been traveling, I've never felt unsafe but when I'm walking in the street in Shrinigar or just sitting, I feel like I'm going to get jumped. The women aren't allowed to leave their houses here, only if their single. There is chanting 5 times a day for their Muslim prayers, and little men walking around with white caps. It's like a new world, I feel as if I'm in Islam, but still in India.
I'm so thankful God has provided a nice family for me to stay with. They are giving me a really good room for really cheep and make me tea and are always asking if I need anything. The father actually looks like my grandpa which I find really funny. I'm making my way over the next couple days back down south and then hopefully going to Amritsar.
Tomorrow I'm going to Pahalgam with those guys I met tonight. Please continue praying for me. Wow, I am so thankful for everyone's prayers I know God hears you and is keeping me safe from harm. In the taxi last night I felt like there was an angel wrapping his arms around me. I'm leaving the city and returning back into the mountain side, still in a Muslim area but hopefully it will be less crowded.
Savoring the verses of proverbs and remembering Daniel praying from his bedroom.
Missing you all, and trying to remembering a world exist outside the walls of Islam.
I said goodbye to my friend Enni and took a bus 6 hours to Kulchi on my way to this little town called Lamyouru. On the bus I met the nicest French guy and these two couples from C. Slovakia . The French guy's name was Timothy, and immediately after meeting him I felt like I was talking to my brother. He was so down to earth, and we got along really well. In Kulchi there was no ATM to use, and I only had rupees (3 dollars) in my purse. I didn't have enough money for a rupee guest house, or a bus ride to anywhere except back to Leh. The couple and my French friend offered to pay for a taxi to Lamyouru, but it was only 10kilometers, and I suggested hitchhiking with my Timothy. He was totally up for it! So we walked down the road in this small town with him carrying two bags of food for his upcoming trek. We stopped and a nice family pulled over and gave us a ride to Lamyouru.
Immediately after getting out of the car a nice old woman with tan skin, and pink cheeks offered to take me to her 100rupie guesthouse. Over the next 24 hours, I ate dinner with her 4 children, and stayed up till 2am in the morning talking with Tim before he went to sleep on the roof of the guesthouse. I slept in my warm bed, and woke up the next morning at 5:30am to help Beziz (the 17 year old daughter) milk their cows. We milked the cow, or more like SHE milked the cow, because my hand were a little slow and it was hard to grip the miniature cow's udders. After watching me take 5 minutes to get 1 cup, she suggested taking over. After milking, I put the pail in the kitchen, and we took the cows for a walk 2 hours up into the mountains to eat herbs. The sun was just coming up, and the rocks that looked like a moon land were illuminated with a desert glow. It was so beautiful!
We met this old lady on the way with colorful dress, and a cloth tied around her head. Her skin was tan and rough, but eyes bright and she had the cutest little voice. I helped her collect cow paddies for burning. The air smelt of lavender and mint which the cows were eating, and we left them to graze in the valley as we went back to their house. Breakfast time I helped roll rotis, and packed my bag to go. They were the sweetest family I have ever met!
I started walking down the main road, for about half and hour and didn't catch a ride. This was the 1st time hitching by myself in India, and waved down a few cars which didn't stop. Finally an Indian man pulled over, with a French woman in the front seat, and they drove me all the way to Kargil. I was so blessed to have such a nice ride, with plesent people. We told jokes and took lunch together on the way. I was on my way to Shrinigar- which supposivly is one of the most beautiful places in the world- and I was going to stop at little villages along the way. But since I had no money, I had to stop in Kargil first to use the ATM. However, when I arrived, the ATM was out of service for a powercut was issued by the military the day I arrived. Speaking of coming down from the mt. top.
The couple dropped me on the main market to find a guest house. The drive from Lamyouru had taken 5 hours and it was now 2pm. I immediately noticed a change in the atmosphere as this was no longer a Buddhist community but Muslim. Since I am drawing closer to Pakistan, almost 95% of the population her, in Jammu Kashmir, are Muslim. I now had 200rupies in my wallet, and the men were looking at me like I was a piece of chocolate cake they wanted to eat. I felt like I could get raped at any moment, and didn't feel safe. I stepped off the main road, and went into a "cheep" guest house. I walked through the downstairs resteraunt filled with large muslims chowing down on rice- and the room went silent as I walked past. I followed a man upstairs to the room where on the floor it looked like someone had shaved their entire head-full of hair and left it there. There were empty cigarette boxes on the bed, and the toilet looked and smelt like a elephant with dysentery had been in there for 2 hours. I gave the man a look like "are you kidding me?" And left without saying a word.
5 guesthouses later, and having a guy with the biggest uni brow on planet earth try to sell me a room, I wound up in this guesthouse owned by an old Punjabi with a grey stash like Buffalo Bill. He gave me tea, and offered me a 500rupie room with dog poo on the floor. Let's just say the tea was nice. I shared my predicament of only having 200rupies, and he offered to pay for my bus ride to Shrinigar. I could even stay in his room from 9 to 11pm for free. It was "no problem, no problem." Even after I told him I was married and didn't sleep with men, he said reassuringly "okay, your husband is trekking we can enjoy for tonight, no problem." I again walked out of the shop aghast and saying nothing. I kept walking noticing that on the street were only men staring at me and whistling. Women wore burkas or full body coverings with glasses. I walked to the taxi stand and saw a woman with her children waiting on the side of the road. I asked them if they were going to Drass valley (a valley not far from Kargil), and she nodded yes.
Soon after a taxi full of men came by and we all crammed in, for a majestic ride to Drass. I sat by the woman and her 2 year old daughter, who half way through the ride became sick from all the jerky driving and cigarette smoke, and started vomiting out the window. I held her little body as the yellow fluid flew in the air out of the car. She was so sick, and someone offered a rag which I dipped in cold water and put on her forehead. After she threw up, she seemed to feel much better. We drove through this incredible green valley, and enjoyed the towering mountains. They got out at Drass, and she gave me a big hug looking me in the eyes with thanks. The mom also gave me a hug, and a big 3 toothed grin.
I got back in the car, this time being the only woman among 6 men. Needless to say I was praying the whole time. I stuck to my story of being married, and an Australian, as we passed through the incredible tall mountains. There were wild horses running through the valley with little babies by their side. Huge herds of sheep gathered and ibex wandered across the road. It was then and there I decided I wanted to be a shepherd when I get older. We kept driving and it started getting late. After dark, I was re-positioned in the front seat between two guys. After dark, men's hands come out. Both of them casually touched my thighs where their hands rested. At first it was hard to tell if they were touching me or not, and then the driver made it obvious and started rubbing my thigh. I elbow jabbed him really hard and said "please stop!" really loud. I could tell he was embarrassed, and neither guys touched me the rest of the time. I would have slapped him, but because of the space in the car, my had was smashed under my butt.
We stopped in Shrinigar at 11pm, no longer in the mountains. I got out with these two teachers who were married. They were really nice and we walked to this cafe where they sat to eat dinner. I just wanted to go to sleep and there was a man in the cafe who said he had a boat house. Shrinigar is the capital of Jammu Kashmir and surrounded by lakes. Instead of guesthouses, people have boathouses so you sleep in thier boat on the lake. I followed him through the busy night market to his boathouse where his family was already asleep. He showed me to a room filled with mosquitoes, but clean. I had a good feeling about sleeping the night here, and he quickly came back and started sticking incense in the walls to fight off the bugs. I had eaten nothing all day, except a biscuit and chai, so we went to a close by cafe and I got mixed veg with roti. The servers were all brothers, all of which had deformities.
I had a strange feeling in my stomach. The air didn't feel the same as it did in Lamyouru. I immediately felt defensive from the taxi ride, and went to sleep with a well locked door. The mosquitoes came, and I didn't sleep well at all. I woke up and had breakfast, kashmiri tea, and journaled about all that had been happening. The owner of the guesthouse was so caring and kind. I spoke with his brothers, and decided that I wanted to find a guesthouse off the water.
2 hours later we walked to the lake side, and went to a floating post office. I mailed a letter home, then we took a shakara (small boat like in Venice), to his uncle's guesthouse. I am actually here right now writing. It's really cute. Still kind of on the water, but clean and decorated like the titanic. I ate lunch with his wife, and sons, who were very respectful of me. We talked about Islam, and the Kashmir culture, how they don't consider themselves to be Indians. We sat out on the deck watching Indian tourist float by in the shakaras. All the men staring and taking pictures of me. I felt the air was so apressive. After talking with the family for a while it was hard to keep having a conversation when my Australian nationality didn't match up with my British accent. I finally told them I was American, and they all laughed. A few seconds later some Indian guys drifted by in a boat whistling at me. I gave them the finger, and asked my friend how to say fuck off in Kashmiri.
I left the house for dinner going to the main road and looking for a place to have dinner. I found a small juice stand and had some orange juice, glad to enjoy the huge lake and view of distant mountains. There was these two Indian men who came up for juice, and we started talking. One had a British accent and the other one was Kashmiri. We started talking then went to dinner in their car around on the other side of the lake. I had dal and thali, and they said they were going to the mountains tomorrow. They invited me to join them and share their jeep. I thought about it and decided to go with them tomorrow. We listened to music and drove down the road back to my boathouse.
Before I was thinking in Leh, I wish I could extend my stay here. But now I'm here in Kashmir I feel like I just want to leave. I am always being stared at and yelled at, people are constantly telling me hello, and asking me where I'm from, wanting me to buy something, and giving me a smile like they want to rape me or something. It's scary and creeping me out. I feel it here more than I do in Delhi. This whole time I've been traveling, I've never felt unsafe but when I'm walking in the street in Shrinigar or just sitting, I feel like I'm going to get jumped. The women aren't allowed to leave their houses here, only if their single. There is chanting 5 times a day for their Muslim prayers, and little men walking around with white caps. It's like a new world, I feel as if I'm in Islam, but still in India.
I'm so thankful God has provided a nice family for me to stay with. They are giving me a really good room for really cheep and make me tea and are always asking if I need anything. The father actually looks like my grandpa which I find really funny. I'm making my way over the next couple days back down south and then hopefully going to Amritsar.
Tomorrow I'm going to Pahalgam with those guys I met tonight. Please continue praying for me. Wow, I am so thankful for everyone's prayers I know God hears you and is keeping me safe from harm. In the taxi last night I felt like there was an angel wrapping his arms around me. I'm leaving the city and returning back into the mountain side, still in a Muslim area but hopefully it will be less crowded.
Savoring the verses of proverbs and remembering Daniel praying from his bedroom.
Missing you all, and trying to remembering a world exist outside the walls of Islam.
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