Kashmir - Gagangir, Himalaya's - Day 26

Trip Start Jan 31, 2008
1
31
251
Trip End Ongoing


Loading Map
Map your own trip!
Map Options
Show trip route
Hide lines
shadow
Where I stayed
Family House in Gagangir
(Sonamarg hotels)

Flag of India  ,
Thursday, March 20, 2008

Went on a longer hike today for about 6 hours. We ascended from 2300 to 3400 metres. Doesn't sound like much, but when you're climbing a 45 degree slope for most of the day (I'm not exaggerating) through deep snow, no trail, its hard graft. It was snowing too, with rain below 2700 metres. Some of the guys used ponies for the first couple of relatively flat miles. I choose not to use one, what's the point in going trekking if you're going to sit on a pony, defeats the object really. Anyway it soon got too steep for the ponies to go any further, so everybody was back on their own two feet.
 
The scenery here is truly epic, never seen mountains on this scale before, slightly different to the peak district. After an arduous ascent to the summit I was reward with an amazing 360 degree panoramic view of some massive 6000 metre plus peaks, with some light snow falling it was nice scene.
 
In the evening a four piece Kashmiri band entered our tiny living quarters. We spend the evening listening to music, drinking chi, smoking and eating. As always the token white boy is always forced to dance in these situations, so I did, I was lifted by two little kids from a comfortable position on the floor to show the Kashmiri's how to dance. Tried the instruments too, one of the musicians had a 16 string guitar, there were two guys drumming on urn like drums and a type of violin. The violin was my specialty, the musicians were impressed by my skills, honestly! They taught me a couple of notes and I perfected them straight away. May have found a new career as a Kashmiri violinist in the Himalayas .
Slideshow Print this entry