“Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.” – Cesare Pavese
My trip to the Land of the Maharajas was a trip of both worlds, familiarity which is of Delhi and Agra, as well as of the unknown, Srinagar, Kashmir. I hadn’t plan to go away, it was one of those spur-of-the-moment decisions! I had to go away, to reenergize & find the meaning of life, that’s when I decided I need to take a break – away from work & the mundane, routine tasks! I never thought that it would take me to this Sub Asian continent, for I have thought of going to Turkey this autumn.
Our journey began on Saturday, 20th October:
1530 – met Amy, my ex-schoolmate at KLIA. We were requested to meet up at Counter L.
1630 – briefing by our tour agent & group leader (Counter F18)
1700 – immigration check by a stone faced & unfriendly officer. Should have gone through the Autogate instead!
1730 – coffee break at O’Briens and performed Asar prayer
1800 – boarding MH 190 to Delhi.
it was a 4hour and 20 min flight, was served chapati, rice & chicken curry. Spent my time napping, watching Travel channel & part of Snow White
2100 (local time, 2300 Malaysian time ) – arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport, immigration check, baggage claim. Pretty clean airport = clean toilet, so I was satisfied!
Our local tour agent was already at the airport, waiting for us – a small group of 18.
2300 – checked in at Hotel Grand Sartaj, Delhi & served Indian cuisine for dinner.
21st October, Monday:
Woke up early and decided to jot down a few notes about my trip to India.
Checked out early as we have a flight to catch – off to Srinagar, Kashmir!
…. to be continued when time permits!
