We last left off in Srinagar where I used an actual computer for the first time of the trip because my SIM card didn't work in this state. I later managed to somehow buy a local SIM card off the kid at the shop which kinda works for edge connections but not very fast. Either way, it was totally illegal for him to sell it to me like he did so I'm lucky to have it plus it has been useful.
The next day, Rayiz, Tessa (a girl who was also couchsurfing with rayiz) and I headed thru Pahalgam to a small town called Aru, where we set off onto a trek through the Lidder Valley. It was
Absolutely spectacular from start to finish. Lush green meadows flanked by pine forests along crystal clear rivers and small glaciers. Grazing animals everywhere, local herdsman and local hut people doing their daily routines. It was simply incredible.
The goal was to go as far as we could, then set up our sleeping bags and sleep under the stars. Rayiz was amazingly helpful throughout the day as not only did he arrange the transportation to aru but he chatted with locals to figure out where we should go on the trek. We totally had a million options to pitch camp but the valley was just so stunning we kept going further and higher. As it got later, the skies became ominous and rain started coming down when we were in the middle of nowhere along a ridge. We quickly found some herdsmen who told Riyaz there were a bunch of families huts up ahead. We figured it was our best bet to see if any of these locals would host us for the night seeing we didn't have any shelter from the rain. Eventually a group of 4 locals caught up to us and told rayiz it was cool. After they led us on an absolutely grueling final ascent to their hut, we quickly realized we were in for a hell of an experience. This hut was a combination o 2 families. The 2 adult males looked exactly like Osama bin Laden. The female mothers were a bit phased ar first when we showed up, but their combined 13 kids absolutely loved us. They were captivated by my camera and attempted their darndest to speak English.
We eventually settled in for the night in their hut, and they fed us tea, roti bread, and a rice & dal dish all cooked on a makeshift wood burning stove. The hut was crammed with like 17 people and a cow an a rooster. We eventually slept in the middle of the tent and as we were going to bed, the kids were hovering over us staring. It was pretty scary and I then mixed all my valuables into my sleeping bag with me. Nothing got stolen but there definitely was a little bit of a weird vibe despite their hospitality.
I didnt really get any sleep that night, but what was I to expect in that situation. I did wake up to a cow very nearby. After a nice tea and roti breakfast, we hiked up to a beautiful glacier lake beyond their hut and ten retreated back the way we came for the day. The kids were all very sad to see us go.
We made it back to Srinagar that evening after fighting rain much of the way.
That night I met up with Rebecca ad khuram (who I stayed with in Delhi) and they treated me to an amazing buffet dinner at this amazing hotel/historical government building up on a hill overlooking the lake. It was great to see them again and talk a bunch before I was to move on the next day.
To be continued...
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