2008 India: 01 Our Indian & Kashmir Holiday...

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing..." - Helen Keller

(A painting on the wall)

Day 01: 25 December 2008

Route: KL - New Delhi

Hotel: Yatri Hotel, New Delhi

The economic downturn had severely damaged the tourism sector, the catastrophic Mumbai incident made matters worse. Since the Mumbai attacks, several countries have cautioned their nationals against visiting India, while others have asked to review holiday plans. There were no guarantees against repeat attacks. But this had not dampened our enthusiasm to visit India and Kashmir…

A love story

An eternal love story,

so magical

Against the blue sky,

white marble sparkles

The reflecting pool,

so mesmerizing

A symbol of love,

forever endearing…

musmun

(Taj Mahal, 31 Dec 2008)

(On the ERL - Feeling excited!)

(At KLIA for our flight to New Delhi)

Our flight from Kuala Lumpur departed early in the evening, and the journey was calm and uneventful. Upon arriving at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, we were greeted by our ground tour agent, who assured us that our safety would be their top priority, especially during our visits to Jaipur, Agra, and New Delhi. 

As we will be be spending a few days in Kashmir first, he also briefed us on the current situation in Kashmir - the ongoing struggle for independence and the region’s political uncertainty. Though I appreciated their honesty, I couldn’t help but feel a faint unease, wondering what awaited us in that beautiful yet fragile land.

From the airport, the taxi took us to Hotel Yatri New Delhi where we will be staying the night. Early tomorrow morning we will be taking a domestic flight to Srinagar, Kashmir.

(Our hotel in New Delhi, spending a night here)

(The lobby is decorated for Christmas)

👈 2009: Brisbane, Australia

2008 India: 02 Kashmir - The Rhythm of the Lake...👉