Image:  View on the slopes from the village - Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir, India. Locals are not to keen on using a recycle bin. Unfortunately same applies to the foreign tourists.

Equipment: Panasonic FT-1 (yes, digital, eating my own words here, film camera was too heavy to carry on a free-ride)

Full set @ http://www.tiblu.com/img/kashmir_india_2010/

Full set 2 by Marek @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/laazik/sets/72157623603474437/

Some random thoughts on India. Strictly reflecting my own views on things:

• People are friendly.
• Indian people do the least that works. Example: wiring of street lamps.  In the forest, there was a high voltage line which was so low that you could possibly run into. A motorcycle has fuel filter attached with band-aid. Shocks are over-rated – they are not essential for driving.
• From the point above, I get shivers and shakes when I think of outsourcing any kind of work from India.
• Delhi is too hot for an Estonian (northern) man.
• Bargain on every price. They do try to get max amount of money out of a tourist, but that’s pure business.
• Agree on price before taking a taxi to avoid surprises.
• Take a pre-paid taxi from the airport.  Buy the ticket from the booth and follow the instructions of the seller. Never give your luggage to the guys in front of the booth claiming to be the drivers.
• Delhi is dirty, but you’ll get used to it. Recycle bins are not widely used, everything is dropped to the ground. It must be a custom from old times when everything was natural and just rot and become soil. Unfortunately today we have other materials which don’t rot too fast. I guess it takes generations to get the habit out.
• Delhi seemed safe. While there are complaints about pickpocketing etc. I didn’t spot any suspicious activity which I could spot right away in Tirane, Albania.
• Hanging around in the city at night is totally cool.
• Srinagar airport must be the most secure place in the earth -  taxi checked for explosives, no entrance to airport are without a ticket. Luggage, hand baggage and body checked 3 times.
• Indian army is friendly to civilians.
• Gulmarg, Kashmir is an excellent place for a free-ride.
• Fayaz from Ski-Himalaya is an excellent free-ride guide.
• The hospital of Tangmarg was “interesting” – not too hygienic. Signs on the wall say “don’t spit” and rooms numbers said: “casualty no. X”.  Basically if you end up there with a serious injury, the use of word “casualty” makes sense.
• Spending a few nights after snowboarding Himalayas on boat houses on Dhal lake (Srinagar)  is really relaxing.
• Despite the fact that armed forces are everywhere I would not say there was tension in Kashmir. They suggest you not to hang around mosques on Friday nights though. That is where riots usually start. Unless… unless you are into extreme sports.
• Play in a Bollywood movie, it is fun.
• Auto rickshaw is the best transportation out in the city.
• Vehicles horn is multifunctional – hi! get away! passing! happy! thank you!
• Mirrors are not a common practice for taxi drivers – they have their horn and ears.
• It’s totally OK to urinate in public, usually performed while squat down.
• For those who like hardcore after-ski, Gulmarg is not your place. The place is low on entertainment other that powder (!) and as 90% are muslims, alcohol does not come easy.
• I suggest to see the countryside, small villages are totally cool and visitors welcome.
• Food is spicy.
• Don’t try to fight diarrhea, you’ll get it sooner or later. Stick to spicy food and you’ll get over it in few days or more.
• Pimp-my-Ride must be India’s favourite TV show – cars are hand painted and colourful.
• Inner tourists are the majority in Gulmarg. They come in masses to see the snow for the first time. After buying pair of cloves and a warm hat they swim in it, they eat it, they build a snowman, they ski, they sledge.  It is very cool to see a 70 year old become a kid again seeing snow for the first time in her/his life.
• Is is perfectly normal to snowboard and see an army outpost on the way. It is also normal to ski with a machine-gun.
• The best place for getting a shave in the middle of a market.
• Cows are free animals, they go were they want and when they want. Cemetery is a good place for fresh grass.

In conclusion India is a cool place to travel and Gulmarg is a very cool place to free-ride.

Now waiting for b4apres guys to finish up their cultural ski film about Kashmir.