We got a flight to Srinagar in Kashmir early in the morning. it was a short flight and took us right over the Himalayas, BEAUTIFUL! We were a little anxious about arriving in Kashmir as its actually one region the guide books say not to visit due to there being some problems and violence (sorry Mum and Dad). Sure enough there were army men with guns EVERYWHERE. However, we were told we needed to visit in order to have the whole India experience.

We were staying in a boat house on Lake Dal, a big eery lake surrounded by mist. When it wasn't too misty you could see all the mountains surrounding the town. It was really picturesque and quite an experience. It was nothing how I imagined any of India would be. Most of the accommodation on the lake were houseboats of all shapes, sizes and colours. In fact there were a whole load of shops on boats, workshops and even a school on a boat. It really is something else.

We spent 5 days in Srinagar. We were taken on a boat trek one day seeing a lot of sites by boat, including a mosque. The best day was when we took a trek in the Himalayas. The scenery was absolutely amazing! Really beautiful. We were taken through the mountains by a gypsy through the gypsy village and over streams. I really enjoyed it. The next day we got up for the crack of dawn to see the floating market. This is where all the men meet on their boats to exchange all their fruit and veg and any other produts they were likely to sell. It was interesting to see...but I was happy to get back to my bed.

One thing I shall remember about Srinagar is.....the cold! During the day it was lovely, like an early summers day in the UK. However, after the sun went down it was FREEZING!! Sooo cold, and in our houseboat there was absolutely no central heating. Luckily I was given a nice big cosy jumper to wear on arrival. Underneath I wore pretty much everything else I had. The worst thing was there was no hot water, therefore having a shower would be unbearable...taking of any clothes whatsoever would be unbearable, so I didn't Haha! See mum told you that extremely long, hot shower I took on my last day before leaving was important!

Anyway, at times in the very dimly lit, frozen cabin in our boat me and lauren wondered why we had come to Kashmir. Sleeping in 5 layers of clothes and still waking up numb and breathing steam is no fun, but I am definitely glad we went. Srinagar is a place like no other. Very eery and remote (no internet connection or phone signal) it felt like we were on another planet! It is very beautiful though and I can definitely say it added to my India experience!