RUMUZ_E_ARZ

PIC 4 : The mist rising from oblivion #RumuzeArz #nofilter #travelaroundtheworld #traveldiaries #travelblogger #blogger #photoblogger #nikonphotography #photography #crewlife #crew #niagarafalls #canada #instagram #ontario (at Niagara, Canada) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJkrq32lcDQ/?igshid=c70k4ohz1ppw

PIC 3 : Alone but not lonely !! #RumuzeArz #nofilter #kashmirwinters #kashmirdiaries #kashmirvalley #gulmarg #heavenonearth #travelblogger #travelaroundtheworld #travelphotography #photography #photoblogger #nikonphotography #nikond7000 #tourism #gulmargkashmir #winter #winterwonderland #blogger #snowfall #snow #mountains #loveformountains #summit #kashmir #affarwat #pirpanjal #himalayas (at Affarwat Mountain , Gulmarg) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJg_rJWlH3v/?igshid=jgsa7yr7mo1h

Evening time now !! #RumuzeArz #nofilter #kashmirwinters #kashmirdiaries #kashmirvalley #gulmarg #heavenonearth #travelblogger #travelaroundtheworld #travelphotography #photography #photoblogger #nikonphotography #nikond7000 #tourism #gulmargkashmir #winter #winterwonderland #blogger #snowfall #snow #mountains #evening #eveningvibes #sunset #sunsetphotography (at Gulmarg) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJg9qSyFqfF/?igshid=1akrbmvm88zpo

PIC 1 : Get up and capture ! Sleep can wait ! Good morning Gulmarg at minus eight !! #RumuzeArz #nofilter #kashmirwinters #kashmirdiaries #kashmirvalley #gulmarg #heavenonearth #travelblogger #travelaroundtheworld #travelphotography #photography #photoblogger #nikonphotography #nikond7000 #tourism #gulmargkashmir #winter #winterwonderland #blogger #snowfall #snow #mountains #goodmorning #morning #morningmotivation (at Gulmarg, Kashmir) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJg9TQ0lkPF/?igshid=rlvzjij9c1a7

Schipol Airport looked lively today. Bright sunny morning with a chill breeze. A welcome sign for me as Ali bhai is supposed to pick me up from the hotel along with Natasha and Ruth and take us to the famous Tulip Gardens of Amsterdam or the Keukenhof as they call it. I met Ali bhai, an Indian origin Dutch, on a flight from Amsterdam to Delhi. Since then he has been like an elder brother to me. A third generation Indo Dutch, Ali bhai or Ali Hasnain Raza is as humble as a person can be. I remember asking him once about the Tulip gardens and for the gentleman he is, he planned a trip after I Informed him of my flight in Mid April. He not only offered to bring friends along but also drove for us. Natasha and Ruth obliged and there we were, on our way to the famed and alluring Tulip gardens. Keukenhof literally means kitchen garden. Probably for the Royal family in earlier times, though the Monarchy still prevails. Ali bhai got us into the gardens without us buying any tickets. He used to work here and probably had some entitlement which he decided to use for us strangers !! The gardens are open from March to April every year. Around 6-7 million flower bulbs are planted in the garden each year. The view is mesmerising. The vibrant colors and smell waft your senses. The mind can read the symphonies orchestrated by the astounding view around you. We were truly amazed. Personally, I have never seen so many colorful flowers at one place. No doubt people couldn't stop capturing those moments in cameras, as much as they possibly could. Photography is a better source than words to describe the place I suppose.1/2 #RumuzeArz #nofilter #travelphotography #traveldiaries #travelblogger #tulips #tulipgarden #keukenhof #amsterdam #netherlands #photoblogger #photographer #photography #crewlife #blogger #naturephotography #nature #flora #spring #travel #seasonsgreetings #albertheijn #flowers #beautifulamsterdam #awesome #naturelovers #travelaroundtheworld #lisse #europetravel #europe (at Keukenhof Gardens, Lisse - Netherlands) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJEgLbMFvb8/?igshid=1xlf3q55ymetv

Chapter 7 : Nepalese evening A nightstay at a new destination is always exciting and for me this time it was the beautiful valley of Kathmandu, the Capital city of Nepal. Our hotel, Hyatt regency was located on the road to the Boudhanath Stupa, the most holy of all Tibetan Buddhist shrines outside of Tibet and also a World UNESCO heritage site. Best part about this stay was the Hotel itself. Spread over a huge area it boasts of amazing floral collection with mind soothing views all around. The sunset and sunrise in particular are close to photographer's jackpot. After reaching early and taking a short nap, I changed and went on a short city tour and came back early to explore the Hotel. At that moment, taking up a Job at this hotel was one of the many things flashing in my mind, just because of the peace and tranquility in the environment. One of those rare moments when I felt lucky to be working with my airline. Hotel's beautiful wooden interiors boasted of the rich Nepalese culture and the breakfast next morning in the lawn with the winter sun shining on your face is something not to be missed among other things. The poolside walk can relieve you of the minor stress you have and evening stroll in the vicinity of the hotel building will make you sleep well at night. It was the month of March and for me it is to date one of the most memorable hotel stays ever. #RumuzeArz #nofilter #travelphotography #photoblogger #photographer #photography #crewlife #traveldiaries #kathmandu #kathmandudiaries #hyattregency #hyattkathmandu #travelblogger #unesco #nepal #beautifulkathmandu #beautifuldestinations #placestovisit #hotels #hotelsandresorts #traveldiaries #travelphotography #traveltheworld #sunset #cabincrew #nepaltravel #travelgram (at Hyatt Regency Kathmandu) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIgoF6SFDgX/?igshid=qokkp3d77tud

Chapter 6 : The missing Blanket 08:15 AM : The snow on the roadside started to melt a bit. There were hardly any flights from Srinagar to Delhi so it had to be the bus journey. Mamu was counting on his good rapport with JKSRTC to grab just one seat for me in the new Volvo bus with heating arrangement but all we could get was a seat in the old shabby looking buses, without any heating. That was the last one and I was already late by a couple of days so I took it. These JKSRTC buses are old but comfortable with 23 seats below and 08 sleeper seats above them. Families occupied most of the seats and presumably I was the only Non-Kashmiri in the bus. Temperature was 1°C at that moment and I was prepared to deal with much chiller weather, atleast I thought I was ! 08:45 AM : The journey begin from TRC in srinagar. I got the window seat which I wanted actually and immediately took my mobile phone out to capture any possible heartwarming views which I eventually came across. Due to the snowfall the previous evening the fields on the sides of the highway were absolutely white !! This newly built 06 lane highway zooms through the plains and in no time we reached outskirts of Qazigund bypassing Avantipora, Bijbehara and Anantnag. 11:30 AM : I was carrying Teacakes, coconut cookies, Kulchas and bakarkhani in my small stroller bag which I kept with me on the seat alongwith my Laptop bag and Pheran. The bus had stopped around half a kilometre before the main Qazigund market where I was supposed to have my breakfast cos unlike a usual Kashmiri traveler I wasn't carrying home cooked food along. 01:30 PM : Its been 02 hrs and we still had not moved an inch. Fellow travelers were already having their home cooked food but I wasn't hungry somehow and was munching on Hide and seek. It was a bright day with sunlight reflecting on to us from the snow covered fields. There was a 2 feet wall of snow all along the road which was interestingly increasing as we moved towards the hills. 03:30 PM : We had moved just 5 kms and already crossed my choice of breakfast joint. And frankly , I started feeling the hunger pangs. It was getting a bit darker and colder. The driver looking at crossing the Jawahar tunnel before the sun sets. But the traffic was either still or crawling at snail's pace. 05:30 PM : Now it was definitely dark and very cold. With Sun already down and no food stop yet I was in a bit of mental dilemma. I had wore my Pheran on top of the stuff which I thought would be enough for the journey. As far as the other passengers were concerned, their blankets were out already with a few kangris as well. 08:45 PM : 12 hrs into the journey and we just managed to reach the Jawahar tunnel. I had never experienced such cold ever before and with no signs of relief , I munched on some cookies I had with me. My head was covered in my woolen cap and hoodie and I had tried my best to make sure that I am fully covered under the layers of clothing I wore. 12:00AM : We were still Inside Jawahar Tunnel for the past more than 03 hrs. I could see the Ice on the sides of the road and now we started moving . Surprisingly there wasn't any traffic on the other side. I decided to go and sit in the driver's cabin upfront as the windchill at my seat was unbearable. The visuals om the road were unbelievable!! The headlights were reflecting on the roadside snow and a lot of noise was audible because of strong winds blowing. Amazingly both the drivers were unperturbed by the situation and happily manoeuvred the Bus towards Banihal. 02:00 AM : Banihal it is but like I've never seen before, specially not at this hour of the day. The bus stopped around a KM before the town centre and now we were being told something which wasn't too pleasant to hear. The road ahead was not Travel worthy because of the Ice formation on the road and with a lot of Ups and downs we had to wait till morning sun to melt the ice. By the way I was still hungry and cold. I wished I had brought a blanket along and that was the only thing missing in my arsenal to fight that situation. 03:00 AM : The moon was bright and so were the snow covered hills and houses around. My feet were cold but still I managed to take a short nap, though still hungry 08:00 AM : Almost 24 hrs now since we began our journey. I should have been entering Delhi had it been a regular journey. I was weak and cold smitten though it was a bit less chill. Finally the bus started to move slowly and we crossed the town centre and railway station without stopping. The bus caught up pace but not much cos we were on the most dangerous terrain of Jammu Srinagar highway. 01:00 PM : My phone's battery and mine, both were at 3 percent when finally we stopped for food at Chanderkote, a small township after crossing River Chenab. Without wasting any time I took my seat at Kashmiri restaurant there and ordered a full portion of Chicken Curry and Rice. With my phone charging , I was filling up my fuel tank too. After having my food I realised that I was eating after good 42 hours apart from some snacks I munched on. I freshened up and was ready for the latter part of my trip. The journey thereafter was smooth and in total 52 hours I reached Delhi. I thanked God for the same. It was an experience I would want to avoid unless I am carrying food and blanket.

Chapter 5 : White Saffron My 17th day of working as an F&B trainer for a local NGO in Kashmir. Also my first experience of its kind and a good one too. It helped me explore the unseen and simple life of South Kashmir's various small townships. Though December is not really the month to get involved in such activity but it wasn't really a choice. Finally the much awaited snowfall happened. It wasn't just a reprieve from the bone chilling cold but also a tonic to my eyes and mind which helped me to cope up with already 17 days of staying away from my 06 month old baby boy in Delhi. And with no Internet in Kashmir, the possible after effects of a political turmoil, I didn't even get a chance for a video call. My accommodation was my Mamu's place in a small highway township known as Lethpora, a well known Saffron and dry fruits market. It wasn't the most luxurious place to stay but definitely the most picturesque on that stretch of National Highway. River Jhelum was flowing in the backyard with the Mountains across the road spreading beyond and higher, I sat all day on the rooftop at times to watch the sun rise and set, sipping on my cup of tea. The Snowfall that night extended till afternoon and the whole world seemingly turned into a winter wonderland. My smartphone backed up for the missing DSLR and I managed to capture a bit from the places like Haarvan, Nishat, Kulgam, Achabal and Lethpora itself. #RumuzeArz #nofilter #travelphotography #traveldiaries #photoblogger #photographer #photography #kashmirdiaries #kashmir #beautifulkashmir #kashmirsnow #kashmirvalley #travelblogger #s7edgephotography #s7edge #dal #srinagar #snow #snowfall #winterwonderland #trainer #ngo #chinar #crewlife #winteriscoming (at Kashmir Valley) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIP_RBKF2Fx/?igshid=12r7qf9oizy0k

Chapter 4 : Golden Waves We still had a good part of day with us after visiting the Dubai museum. It was our last out of seven days in Dubai and we were yet to visit any of the beaches. Also, not going to a beach was not an option because @su.m.ra was adamant. Mamzar beach was the nearest and had good reviews. So we took one Dirham "DHOW" after offering Noon prayers in the beautiful mosque behind the museum, took a cab and in no time reached the beach. It was a huge and open beach, infact a combination of similar looking three or four 'C' shaped man made beaches. Small concrete canopies and few benches apart from the open and indoor showers combined with shops selling food and costumes completed the setup. Evening was beautiful with a slight cool breeze and clear sky. The retiring Sun turned the waves golden and crescent moon bejewelled the dark turning sky. My company was perfect and it was the most amazing end to our 1st Anniversary trip which we eventually followed up with an Arabic dinner. Frankly, No smartphone can match the quality of DSLR and luckily I was carrying Nikon D7000 to capture these beautiful moments. #RumuzeArz #nofilter #travelphotography #traveldiaries #dubai #dubaidiaries #travelblogger #blogger #photoblogger #photography #nikonphotography #nikon #nikond7000 #mamzarbeach #dhow #crewlife #instatravel #mashallah #photographer #travel #travelgram (at Al Mamzar Beach Park, Dubai) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIJ0Gp7FaR3/?igshid=kd0kio5tn7cc

#RumuzeArz #blogger #photography #foodphotography #food #delhifood #crewlife #s7edgephotography #travelphotography #delhifoodie #photoblogger #flightattendant #loveforfood #traveldiaries #travelblogger (at Taj Palace, New Delhi) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIHAhlZlMA2/?igshid=i592jg2wh593

CHAPTER 2 : EVENING GLOW Brussels to Toronto is almost 8 hrs flight and a day flight is usually more tiring for us Cabin Crew members. Reasons are the requests of wide awake passengers who already slept on the previous leg from Delhi to Brussels. Nevertheless, we landed at Pearson Airport Toronto at around half past noon, local time. In India ,from where we started a day earlier, is almost midnight. But as a crew your Circadian rhythm has already gone for a toss so you get pretty used to it. It was a Friday afternoon with temperature touching mid 30 degrees. Summer for them, and pleasant for us. That very moment 04 out of us 15 decided to visit the famous Niagra falls, around 120 kms from the hotel we stay in Mississauga. Thanks to our Cabin Manager, we managed a free ride in Lincoln to Niagra and back !! 04 of us, dressed casually and oblivious of the fact that the moment we get into bed, won’t take more than a minute to fall asleep, went ahead on this joyful ride to Niagra falls. Driving along the banks of Lake ontario and crossing number of vineyards and fields we managed to reach Niagra in just over and hour. Maid of the mist took us almost beneath those huge falls, an experience like never before !! Sun was about to set after we were done with that boat ride and our cab driver, for the true gentleman he was, told us not to rush and take our own time to dry up and wait for the evening to move further cos thats when this street, right across the Niagra would come alive. And he was right !! The place then started bustling with crowd from all walks of life. We did our part by visiting a haunted house and eating at our favourite fast food joint. I was “then” years old when I came to know that fries can also be served with lot of melted cheese on top. Nikon D5100 was in action and again I wasn’t too technical about the modes I use. There are a lot of pictures from that day but these two sum up my trip beautifully #travelphotography #traveldiaries #niagarafalls #toronto #crewlife #nikonphotography #naturephotography #RumuzeArz #nofilter #travelblogger #aroundtheworld #nature #photography #jetairways (at Niagara Falls, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/CH74ZW9lxqk/?igshid=786dg9wrhgdh

Chapter 1 : CHINAR Chinar represents Kashmir, if not officially then atleast symbolically. Brought in from Iran during Mughal empire(probably during Humayun's reign), Chinar is not a naturally occurring Tree. All the trees are manually planted and most of them a long ,long time ago. A number of trees in and around Mughal gardens of Nishat and Shalimar were planted back then they were built. So don't be surprised if you see "Salim and Anarkali" carved out with a knife on one of the trees :) !! Chinar is a very popular part of Iranian and Turkish folklore and stories and for the same reason Chinar is reminiscent of Kashmiri heritage. The picture here you see was clicked by me in the summer of 2010 at Shalimar Bagh, one of the famous Mughal Gardens. Technically there is nothing special about this photograph, shot with Nikon D-80 DSLR camera. But emotionally it connects you to the idea of Kashmir !! #secretsoftheearth #Rumuz-e-Arz #chinar #photography #blogger #naturephotography #kashmir #mughalgarden #shalimar #captivatingkashmir #travel #travelphotography #nature #naturelovers #flora #kashmirdiaries #traveldiaries #travelblogger (at Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar) https://www.instagram.com/p/CH5b6UcFqhE/?igshid=38frooaar64n