Part 1 – Around Town/nightlife
Part 2 – Storm Days
Part 3 – When it goes blue
Part II
Part III
This place is awesome. I didn’t get shot, or blown up, or feel unsafe at any time. The Kashmiri people are super friendly and go out of their way to make you feel welcome. That said, some of them want something in return, but most are just glad your there providing them with tourist dollars
I stayed at the Green Heights, and I would recommend it to anyone. Great staff, great location, nice rooms, and cheap.
My room. Smaller is better because the wood stoves(bakari) are pieces of shit
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...n/IMG_0915.jpg
These little bastards wake you up by running across the tin roof
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ulmarg1478.jpg
Looking from the Green Heights towards the gondola(center big building)
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...n/_MG_4638.jpg
Beer and liquor are available and not expensive, but not exactly of the highest quality. The best beer available is Kingfisher and be wary of Godfather…
All the beer is marked, “between 5-8% alcohol” but the general consensus is that it a lot closer to 8% then 5%.
While getting drunk is an option, something else is much easier(and cheaper) to get
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...gulmarg344.jpg
Who can identify this man? Some hints: he cannot read or write, was a Mujahideen in Afganistan, makes the best tea, smokes 50 joints a day, and will entertain you for hours with the most ridiculous stories?(also note the stickers behind his head)
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ulmarg1243.jpg
Gulmarg is fairly spread out. Most hotels are close to the Gondola, but some are close to the bus stop about 750m away from the gondola. Everything is still close enough that you can walk everywhere though. It’s a quite town, but some of us conspired to make it more like a skiing town found in Europe or the States. Every Tuesday night @7 there was an avalanche awareness seminar put on by the two snow safety professionals(one was Brian Newman from Snowbasin). This would wrap up around 8ish and we would stay and drink. The other place was Friday nights at Bakshi’s restaurant(the best place to eat hands down as well). The party was put on by an aussi named Stewart and it was called, “Just a Little Bit Loose”
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/mc_roon/lbl.jpg
Bakshi’s is a common hangout for a lot of people at night, and on Fridays it’s packed and there is always some source of entertainment
An amazing Elvis impression
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ulmarg1254.jpg
One window at Bakshi’s
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ulmarg1775.jpg
Guns are very prevalent, but you really get used to them and don’t give them a second glance after a while. Now, what do you notice that is interesting in this picture?
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ulmarg1853.jpg
I never did get a proper explanation of why there was a picture of the last supper on the wall.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ulmarg1852.jpg
Since most locals are still stuck back in the 70’s and 80’s for skis and clothes, the local ski gear is well suited to gaper days…we decided to use this to our advantage. Towards the end of Feb it was decided to have a Chinese downhill/one-piece suit day. This idea took off, but those photos will be later. Pre-race day was the last true party before most of us left Gulmarg, and most of us showed up in out suits…
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...gulmarg437.jpg
Our computer DJs at the last party
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ulmarg1756.jpg
I feel that these people would fit in well on TGR. I’m furthest right…
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ulmarg1883.jpg
Make no mistake, you don’t come to Gulmarg for the nightlife, you come for the skiing.
Did I mention that it snows a little there?
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e218/mc_roon/snow.jpg
It’s a crazy place, but once you get used to it it’s your own little slice of heaven
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ulmarg1490.jpg