22 things to do in Kashmir

1) Stay in a houseboat with Persian interiors for a day in Srinagar

2) Row yourself in a Shikara on the Dal Lake around sunset

3) Window shop at the Floating Market on Dal Lake

4) Appreciate the intricate carvings on wooden furniture and decoratives at display

5) Bargain heavily! Trust me on this one

6) Buy Dry Fruits and Kesar from Noor Mohammed (en route to Srinagar from Pehelgam)

7) Sip through Kawa (the Kashmiri tea) at the tea stall next to Noor Mohammed)

8) But Kashmiri Willow cricket bats for yourself or the cricket fans back home

9) Descend a steep slope on a pony

10) Cut your way through snow-covered roads and cross over to the other side

11) Climb on Ice-capped peaks without proper shoes, slip and fall

12) Do Ice Skiing and Sledging and fall innumerable times in the process

13) Hit others with snow balls and get hit even more

14) Dress up in traditional Kashmiri attire and get a picture clicked

15) Visit the Mughal Gardens and identify scenes from Bollywood movies shot there

16) Drink cold, fresh water from the spring at Chashma Shahi and find yourself burping later on

17) Indulge yourself with Rajma Chawal with ghee at a local dhaba

18) Cross the 2.5km long Jawahar Tunnel alone without other vehicles around you and get scared

19) Go through three-four layers of security checks at the Srinagar Airport while departing

20) Travel in a Gondola to the top of the mountain at Gulmarg and see the LoC

21) Don't get fooled by first impressions - realize as early as you can that only money talks in the tourist-dominated areas

22) Photography! Get yourself a digicam and click as much as you can

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