A Country Called Kashmir

The men outside of the Wooden Mosque in the striking city of Srinagar are adamant: “Kashmir is separate from India”. It is one of the first three topics of conversation for which people approach me, along with my nationality and questions regarding religion.

[Scribbled on a wall in Srinagar]

“Drinking Whisky Makes Driving Risky”

It’s 1.30 in the morning. I’m awake for what must be the earliest start of my life. I don’t want to be awake at this hour, but I know it will be worth it. The minibus from Manali to Leh in India’s northern Ladakh region leaves at 2 and will take a gruelling 18-20 hours. That much time to cover just 450 kilometres. That spells it out loud and clear; there are obstacles along the way which are sure to make it a spectacular ride. Himalayan roads…

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"Octopussy Every Night"

Walking around the more touristic parts of Rajasthan’s white city, Udaipur, I kept coming across signs announcing what the headline reads – "Octopussy every night", more specifically, at 19.00. In fact, just about every guesthouse boasts a sign of this sort. I could only suspect this to be the title of a 007 movie.

Mumbai's Five-Star Slum

Dharavi in Mumbai, India is said to be the biggest slum in all of Asia. An estimated one million people are squeezed into roughly 1,6 square kilometres – leaving each person with a good square metre and a half on which to go about their days. It is not a welcoming place for people who have grown up in more bountiful surroundings. But Dharavi’s inhabitants are an ingenious lot, and the result is a slum with prospects, complete with markets, banks, police station, schools and mostly paved – although very narrow – alleyways.

 [Although quite decent conditions for a slum, it’s still a far cry from being child-friendly]