The roads are immaculate here too, although the going gets slow when you pass through armed forces encampments such as the one at Udhampur. You need to slow down quite a bit when you enter these army areas, as speed limits have been posted and are strictly enforced. The army presence also manifested itself as we started taking the winding road up the hill to Patnitop, congested as it was by the presence of several army convoys. The tree-cover seems to grow the higher you climb, and Patnitop is quite easy on the eye. A roadside bhuttawla caught our attention at this juncture, and we stopped to enjoy some roasted corn between our explorations. We also checked out Sanasar, placed even higher up the hill than Patnitop, a spot famous for adventure sports and one that offers some stellar views of the surrounding landscape.
Driving through the Jawahar Tunnel on the way back down the other side of the hill was a unique experience too. This 2.85-km-long tunnel stands 7,198 feet above sea level, and is closely guarded by another massive army presence, and is also equipped with further security measures such as a tunnel lighting system, CCTV monitoring, emergency phones, and pollution and temperature sensors, along with a much needed ventilation system. Beware, though, of stopping or collecting any digital imagery of the tunnel, which is prohibited. A place where you can stop, though, is the curiously named Titanic Point, which you arrive at less than half-a-kilometre before the tunnel. Titanic Point offers a visual treat of the forested valley, and is a good place of respite on this route.
The roads gradually transitioned from hairpins to straights, and after we crossed the hill we stopped for a quick bite of traditional aloo paratha at a roadside dhaba. After quickly gobbing up the delicacy, we pushed on through the ‘green tunnel,’ a beautiful two-lane road lined with closely placed trees that conjure up illusions of solitude and emptiness. Pretty soon, though, the trees are replaced by little farms and dwellings, and shop upon shop selling famed Kashmiri willow cricket bats. Considering how cricket crazy India is, I wasn’t even surprised that hundreds of shops lined the road primarily selling these bats, along with a variety of other local produce thrown in for good measure. A quick stop to check out the wares and we were off again, Srinagar inching ever closer.
At last, small dwellings gave way to concrete structures and traffic started to thicken. A few twists and turns later a shimmering water-body could be seen on the crest of the road. Lined with a kaleidoscope of vibrant hues that could only be houseboats on the one side, and a long line of hotels both big and small, standing shoulder to shoulder on the other, I knew that this could only be the famous Dal Lake. Torn between looking out towards the lake or checking into the hotel, the decision was taken to check in first. The day’s excursions may have caught up with us, but the Santa Fe was still running as expeditiously as ever. As I entered the parking lot of the Welcome Hotel, our home for the night, reflecting on the trip just gone by, a thought popped into my head. The adventure may have come to an end for this part, but for my Santa Fe and I, it was only the starting point for another one. Jammu & Kashmir – I was finally here.
