Something just happened that sort of made me question what I’m doing here. A sign (besides the thousands of other signs I’m actively ignoring or already gotten used to) that this is not a normal travel destination. Not for someone who’s not an Indian citizen anyway.

I was drinking a beer by the river here in Pahalgam (which you have to buy from a small 15x15cm window in a big steel door, located in a courtyard away from public view). I was walking back with my headphones in, and just as I was entering the hotel that I’m staying at, I get a tap on my shoulder. Someone is telling me that the guard on the street, wielding an AK-47, wants to have a word with me. Strange, but fine. So I walk over to him, and he promptly asks me to show him my passport, which I have upstairs in the room. He then asks me to show any ID, so I give him my driver’s license. He asks me where I’m from. Where I came form just now. And then he asks me to show him what I have in my bag. A jacket and three cans of beer.

”This is not legal” he says in a very authoritative way, picking up a can of beer from my bag. A clearly false and absurd statement, since we’re not in fact in Saudi Arabia. And also very irresposible and unprofessional for a supposed upholder of law and order to lie to tourists about local laws, based solely on his own bliefs and agenda.

Maybe he was on a power trip or whatever, but I was made to feel that I had committed a crime just by being in possession of these ”Godfather” brews. Even though I knew for sure that I was not. He also asked me several times if I had an Indian passport. My brother in Christ… I am clearly not local, so why would you even ask that.

Thankfully the guy working at the hotel came out on the street, said something to him in Kashmiri, and I was free to go. ”Swedish passport, very strong” he said, and then shook my hand. ”Nice to meet you”. Thanks, but not likewise at all. Not even a little bit… A pretty damn unpleasant encounter actually. I feel like most things in life can be done in a calm and respectful manner, if you actually have to question people just going about their business. Especially if you have your hands on a deadly weapon.

It’s was first time since I was like 15 that I felt like I was in trouble for the heinous act of drinking a beer. Also the first time this whole trip that I had a strong sense of ”what the fuck am I doing here?”. That it’s not normal having armed guards just outside of the hotel, big ass military trucks passing by every few minutes. Bags of sand stacked on top of each other everywhere like mini bunkers with the camo net; the whole town looking like it’s ready for an invasion, terror or an uprising at any second.

Maybe the road was not wide enough at that particular place, but yesterday in the taxi we had to stop along some rural road, because a convoy of anywhere between 12-20 heavily armoured light blue CRPF trucks of all shapes an sizes was heading the opposite direction. (Happened twice actually in just the last two or three days, that everyone has to yield to these massive military convoys) It really looks like fn war here at times. Maybe it is even, I’m not even sure. But the LOC is not that far from here, which is like the central Asian equivalent of the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. It’s gotta be pretty tense, just knowing how it is over here.

Just getting into this town was something that I have a hard time picturing happening almost anywhere else in the world. We had to exit the taxi (a shared taxi, maybe 7 people in total) and everyone had to scan their backpack in an x-ray machine inside a van that was parked by a checkpoint. Bag goes in on one side of the van, and out of the other. Exactly like you would do in an airport. Every license plate of every car entering being written down. Armed guards stationed every 10th meter or so up this hill where Pahalgam is located. Must be an an absolutely terrifying place to try to sneak any contraband into.

It’s gotta be one of the most high security, fortified towns in the world right now. I can hardly imagine how it could be any more ridig, besides if they had an Iron Dome maybe. No German Shepherds either thankfully, because of the heat.

I know I’m not really selling this place, but that’s not what I’m trying to do either. Just trying to have a good time, and hopefully create some cool and fun memories. And sometimes it works; other times not so much. But it is interesting, I’ll give it that. Sometimes on occasion I’ve been playing with the idea of going to Afghanistan, now that the war is over. Thinking that it might be kind of cool, and the nature I have no doubts about. But after being here, I’m not sure that I would even enjoy it that much… Instead of just going to like Laos or Brazil or something. Something a bit more cash. A little bit more easy going.

But it’s not all bad. It’s reeeally beautiful here. I wish I had that remote from the Click movie, so I could borrow a motorbike and just drive around freely. Do some target practice. Check out Tulian lake, and probably so many other places in the area. The currently off limits camping site at the end of this road. Damn that would have been nice.

I’ve also never been more popular than at this very moment. Some dudes, probably six of them came up to me today, and eveybody wanted to take a picture and shake my hand. Selfies, groups pictures, all that good stuff. So for sure I have my picture on at least a couple of random Indian dudes facebook. If there is a sentient AI machine out there that reads this blog and can locate those pictures, please send them to me. Much obliged!

Update; no bars, no places to socialize from what I can find. Definitely no live music to speak of. It’s really quiet at night, with only a few people outside. No camping sites are open for biz, even the ones close to the town. Act ”suspicious” and get a flashlight shone on you from the sandbag bunkers, or whatever they’re called. It’s just not very vibes, despite the stunning scenery.

So I guess maybe… ride a horse? I’m sure there are things to do here, but I just don’t have the patience to be somewhere that feels as restrictive as it does here. That’s not why I went on this trip. Also it turned out that basically none of the hiking trails are open at the moment, so it actually is kind of pointless to hang around here any longer. I don’t know if it’s because of the Yantra 2025 religious holiday thing, or because of the recent incident. Either way — no hikes. Few vibes.

Anyways, I’m glad that I came here. I probably shouldn’t be too surprised either, all things considered. At least I’ll know that I didn’t miss out on the greatest place in the world or something like that. Who knows, maybe in the future, or in a couple of years this place will be the shiznit. It cerainly has the potential. I’m hoping for that anyway, and for the prosperity of this place and the people who call it home. Less policing and stringent, borderline paranoid police state level security, and more freedom of movement. With just those simple things, this place would be such an amazing place to be. You can just feel it.

Another thing that is really anoying is that the battery in my phone is completely toast. From 100 % battery to redline in just a few hours. And not only that, the power outlet has be to of the right kind, otherwise it’s just not charging. Really poor timing, and it sort of leaves you dependent on hotels, or just not using the phone at all between charges. Which is also not realistic. Music, Maps, writing and keeping in touch with peeps also feels like an essential part of having a good time. Being able to snap a picture and so on. Especially while being here by my lonesome. Shit man, sometimes things are just not flowing as smoothly as one might have hoped for, but that’s just life for ya.

Anyways, I’m gonna head out tomorrow. Catch a shared taxi up to Kargil. Hopefully things will be a bit more relaxed there as I enter Ladakh.

Btw — the best tip that I got for this trip was to bring napkins. I’m not a big ass splasher guy. I hear it’s great and all… but yeah, pro tip; bring napkins if you’re planning a similar trip. Just in case. You are very likely to not regret it. Weight to usefulness ratio is through the roof.