I had the strangest experience so far in India today, nothing negative, but certainly had me thinking of escape options while it was going on. After visiting a beautiful new park (well, a redesigned ancient one), a thrice baptized (Catholic, pentecostal and Lutheran apparently), former Sikh (while still looking like one- turban and beard) invited me to his house for lunch. It also turns out he is a part time dealer (and full time smoker) of weed, and his father is also a former Sikh, now unfortunately a very melancholic alcoholic following his wifes death. Conversations with both of them were certainly interesting! I am reading some Paul Theroux, and he always seems to find interesting local people to talk to, with such regularity that they seem rather impossible sometimes, but this has brought home that fact that the more people you speak to, the higher the change of meeting interesting people!
Kashmir as a place is beautiful and I would recommend anyone to visit. There seems to be no current fear of violence - indeed, the Indian government seems to have placated (or just imprisoned) much of the tension and anger that caused the earlier violence. While i dont see Kashmir getting its Independence any time soon, the improving economic situation has made some of the arguments less pressing, and as long as tourists keep coming here, I think it will remain peaceful. That being said, the Kashmiris have a genuine argument for their gaining Independence - it was promised by the first Indian prime minister. The problem is, is that it has become a pawn in the India-Pakistan tensions, and will most likely remain in that position.
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