And a quick word about Malaysia...

Hi, it's Beth. I have to say Happy Birthday to my Dad and sisters Suse and Chris and of course Raju Singh! We are celebrating my birthday on a beautiful houseboat in Kashmir and I couldn't have asked for a nicer setting. But first we better say a few words about Malaysia because I'm not sure anybody besides Samir is taking that country on. We are all so taken with Kashmir, it's hard to look back and write about the past. But I think Samir did mention a $180 mistake that he would leave to me to own up to. Well, it's called Langkawi Marine Park and everybody told us how beautiful it was and how great the snorkeling was. And to Azim and my credit, we were skeptical having just snorkeled in the Gili islands. But the kids really liked snorkeling so we thought we would try it again. Also to our credit, we tried to hire our own boat from a local, knowing we didn't want to go on a big group tour. But, being a "protected" marine park, you could only go with one or two tour operators. So we had no choice and the pictures did look beautiful and it was an all day trip, but it ended up being our $180 mistake and for me the worst one we've made so far. The boat ride left at 10:00, not 9:30-it took 1 1/2 hours, not 1-we stayed and snorkeled just 3 hours, not 5 and on and on. But we got there, put on our equipment and then looked at all the garbage we had to wade through to get to the coral. Made it past that point and realized the marine park was roped off so all 100 people from both tours snorkeled in two small areas. All of this was very depressing, but we figured we're in the water, let's look at the fish. Well, the water is pretty cloudy because everybody is feeding the fish white bread. But, you can still see the fish because they swim unnaturally all around you in huge groups looking for food and that was pretty creepy...I think we managed 1/2 an hour in the water before lunch and when the tour operators dumped everybody's leftover lunch of chicken and more white bread into the ocean (buckets of it!) to bring in the reef sharks looking for handouts, we called it quits. Sat on the dock and watched all the other tourists feed the fish and then throw their plastic bags and water bottles into the ocean after they got their picture. The kids couldn't stand it anymore and set about cleaning up the beach, a slightly hopeless task because for every bottle they picked up, I saw a tourist chuck another one in-but at least they did their part. And that is one place I wouldn't recommend to anyone! We had to go to an Aquarium in Kuala Lumpur on our last day in Malaysia to leave with a good feeling about marine life!
So, we left Malaysia looking forward to India and Kashmir, well, Kashmir anyway. Arrived in Delhi to 40 degree weather and spent from 9:00 pm to midnight looking for a hotel (we never learn). But the next day was spent swimming and eating at "The American Diner" and doing our favourite Indian pastime, riding in rickshaws, so we were all glad to be back. Then we went to a travel agent looking for information on Kashmir and did what we swore we would never do again-booked a houseboat for two nights, sight unseen! But the guy told us it was brand new and we would be the first to use it so we figured cleanliness would not be an issue. Well, we did something right because it is the most beautiful houseboat I have ever seen and we are living in the lap of luxury with a living room, dining room, two bedrooms and three delicious meals a day! We step out the front door and into a water taxi that will take us all around Dal Lake and the canals that connect it to other lakes. And all of this is surrounded by the beautiful Himalaya Mountains...what more could you ask for. We are all gushing about Kashmir, so much so that Azim does not feel the need anymore to write on this blog from India. But we are off on a five day trek through the Himalayas with tents and ponies and after that it's on to Ladakh by jeep, so he may have something to add after that. More to come from some of us anyway!

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