Ski India for $65 per day

---

Jesse, Nicole, Vrinda, Kim, and I headed up to Gulmarg in Kashmir for India's Republic Day Weekend. Upon arrival we had a late lunch at the Global Hotel restaurant. The food was decent and it felt like we were in a 1960s style Hookah Bar. There were a few foreigners running the place that had given up chasing the almighty dollar and decided to be ski bums. They put us up in rooms that cost Rs 1000 ($20.00) per night, food was about Rs 250 per meal ($5), and the gondola was Rs 150 per run ($3). If you eat three meals a day and ski 10 runs per day, it will cost you $65 per day including lodging. On days that you don't ski, it will cost you $35 per day. If you ski 10 days per month, that would be $1350 per month to live in Gulmarg in the winter. In my Goa blog you learned that you could live at the beach in a hut for $750 per month. Thus, if you spent 3 months of the year skiing and 9 months of the year at the beach, it would cost $10,800 to stay in India for a year. It would be a meager lifestyle, but it would allow you to write that novel you have talking about. Oh wait ... it was me who has been talking about writing a novel isn't it?

In the morning we headed off to learn how to snowboard. I have been a skier all my life but thought it would be fun to try snowboarding with Kim since we are both new at it.

Unfortunately, the only lifts that would allow boarders (versus skiers), were two gondolas and one was closed. The one that was open had the right incline for beginners but it was all trail skiing and the path was only 6 feet wide. Since it was our first day and we had not mastered the art of turning (on a 6 foot wide path), we had to fall on our butts every 30 feet or so to slow down.

It is hard to get back up when you fall because both of your feet are strapped to the snowboard. Since we were falling to stop every 30 feet, we got tired quickly. Word of advice … on your first day snowboarding … go to a mountain that has ski runs more than 6 feet wide so you can learn how to turn.

Kim got tired first, and she started sitting on her snowboard and riding it down the path. I called it butt boarding. She was having more fun butt boarding, so eventually Vrinda and I joined her. We butt boarded about half way down the mountain.

It snowed really hard all day. When we got back, Michael at Global Hotel told us that we may get snowed in if we stay the night. So after a day of snowboarding, Kim, Vrinda, and I headed down the mountain to stay on a houseboat in Srinigar.

We stayed at Yaseen Tuman’s houseboat. His family has been in the travel business hosting international travelers for 130 years (Mascot Travels [phone]). I’ll let the picture’s speak for themselves. This is a real endorsement. We won’t get a single penny if you stay on the boat in the pictures below. Thanks for stopping by.

---

Comments

[Aimee]

Miss you
Hi guys, Did you stay on the boat? It looks like you guys had fun. Wow, snowboarding in India, I went sled riding today with Caiden and Keira. We had 2" of snow and some more right now. I miss you guys, my cell is 443 824-9193, home 443 519 5366. I will be home tomorrow all day and Wednesday until 12:30pm. I would love to talk to you. Love, Aimee Perry

[Steve Sobota]

Cool!
You're living the dream baby, and that's WORD!

[Brian]

Good Times up ahead!
Hi guys, Thanks for great write-up. Very informative. My wife and I are planning to head up to Gulmarg this winter. We can't wait!! We are really excited about the skiing. However, we are a bit concerned about some of the military presence. Was safety every a concern for you guys with regards to the political disputes? Thank-you!