STET Kashmir - Jan's first impressions

Jan is one of the participants on the short term exposure trip (STET) to Kashmir, led by Rev Dr Rob Bos. She shares her early impressions travelling through India and Kashmir:
The experience to date has been rich, exciting and mind stretching. I hardly know where to start to tell you all that has happened. India is an amazing place and has been a real cultural experience. Traffic must be seen to be believed. It's anything goes and every person for themselves. Everyone blows their horns in the traffic and it's mind blowing. That is of course through my eyes!!
The Golden Temple - a Sikh temple in Amistrar - was overwhelming. Yesterday, our journey from Jammu to Srinagar would have to be the highlight of my time so far. It took us 12 hours to go 295 kms, such was the traffic, the road conditions and the steep climbs us the mountains. The scenery was spectacular going up through the Himalayas. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure this is all happening to me. We could see snow on distant high mountains, and when we came into the Vale of Kashmir - well, that was a real picture!!
The weather has been very very hot, but today is raining and quite cool. All of the team is getting along so well together. I am learning heaps!! There are people and animals everywhere. I guess that's to be expected with a population of a billion people. We haven't got all the home comforts but that is nothing in comparison to
the experience we are having.
Eating lots of Indian food and enjoying it!! I had my baptism of fire in a restaurant in Delhi. I was given a wrong order which ended up being the hottest of hot curries. I managed to eat half of it with youghurt and rice and lots and lots of water. Now all the other curries I have taste mild!! Not quite sure if this is the way to go, but it was a fun experience.
This has certainly been the opportunity of a life time!
(for information on other STET's planned in 2005/6, email sandy@sa.uca.org.au)