Woke up really early to get to the airport in time but did our taxi arrived? Of course not. Well not a problem, we order a new one and what a taxi. It looked like a old Mercedes from the 70′ s painted as Jamaica’s flag. Now after I googled I know this is the biggest taxi company in New Dehli who drives those cars but it didn’t feel good to jump into the car. seatbelt didn’t exist and our luggage did almost fit, especially Martin skis was a problem and off we went to the airport and next problem.
Then we booked our flight SAS told us that they had a standard price for ski equipment which you pay at the airport. In Copenhagen on our way down that wasn’t a problem and we paid our €50 for the skis but they had probably sees skis before. At the airport in New Dehli they hadn’t and they had no idea about fixed price, instead they wanted to charge us for overweight and for the extra size and that wasn’t cheap at all. Both me and Martin refused to accept that and finally they solved it with upgrading us and not charge anything for the skis or for the upgrade. Pretty nice but I doubt it was our fact that changed their mind, instead I think they upgrades us just because we were such a pain in the as.
Once it was time to drop off our luggage that everybody we met during our trip has given us walnuts and we have saved those in our ski bags. The security staff looked really suspicious at us during the x-ray but they never said anything and we could get onboard and head back home to Sweden. It feels kind a mixed to get back home. It will be amazing to sleep in my own bed again, to be able to take a shower again but at the same time, I don’t looking forward to get back into the work-sleep-eat schema again.. I will really miss the laid back, calm feeling of Gulmarg!
My mum warned me before this trip that Beatles never was the same after they were in India. During this month I have experiences riots, earthquakes and avalanches. Ive been invited and been guided on the high altitude regiment, Ive been sitting in the living room at our hotel managers place and discussed Obama with an Iman in a mosque. I had the best skiing in my life in a snow which is so good I cant describe it. I have experienced more than I ever can write or talk about and to be honest, I think I have changed too, hopefully to the better.