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Kashmir is safe for tourists, Don't go by media reports.

I have always wanted to visit Kashmir and so when the opportunity arose I went.
I knew it is a Muslim state, extremely beautiful, famous for its shawls, houseboats on Dal and Nigeen Lakes and long curfews and a history of violent clashes with the armed forces over Kashmir's desire for independence.

I expected it to be flooded with tourists domestic and foreign like the rest of India. It wasn't . Some Indians came and fewer foreigners. In Kashmir people told me visitors think 100 times about going or not going to Kashmir. But I didn't think twice. I like risky destinations.
I had seen and read all the reports of violent clashes. The media is full of images of stone pelting in Srinagar and dangerous militants justly killed by a brave Indian armed forces .
But there is another side to this conflict and one the media never addresses. Kashmir is Muslim. India is not. India has a broadly common culture. Kashmir is Islamic. Kashmiri is a uniquely different language. The people look different. Their cultural heritage is different.

And Kashmir is above all else a peaceful place. True, during the months I spent there strikes and stone pelting were frequent. Locals tell me that a shot fired in a distant village sends all the Indian tourists flooding to the airport. Driving on the Jammu Highway early one day I saw evidence of recent stone pelting and increased Army activity I drove on.
Strikes were also frequent but I felt them to be only boring as my activities were restricted to the Green Zone. I never saw violence or heard a shot fired.
Locals often talked about the 6 months curfew of 2015 when life came to a long standstill. This was always at the back of my mind when I heard another strike had been called. I wanted to enjoy Kashmir to the full, not be forced to leave.
Indian Army and checkpoints are everywhere in Kashmir. My car was often stopped for checking. It was routine and  as a visitor I didn't feel that was anything  more than a boring detail.
I went to all the villages and towns where militants had been killed. I found bustling markets and villages somnolent in the autumn sun. Nobody  ever  threatened me. I never felt unsafe or uneasy.  I went everywhere in Kashmir.
I felt as safe in Kashmir as I do in the UAE- and that is the safest country in the world.
I originally came to this beautiful place for a 10 day tour as part of a trip to  India. But Kashmir exceeded my expectations and I surrendered to its charms. I stayed for 3 months until my visa expired. Then I got another visa and stayed for 2 more months.
Kashmir is many stories. Its isolation from the mainstream of India only adds to its charm for a discerning traveler.
I loved seeing the rich cultural traditions that are prevalent in the villages and very evident when the visitors departed in the autumn.
I love the unspoiled beauty of Kashmir.
Kashmir is a very safe destination. I intend to return.  Kashmir is addictive.
I am a Muslim lady from England now living in UAE.  I am traveling alone which is sometimes very challenging because of the cultural constraints of my situation as a Muslim woman traveling by herself.
I spent a total of 5 months in Kashmir.

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