The following morning, we flew to Kashmir. In retrospect, this was not a good idea. We were persuaded by the travel agent's talk of a ceasefire, and by speaking to tourists who were up there, but it is against FCO advice - and with good reason. Security at the airport was tight, and the first thing we saw as we touched down was a tank. Kashmir is a warzone and Srinagar is a heavily militarised city.

If you can forget the soldiers - difficult since they were everywhere - Srinagar is a poor but interesting place, with mosques and markets, and a cooler climate than most of India. There are beautiful historic gardens, and lots of tiny shops along winding streets selling everything from clothes to sinks to meat with eyes and tail still attached.