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Before introducing Ladakh, I’d like to mention some pertinent points which every tourist planning trip to Ladakh should know and take care of.These are also the questions which are often asked in online travel forums like Tripadvisor, Indiamike and Lonely Planet’s Thorntree etc.The most recurring questions are related to acclimatization, ATMs, Petrol Pumps, acute mountain sickness and innerline permits along with the length of Ladakh tour itineraries.In this Hub I have tried to answer as many questions on Ladakh trip planning which popped into my mind or as a traveler myself I’d asked before venturing to this barren paradise.Nestled in the Trans-Himalayan region, in the state of Jammu & Kashmir in North India, Ladakh is one of the favorite jaunt for nature lovers and adventurous souls.Tourists from all over the world throng in this mountainous region to explore the less explored jewels of nature.Besides natural treasures, the region is also famous for its ancient Buddhist monasteries. Ladakh is often dubbed as ‘Little Tibet’ as it shares an international boundary with Tibet and play host to a sizable population of Tibetan Buddhists.Although a trip to Ladakh has a lot to offer but tourists are required to take some precautions as it is mostly a barren land and has low atmospheric pressure/low oxygen level at higher altitude.Going by the statistics of Google Trends, ‘Leh Ladakh India’ and ‘Leh Ladakh tour packages’ has the highest search results. In a bid to assist first time Ladakh travelers for the peak season (May to August), I have listed a few travel tips which could help you plan your trip to Ladakh.How to deal with high altitude and acclimatize in Leh LadakhWhile planning your trip to Ladakh, acclimatization is one of the most vital aspect of the itinerary sketching and should be given utmost importance. The rule is not to rush your Ladakh trip and give proper time for acclimatization.To adapt to the low atmospheric pressure condition you need to give yourself time for proper acclimatization. It is always advisable to keep first 2 days after your arrival in Leh for getting used to high altitude condition.Don’t just arrive in Leh and think of going to Nubra or Pangong or you could get seriously affected by AMS which may lead to severe headaches, nausea, restlessness, or even inability to walk and think and ataxia which in turn will ruin your vacation.Even the most fit people get affected by the Acute Mountain Sickness. Therefore, it is advised to take some precautions beforehand.Few points to keep in mind:Physical fitness is the first and the foremost thing you need to consider while undertaking a trip to Ladakh region.Increase your altitude gradually and compensate ascent with rest at places to acclimatize.Due to the low atmospheric pressure, it is necessary for a tourist to take the rest of around 2 days or 48 hours after reaching Leh.If you are suffering from high blood pressure, heart ailments and asthma, kindly abstain yourself from planning a trip to Leh Ladakh.Hydration is necessary but overdoing it could only harm you. Just increase your normal water intake by a liter and it will do. Dehydration does not necessarily leads to AMSDuring the cold weather, cover your head and ears with something warm.Don’t exert yourself physically too much. Never run here and there out of exscitement especially on passes. Low level of oxygen could lead to fatique in an instance and it would be literally very difficult to catch your breath. You mind feel the earth go round or even fall unconscious.Some preventive medicines do aid acclimatization and treat altitude sickness the most popular is Diamox, The local version of these medicine, a time tested and natural alternative is garlic soup or soup prepared with lots of GarlicIf you notice any early warning symptoms such as headache, nausea, dizziness and fatigue, take immediate rest and descend if you are on high altitude (as in Khardung La Top) without any delay.I know this one is difficult to do but avoid smoking and drinking alcohol on high altitude to prevent AMSIf you are taking Leh-Manali Highway then stop at Keylong, Jispa, Darcha and avoid if possible staying at Sarchu; else if you are taking Leh-Srinagar Highway you should spend overnight at Kargil (I am assuming that you have already spent a night in Manali or Srinagar respectively).If you are flying directly to Leh and 2 days should be the minimum time spent in Leh for acclimatization. During this period short detours to Thiksey, Hemis, Shey, Nimoo and Stok etc. to visit monasteries and palaces are always open for you to choose.And yes do not sleep during days. I know this was not required as who'd waste even seconds of time sleeping during day in such a magnificent land.Here’s my personal reckoning with AMSI had to face this during my stay just after descending Baralacha La.One bike in our group of three got stuck in a water stream on the pass due to vicious current and we had our feets, socks and even boots wet with water. Somehow we managed to reach a small settlement of tents near Baralacha La and had to stop there as getting to Sarchu was impossible. We had dinner and then went to sleep but at around 03:00 I woke up with severe headache which refused to let go. By sunrise it was feeling like hell but somehow I managed to get on my bike. I was feeling very weary but we did began our further descent and the headache abated even before we reached Sarchu.What to Pack for Ladakh TripClothing and Other EssentialsLadakh is situated in Greater Himalayas which means it is cold and at considerable elevation. As soon as you cross Keylong (Leh-Manali Highway) you will see considerable change in weather condition as well as landscape. The same changes will be apparent when you cross Zoji La on Leh-Srinagar Highway.The point is that traveling at such altitude during days will provide ample warmth and sun shine. It seldom rains in the Ladakh region and that is one of the reason Ladakh is considered to be one of the best monsoon holiday getaway in India.During day time a simple pullover or a jacket will do the trick but as soon as the sun go down mercury also falls sharply and temperature on thermometer reading could even reach zero. The evening is generally when people rest inside their accommodation and accommodations all along the route are warm enough.Even sleeping in tents is not a problem as blankets and quilts are provided by the owners. Mentioned below are few key things which you should pack when traveling to Ladakh.At least 2 Jackets and 2-3 pulloversA pair of hand gloves preferably woolen, and warm clothes/caps to cover your ear and necks especially so if you are a riderSoaps, towels, general medicines, bandages etc.2-3 pairs of thermocot inners4-5 pairs of socks (must for bikers)Good waterproof shoes for trekking and riding in case you are a biker as you’d have to face water streams on high mountain passes like Chang La, Baralacha La and othersOne warm sleeping bag if you are planning to camp along the routeCarry some vital medicines for Acute Mountain Sickness such as Avomine,Dexamethasone, Diamox and AcetazolamideLots of chocolates, biscuits and dry fruitsCamera, chargers for cell phone and other basic thingsPacking Tips for Bikers on Ladakh Road TripBesides above mentioned stuffs you will also need:A pair of good raincoats as more often than not riders to face rain After crossing Chandigarh and before crossing Rohtang La Pass on Leh-Manali Highway. On Srinagar-Leh Highway you are more likely to get caught in the rain until you reach Zoji La.Alternatively, you could use raincoat as wind-cheater and they also help keep your clothes clean all along the dirt track on passes and Moore Plains. The cloud of sand and dirt is too much especially when an army convoy is passing and when you are crossing passes on which overtaking takes trucks and other vehicle takes longer due to narrow roads.Water Proof GlovesBoots to keep your feet, shoes and socks from getting wet at water stream flowing on passes especially the one at Baralacha La which is one of the most vicious another tough water stream to cross is at Chang La. The trick is not to cross the stream from middle and keep your bike in first gear and use clutch to maintain traction and throttle.Spare tube, puncture kit, clutch wire, break wire, chain lock, gear oil, engine oil, spark plugs etc are a must pack in your bag. Also carry petrol jar if you are taking Leh-Manali Highway as the last petrol pump that you’ll find is at Tandi which is around 380 Kms before you find the next at Karu. So 10-20 litres of extra petrol is what I’d recommend you to carry.Puncture shops are also not available and even if you find one, there is no guarantee that they will have the tube hence a tyre tubeis a must pack item even if you don’t have puncture kit.Leh - Ladakh Bike Rental Costs 2014Bike nameModelMin. Rate per dayRoyal Enfield500 CC All Models1500Royal Enfield350 CC Classic/Thunderbird1600Royal Enfield350 CC Electra1000Royal Enfield350 CC Standard900Honda ActivaAutomatic1400Bajaj Avenger200 CC900Bajaj Pulsar200 CC900Bajaj Pulsar150 CC700Yamaha FZ, Hero Impulse700Scooters125800Automatic Bikes without Gear700The cost of hiring motorcycle in Leh Ladakh as announced by Ladakh Bike Rental Association which governs the rate in the region.A look at Innerline Permit formSee all 20 photosThese are the fields in the application form that you need to fill to obtain inner line permits at DC office in LehNew Rules for Inner Line Permit 2014The good news this year (2014) is that Indian won't require any inner line permits to visit destinations in Ladakh.As per the new circular issued by the office of District Magistrate of Leh, Indian Nationals will no longer need to apply for inner line permits to visit certain inner areas like Turtuk, Panamik, Khaltse, Pangong, Changthang, Hunder, Nubra Valley Tso Kar and Tso Moriri etc. in Ladakh.But you would need to carry your Nationality ID proof (Driving Licence, Voter ID etc.) which will have to be presented at certain check posts where earlier Indians were required to submit a copy of inner line permit.But still you are on a motorcycle and your route involve crossing or travelling to Hanle, Chusul, Tsaga, beyond Loma bend, Chumur, Marsimik La, Batalik sectors then you'd still need to apply for and obtain inner line permits as per the earlier procedure before traveling to these places.The new rules for inner line permits will really help those travelers who don't want to come back to Leh after Tso Mori Ri and head straight to Manali thus saving them a precious day.Bbut I'd personally advise against coming to Tso Mori Ri from Manali directly as it would lead to acute mountain sickness (located as it is at an altitude of avove 15,000 feet).And I assure you this will ruin your trip.How to obtain Inner Line Permits in LadakhGetting Innerline Permits for Indians and Protected Area Permits for Foreign TravelersTo visit certain inner areas like Turtuk, Panamik, Khaltse, Pangong, Changthang, Hunder, Tso Kar and Tso Moriri etc. in Ladakh even foreign residents need to obtain innerline permits.Visiting Hanle, Chusul (for Pangong to Tso Mori RI by road), Tsaga, beyond Loma bend, Chumur, Marsimik La, Batalik sectors will still require Indian Nationals to obtain inner line permits.Travelers from overseas (with exception of residents of Burma, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan) need to obtain Protected Area Permit (PAP) to visit the above places. In case of foreigners, the permit is issued only for a group with four or more foreign tourists.For foreign tourists, it is also mandatory to go through a registered travel agent in order to obtain the Permit. The travel agent will also help you group together with others in case you are traveling solo or couple so that your permit could be obtained.Innerline Permits for Indian nationals are valid up to 3 weeks and Protected Area Permit is issued for a maximum of 7 days. You need to re-apply for the same if you are planning to visit more remote areas in Ladakh region.What's good in case of Foreign tourist's PAP is that they need not travel in same group or with the travel agent which will be mentioned in the permit.Traveling to Suru and Zanskar Valley does not require inner line permits. Foreign visitors can't go beyong Merak Village in Pangong or Mahe Village in the Changthang.The application forms for obtaining the permit is easily available at the stationary shop just behind the Leh DC office.Leh DC office opens at 9.00 AM and application for permits are usually not accepted after 03:00 PM (The office remains closed on Sundays and National Holidays)Its always advisable to reach the office as early as possible to avoid the rush and to get the permit in a hassle free way.The fee required for the permit is Rs. 200 per person as environment tax + Rs. 20 per person per day as wild life protection fee and Rs. 10 Red Cross Donation.Carry a valid photo ID and photocopies of your proof of Nationality(Passport, DL, Voters ID etc.)One person may apply for entire group provided he/she is carrying attested photocopy of proof of nationality of all member in the groupAfter acquiring the permit make sure that you carry 4-5 copies of the permits and photo id proof. You may require to subit them at certain checkposts by the military personnel who track entry and exit at certain points to check if a tourist has returned or not.It's more for your own safety as one may get stranded during trek or may get stuck due to bad weather condition.Mention all major places you are traveling to in the permit i.e. if you are spending night in Spangmik you need to mention only Pangong Lake. Certain places and in some cases even routes need to be mentioned.I, order to take the Chushul route from Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri, with a visit to Hanle, you need to mention Pangong Tso, Man, Merak, Chushul, Tsaga, Loma, Nyoma, Mahe, Hanle and Tso Moriri in the permit application.Accommodation in LadakhDue to the conditions and nature of Ladakh region, luxury hotel properties or accommodation are not available in the region. There’s one luxury hotel in Leh Town by the name of Grand Dragon.At other places you’ll find budget and deluxe or even luxury tents and camps some with basic facilities and some with running hot waters and attached western toilets. Homestays are easily available at most of the places with basic facilities and would cost 150-200 per person for the night.Luxury Camps with attached toilets and running hot water will cost you around 3000-5000 for two person. You could also book your accommodation in advance through the internet or calling the hotels and camp providers or may may check in upon arrival as Ladakh is not one of the places which has those ”peak seasons” when the rooms are fully booked in advance.Accommodation for Bikers along Leh-Manali and Leh-Srinagar HighwayFor bikers accommodation is available all along the route on both Leh-Manali and Leh-Srinagar Highway. To allow for acclimatization, bikers taking Leh-Manali Highway, accommodation is available at Keylong, Jispa, Darcha and Sarchu and one should stay for the night at one of the places.Most of the bikers stay at camps in Sarchu. But if you have arrived at Zingzing Bar late in the afternoon, avoid crossing Baralacha La as the water stream which crosses the road on this pass gets dangerous to cross due to strong current.Return to Darcha or Jispa to spend overnight. One could also stay at Pang but watch out for AMS as Pang and Sarchu are located at an elevation of 15,100 and 14,100 feet respectively. So don't cross Baralacha La if you are already feeling mountain sickness or if there are any symptoms like headache or nausea and stay at Jispa or Darcha at 10,800 feet and 11,020 feet respectively.If you are riding from Srinagar, then I’d advise you to stopover in Mulbekh instead of Kargil or even Lamayuru if you could make it. Kargil is overpriced and an overrated place to spend the night not to mention that accommodations here are way overpriced.Personally I'd recommend taking Srinagar route and return via Manali as it helps in acclimatization. If you are on a road trip to Ladakh via Manali route than I'd advice that you stay for the night at Jispa, Darcha or Keylong to avoid any risk of AMS.Petrol Pumps in Leh LadakhIf you are traveling by road and doing Ladakh by Motorcycle or 4 Wheeler, you need to know where the petrol pumps are and when you need to keep reserve petrol in cans and jars so that you don’t run out of fuel on the highway.This is imperative especially if you have chosen Leh-Manali Highway for your road trip. The last petrol pump that you’ll find on this route is located at Tandi and the next one is at Karu which is around 380 kms away. It is always advisable to carry petrol in reserve so that you don’t get stranded just because you ran out of petrol.Similarly if you are Planning Leh – Pangong – Tso Mosriri – Rumtse – Leh or Leh – Nubra – Pangong Leh which would be like traveling more than 700 – 900 kms, then get your tank full and carry plenty of petrol in reserve as you are going to need it.At some places petrol are available at local shops and residences near roadside settlements along the route but you need to pay luxury surcharge to buy them and the quality of petrol is not guaranteed.You need not worry about petrol or fuel if you are taking Leh-Srinagar Highway as you’d find enough petrol pumps en route.ATMs in Leh LadakhMoney Matters during Ladakh Trip: Tips on Cash and ATMsExcept from some antique shops, credit cards are not accepted by any of the hotels and travel agents. Therefore, carry a good amount of cash with you. If you find carrying cash a bit risky, go for plastic money i.e. the debit cards and withdraw money from the ATM’s whenever required. ATMs of several banks like SBI, AXIS Bank, J&K Bank, PNB etc. are available in Leh Town from where you could easily withdraw as per your need. More interior places like Pangong, Changthang etc. don’t have that facility so carry your cash when traveling to inner areas in Ladakh region.General Travel Tips to Plan your Leh Ladakh TripRespect the Local CultureWhile on a trip to Ladakh region, kindly show respect towards the local culture and abstain yourself from doing such activities which are against the norms of Tibetan Buddhist culture. The Tibetan Buddhist culture is quite ancient and conservative, so dress properly and cover your full body. Always take permission before clicking photographs of any person. If they ask for money, don’t click pictures.Communication Facilities in LadakhThere are STD booths available in most of the markets in Ladakh region but they close down before 10 PM. On the other hand, Kargil has a global direct dialing telephone facility, other than post and telegraph facility. Adding to that is the wireless Radio phone network service of Jammu & Kashmir Tourism station with field stations at Leh, Padum and Kargil. During May to August (peak tourist season), Jammu & Kashmir Tourism establishes mobile wireless stations in the remote areas.Avoid Usage of Plastic BagsBoth locals and tourists are responsible for the well maintained environment. Therefore, do not litter around the place. Also, plastic is officially banned in Ladakh; hence avoid the use of plastic and polythene bags.Carry Proper Documents for Bike TripIf you are heading to Ladakh on a motorcycle, you will come across some high land passes such as Changla Pass, Zojila Pass, Fatula Pass and Khardungla Pass. Since all these areas have a huge military presence, it’s better you carry permit, vehicle registration, driving license, and bike insurance paper.If you are looking for someone else to plan your journey or need more information on attractions, places, lakes and passes then I'd recommend you to visit the website of lehladakhindia.com.

Did the fraternal grandmother have the consent of a custodial parent? Like did dad have custody and she traveled with the child? If she was not appointed a legal guardian, then she had not authority to sign the medical papers. As for school, did the child live with her? If yes, while it probably was not correct the she signed field trip forms as stuff, it don’t think that is such a big deal. Where were you while all of this happened?

I visited Pakistan way back in 2006. This article published in the Hindustan Times still makes an interesting read. Posting it here :Jis ne Lahore nahi wekhya o jamya hi nai (One who has not seen Lahore is not yet born: your life is worthless if you have not seen Lahore) goes an old Punjabi saying. These words were constantly echoing in my mind when I received an invitation from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) for participating in a conference in Lahore. It was an invitation too difficult to resist.Pakistan is a very special place for me, as it is for every member of the huge displaced Punjabi community, which suffered the pangs of the partition and settled in India, becoming refugees in their own country. I am born and brought up in India, of parents who hailed from that part of India, which is now Pakistan. My father and grandfather once lived in a small village called Akora Khattak in Nowshera in NWFP, while my mother and her relatives lived near Rawalpindi. So when ICAP extended an invitation to me to participate in a Conference in Lahore, I was so excited. For me a visit to Pakistan was a visit to my motherland, my matrabhumi, and I applied for the visa immediately.The first setback I received when the visa application was not accepted for processing by the Pakistan Embassy on the ground that they had not yet received the clearance from Ministry of Interiors. I live in Nagpur, a city in the central part of India, far off from Delhi. The planned day of my departure was 13th January and until 11th, the clearance of the Ministry of Interiors had not been received. I was in a tight corner: I could not book my air tickets or bus ticket since I did not have visa issued to me. I thought of giving up, but the desire to visit the place where my parents once lived was so great, I was determined to go. When I enquired about the bus service, I was told that the bus was booked fully until the 20th; in any case, they would not book my ticket unless I had a visa granted to me. Indian Airlines flies twice a week to Lahore and the days were not suitable to me.I boarded a train to Delhi without a visa in my hand on 11th night. I instructed my travel agent to apply for visa again on 12th morning. I kept calling my agent from my cell during my journey and her reply was in the negative, every time I called, she would tell me that visa was yet to be processed. I reached Delhi, called her, she asked me to meet her in her office, and she expected the visa to be delivered by the time I reached there. Reaching her office, my joy knew no bounds when I found that my passport had been stamped with a visa to visit Pakistan. I had already my train ticket booked for Ludhiana by 8 PM train from Old Delhi station, and rushed there to board the train in time.Next morning I was at Wagah border proudly showing my papers, when I received another setback: "Sorry sir, you can't cross the border on foot unless you have a foreign passport, or unless you have a special permission from Ministry of External Affairs" I vaguely remembered one of the delegates was talking about obtaining the permission, but since I was in time for the train at Atari, I decided to travel 5 kilometres to Atari and board the train, Samjhota Express, from there. Though subsequently the permission from the Ministry was received, I preferred the rail journey for the return trip also. I was wondering why they should give special privileges to foreign passport holders? I met an NRI, an American passport holder who proudly walked through Wagah whereas we lesser mortals are required to go through the ordeal of the train journey.The Indian officer at Atari gave me a strange look when he found a Sikh travelling to Pakistan, and looked at my visa with suspicion. Obviously, people who travel by Samjhota are the people in India and Pakistan who have relatives on the other side of the border. And there are only a handful of Sikhs who live in Pakistan. The visa read, 'Indian Delegation' and he enquired about the rest of the members of the delegation, I replied that he might consider me as a one-man delegation. He was certainly not amused. I then had to tell him politely that it was none of the business of the Indian authorities to look into the reason why the visa was granted, it was for the Pakistani authorities to look into that. The officer advised me to remove my disemarkment form from Passport and keep it safely elsewhere, since the officers on the other side were likely to throw it away, and I would have difficulties on return. I asked him, are they bad on us, his reply was, "Assi unha nu taan bilkul hi nahi bakshde, oh saanu kyoun bakshange?" ( "We certainly don't spare them, why would they spare us?") I noticed a similar attitude across the border also when I asked a Pakistani officer whether people sometimes cross the border illegally. "Tusi tapde ho, assi nahi" [ "You (guys) jump ( the border) we don't ], then added that it was 10 years ago at the height of the Punjab border, now it doesn't happen. I later realised that this hostility exists only at both side of the border, and is non-existent as you travel in the countries. Sparing these two incidences, I did not come across any other occasion when anybody spoke bad about people on the other side of the border.The train journey is the most traumatic experience. This journey deserves an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records as the slowest train journey in the world. It may take you more than 12 hours to travel 60 kilometres!! First, nobody at the station will ever tell you when the train is likely to arrive. Time for the start of the train from Lahore is 8 AM, it reaches Wagah, the Pakistani side of the border where, all 400 odd passengers alight for immigration and customs clearance, the train restarts after all the passengers have been cleared, which usually happens in late afternoon. The train arrived at 3 PM, and we boarded the train. I found 3 more delegates at the station and we now became a delegation in true sense of the term. Having boarded the train, I congratulated myself thinking that it was only an hour more for me to reach Lahore!! When I asked the officers when the train reaches Lahore, everyone smiled, and like always were non-committal. The train, guarded by Indian army men, who rode on horseback to see off the train to Pakistan border, entered Pakistan, and soon we were at Wagah station, not knowing that we had to go through another frustrating experience. There were two immigration officers and two customs officers and they were supposed to clear more than 400 travellers. People travelled with so much baggage, as if they were moving house! Baskets of paan ( betel) leaves, yards of clothes, mixer-grinder, kitchen appliances were being carried by most of the passengers. I was also told that some of them even dissemble bicycles and carry them in their baggage, since the price of a bicycle in Pakistan is Rs 3000! (This article was written in 2006 when the price of bicycle in India was perhaps Rs 1000) The attitude of the officers was that of callousness and indifference. One officer would shout at people at the top of his voice, when I sarcastically told him he had a very impressive voice, he proudly said that when he shouted the BSF jawans at the Indian border could also hear him!Samjhota Express, was an obsolete looking train and truly justified the name samjhota, compromise! Pakistan still manages with the technology that is at least 3 decades old. The train stopped a few kilometers before Lahore, since a Toyota van had obstructed the track! We finally reached Lahore in the middle of the night. To our pleasant surprise, our hosts were eagerly waiting for us at the railway station. Throughout our trip the hosts made sure that we were comfortable and showed great hospitality to all the Indian delegates. We were transported to our hotel at Mall Road. I had heard a lot about Lahore from my parents and grandparents, and was obviously not interested in sleeping, but would rather like to visit places even if it was the middle of the night. When I told this to Major Ajmal Masoon, Asstt Manager Admn, ICAP, he readily obliged, and took us straight to the Food Street at Gawalmandi. It is a pedestrians' lane, well lit, surrounded by pre-partition Indian architecture. It offers the choicest of Mughlai, Lahori, Pakistani and bar-be-cue cuisine at a very reasonable price. Even at such odd hours I could see so many people glutting, indeed Lahoris are voracious eaters whose lives revolve around food!Next morning we began our trip in the alleys and lanes of Anarkali, a place I had heard a lot about from my parents and grandparents. Of all the bazaars in Lahore, Anarkali is most fascinating. You name anything and you get it here, whether it is leather goods, or handicrafts, or ethnic wears, or anything else under the sun. Legend has it that the bazaar was named after Anarkali who was Akbar's courtesan . She, according to legend was put to death by Emperor Akbar for having a love affair with prince Salim, later known as Jehangir. Anarkali is the place to discover the old world charm, the glib-talking shopkeepers who obviously enthused to see Indians visiting them, would not let you go without buying their stuff. The Food Street in Anarkali was a connoisseur’s delight. With a wide variety of food, it is sure to add inches to your waistline. It was a delight to see such dishes as katlamma, exotic kebabs and biryanis.What is most amazing is the attitude of the people in Pakistan. I being a turban wearing Sikh am too conspicuous to be ignored. "Sardarji Sat-sri-akal" the greetings followed me wherever I went. And I would reply to them with the same enthusiasm. People stopped us for no reasons just to greet us. "Assi twade tabedaar haan, tusi saade mulk aaye ho" ( “We are grateful to you for having come here”) was what was echoed everywhere we went. The offer to have a cup of tea with them was difficult to refuse, with the result that every few minutes I would be found sipping a cup of tea with a stranger who would narrate his experiences with great enthusiasm and would suggest that the border should be thrown open for the public of both countries to visit each other without restrictions. The shopkeepers would refuse to take money for the goods bought saying that they will not take any money from their guests. One small shop owner selling imarti was in tears when I offered him the money for a few pieces of piping hot imartis I had bought from him , “Tusi saade mehman o, assi Lahoriye pyaar de pukkhe haan, paise de nai” ( “You are our guests, we Lahoris want your love not money”) Even the autorikshaw-wallah would accept the fare only after much insistence!!One of the most prominent structures in Lahore is the massive Lahore Fort which was built by Akbar in the 1560s, and which towers over the old city of Lahore. Then there is the famous Minar-e-Pakistan, where the Muslim League first passed a resolution for a separate Muslim nation. Opposite the Lahore Fort is the samadh of Guru Arjan Dev, who lost his life while fighting near here in the waters of the Ravi River, which used to flow past the Fort walls those days. Samadhi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh is located outside Lahore Fort.More than the prominent historical buildings and structure, it is the bright dresses, beautiful women, warm hospitality, the hustle and bustle of the city and a happy-go-lucky attitude of people with genuine love for their own brethren from India, which left me spellbound. Despite what politicians on both sides of the border say!Speaking of politicians, the Chief Guest in the ICAP Conference was Omar Ayub Khan, Minister of State for Finance , Pakistan, son of the ex-Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub and the grandson the the ex-President Field Marshall Ayub Khan. A very impressive young man Omar Ayub Khan spoke at length about the state of Pakistan economy and the rapid pace of progress of the country under the regime of the President Musharraf. A very impressive speech it was from a very learned Minister. However the topic suddenly changed to Kashmir and he advised the Indian guests to “pressurise your government” to solve the Kashmir problem. It was a quick aside, and the Minister quickly resumed his earlier discussion. Obviously, the politician had not forgotten that he would not be able to justify his existence to many unless he touched upon the Kashmir issue. Later in private conversation with the Minister, I found that he had great love for the Sikhs, ostensibly because his room-mate for 4 years during his University studies in the USA was a Sikh.On my return journey a wise old Lahori smiled and remarked, “Tussi hun jum paye ho” ( “You are now born, having visited Lahore” How true!!