Describe A Long Car Journey You Went on Cue Card

Where you went?

The most recent vehicle trip I took was from Kashmir's Srinagar metropolis to Katra, which is on the outskirts of Jammu. Katra is roughly 240 kilometres from Srinagar and can be reached there in 7 hours.

What you did at this place?

The duration of the journey from Srinagar to Katra was too long. Most of the roads and connectors were under construction, and it was expected that there would be high traffic. Thus, to avoid the traffic and reach our destination in time, we started our journey earlier than planned. After we were done packing the luggage, me and my family members left for Katra at 9 am sharp. In order to reach faster, we took the NH 44 highway. 

The journey from Srinagar to Katra was long. The roads were also being constructed and hence, high traffic was expected. Therefore, in order to avoid the traffic, we decided to start early on our journey.

We packed our luggage and left for Katra by car at around 9 A.M. We took the NH 44 route. We stopped at a neighbourhood shop in the Pulwama area and got some dry fruits. We also enjoyed their special "Kahwa" Kashmiri tea. The traffic made the already oppressive weather even worse. They were building the roadways. Everywhere was covered with dust and dirt. However, the mountainous route to Katra offered beautiful scenery. The picturesque apple orchards and mustard fields next to the highway were visible, as were the snow-covered mountains in the distance. We stopped for lunch at a local 'dhaba' in the late afternoon as well. Two lengthy tunnels that were carved directly through the mountains were also used by us. The event was really pretty fascinating to me.

Who you went there with?

I was accompanied to Katra  by my parents and two of my uncles. Moreover, my uncle’s family also accompanied us on the trip. One of my cousins had come all the way from America in order to join us on this family trip.

Explain why you chose to travel by car?

Katra is a small town which is famous for Vaishno Devi temple. People can reach Katra by air and by train as well. However, the journey to Katra by road is the least expensive and more adventurous than the other two. Moreover, my family had not been on a vacation for quite some time. Travelling by car would allow us to spend more time with each other and at the same time, enjoy the picturesque landscape of the area. This was one of the most memorable trips I have had in my life and I am going to cherish it throughout my lifetime.

Where you went?

Lately, I have travelled by car from Srinagar city in Kashmir to Pahalgam town. This beautiful and small town of Pahalgam, located in the Anantnag district of Kashmir, is approximately 90 km from the capital city of Kashmir. It took us roughly 4 hours to reach this town.

What you did at this place?

We started our journey to Pahalgam town at approximately 11 A.M. The weather was quite pleasant and I completely enjoyed the light cold breeze on my cheeks.

En route to Pahalgam, we saw beautiful mustard fields on either side of the highway. The majestic snow-capped mountains overlooked these fields in the background. Cherry blossoms with pink and white flowers also grew beside the highway. We stopped our car at one such spot and clicked pictures. However, the pictures could not do justice to the sheer beauty of the landscape.

At around 2 P.M. We reached the famous apple gardens of Kashmir. We were able to see the apples since it was off-season. However, we managed to see the white flowers and buds of the apples. There was a river flowing near the garden. The water of the river was ice-cold and chilling.

There was mild traffic on the road. However, none of us seemed to get frustrated because of the traffic. All of us were enjoying the view and could not seem to get enough of this beautiful landscape.

Who you went there with?

I went to Pahalgam town with my parents. Two of my uncles and their respective families also accompanied us on this trip.

Explain why you chose to travel by car?

Pahalgam is a small town located in the mountains of Kashmir. The only possible way to reach this town in the mountains is by road. There are no air or train services leading to Pahalgam. Hence, we had no option but to travel by car. However, the tiring journey from Srinagar to Pahalgam was completely worth it. My journey to Pahalgam by car is among the best. It helped us experience the real beauty of Kashmir, rightly known as “Heaven on Earth”.

Where you went?

Once, I travelled from Kolkata to Siliguri by car. The city of Kolkata is approximately 562 km from Siliguri, located in the northern part of the state of West Bengal, and it takes roughly around 14 hours to cover this distance.

What you did at this place?

We packed our luggage and started for Siliguri at approximately 7 P.M. in the evening. The weather was hot and humid accompanied by a light breeze. We planned to reach Siliguri by 11 A.M. the following day. We started in the evening since we expected lighter traffic at night. At around 11 P.M., we pulled up at a local restaurant – Dhaba – and had our dinner there.

En route to Siliguri, I could only see paddy fields. The fields were covered in mist and fog. Since it was a full moon night, I happened to clearly see the paddy crops glistening in the moonlight. The entire scenery seemed to have come right out of the movie theatre. It was quite fascinating.

Who you went there with?

I embarked on this journey with my father and my grandmother. The person driving the car was a distant uncle. My father and my uncle took turns behind the wheel. In this way, all of us managed to get some sleep during the journey.

Explain why you chose to travel by car?

This journey was done during the Durga Puja festivities. During this time, train tickets were not at all available. Additionally, flight tickets had become quite expensive. Therefore, we had no other option left and decided to travel by car.

This journey from Kolkata to Siliguri has also been quite an experience. None of us was in any way uncomfortable or tired because we had travelled by our personal car. I would love to make this journey once again.