The Shopkeeper at Gulmarg

We wanted to do some shopping at Gulmarg itself, as we were not confident about the conditions at Srinagar. When we visited Kashmir it was restless and felt a little unsafe.

And we found that even though there were many hotels, restaurants and snow boot renting shops but only place to buy shawls, t-shirts etc at Gulmarg. For me buying something for my daughter is a must, that is my entry fee to get back to my home!

For my daughter I bought a poncho which she absolutely refused to wear! I realized everything has to be soft or she refuses to wear it! Eventually we had to give it away.

After I finished my shopping at the only shop, the shopkeeper said, “you were so soft, otherwise women bargain quite hard.” I bought a stole quite similar to what you see in the display. It is a beautiful design but it cost me a bomb. On second thoughts, maybe I should have bargained! But then I am so bad at bargaining. I don’t even know where to start.

Living in India bargaining is a everyday skill, you are supposed to bargain at the vegetable vendor, the auto guy, the flower vendor, the crafts shop etc! I remember clearly in Ladakh that one shopkeeper reduced the price of a t-shirt on his own saying I thought you would bargain! He said as everyone bargains we increase the price in the first go!

I am wondering if this Gulmarg shop was the same! But then I have bought the stole, I quite like it and I paid price which I thought was fair! So I think that will do!

But I will have to wait for the next season to use it as winter has gone away from NCR!