Given that I gave up a successful career in IT in order to pursue my dream of becoming a professional travel photographer - in Singapore of all the expensive places to live - it should already be pretty clear just how passionate I am about both photography and travel. One of the things I most enjoy about this work is the opportunity to meet new people and embark upon totally unexpected adventures. Separately, photography and travel are already two great ways of meeting people and gaining access to new places; combined, they are a key to other worlds.
A few weeks ago I wrote of the fantastic day I spent with a group of Bakarwal nomads at their encampment in a Kashmiri forest. The story didn't end there though.
As it was getting late, and I still had some distance to travel, I told the Bakarwal I must hit the road again. I was conscious that I had nothing to offer my hosts for all their time and warm hospitality. As I reluctantly said goodbye, a young woman named Rashida - in fact barely more than a girl of 16 - asked if she could have my number so we could stay in contact. It was difficult to explain to her that I live far away in another country, and that it would be very expensive for her to call me. Nonetheless, I pulled out a business card, wrote down the country code, and told her about the time difference between India and Singapore.
Back in Singapore a couple of months later, I kept receiving missed calls at odd times from an unknown number. As I was fully absorbed in planning my next Bhutan photography tour itinerary, and wasn't expecting a call from anyone I knew, I wasn't particularly pleased about the continuous interruptions. But after several days, curiosity got the better of me, and I picked up the phone. On the other end spoke a soft voice: Rashida.
After we'd chatted for a short while, Rashida asked me: "If I invite you to my wedding will you come?" "Of course", I replied - thinking that this was more a rhetorical question than anything. "Just be sure to let me know well in advance, so that I can make travel arrangements", confident that it would be a few more years before she would reach marriageable age. "Sure, that's why I'm calling you: it's this coming Sunday!" was the reply.
What could I do?
That very same Sunday I was a guest at a wonderful Bakarwal tribal wedding in the beautiful mountains of Kashmir.
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