Somiya's Travel Journal

I am smiling with three kids who are not related to me in any manner. I have known them only for 5 minutes of my life. The guy behind me with violet Ralph Lauren Polo and silver mirrored shades is someone with whom I’m supposed to spend much more than just 5 minutes of my life. He is my groom.
‘’You have to be ready early in the morning.’’
‘’Why do I have to get ready so early in the morning,’’ I asked.
‘’I can’t tell you. It’s a surprise!’’
I didn’t force him to spill the beans because I still didn’t know him much.
‘’You have to wear the red dress with your MAC Ruby Woo lipstick,’’ he said applying the pink nail polish on my nails.
So there I am with red dress and red lipstick. The turquoise stone ring that I’m wearing was a gift given by him. I love bright colored gems. Turquoise stone is soothing and has a long interesting history of being used in different cultures. In the background, the top part of those huge white pillars is decorated with turquoise tiles too.
We are standing in the cool marble part of the Shrine of a very famous Sufi Saint, Peer-e-Shah Ghazi. It was a hot afternoon. Kashmir is known as one of the most beautiful regions in the world. It is the scenic and fertile part of the land for which India and Pakistan has been on war for so many years. It was my first time on motorcycle and in Kashmir. I can see myself walking on sunshine in this picture.
I love being with children. People where all looking at my long hair. I saw these kids walking with white traditional Pakistani clothes with caps on their heads. They were smiling at me and looking at my long hair.
‘’I have to capture this moment for all my life,’’ I screamed.
I knew I wouldn’t get this opportunity anytime soon. It’s a 13 hours direct flight from Toronto to Pakistan.
My groom asked them to come and take pictures with me. They happily came closer and stood next to me. That moment is captured in this picture.
I have them in picture forever. I sometimes ask myself if ever I get the chance to visit this shrine again, would I be able to find these same kids in that area with this picture. I don’t know where they would end up in future. If I look at the present terrorist activities in Pakistan, my heart sinks looking at these innocent little children in front of me going to religious schools and being brainwashed by religious fanatics.
My red dress and my groom's violet shirt matches our birthstones too. My birthstone is Ruby. My husband's birthstone is amethyst.