Abdul Gaffar Daraz' houseboats in Kashmir are highly recommended. The visitor's book is bursting with praise for their comforts and the efforts of Jaffe, the cook.
But there is something a little odd about the entries. The handwriting is faded, the wording old-fashioned and a little stiff, and some of the signatures are double-barrelled.
Jaffe is dead, and so are most of his guests. For these are ghosts of the Raj. Look at the dates: 1919, 1926, 1943 . . . almost all are army officers; lieutenants, majors, and captains.
The cook was Abdul's grandfather, but the old houseboats are still here in Nageen Lake in Srinagar. They are made from local cedarwood, good for at least 100 years.
Abdul keeps the family business alive, and behind the simple exteriors of the five houseboats, guests are offered a way of life little changed since the days of the Raj.
British army officers and civil servants made the long journey here by road all those years ago to escape the heat of India's plains. Now Srinagar is little more than an hour's flight from New Delhi. For only 1,500 rupees (about HK$300) a couple can spend 24 hours surrounded by opulence and with all meals served on demand. The interiors are wood-panelled; the furniture hand-carved in walnut, the floors covered with thick Kashmir carpets. You get your own floating lounge, bedroom, dining room and bathroom with hot and cold running water; and, of course, solitude.
