Planning that went behind the road trip…
 | It was around third week of May, 2009 when I finally made up my mind for a road trip to Ladakh, a wonderful and enchanting place that I now refer to as, Heaven on Earth. Plan was to stop where day turns into night and then get-up the next morning and ride to whichever place first comes to mind, |
indulge in photography, with no worries about keeping up with the rest of the world. May be just me and the moonscape of Ladakh! Now! The three big questions were: what I should do and how to get information and to convince my parents to allow me on a road trip. Second week of June, it was Sunday and around 8:30PM, my phone beeped and a UK number flashed. That was Ashish who during the conversation mentioned that he, and his friend Jasdeep want to do a ‘motorbike’ trip to Ladakh. For as much as I knew him, I was bemused thinking that these guys live in London and must be use to luxurious holidays in Europe, so why would they even do a trip of this kind. I almost broke into a laugh but I restricted it to a grin. Smiling at the thought, I told him that I would seek out and send them the details soon. I think I'll not be completely wrong if I rather say that I was sure he would forget about it in a day or two and not call again. BUT to my surprise both agreed on the plan after the initial few-weeks of discussions and blah blah... making it easy for me to convince my parents!!! I am tagged as Enthu Cutlet by old friends and as that label suggest, I was high in spirits from the very begining, in fact ‘WE all' were (spirit here is the emotional state of mine)… air tickets, bags, shoes, memory cards, battery packs, advance payment, we all did a fair job!!! |
Day 1, July 25, 2009 |
| 5:00PM, Ashish, Jasdeep, and I met in Delhi at CHANDERLOK BUILDING, JANPATH to begin our journey to Manali. |
Day 2, July 26, 2009 | |
 | We reached Manali around 7:00AM; and as planned headed towards HOTEL DRILBU, School Road, Manali. After some rest, we indulged ourselves with good brunch at Sher-e-Punjab which included some yummy parathas, and mango shake. We then met our tour guide Ms Jaitley for the first time. This was followed by a long walk to get the first glimpse of the MOTORBIKES. Later we went around the Mall Road in New-Manali to do the last minute shopping of ropes, dry fruits, gloves, canisters for carrying fuel, and rain proof sheets. |
Day-3, July 27, 2009 | |
 | The day finally arrived and we started our most adventurous and awaited Motorbike Expedition.
|
 | As per the itinerary we were suppose to reach Jispa enroute Sarchu by evening of that same day. |
 | It was raining and as we hit the road we realized that the Manali-Rohtang road was extremely stressful, marshy, and the descent towards Keylong was tricky and dangerous. Not to forget the messy traffic jam. |
 | There were several moments while crossing streams when maintaining balance and momentum of bikes was difficult and required lots of effort. The guys managed it well and I still remember how a big victorious smile flashed on each face with the first glimpse of CAMP JISPA JOURNEYS signboard. Everything including stay, food, and hospitality was worth remembering but it started raining which continued till the next morning. |
 |  |
Day 4, July 28, 2009 | |
 | Rain continued and delayed our scheduled departure from Jispa to Sarchu. After a long wait we decided to leave the camp-site post lunch. The ride was tough and the weather was making it tougher! The roads were treacherous, with mountains on one side and a gurgling river on the other, snake like hilly roads and heavy vehicles coming from the opposite direction. We were way behind the schedule… |
 |  |
| This stressful ride gave Jasdeep a taxing time. The biggest question was if we should take the risk of riding till TSOMORIRI the next day or drop that plan and drive straight to Leh. |
Must add that the camp offered us amazing Indian as well as continental food, fruits for dessert, hot water to clean ourselves (in a bucket that was smallest possible size) and a cozy tent to sleep. That night was extremely cold and windy. At this point we also found out that electric supply is only available after Sunset and that too for a couple of hours, so we got our camera batteries charged and went ahead to get sleep and charge ourselves for the next day. |
Day -5, July 29, 2009 | |
 | We woke up at 5:00AM, leaving behind Sarchu Valley on our bikes with our bags and packed lunch looking forward to a stunning and mesmerizing day. The idea of visiting Tsomoriri was dropped on our way and so, with a little disappointment we headed towards Leh. But yes we witnessed the most beautiful and exotic crimson, golden mountains, clear blue sky and much more than we could ever imagine. |
 | The most amazing, unforgettable, and energizing greeting throughout this journey was the exchange of ‘Juley’ between us, fellow riders, and the locals. Not to forget that this greeting was always wrapped and accompanied by a beautiful, warm smile. I never knew people could be so happy seeing, and meeting a complete stranger. May be that’s the grace of Mother Nature, it makes you humble with every passing day. That night we stayed at Galwan Guest house, Leh. |
Day 6, July 30, 2009 |
 | Thiksey is a 500-year old monastery, perched on a hill high above the Indus River. The main attraction here is the beautiful 15-meter high statue of seated Buddha and the view from its lofty roof terrace which is a patchwork of barley fields across the floor of the valley fringed by rippling snow flecked desert mountains and string of Tolkien-esque monasteries, palaces, and villages. This monastery also has a rich library of fascinating handwritten and painted books. The souvenir shop offers attractive articles, postcards, maps, and T-shirts with interesting quotes Like “Yak.. Yak…Yak Ladakh”! here we bought some postcards and proceeded for lunch. |
 | The next halt was at Sindhu Darshan where we spent some good time relaxing on the bank of River Indus under the sun capturing Kodak Moments. Most of those shots make my favorite collection from this trip and are pinned up on soft board at home. |
 | Then we went ahead to Shey Place. This 3-storey palace is located approximately 15-km to the south of Leh perched on a hillock overlooking the beautiful village. 'Shey' means reflection and it is the reflection of the palace on the still waters of the lake which gave origins to its name. The royal palace and the shrine were built in 16th century AD by King Deledan Namgyal and it has the the largest victory stupa in Ladakh. The pinnacle of which is made of gold. |
By the time we reached The Shanti Stupa it was quite late and hence we could not spend much time there and returned back to the guest house. Our host Mr. Sonam Singh, an ex-soldier with Indian Army was by all means an extremely caring, warm, and humble man. We thoroughly enjoyed victuals from his kitchen. The big-delicious Ladakhi Khameer Chapatis filled with apricot jam was the highlight of our stay. |
Day 7, July 31, 2009 |
| The only thing I can see is the mountains, mountains, and mountains. After every pass I cross as if horizon is lost. As if God is breathing close to me, As if the rocks and clouds are singing a song of mystery with me. The moment has frozen and memories and I have become one!!! |
 |
It was again back to the roads and to the most memorable day of this trip. We planned to visit Pangong Tso which is around 102km from Leh via Karu (from where a diversion goes to Pangong Tso lake). We were supposed to stop and fill up the fuel cans but due to some communication gap Jasdeep went way ahead and unfortunately our motorbike kick also fell off at the fuel station. To top it, our tool kit had no tools… but thanks to Ashish and his presence of mind, he sought timely and rather quick help from a passing scooter-driver and fixed up the fault. But by that time we had lost track of Jasdeep. It was 8:00AM and our stipulated time to reach the destination was seeming very difficult to meet. After a wait and struggle of 45-min we met Jasdeep and started towards Pangong Tso. |
 | Enroute, we passed through the Chang La Pass which is at 17,586 feet and is the Third Highest Mountain Pass in India. The view here is absolutely stunning and the Indian Army serves guests amazing complimentary tea. We decided to avoid any delays by stopping anywhere en-route for long. |
 | Though Jasdeep, our time keeper for the day was upset that Ashish, and I ignored his advise and stopped time and time-again to take pictures :) |
Anyway, after a long 6.5 hour journey we reached the most fascinating sight Pangong Tso Lake. This lake extends from India to China and is a closed drainage basin in the Himalayas situated at a height of about 13,900 ft and is 134km long. Two thirds of the length of the lake lies in China and is 5km wide at its broadest point. I have heard that during winter, the lake freezes completely, despite having saline water which freezes at a lower temperature than fresh water. |
 | Must say, it was a fantastic ride along the lake. Mother Nature has showered its best colors on Pangong Tso Lake and with the movement of the sun, the water shows off various shades of blue, green, turquoise, emerald, brown, and gray melting into each other beautifully generating a sight which is truly mesmerizing!!! |
 | During the halt Ashish played the perfect song for that moment “Neela Aasman So Gaya” from the movie 'Silsila' sung by none other than 'Lata Mangeshkar' which set the mood for all of us and tempted Jasdeep to think of Ms. Chopra and pose as the ‘Flying-Sikh’. Jasdeep always kept moments alive with his smile and sparkling eyes. |
| After an revitalizing session of photography of about an hour we decided to head back to avoid the terror of the Pagal Naala (translated as Mad Stream). The characteristic of this stream is that you can cross it with ease in the mornings till around 3 o'clock after |
which it would be impossible to cross it. The reason being the snow in the mountain peaks would have melted by noon which will inundate the small stream. Hence we had to rush and in that entire hurry Ashish lost his pocket camera and also a souvenir (The Yak Horn). The return journey was quite exhausting and the 14 hours ride left us drained of strength. But back home Sonam Singh Ji was ready to recharge us with freshly cooked home food along with a bottle of "Chang", the local wheat based drink. Well here, he deserves an appreciation! |
The memories of this day still brings a smile to my lips while I write this. |
| Day 8, Aug 01, 2009 |
| Mountains of varied colors, wind, the old sculptor, Sunrays on the snow capped peaks, the blue umbrella on us, dunes of white sand scattered shrubs, the gushing river, remnant of a bygone invasion, the Mongol camels |
Now before you start imagining that I died and reached heaven, let me put things straight. Have you seen a desert of white sand dunes surrounded by snow capped peaks, blue sky, high temperature and camels with fur all at the same time? |
| Welcome to the Nubra Valley, Ladakh. This valley is about 150km from Leh, the capital town of Ladakh. The ride was more than 6-hours and as non-locals we took an "Inner Line" permit to enter the Valley. |
 | On our way we crossed Khardung La Pass (18,380 ft) which is world’s highest motorable road. The LBS boys posed at every possible corner and their zeal and passion was evident. We also met other bikers (one I remember was Alex on his BMW) and other tourists at that spot. The road from Khardung La to North Pullu was a bit tricky but we stopped at North Pullu for some tea, and instant food. |
 | All through the journey we saw some hilarious and witty signboards. “Don’t be a Gama in the land of Lama”, “On my curve, check your nerve” “Peep Peep don’t sleep”. Hats off to HIMANK, the border road organization! Our next stop was Panamik. It is about 40km from the Siachen Base Camp and is famous for the Leh Berry shrubs which grow by the roadside. This rocky rural place marks the northern most part of India and is accessible to tourists. I was stunned to see that most of the houses have Solar panels on the roofs and few have dish TV as well. India surely is looking up! |
Next we had an experience of riding Double Humped Bactrian Camels with Balti Shepherds in a desert of white sand dunes at over 10,000 feet above sea level. Though personally I have never enjoyed a camel ride but this one was more for the sand dunes amidst snow-capped mountains. |
While you drive from Panamik to Tiger (Kyagar) you will witness herds of Pashmina goats. The languages spoken in this part of the world are primarily Ladakhi but people do understand Hindi. |
 | Next was Deskit, Y-shaped Nubra Valley that separates Ladakh and the Karakoram Ranges where Shyok and Nubra or Siachen River flows. One of the attractions of Deskit is the Deskit Gompa. 'Juely' follows here too!!! |
| After a good search and a scare that we had lost our way, we managed to trace our Camp site for that day: Lahrimo Guest House. The most insignificant landmark for this camp was a building just before that, which had a Pakistani Flag painted on it. India truly seems to love and welcome all I guess. |
 | I loved the guest house completely and thoroughly. The apricot trees, the yellow flower beds right in front of our rooms, moonlit night, food, and weather. Infact after all these days of our stay in tents and camps getting a hot shower was a blissful experience. |
 | That night we got a chance to attend a live performance by the Ladakhi women from a nearby village. We were deeply touched by their hospitality, and liveliness. Their authentic costume, music, dancing, and singing all left us spell bound. Not to forget the never ending sessions of butter chai and Chang. We even joined them for a group dance. |
Day 9, Aug 02, 2009 |
|
The next morning we woke up to a hefty breakfast followed by a short visit to a nearby village. Here we saw Gompas, a village procession with monks and children walking to a monastery, small houses, and beautiful ‘mane stones’ all over with Buddhist mantras and wishes scribbled. Jasdeep’s love for Ms Chopra made him dance to glory and this unique performance was captured by Ashish in his camera.Around noon, leaving behind the Nubra Valley we headed back to Leh. The landscape looked fascinating but the heat was too much to absorb. The surroundings were slowly turning dark brown from golden and then white as we were climbing towards Khardung La. | |
 | We crossed "North Pullu", which is around 16,000 ft high around noon and the traffic post was deserted. It was comparatively an easy drive with the convoy of heavy military vehicles. The only sound that could be heard was the ignition of our motorbikes... Blue sky and white sand dunes of the Nubra Valley seemed a thing of the past. Clouds were hiding the sky as we tried to move faster on the highest motor able road in the world. |
 | It was all frozen; well, actually there was nothing except ice covered road and snow walls, it felt as if we were going through a frozen tunnel. The occasional milestone posts peeked out to update us that we were still quite far from the pass. |
 | was just the charm of the mountains and holding them inside my camera which kept me going! I simply stayed on to feel the fresh air, snow and the smell of plantation in the Himalayas on me. We again stopped for a while at Khardungla, took some record shots and finally returned to our guest house in Leh. |
| Day 10, Aug 03, 2009 |
 | It was the last day of our stay at Leh and we decided to visit Pathar Sahib Gurudwara, and Magnetic Hill. The Gurudwara and the roads are constructed and maintained by the Indian Army and are pretty much in good condition. The ride was smooth though the heat of the sun was baking us through and through. The divine vibes at the Gurudwara were tranquil and soothing and one could feel The Supernatural force and His Grace! The food at the Gurudwara was also amazing and satiated our hunger pangs. |
 | The first thing we did on return was to stop at our favorite Milk Shake and Ice Cream corner where we had loads of simple fun. It started with a glass of Mango shake, than another one which followed teasing and a seemingly never ending photo session of funny shots. Ashish posed with a stole, Jasdeep posed with a straw and then disposable glasses were paired with our sun glasses… Those pictures still bring back the memories of that day. |
 | which they quoted (in Indian Rupees!) four digits. And the key word was BARGAINING!! I guess, I honed my bargaining skills, in Leh! Of course, we shopped and returned back with Good Luck Flag, Maane, and Silver Jewellery for Ruchita (Ashish's kid sister) as her Rakshabandhan gift. Strange but we Indians never forget our beautiful families back home! |
Day 11, Aug 04, 2009 |
 | Well, this was the last day of our journey to the Land of Lamas and that morning we were to fly back to Delhi. |
I know for sure that I left a part of my soul behind and someday I will go back to reunite with it and explore Mother Nature and myself once again! A special thanks to all those who made this trip possible and so memorable! |
[3].jpg){kind=link}
