Ladakh Loading.........in pocket friendly way!!!

De boarding from the morning flight at Srinagar, we quickly moved to Dal Lake, where we had our pre-booked houseboat. It was overwhelming to watch the vast shore of the famous lake decked with shikaras. The exuberance of the trip had kicked in.

The house-boat was equally charming in the idyllic lake with backdrop of Pir Panjal mountain range. We booked 1 day taxi trip with our host and visited the attraction of the city: Shalimar Garden, Nishat Garden, Hazratbal Shrine, Shankaracharya Temple.

We didn’t get any concrete information on our inquiry, a day earlier, for bus schedule to Leh. So we decided to reach by 6 am next morning to find the possibility. Today we rose early and went straight to bus stand on foot to regain our senses from sleepiness. We got know that there was no passenger bus to Leh scheduled, but to our rescue a mail bus carrying parcels and packages was available. It would ferry 10-15 passengers in front areas as rear seats were full with big boxes of parcel. Apart from us there was a local family, a south Indian family, a Canadian and Spanish solo traveler and few local boys going to mid way. At 7:30 finally the bus left and after few hours we entered the breathtaking valley of Sonmarg. The town famous for it's white snowfield during winter was equally enchanting in summer with patches of snow melting like butter in vast fresh green medows, and mountains with emerald colored river flowing down the valley. The driver was cruising the sizable bus with ease in the narrow hilly paths but soon became cautious when it reached the sharp bending inclined paths with giant rocks sideways and steep gorge just behind the track. It was the famous Zoji la pass. After having lunch at Drass, we reached Kargil early by evening 4pm. Generally public bus from Srinagar, halt at Kargil and continue to Leh the next day to cover the total distance of 420 km. But our driver, elated on his pace, announced that the bus would continue to Leh the very same day. So who wished for a break can leave the bus at Kargil. Many people left except the local family, the south Indian family. We also decided to continue as it would save a day, and consequently money. But we're nervous of the quick altitude gain within a day: Srinagar (at 1600 mtr) to Leh (3524 mtr). In anxiety we both took half pill of prophylactic Diamox and even gave it to the kid of worried the South Indian couple. Night was accompanied with full bright moon-light striking on brown ranges of mountains. The Indus river gleamed under moonlight in greeting to our arrival in the cold mountain desert at this odd hour. It was midnight 1'o’clock when we disembarked from the bus in dead silenced town. We along with South Indian family started to knock on all the hotel gates on the main road. After 40min of futile door knocks, fortunately a local came and called one nearby hotel. It was relief to get a bed and we just crashed out.

Today we went to hire bikes for our trip in and around Leh. We both selected Bajaj Victor as it was relatively new, and with cheapest rate. In fact we booked it for 5 day long and price came down to just 700 per bike /day. We paid the money in advance! Yes a big folly only to realize later. With oil tank filled to full capacity, we went to Magnetic Hill, Sangam Point and to Patharsahib Gurudwara while returning on the way. I was riding a bike after a long gap and that too at such a dizzying altitude, that I had complete fall from the bike twice. Fortunately there was no major injury, but a price I had to pay for my unpreparedness.

It was our first day of long bike journey of 200 km crossing the famous and reportedly the highest motorable pass of Khardung la. We started at around 8 o’clock and after North Pulu checkpoint, the real driving skill comes to test: a inclined climbing on majority of time remaining on 1st gear. What made the riding tough was mud due to molten snow in the rugged track leading to the top. The steep gorge on one side of road kept us on edge. I had my first kiss with death here. At a particular turn, due to ice, my bike got skidded. And while falling my hand was gripped to accelerator,twisting it, resulting in accelerating the bike while falling. As a result the wheel just moved to cliff like a hyperspin bike stunt. A part front wheel was on air, overseeing a deadly gorge beneath. It was a close save, and thankfully some worker from nearby came running to lift me up. We became ultra conscious now and in fact just dragged the bike by walking for few metre of section around the Khardung la top as there was still frozen ice sheet on the tracks. We, exulted armatures, clicked few pics on the top, recovered the tiredness with some tea and maggi, before moving down the rest journey from here to Nubra valley. We were tired and slow that we decided to halt in Diskit as reaching Turtuk (still 84 km away) was out of our energy and time. We had merry evening near the Hunder sand dunes and fortunately found a good discount at deluxe hotel in Diskit, even having WiFi at this remote corner

We novice, had now bowed down on the efforts required for such a long bike trip that we contemplated to return back by loading the bike on truck and save our tiring body. Also the route and landscape was going to be same while returning. But somehow the good night sleep rejuvenated us and we decided to detour on road leading to Panamik on other side of Nubra river a bit, before returning back to Leh. However the conclusion was clear :we can no longer drive the bike for next day to Pangong Lake as it was even longer stretch of 156 km from Leh.

We reached Leh by afternoon and then visited the city landmark points. Our folly of full 5 day advance payment agonized us. The bike dealer was haughty and deducted at the base rate 900 per bike per day and refunded for the remaining two day. His reasoning: “discounted rate of Rs700 applied only when booked for longer duration but now we’re returning after 3 days so usual charges will apply”. After few minutes futile arguments and already losing the additional amount on petrol as the tank was almost full, we just left the place fuming. It was our hubris that without any thought we had booked for complete bike trip which could have been easily broken down for a trip for few day, and then have it extended on our will as our base was Leh only. Anyways these are the experiential learning of travelling. We wandered in the Leh market to every tour operator office to get vacant seat on any excursion leaving for Pangong the next day, because booking an entire Sumo was out of our budget. The day was just a bad one and we didn’t get any. But having reached this far how could a single day ruin our trip. So we went ahead and booked the cheapest taxi available, a Maruti Eeco for 7000 Rs for upcoming 2 days.

We started early morning at 6 am because not only we wanted to reach early but the condition of weather and blockade can be unpredictable on these mountain passes. In fact we soon witnessed the wizardry of weather when it started to drizzle at the ascent to Changla Pass, which soon it turned into hailstorm while going further up and on top there was complete white out due to snow fall. But the weather was so erratic that it soon cleared up to perfect sunny day in few minutes. Though our budget had shot up but the feel of journey in commodious big van with 2 of us and a driver was ecstatic. The added perk was to know about the local life and Buddhist religion from our ladakhi driver. In fact these driver also act as carrier to nomadic people, living in vast area away from town civilization. They exchange their local produce like yak milk, butter,wools for the city good these tribes need, like boxes, packets, tools etc. We had an opportunity to visit one such settlement. It was a tent perched on foot hill in front of which lay vast grassland for their yak and cattle’s to graze. An old Ladakhi lady in her traditional attire, grinning wide, greeted us and offered butter tea of Yak milk. Our driver took some of butter in exchange to bring some tins, tapes etc for her from the city. Teja gave her some UK toffee that he had as a gift. It’s amusing how this barter trade maintains the link between the city and these remotely settled tribes, spared from the modern poverty.

The far-flung Pangong lake with its transitional water color, vast brown mountain in back drop and waves panting on its shore: a sight to behold. Our driver helped in arranging a homestay near the temporary settlement of Spangmik.

The bus for Manali depart early by 5 or so in the morning. The ticket can be booked till Keylong as the bus halts there for first night and resumes to Manali the next day with a new ticket being issued. However the route between Leh to Manali is just mind boggling that I need to revisit this stretch near future again. There are some stretches with huge rock boulders on both sides with foggy mist above, engulfed in silence, making it feel like a scene from an extra-territorial planet. The varieties of landscape one witness are surreal. And now I understand why its pilgrimage for all bike riders.