India - Jammu/Kashmir/Ladakh
Jan 2nd, 2018, 07:32 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
India - Jammu/Kashmir/Ladakh
My Trip to the Himalayas on August 17, 2017 (Installment 1)
Greetings, Readers! Let me preface this by saying a trip to the Himalayas, although not Mount Everest Base Camp, has been on my bucket list since 4th grade ... anyone remember the subject Geography? In contrast to my prior trip to India in 2013, I did virtually no research. In January of 2017, my 25-year old daughter Christina (or Tina) quit her job as a CPA at one of the Big Four and decided to travel the world. She’s been in India for 8 months with a month-long trip to Thailand. I missed her so much I was basically crying for short bouts every day. My husband said why don’t you go visit her? What a great idea! So on June 30, I booked my flight. Because this trip took me by surprise, I only had 10 vacation days left for the year ... so kind of a short trip to India. Here we go. Hope you enjoy!
Greetings, Readers! Let me preface this by saying a trip to the Himalayas, although not Mount Everest Base Camp, has been on my bucket list since 4th grade ... anyone remember the subject Geography? In contrast to my prior trip to India in 2013, I did virtually no research. In January of 2017, my 25-year old daughter Christina (or Tina) quit her job as a CPA at one of the Big Four and decided to travel the world. She’s been in India for 8 months with a month-long trip to Thailand. I missed her so much I was basically crying for short bouts every day. My husband said why don’t you go visit her? What a great idea! So on June 30, I booked my flight. Because this trip took me by surprise, I only had 10 vacation days left for the year ... so kind of a short trip to India. Here we go. Hope you enjoy!
Jan 2nd, 2018, 07:33 AM
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
August 17-18 - traveling (Installment 2)
Worked a full day (see above). Got home, took shower. The usual 45-minute trip to JFK was a grueling hour and a half. First leg of trip to Leh, Ladakh (in the states of Jammu and Kashmir) was Dubai, the Emirates hub. The trip was delayed 1-1/2 hours. I ended up talking with lovely 16-y/o Indonesian girl, in NYC for Model UN, who kept showing me pictures of Indonesian food, which struck me as amusing. It also was so interesting seeing the burkas from different countries. Twelve hours of flight (aisle seat!! yay me!) to notice the headrest had the capacity to curl around one’s head for added comfort. Don’t forget to flex your feet and get up every once in a while. Big double decker plane -- no admittance to “top” floor for hoi polloi.
Emirates is a decent airline. But in my opinion it’s not all it’s cracked up to be ... what economy class in ANY airline is? The food was ok. My biggest gripe was all, except one flight attendant, Tara, looked put-upon while doing their regular job. Always! Not only when passengers would put the light on to request them. In case you are wondering, I didn’t request a flight attendant at all. They just keep feeding you by the way. I guess there’s not much else to do on a 12-hour flight besides eat, read, watch movies and sleep.
Dubai to Delhi flight was 2-1/2-hour layover. Ah, back to my beloved Delhi -- I would have loved to have scooted out for a bit, but not much going on in Delhi at 2:45 a.m. anyway. My bag was waiting for me on the carousel after a trip to the ladies’ room. Successful through customs, immigration, e-visa. E visa is a great option if you are only visiting India for a short time. Everything is online. You can even download the “passport” picture you took on the free app “PassportBooth”. I walked to the Air India counter to drop baggage for flight to Leh all the while fretting whether or not I will get the lovely AMS (acute mountain sickness or altitude sickness), but it's all worth it if I can see my daughter. Yay, there are only 2 people ahead of me! Airline rep said, come back later, it's going to be at least 30 minutes due to "computer technical problems." My New York gut instinct said stay put. Within 10 minutes, there were about 50 people behind me. And the computer issues were resolved in 15.
August 19
The flight to Leh was a hop, skip and a jump from Delhi. A tired little Rita arrived in Leh, Ladakh at 7:20 am. Tina met me at the airport. I cried and hugged her until she wiggled away. Leh, a dry, dusty little city, complete with roaming starving dogs, goats and cows, is nestled in the Himalayas. (Tina called it a "proper" city. She had been hanging out in the small towns of Manali and Dharamsala for her stay in India.) We hopped a cab to New Moon Guest House ($15 a night). For the first 45 minutes of my arrival in Leh (which is situated 11,000 feet above sea level), I was smug with the thought that since I did not get AMS yet, I probably will not get it. In the USA I had researched natural AMS remedies. For two weeks prior to my departure, I took gingko biloba, cinnamon, and garlic pills. (FYI: They DID NOT HELP!) No sooner did we get to the room than the dreaded AMS kick in. I do not wish this on anyone. Think of the worst stomach flu/hangover/headache combination you can imagine then multiply that by three. I literally could not do anything for 24 hours, except vomit and lie down. I thought my head (and my stomach too) was going to explode with pressure and pain. Our internet was not working, no Facebook, emails, or WhatsApping while I “acclimatized”. There was not much to be done except descend or wait it out. Tina was keeping an eye on me, and as long as I could speak in complete sentences, breath somewhat normally, and walk a straight line, I would be OK she said. As I walked down the stairs to the shared restroom holding my head in my hands, a young French woman offered me Diamox (the anti-AMS medicine). My travel doctor prescribed it to me, but he didn’t recommend it because it is a SERIOUS medication and can do a number on your kidneys. Also, it is a preventative medicine and needed to be taken two days in advance of ascension. I had not taken it and so declined the offer from the French woman.
August 20
By 11 am the next day, I felt weak from no food, but good enough to try and get something to eat -- a definite conundrum. Tina and I took chilly, refreshing showers (hot water is only available a few hours a day, but we were not told this upon check-in). We began walking to town not knowing exactly where we were going, figuring we would take a cab if we got tired. A nice Indian chap (in town to run a “mountain marathon”) said that the center of town was only fifteen minutes away. He would show us since he was on his way there. It was 6 minutes away. The “center” of Leh (for tourists, I think) is a buzzing place and has all sorts of shops ... pretty much anything you can think of. Because it's a "trekking" town, there is no shortage of mountaineering equipment stores. The trekker traffic was winding down since it was the tail end of the peak season. We had eggs, toast and fries for a late breakfast at Il Forno. Two men we were talking to said the internet in the Jammu Kashmir region was "turned off" because of security concerns. You see, the President of India is coming here on Tuesday they said. Not sure of this supposed fact ... I just know there was NO internet. There is some elevated strife in the area so the Indian army wants to step up security. Although Leh is a predominantly Buddhist town, a Muslim Call to Prayer peals out on speakers five times a day, even at 4:30 in the morning! It must be quite annoying to the Buddhists because it is to me. But the Buddhists are a peaceful people and many of them, especially the older ones, walk around mindlessly (or not) spinning their prayer wheels, or fingering their prayer beads.
Brotherly affection is not a problem in this very homophobic country. Young men frequently can be seen holding hands or putting their arms around each other's shoulders. It’s kind of nice.
In appearance, architecture, culture and food, the Ladakhis are more Tibetan-influenced. You are supposed to ask to take a picture, but I snuck a few in anyway. We came upon an upscale coffeehouse, Coffee Culture, and had a "proper" cup of coffee. The Ladakhi barista, Sunil, when asked, said he likes coffee better than the ubiquitous chai tea. My kind of guy! I will go back tomorrow to have another cup of delicious coffee and continue my longstanding tradition of taking pictures with cute locals when traveling. We did a little recon for the treks we may want to take, shopped around a little, and Tina decided she was hungry, so we had some rice and chana masala at the local restaurant. As we ambled past the shops, it seemed to me that the Ladakhi merchants are not as pushy as the ones in the rest of India. And there are virtually no beggars in Leh. Up the hill for the 6-minute walk to our hotel. Tina doesn't feel well (a cold) so we are resting a bit. But truth be told, I am ready to go out and people watch in the square. Oh well! Even though I am aerobically fit, and am “over” my AMS, it is still harder to breathe when even mildly exerting myself in this high mountain town.
Worked a full day (see above). Got home, took shower. The usual 45-minute trip to JFK was a grueling hour and a half. First leg of trip to Leh, Ladakh (in the states of Jammu and Kashmir) was Dubai, the Emirates hub. The trip was delayed 1-1/2 hours. I ended up talking with lovely 16-y/o Indonesian girl, in NYC for Model UN, who kept showing me pictures of Indonesian food, which struck me as amusing. It also was so interesting seeing the burkas from different countries. Twelve hours of flight (aisle seat!! yay me!) to notice the headrest had the capacity to curl around one’s head for added comfort. Don’t forget to flex your feet and get up every once in a while. Big double decker plane -- no admittance to “top” floor for hoi polloi.
Emirates is a decent airline. But in my opinion it’s not all it’s cracked up to be ... what economy class in ANY airline is? The food was ok. My biggest gripe was all, except one flight attendant, Tara, looked put-upon while doing their regular job. Always! Not only when passengers would put the light on to request them. In case you are wondering, I didn’t request a flight attendant at all. They just keep feeding you by the way. I guess there’s not much else to do on a 12-hour flight besides eat, read, watch movies and sleep.
Dubai to Delhi flight was 2-1/2-hour layover. Ah, back to my beloved Delhi -- I would have loved to have scooted out for a bit, but not much going on in Delhi at 2:45 a.m. anyway. My bag was waiting for me on the carousel after a trip to the ladies’ room. Successful through customs, immigration, e-visa. E visa is a great option if you are only visiting India for a short time. Everything is online. You can even download the “passport” picture you took on the free app “PassportBooth”. I walked to the Air India counter to drop baggage for flight to Leh all the while fretting whether or not I will get the lovely AMS (acute mountain sickness or altitude sickness), but it's all worth it if I can see my daughter. Yay, there are only 2 people ahead of me! Airline rep said, come back later, it's going to be at least 30 minutes due to "computer technical problems." My New York gut instinct said stay put. Within 10 minutes, there were about 50 people behind me. And the computer issues were resolved in 15.
August 19
The flight to Leh was a hop, skip and a jump from Delhi. A tired little Rita arrived in Leh, Ladakh at 7:20 am. Tina met me at the airport. I cried and hugged her until she wiggled away. Leh, a dry, dusty little city, complete with roaming starving dogs, goats and cows, is nestled in the Himalayas. (Tina called it a "proper" city. She had been hanging out in the small towns of Manali and Dharamsala for her stay in India.) We hopped a cab to New Moon Guest House ($15 a night). For the first 45 minutes of my arrival in Leh (which is situated 11,000 feet above sea level), I was smug with the thought that since I did not get AMS yet, I probably will not get it. In the USA I had researched natural AMS remedies. For two weeks prior to my departure, I took gingko biloba, cinnamon, and garlic pills. (FYI: They DID NOT HELP!) No sooner did we get to the room than the dreaded AMS kick in. I do not wish this on anyone. Think of the worst stomach flu/hangover/headache combination you can imagine then multiply that by three. I literally could not do anything for 24 hours, except vomit and lie down. I thought my head (and my stomach too) was going to explode with pressure and pain. Our internet was not working, no Facebook, emails, or WhatsApping while I “acclimatized”. There was not much to be done except descend or wait it out. Tina was keeping an eye on me, and as long as I could speak in complete sentences, breath somewhat normally, and walk a straight line, I would be OK she said. As I walked down the stairs to the shared restroom holding my head in my hands, a young French woman offered me Diamox (the anti-AMS medicine). My travel doctor prescribed it to me, but he didn’t recommend it because it is a SERIOUS medication and can do a number on your kidneys. Also, it is a preventative medicine and needed to be taken two days in advance of ascension. I had not taken it and so declined the offer from the French woman.
August 20
By 11 am the next day, I felt weak from no food, but good enough to try and get something to eat -- a definite conundrum. Tina and I took chilly, refreshing showers (hot water is only available a few hours a day, but we were not told this upon check-in). We began walking to town not knowing exactly where we were going, figuring we would take a cab if we got tired. A nice Indian chap (in town to run a “mountain marathon”) said that the center of town was only fifteen minutes away. He would show us since he was on his way there. It was 6 minutes away. The “center” of Leh (for tourists, I think) is a buzzing place and has all sorts of shops ... pretty much anything you can think of. Because it's a "trekking" town, there is no shortage of mountaineering equipment stores. The trekker traffic was winding down since it was the tail end of the peak season. We had eggs, toast and fries for a late breakfast at Il Forno. Two men we were talking to said the internet in the Jammu Kashmir region was "turned off" because of security concerns. You see, the President of India is coming here on Tuesday they said. Not sure of this supposed fact ... I just know there was NO internet. There is some elevated strife in the area so the Indian army wants to step up security. Although Leh is a predominantly Buddhist town, a Muslim Call to Prayer peals out on speakers five times a day, even at 4:30 in the morning! It must be quite annoying to the Buddhists because it is to me. But the Buddhists are a peaceful people and many of them, especially the older ones, walk around mindlessly (or not) spinning their prayer wheels, or fingering their prayer beads.
Brotherly affection is not a problem in this very homophobic country. Young men frequently can be seen holding hands or putting their arms around each other's shoulders. It’s kind of nice.
In appearance, architecture, culture and food, the Ladakhis are more Tibetan-influenced. You are supposed to ask to take a picture, but I snuck a few in anyway. We came upon an upscale coffeehouse, Coffee Culture, and had a "proper" cup of coffee. The Ladakhi barista, Sunil, when asked, said he likes coffee better than the ubiquitous chai tea. My kind of guy! I will go back tomorrow to have another cup of delicious coffee and continue my longstanding tradition of taking pictures with cute locals when traveling. We did a little recon for the treks we may want to take, shopped around a little, and Tina decided she was hungry, so we had some rice and chana masala at the local restaurant. As we ambled past the shops, it seemed to me that the Ladakhi merchants are not as pushy as the ones in the rest of India. And there are virtually no beggars in Leh. Up the hill for the 6-minute walk to our hotel. Tina doesn't feel well (a cold) so we are resting a bit. But truth be told, I am ready to go out and people watch in the square. Oh well! Even though I am aerobically fit, and am “over” my AMS, it is still harder to breathe when even mildly exerting myself in this high mountain town.
Jan 2nd, 2018, 07:34 AM
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
August 21 (Installment 3)
Today we arose early to get lost finding The Food Planet Restaurant where we were going to meet one T's backpacking buddies, Tomev. On the way down the lane, our noses followed a bready aroma to delicious freshly baked tagi -- a pita/chapatti/roti/nan-looking thing fresh out of the oven. Forty rupees for two -- that’s $0.70. So delicious they were that we started another tradition of picking up two on our way to Coffee Culture for our morning latte. T dropped her laundry (machine washed, but line dried) to be picked up at 8 pm. We found Tomev in The Food Planet (on Changspa Road) and had a nice brunch (delicious guacamole). Tomev recommended going to Turtuk (which is a small town nine hours west towards Pakistan). More on that later. He told us about the Women’s Alliance of Ladakh ... http://waladakh.org/ . It is only a block away from our hotel, so we decided to watch the documentary “Ancient Futures” about how Ladakh (which opened to tourism in 1974) has been turned upside down with modernity and disappearing Ladakhi traditions. I was weepy and depressed after watching this movie, and wasn’t happy at the moment with the label of being a tourist. After visiting a few trekking places, we booked our Markha Valley 5-day/4-night trek (one of the most popular - moderate difficulty they claim) with Parvez, the owner of Indo-Himalayan Tours ($186 each including guide, room and board) (doesn’t look like they have a website). We excitedly walked to Coffee Culture for our delicious coffee, but the power was out in the shop. Ugh! A day without coffee. I will sleep like a baby.
Plastic bags are prohibited in Ladakh, instead when purchasing something, they issue these colored bags made of some sort of fabric ... much more reusable friendly. Ladakh also tries to inhibit the purchase of plastic water bottles. The government provides clean drinking water in large stainless steel vats delivered to stores. At first I was apprehensive to fill my bottle with this (only 10 rupees opposed to 40 rupees for a new bottle of water), but I did and it was fine. No signs of illness three months later.
While we were picking up laundry at 8 pm, we hear a woman shout “OMG, Tina Smith (the last name has been change for privacy ;-) ),” she runs toward Tina, and they hug. See ...Tina had met Diksha while in Mumbai a few months before, and they became fast friends. Neither Tina nor Diksha knew the other was going to be in Leh. Small world! We arranged to meet for dinner at Bon Appetit (also on Changspa Road). Diksha is a wonderful girl with the same exuberance and energy as Tina. Home to pack for trek tomorrow ... wish me luck.
Today we arose early to get lost finding The Food Planet Restaurant where we were going to meet one T's backpacking buddies, Tomev. On the way down the lane, our noses followed a bready aroma to delicious freshly baked tagi -- a pita/chapatti/roti/nan-looking thing fresh out of the oven. Forty rupees for two -- that’s $0.70. So delicious they were that we started another tradition of picking up two on our way to Coffee Culture for our morning latte. T dropped her laundry (machine washed, but line dried) to be picked up at 8 pm. We found Tomev in The Food Planet (on Changspa Road) and had a nice brunch (delicious guacamole). Tomev recommended going to Turtuk (which is a small town nine hours west towards Pakistan). More on that later. He told us about the Women’s Alliance of Ladakh ... http://waladakh.org/ . It is only a block away from our hotel, so we decided to watch the documentary “Ancient Futures” about how Ladakh (which opened to tourism in 1974) has been turned upside down with modernity and disappearing Ladakhi traditions. I was weepy and depressed after watching this movie, and wasn’t happy at the moment with the label of being a tourist. After visiting a few trekking places, we booked our Markha Valley 5-day/4-night trek (one of the most popular - moderate difficulty they claim) with Parvez, the owner of Indo-Himalayan Tours ($186 each including guide, room and board) (doesn’t look like they have a website). We excitedly walked to Coffee Culture for our delicious coffee, but the power was out in the shop. Ugh! A day without coffee. I will sleep like a baby.
Plastic bags are prohibited in Ladakh, instead when purchasing something, they issue these colored bags made of some sort of fabric ... much more reusable friendly. Ladakh also tries to inhibit the purchase of plastic water bottles. The government provides clean drinking water in large stainless steel vats delivered to stores. At first I was apprehensive to fill my bottle with this (only 10 rupees opposed to 40 rupees for a new bottle of water), but I did and it was fine. No signs of illness three months later.
While we were picking up laundry at 8 pm, we hear a woman shout “OMG, Tina Smith (the last name has been change for privacy ;-) ),” she runs toward Tina, and they hug. See ...Tina had met Diksha while in Mumbai a few months before, and they became fast friends. Neither Tina nor Diksha knew the other was going to be in Leh. Small world! We arranged to meet for dinner at Bon Appetit (also on Changspa Road). Diksha is a wonderful girl with the same exuberance and energy as Tina. Home to pack for trek tomorrow ... wish me luck.
Jan 2nd, 2018, 07:35 AM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
August 22 - Tuesday (Installment 4)
Trek day. While Tina did her customary last-minute scramble to pack, I walked to town to get sunscreen and oxygen-in-a-can (a useless waste of $10), bought tagi at the bread man in the lane, and made a reservation at the Hotel Royal Palace ($15 a night) for our return on August 26. I also had time before our 8 a.m. departure to pick up a cup of delicious cafe latte at Coffee Culture. Parvez will be holding our stuff since we are “homeless” right now. Don’t worry, I kept valuables and important papers on my person. The 1-1/2 hour drive to the beginning of trek is purple-, green- and sand-colored strips of mountain against clear blue sky. There is quite a bit of military presence at the border (state of Jammu and Kashmir). Although it is Indian territory, Pakistan and China have been trying to claim it since 1946. Simultaneous feelings of trepidation and security. On the drive you can see corny BRO (Border Roads Organization) signs for serious situations cautioning you to drive slowly, not drink and drive, etc. To see some of these signs, visit http://ladakhroadsigns.com/. Border Roads Organization maintains the vast network of roads in India ... it even has a Facebook page!
A few times we had to stop while the BRO cleaned up rocks on the road due to recent landslides. Lovely! Past landslides are easy to spot because if you look up the mountain, there are smooth strips of "mountain".
Our trek began with a ride in literally a wooden box hanging on a cable across the Sanga River. Until a few years ago there was a bridge, but a serious flood in 2011 washed it away, 256 people were killed and most of the town was washed away. It was on a very serious cable and was a minute or two ride, so not a big deal. We are warriors! Begin trek. We stopped at a tea stop along the way. Tea stops are open tents which sell tea, soups, cold drinks, snacks, toilet paper, and a latrine is available. There we met a French woman, Juliet, 29, traveling alone with her guide, Chinly, and three guideless Israelis -- Or, Ziv, and Eli, all 26 years old. They were saying El-Al Airline voluntarily does not fly over Iraqi airspace so they had to go around, significantly lengthening their flight. There are tons of young Israelis in Ladakh. Travelling for a year is the thing to do for young Israelis after their mandatory 3-year stint in the military. The pulse oximeter I had brought along was helpful, and became a bit of a toy and conversation piece. My oxygen saturation rate was 70 on arrival in Leh, and 90 by the end of the trek. Apparently, the low oxygen saturation rate is what makes you sick. My daughter said something about pressure, but I couldn’t understand ... didn’t really try too hard.
Our mountain-loving, 22-year old guide, Irfan, was helpful, friendly, knowledgeable, and spoke understandable English. He is a Ladakhi native who knows its rich history. He doesn't see the point of why Pakistan and India and now China are fighting. Neither do I.
Trek finished for the day at 6:30 pm. Whew! I made it. We are now in a homestay where we are resting and will spend the night. It is ok. Irfan says it is not one of the better ones, but the homestay hosts in the “neighborhood” work on a rotating basis opening up their homes so all can get paid. How fair! In the USA they would try to beat each other out. < my emphasis.
Ok, although I think I am somewhat of a warrior and a trouper, and have no choice, I really cannot stand the latrines. That, if you don't know, is squatting into a hole in the ground and doing your business. It is different from a modern Indian toilet which is a porcelain block with footrests where you squat and can sometimes flush. A LOT different. No hot showers here buddy!
After resting for 1-1/2 hours, Irfan and Chinly came to get us from our rooms to go down and hang by the river. Tina and Irfan walked 20 meters farther away to meditate. Juliet and I talked at length. She is an intelligent graphic artist/photographer with a delicious French accent.
At dusk, on Irfan’s suggestion, we threw rocks, symbolizing regrets, into the river, and decided to head home. Irfan, having only been to the river once by this homestay, took a while to find the way back. Some needless steps and precious energy were expended. It was fine though, this is India.
Dinner was vegetable soup, rice, dal, spinach, and tea with cookies.
At 9 pm we climbed to the roof of the house. I have never seen so many stars in my life! There were so many that I couldn't find my favorite constellations. I saw galaxies! I will remember this forever.
Our trekking company choice, Indo-Himalayan Tours, is perfectly adequate and accommodating. See later note.
August 23, Wednesday
Having gone to bed so early, I awoke at 5:30a, just in enough time to go to latrine without a flashlight and watch the sunrise. Seven and half-hour trek ahead of us till next homestay. I hope it is better than this one. All Ladakhi homes are BIG. The dining area (sometimes combined with the cooking area for heat) is quite large and can easily accommodate 15-20 people. FYI - there is neither a bright light nor a soft mattress in all of Ladakh. I know -- I’m whining. In trek areas, the government provides electricity from 7 pm to 11 pm at night powered strategically placed solar panels ... that’s IT!
Breakfast for the next four days was some sort of chapatti with yuk (oops, I mean yak) butter, jam, and peanut butter and either mint tea or milk tea. The trek started off well until we got to this tiny flimsy trail (I mean 12" wide hanging off a 1,000-foot cliff). I was frozen in fear for a few seconds, but Irfan talked me through it and held my hand. He is great!
We lunched at the next tea stop to have our standard pack lunch -- each homestay gives you a pack lunch at breakfast, which consists of a juice box, hard-boiled egg, potato, a small chocolate bar (yay!), and some sort of chapatti with jam (or maybe cooked onions). Lots of carbs, you need them if you are trekking 7-1/2 hours a day. When you are trekking it's important to look at every step ahead of you. The only problem with that is you can miss the beauty around you. So you have to stop frequently or occasionally ... your choice ... to see, remember and take pics. The hiking poles my son loaned me are a tremendous help when you need them, an annoyance when you don't.
After lunch I got severe stomach attacks, so basically I left four piles of “business” along the way ... I know too much information. This is completely normal apparently. You just cover it up with sand/dirt/stone and Mother Nature will take care of the rest. My resolve for this trek is fading. Three more full days of trekking. For those of you who, like me, think that trekking is just a long walk, think again. This 5-day Markha Valley trek is literally the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Especially at 13,000 feet. Throw in a few large blisters and it's perfection. Irfan offered to carry my backpack. I allowed him to do so, but I am a warrior so I asked for it back after an hour.
There is no way out of this trek. Only two choices ... you have to finish it or go back. Unless there is a medical emergency, then a chopper will come and pick you up...not for free either.
This evening’s homestay is so much nicer than yesterday's. There is even a proper commode on top of the hole in the ground, but still outside in its own enclosed hut. Luxury!
Two days no shower. I am turning into an SDH (smelly dirty hippie) backpacker. Even my snot is dark brown from all the mountain dust.
Good night!
Trek day. While Tina did her customary last-minute scramble to pack, I walked to town to get sunscreen and oxygen-in-a-can (a useless waste of $10), bought tagi at the bread man in the lane, and made a reservation at the Hotel Royal Palace ($15 a night) for our return on August 26. I also had time before our 8 a.m. departure to pick up a cup of delicious cafe latte at Coffee Culture. Parvez will be holding our stuff since we are “homeless” right now. Don’t worry, I kept valuables and important papers on my person. The 1-1/2 hour drive to the beginning of trek is purple-, green- and sand-colored strips of mountain against clear blue sky. There is quite a bit of military presence at the border (state of Jammu and Kashmir). Although it is Indian territory, Pakistan and China have been trying to claim it since 1946. Simultaneous feelings of trepidation and security. On the drive you can see corny BRO (Border Roads Organization) signs for serious situations cautioning you to drive slowly, not drink and drive, etc. To see some of these signs, visit http://ladakhroadsigns.com/. Border Roads Organization maintains the vast network of roads in India ... it even has a Facebook page!
A few times we had to stop while the BRO cleaned up rocks on the road due to recent landslides. Lovely! Past landslides are easy to spot because if you look up the mountain, there are smooth strips of "mountain".
Our trek began with a ride in literally a wooden box hanging on a cable across the Sanga River. Until a few years ago there was a bridge, but a serious flood in 2011 washed it away, 256 people were killed and most of the town was washed away. It was on a very serious cable and was a minute or two ride, so not a big deal. We are warriors! Begin trek. We stopped at a tea stop along the way. Tea stops are open tents which sell tea, soups, cold drinks, snacks, toilet paper, and a latrine is available. There we met a French woman, Juliet, 29, traveling alone with her guide, Chinly, and three guideless Israelis -- Or, Ziv, and Eli, all 26 years old. They were saying El-Al Airline voluntarily does not fly over Iraqi airspace so they had to go around, significantly lengthening their flight. There are tons of young Israelis in Ladakh. Travelling for a year is the thing to do for young Israelis after their mandatory 3-year stint in the military. The pulse oximeter I had brought along was helpful, and became a bit of a toy and conversation piece. My oxygen saturation rate was 70 on arrival in Leh, and 90 by the end of the trek. Apparently, the low oxygen saturation rate is what makes you sick. My daughter said something about pressure, but I couldn’t understand ... didn’t really try too hard.
Our mountain-loving, 22-year old guide, Irfan, was helpful, friendly, knowledgeable, and spoke understandable English. He is a Ladakhi native who knows its rich history. He doesn't see the point of why Pakistan and India and now China are fighting. Neither do I.
Trek finished for the day at 6:30 pm. Whew! I made it. We are now in a homestay where we are resting and will spend the night. It is ok. Irfan says it is not one of the better ones, but the homestay hosts in the “neighborhood” work on a rotating basis opening up their homes so all can get paid. How fair! In the USA they would try to beat each other out. < my emphasis.
Ok, although I think I am somewhat of a warrior and a trouper, and have no choice, I really cannot stand the latrines. That, if you don't know, is squatting into a hole in the ground and doing your business. It is different from a modern Indian toilet which is a porcelain block with footrests where you squat and can sometimes flush. A LOT different. No hot showers here buddy!
After resting for 1-1/2 hours, Irfan and Chinly came to get us from our rooms to go down and hang by the river. Tina and Irfan walked 20 meters farther away to meditate. Juliet and I talked at length. She is an intelligent graphic artist/photographer with a delicious French accent.
At dusk, on Irfan’s suggestion, we threw rocks, symbolizing regrets, into the river, and decided to head home. Irfan, having only been to the river once by this homestay, took a while to find the way back. Some needless steps and precious energy were expended. It was fine though, this is India.
Dinner was vegetable soup, rice, dal, spinach, and tea with cookies.
At 9 pm we climbed to the roof of the house. I have never seen so many stars in my life! There were so many that I couldn't find my favorite constellations. I saw galaxies! I will remember this forever.
Our trekking company choice, Indo-Himalayan Tours, is perfectly adequate and accommodating. See later note.
August 23, Wednesday
Having gone to bed so early, I awoke at 5:30a, just in enough time to go to latrine without a flashlight and watch the sunrise. Seven and half-hour trek ahead of us till next homestay. I hope it is better than this one. All Ladakhi homes are BIG. The dining area (sometimes combined with the cooking area for heat) is quite large and can easily accommodate 15-20 people. FYI - there is neither a bright light nor a soft mattress in all of Ladakh. I know -- I’m whining. In trek areas, the government provides electricity from 7 pm to 11 pm at night powered strategically placed solar panels ... that’s IT!
Breakfast for the next four days was some sort of chapatti with yuk (oops, I mean yak) butter, jam, and peanut butter and either mint tea or milk tea. The trek started off well until we got to this tiny flimsy trail (I mean 12" wide hanging off a 1,000-foot cliff). I was frozen in fear for a few seconds, but Irfan talked me through it and held my hand. He is great!
We lunched at the next tea stop to have our standard pack lunch -- each homestay gives you a pack lunch at breakfast, which consists of a juice box, hard-boiled egg, potato, a small chocolate bar (yay!), and some sort of chapatti with jam (or maybe cooked onions). Lots of carbs, you need them if you are trekking 7-1/2 hours a day. When you are trekking it's important to look at every step ahead of you. The only problem with that is you can miss the beauty around you. So you have to stop frequently or occasionally ... your choice ... to see, remember and take pics. The hiking poles my son loaned me are a tremendous help when you need them, an annoyance when you don't.
After lunch I got severe stomach attacks, so basically I left four piles of “business” along the way ... I know too much information. This is completely normal apparently. You just cover it up with sand/dirt/stone and Mother Nature will take care of the rest. My resolve for this trek is fading. Three more full days of trekking. For those of you who, like me, think that trekking is just a long walk, think again. This 5-day Markha Valley trek is literally the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Especially at 13,000 feet. Throw in a few large blisters and it's perfection. Irfan offered to carry my backpack. I allowed him to do so, but I am a warrior so I asked for it back after an hour.
There is no way out of this trek. Only two choices ... you have to finish it or go back. Unless there is a medical emergency, then a chopper will come and pick you up...not for free either.
This evening’s homestay is so much nicer than yesterday's. There is even a proper commode on top of the hole in the ground, but still outside in its own enclosed hut. Luxury!
Two days no shower. I am turning into an SDH (smelly dirty hippie) backpacker. Even my snot is dark brown from all the mountain dust.
Good night!
Jan 2nd, 2018, 07:37 AM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
August 24, Thursday (Installment 5)
Awakening at 6am, I decided to wash up with ice cold water. I feel energized compared to the mess of yesterday. Ready to take on the day. Warrior! It will be a short one Irfan tells me. The trail is packed today -- we saw about 12 trekkers and two donkey trains. When we came to a raging river we had to “wade” across, we took our shoes off and threw them to the other side. Irfan was helping me, but I almost fell in. For stability I wanted to take my time to select the perfect rocks to step on, but Irfan just kind of dragged me along. I flip-flopped like a ragdoll but made it across. The 30-second wade in the 40-degree Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) water numbed my legs, but refreshed and energized me. It is perfect trek weather -- partly cloudy, dry, slight breezy. Irfan tells me that the Khangtse Mountain is around the bend (not sure about that because Changtse Mountain is in China (unless it is another one)). Well, it was pure beauty! A snow-capped Himalayan mountain up close and personal -- another thing to check off my bucket list! During my last trip to India in 2013, we took a flightseeing 20-person plane tour around Mt. Everest, not as up close and personal, but hey it’s Mt. Everest. We trekked for another 1-1/2 hours and arrived at our homestay in Hankar. Thank God no stomach attack! Day Three of our Markha Valley trek complete! Irfan helped me load a bucket, and there I was sitting on the floor washing clothes. Irfan is just a helpful kind person ... not that I needed any help washing clothes after 40 years of practice. Just sayin’.
A side note. The trekking path generally runs parallel to the Markha River so there is always the low rumble of the river in the background. Just close your eyes and listen. A great way to calm yourself. Dinner was some sort of pasta (yay no rice and dal) and cabbage. A full house today. It was like the United Nations -- two Americans, three French, three Israelis, one Spaniard. It turns out that Christina and the Diamox-offering friend met each other in Sunderbans National Mangrove Forest in West Bengal, another part of India. Small world I’m telling you! After dinner, we all stayed in the dining area and talked. Christina was taking Ladakhi lessons from Irfan. A few hours later we all went to sleep. Well everyone besides me. It was hard to breathe the whole night, and so sleeping was just a wish. I followed the advice of trying to sleep upright, and it helped a little.
August 25, Friday
Good morning! I really truly hope that today's trek doesn't kill me. I'm serious! We are supposed to ascend for two hours straight, and then it's supposed to be flat land for the subsequent five hours. But if I get this AMS again I don't know what I will do. There is no way out because we cannot descend during dark. Hopefully there will be no cliff-hugging trails to trek, roaring rivers to cross, or stomach attacks. Well, this was mur-der. Two hours of ascending was really tough, but view was beautiful! We saw a 360 rainbow around the sun. I took a picture for proof. We saw partridges, another pretty bird, and a little chipmunk. We trekked for another three hours, but it was not completely flat. All were huffing and puffing, even the young’uns. Aaah, flat land finally! Our tent stay is literally that -- a 20-tent settlement in a field. We dropped our backpacks and went outside to take pictures of the yaks, cows, donkeys and horses grazing in the field against the backdrop of a setting sun. Christina and I have our own tent, and we are resting before 7:00 dinner. Dinner was about 20 people. Very nice! My standards on this trek have been lowered. The tent village was in the valley so the temperature dropped as soon as the sun set. Double pants, shirts, hats, gloves, and winter coats ... just to sleep! Well it was a damp, cold, probably 35-degree night. We didn't want Juliet to sleep by herself, lest she freeze, so we invited her to sleep with us. Day Four complete!
August 26, Saturday
It was frightfully cold at 5:30 am, and I doubt if I got 5 hours’ sleep. Overnight, ice crystals had formed inside our tent. Forget about brushing teeth or washing up. Breakfast was hot (yay) milk tea, chapatti and peanut butter, yuk (oops I mean yak) butter and jam -- I'm done already -- four days of that is enough -- and delicious lightly sweetened porridge. As Irfan had said we had to trek up the pass. I’m surprised I didn't get a heart attack. But it was all worth it for the view. Thousands of prayer flags and hundreds of cairns from previous climbers graced the summit. Being the oldest in the group (hint: I am old enough to be the mom of all of them) and because we became a somewhat tightly knit group, everybody congratulated me and applauded when I reached the top. And of course I cried. What else is new!? The walk down was brutal on my knees, but I did it. Apparently, at the end of the trek, if the road is good, meaning no landslides blocking the way or Border Roads Organization cleaning them up, a taxi (called Contract Carriages here in Ladakh) can pick us an hour closer. The roads were good!!!! A dirty seat in the back of a jalopy never looked so good. We would separate here because Juliet was in a different group. We hugged Juliet and Chinly, gave him a small tip for his help, exchanged info, and parted ways.
It was another 1-1/2 hours to Leh on the famous Manali-Leh Highway. During our ride I peppered Irfan with questions about culture, politics, military, his life. He's so friendly. We tipped Irfan above and beyond, hugged each other and off we went. That night I made arrangements for a solo trip to Nubra Valley and sped on over to Coffee Culture for a cup of latte. I hadn’t had a cup of coffee in FOUR days. We checked into the Hotel Royal Plaza, just down the road, closer to town (pretty good, decent bed, great view, crappy Wi Fi), went to buy lip balm (highly recommend because everything is so dry and dusty here), had banana juice and margarita pizza at The Pizza Hutt (yes, double T), ATM, packed a small overnight back for Turtuk (Nubra Valley) and then conked out at 9:30.
Awakening at 6am, I decided to wash up with ice cold water. I feel energized compared to the mess of yesterday. Ready to take on the day. Warrior! It will be a short one Irfan tells me. The trail is packed today -- we saw about 12 trekkers and two donkey trains. When we came to a raging river we had to “wade” across, we took our shoes off and threw them to the other side. Irfan was helping me, but I almost fell in. For stability I wanted to take my time to select the perfect rocks to step on, but Irfan just kind of dragged me along. I flip-flopped like a ragdoll but made it across. The 30-second wade in the 40-degree Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) water numbed my legs, but refreshed and energized me. It is perfect trek weather -- partly cloudy, dry, slight breezy. Irfan tells me that the Khangtse Mountain is around the bend (not sure about that because Changtse Mountain is in China (unless it is another one)). Well, it was pure beauty! A snow-capped Himalayan mountain up close and personal -- another thing to check off my bucket list! During my last trip to India in 2013, we took a flightseeing 20-person plane tour around Mt. Everest, not as up close and personal, but hey it’s Mt. Everest. We trekked for another 1-1/2 hours and arrived at our homestay in Hankar. Thank God no stomach attack! Day Three of our Markha Valley trek complete! Irfan helped me load a bucket, and there I was sitting on the floor washing clothes. Irfan is just a helpful kind person ... not that I needed any help washing clothes after 40 years of practice. Just sayin’.
A side note. The trekking path generally runs parallel to the Markha River so there is always the low rumble of the river in the background. Just close your eyes and listen. A great way to calm yourself. Dinner was some sort of pasta (yay no rice and dal) and cabbage. A full house today. It was like the United Nations -- two Americans, three French, three Israelis, one Spaniard. It turns out that Christina and the Diamox-offering friend met each other in Sunderbans National Mangrove Forest in West Bengal, another part of India. Small world I’m telling you! After dinner, we all stayed in the dining area and talked. Christina was taking Ladakhi lessons from Irfan. A few hours later we all went to sleep. Well everyone besides me. It was hard to breathe the whole night, and so sleeping was just a wish. I followed the advice of trying to sleep upright, and it helped a little.
August 25, Friday
Good morning! I really truly hope that today's trek doesn't kill me. I'm serious! We are supposed to ascend for two hours straight, and then it's supposed to be flat land for the subsequent five hours. But if I get this AMS again I don't know what I will do. There is no way out because we cannot descend during dark. Hopefully there will be no cliff-hugging trails to trek, roaring rivers to cross, or stomach attacks. Well, this was mur-der. Two hours of ascending was really tough, but view was beautiful! We saw a 360 rainbow around the sun. I took a picture for proof. We saw partridges, another pretty bird, and a little chipmunk. We trekked for another three hours, but it was not completely flat. All were huffing and puffing, even the young’uns. Aaah, flat land finally! Our tent stay is literally that -- a 20-tent settlement in a field. We dropped our backpacks and went outside to take pictures of the yaks, cows, donkeys and horses grazing in the field against the backdrop of a setting sun. Christina and I have our own tent, and we are resting before 7:00 dinner. Dinner was about 20 people. Very nice! My standards on this trek have been lowered. The tent village was in the valley so the temperature dropped as soon as the sun set. Double pants, shirts, hats, gloves, and winter coats ... just to sleep! Well it was a damp, cold, probably 35-degree night. We didn't want Juliet to sleep by herself, lest she freeze, so we invited her to sleep with us. Day Four complete!
August 26, Saturday
It was frightfully cold at 5:30 am, and I doubt if I got 5 hours’ sleep. Overnight, ice crystals had formed inside our tent. Forget about brushing teeth or washing up. Breakfast was hot (yay) milk tea, chapatti and peanut butter, yuk (oops I mean yak) butter and jam -- I'm done already -- four days of that is enough -- and delicious lightly sweetened porridge. As Irfan had said we had to trek up the pass. I’m surprised I didn't get a heart attack. But it was all worth it for the view. Thousands of prayer flags and hundreds of cairns from previous climbers graced the summit. Being the oldest in the group (hint: I am old enough to be the mom of all of them) and because we became a somewhat tightly knit group, everybody congratulated me and applauded when I reached the top. And of course I cried. What else is new!? The walk down was brutal on my knees, but I did it. Apparently, at the end of the trek, if the road is good, meaning no landslides blocking the way or Border Roads Organization cleaning them up, a taxi (called Contract Carriages here in Ladakh) can pick us an hour closer. The roads were good!!!! A dirty seat in the back of a jalopy never looked so good. We would separate here because Juliet was in a different group. We hugged Juliet and Chinly, gave him a small tip for his help, exchanged info, and parted ways.
It was another 1-1/2 hours to Leh on the famous Manali-Leh Highway. During our ride I peppered Irfan with questions about culture, politics, military, his life. He's so friendly. We tipped Irfan above and beyond, hugged each other and off we went. That night I made arrangements for a solo trip to Nubra Valley and sped on over to Coffee Culture for a cup of latte. I hadn’t had a cup of coffee in FOUR days. We checked into the Hotel Royal Plaza, just down the road, closer to town (pretty good, decent bed, great view, crappy Wi Fi), went to buy lip balm (highly recommend because everything is so dry and dusty here), had banana juice and margarita pizza at The Pizza Hutt (yes, double T), ATM, packed a small overnight back for Turtuk (Nubra Valley) and then conked out at 9:30.
Jan 2nd, 2018, 07:38 AM
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
August 27, Sunday (Installment 6)
Call to prayer blaring through speakers directly aimed at our hotel at 4:30 in the morning? Really? I mean Muslims have to sleep too. It’s good that I wore my earplugs every night. Awoke at 6:30. Wi-Fi working! I woke Christina to celebrate wi-fi connectivity. Incommunicado for 5 days. My husband probably thought I fell off the mountain. On Sunday, EVERYWHERE is closed until 2 pm. We took a walk down the narrow lane to the main square, specifically looking for our tagi man. Since it was Sunday, his stall was chained “closed” except for a 5-inch opening. We stuck our head in and ordered. Sometimes you can't stop a capitalist. Driver picked me up at 10:45, and I was on my way to Nubra Valley. The inclined road was good for small stretches. Cliff-hugging bumpy roads with hairpin turns were the majority of the seven-hour ride. Signs announcing “avalanche prone area -- drive slowly” only served to heighten my anxiety. After an hour and a half of cliff- hugging bumpy roads, a sign said, "Thank you. Inconvenience regretted." My abs are getting a workout with my trying to avoid hitting my head against the window and remaining upright. We drove over the Khardung Pass, which claims it is the highest motorable road in world. Apparently this fact is arguable. Bathroom break, some tea, and pictures.
On the way to Nubra Vally is Diskit monastery. A giant Buddha guards the large monastery which is tucked into the mountain. I paid a few rupees to enter the grounds of the monastery but did not go in. Monasteries in Ladakh are kind of like temples in India and churches in Italy. You seen one, you seen ‘em all.
The roadside to Turtuk is filled with gigantic boulders from crumbling mountains. Makes you wonder if you will be next. The Himalayas are majestic, beautiful, and strong, but also old and crumbling. Balance of nature I guess. We drove past the well-advertised Nubra Valley "sand dunes". Pfft! If you want to see sand dunes honey you have to go to the Sahara Desert! These paled in comparison.
Two different bridges had signs saying, "Weak bridge. One vehicle at a time." As we click-clacked to the other side, I wondered if we would make it. Even the driver celebrated when we didn’t collapse into the raging river below.
About 2 kilometers from Turtuk four girls and a baby were looking for a lift into town after finishing work. They and the driver spoke back and forth a little, but then he took them in. I knew he wanted to do it so I said yes. Truth be told, I smiled, but no smiles were forthcoming from them. Hindu music playing on the flash-drive equipped Tata, two gum-smacking 20-somethings, and constant chatter in Ladakhi made for an interesting remainder of trip.
Ok, first rip-off of this trip. I paid 12,000 rupees ($185) for this outing (and I swore that Parvez said it included lodging). Driver said no it didn’t. I made a mental note to argue with Parvez later. The driver (don’t remember his name sorry) took me to Isu Homestay in Turtuk which was up a steep hill. I took one look at it and said no, I had had enough of steep hills. The homestay across the street wanted 1200 rupees. I said no. I pointed to Tsarma Guest House & Restaurant (email: [email protected], tel: 09419275692 or 01980-248098), 600 rupees, including dinner. This will do. Tiny but clean room. I really want to get back to Leh because I want to get past the horrible anxiety-producing roads, and I was still angry with Parvez. So far I'm not impressed with Turtuk. Also included is evidence of recent landslides. I would have liked to have known how recent each one was, but there was no freakin’ internet! My driver called Parvez and got him on the phone. I said my piece. I was not happy and told Parvez we would go to someone else for our Pangong Lake trip.
Anyway I'm debating whether to hightail it out of here in the morning or be a big girl and go into town to see what the hoopla is all about. It's a 7-hour drive back. I have to make up my mind early tomorrow so we can get back before sundown.
August 28, Monday
I had the best night's sleep so far the entire trip in Tsarma Guest House. There is a babbling stream cuddling two sides of my corner room which lulled me to sleep. I will rave about it on Trip Advisor -- all for $9. Decision time! Turns out I am not a big girl. If Turtuk was beautiful, I would have probably stayed, but I am having breakfast, doing a quick, 45-minute tour of the town, and then we will leave for Leh. Leh is a comfortable place.
During breakfast a lovely young Indian woman and I exchanged pleasantries. I told her my “plight.” She was so compassionate. She explained she spent two years drawing and studying in Florence, and there were many times when it was not fun. Anywhere can be not fun she says. Made me feel a little better. I snapped a picture of her lovely empathic face.
The impromptu Turtuk tour guide led me to the humble Museum dedicated to the Kings of Turtuk, their weapons and their kingly coats and headdresses throughout the centuries. He was so proud of his heritage. The Queen of Turtuk was there to meet me. I gave a 100-rupee museum donation, and we were on our way across the street to see the (unworking) water mill. Apparently that babbling stream which lulled me to sleep was used to run the mill. Well, the stream is still streaming, but the mill is not milling, so I don’t know what the problem is.
So we begin our drive back to Leh with a grandfather trying to get his 8-year old grandson a lift to school. Of course I say! Anything for the furtherance of education.
Turtuk is very close to the Pakistan border and so there are a lot of barricades, fences, and cautionary signs. One said, “Photography strictly prohibited. Trespassers will be shot.” Not arrested ... just shot. Yikes! I made like I was talking on my cellphone and took a picture of the sign. That’s all. I swear.
On the road there was a lengthy paved area that wasn't paved yesterday. Then we come to a bulldozer pushing gigantic rocks off the road from a landslide that happened last night. I know because we drove across this same road yesterday. OII = only in India. We are the first car waiting for the bulldozer to clear the road. Insanity! It also looks like the BRO is in the process of making the Leh-Manali highway a little wider. How they are going to do that without causing landslides I’m not sure.
Upon my return I made a beeline to Coffee Culture to have a cafe latte made by Sunil. He made a heart in the milk froth and said only for you. ❤ Relaxing and people-watching in the square, I saw Christina speeding up the lane after teaching a yoga class. We were both hungry, found a restaurant in the square, had dal makhani and Momos (little steamed veg dumplings of deliciousness).
Call to prayer blaring through speakers directly aimed at our hotel at 4:30 in the morning? Really? I mean Muslims have to sleep too. It’s good that I wore my earplugs every night. Awoke at 6:30. Wi-Fi working! I woke Christina to celebrate wi-fi connectivity. Incommunicado for 5 days. My husband probably thought I fell off the mountain. On Sunday, EVERYWHERE is closed until 2 pm. We took a walk down the narrow lane to the main square, specifically looking for our tagi man. Since it was Sunday, his stall was chained “closed” except for a 5-inch opening. We stuck our head in and ordered. Sometimes you can't stop a capitalist. Driver picked me up at 10:45, and I was on my way to Nubra Valley. The inclined road was good for small stretches. Cliff-hugging bumpy roads with hairpin turns were the majority of the seven-hour ride. Signs announcing “avalanche prone area -- drive slowly” only served to heighten my anxiety. After an hour and a half of cliff- hugging bumpy roads, a sign said, "Thank you. Inconvenience regretted." My abs are getting a workout with my trying to avoid hitting my head against the window and remaining upright. We drove over the Khardung Pass, which claims it is the highest motorable road in world. Apparently this fact is arguable. Bathroom break, some tea, and pictures.
On the way to Nubra Vally is Diskit monastery. A giant Buddha guards the large monastery which is tucked into the mountain. I paid a few rupees to enter the grounds of the monastery but did not go in. Monasteries in Ladakh are kind of like temples in India and churches in Italy. You seen one, you seen ‘em all.
The roadside to Turtuk is filled with gigantic boulders from crumbling mountains. Makes you wonder if you will be next. The Himalayas are majestic, beautiful, and strong, but also old and crumbling. Balance of nature I guess. We drove past the well-advertised Nubra Valley "sand dunes". Pfft! If you want to see sand dunes honey you have to go to the Sahara Desert! These paled in comparison.
Two different bridges had signs saying, "Weak bridge. One vehicle at a time." As we click-clacked to the other side, I wondered if we would make it. Even the driver celebrated when we didn’t collapse into the raging river below.
About 2 kilometers from Turtuk four girls and a baby were looking for a lift into town after finishing work. They and the driver spoke back and forth a little, but then he took them in. I knew he wanted to do it so I said yes. Truth be told, I smiled, but no smiles were forthcoming from them. Hindu music playing on the flash-drive equipped Tata, two gum-smacking 20-somethings, and constant chatter in Ladakhi made for an interesting remainder of trip.
Ok, first rip-off of this trip. I paid 12,000 rupees ($185) for this outing (and I swore that Parvez said it included lodging). Driver said no it didn’t. I made a mental note to argue with Parvez later. The driver (don’t remember his name sorry) took me to Isu Homestay in Turtuk which was up a steep hill. I took one look at it and said no, I had had enough of steep hills. The homestay across the street wanted 1200 rupees. I said no. I pointed to Tsarma Guest House & Restaurant (email: [email protected], tel: 09419275692 or 01980-248098), 600 rupees, including dinner. This will do. Tiny but clean room. I really want to get back to Leh because I want to get past the horrible anxiety-producing roads, and I was still angry with Parvez. So far I'm not impressed with Turtuk. Also included is evidence of recent landslides. I would have liked to have known how recent each one was, but there was no freakin’ internet! My driver called Parvez and got him on the phone. I said my piece. I was not happy and told Parvez we would go to someone else for our Pangong Lake trip.
Anyway I'm debating whether to hightail it out of here in the morning or be a big girl and go into town to see what the hoopla is all about. It's a 7-hour drive back. I have to make up my mind early tomorrow so we can get back before sundown.
August 28, Monday
I had the best night's sleep so far the entire trip in Tsarma Guest House. There is a babbling stream cuddling two sides of my corner room which lulled me to sleep. I will rave about it on Trip Advisor -- all for $9. Decision time! Turns out I am not a big girl. If Turtuk was beautiful, I would have probably stayed, but I am having breakfast, doing a quick, 45-minute tour of the town, and then we will leave for Leh. Leh is a comfortable place.
During breakfast a lovely young Indian woman and I exchanged pleasantries. I told her my “plight.” She was so compassionate. She explained she spent two years drawing and studying in Florence, and there were many times when it was not fun. Anywhere can be not fun she says. Made me feel a little better. I snapped a picture of her lovely empathic face.
The impromptu Turtuk tour guide led me to the humble Museum dedicated to the Kings of Turtuk, their weapons and their kingly coats and headdresses throughout the centuries. He was so proud of his heritage. The Queen of Turtuk was there to meet me. I gave a 100-rupee museum donation, and we were on our way across the street to see the (unworking) water mill. Apparently that babbling stream which lulled me to sleep was used to run the mill. Well, the stream is still streaming, but the mill is not milling, so I don’t know what the problem is.
So we begin our drive back to Leh with a grandfather trying to get his 8-year old grandson a lift to school. Of course I say! Anything for the furtherance of education.
Turtuk is very close to the Pakistan border and so there are a lot of barricades, fences, and cautionary signs. One said, “Photography strictly prohibited. Trespassers will be shot.” Not arrested ... just shot. Yikes! I made like I was talking on my cellphone and took a picture of the sign. That’s all. I swear.
On the road there was a lengthy paved area that wasn't paved yesterday. Then we come to a bulldozer pushing gigantic rocks off the road from a landslide that happened last night. I know because we drove across this same road yesterday. OII = only in India. We are the first car waiting for the bulldozer to clear the road. Insanity! It also looks like the BRO is in the process of making the Leh-Manali highway a little wider. How they are going to do that without causing landslides I’m not sure.
Upon my return I made a beeline to Coffee Culture to have a cafe latte made by Sunil. He made a heart in the milk froth and said only for you. ❤ Relaxing and people-watching in the square, I saw Christina speeding up the lane after teaching a yoga class. We were both hungry, found a restaurant in the square, had dal makhani and Momos (little steamed veg dumplings of deliciousness).
Jan 2nd, 2018, 07:39 AM
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
August 29, Tuesday (Installment 7)
Good morning! I bought two tagis at my bread man in the lane. We hung out a Coffee Culture today (not boring me yet) from 10a -1p and made arrangements for Pangong Lake tomorrow, brought our clothes to the laundry, printed out some pictures for Irfan, which we promised him, and went minimal souvenir shopping. But mostly everyone is getting a Himalayan rock (free). Leh is a small town, and we saw Irfan walking along the plaza. I gave him pictures I took of the owners of a homestay during our trek. He promised he would give them the prints. People in these tiny villages along the trek are not used to seeing themselves in a picture. Tina and I went on a mission to find a cheap yoga mat. We rested in room until dinner. I am wasting away which is not good. But I don't want any more rice and dal! I want a gigantic salad with my beans, nuts, seeds, hemp hearts, flaxseed meal, cheese, and salad dressing. I want a steak and baked potato and wine! I want chicken cordon blue from the Green Room! I want a bagel! I want ice cream! Just sayin’. RANT OVER. We will go to Bon Appetit tonight which has good pizza. And I will eat it all. No sharing!
Tina and I went around the city square putting up yoga lesson signs. Christina ran into someone she taught a yoga lesson to in Dharamsala! That is crazy stuff considering India has 1.2 billion and Dharamsala is 700 kilometers away from Leh. This world baffles me sometimes.
My nose bleeds every day from the dryness, but my bones do not hurt. It's a trade-off I guess. But I am having a great time just hanging out with my darling Tina, so it’s worth it.
Picked up clothes from laundry. Had dinner in Bon Appetit. It was packed. Tables were even reserved. Not on Open Table though. Packed for Pangong Lake two-day, one-night trip. Good night!
August 30, Wednesday
We awoke early to get a tagi in the lane and a cup of coffee at Coffee Culture before our trip. Our driver was to meet us at Coffee Culture ... how convenient! The driver picked us up including two Israelis (to cut our cost), and we were in our way to Pangong Lake. The five-hour drive was nothing like the bumpy, cliff-hanging, hairpin-turn mess on the road to Nubra. We left behind the overcast sky and rain in Leh, and our order for clear, dry weather in Pangong was filled. We drove over (and stopped at) the second highest motorable road in the world -- the Chang La Pass. Again this is arguable if you Wiki it. Even though Khardang La Pass is supposedly higher, a mild altitude headache hit me at Chang La. There was snow on the ground so I made a snowball. I have proof! We arrived at Pangong Lake. Omg! It is beautiful. The colors of the lake against the backdrop of mountains and clouds are breathtaking. Getting accommodations was no problem (end of season), and so we got a luxury tent at Pangong Delight Camp, www.pangongdelight.com, email: [email protected] or [email protected], tel: +91 9419218649 or +91 9596811649 (4,000 rupees total for both of us with dinner and breakfast). But you will still freeze your butt off as there is no heat. We had lunch with the Israelis (Matan and Sophie) and took a walk down by the lake to take sunset pictures. Just amazing! Dinner is at 8 and it is 7:15 now. After a short rest, we had dinner with Matan and Sophie, started chatting, and of course we shut the place down. Good dinner, good people.
Good morning! I bought two tagis at my bread man in the lane. We hung out a Coffee Culture today (not boring me yet) from 10a -1p and made arrangements for Pangong Lake tomorrow, brought our clothes to the laundry, printed out some pictures for Irfan, which we promised him, and went minimal souvenir shopping. But mostly everyone is getting a Himalayan rock (free). Leh is a small town, and we saw Irfan walking along the plaza. I gave him pictures I took of the owners of a homestay during our trek. He promised he would give them the prints. People in these tiny villages along the trek are not used to seeing themselves in a picture. Tina and I went on a mission to find a cheap yoga mat. We rested in room until dinner. I am wasting away which is not good. But I don't want any more rice and dal! I want a gigantic salad with my beans, nuts, seeds, hemp hearts, flaxseed meal, cheese, and salad dressing. I want a steak and baked potato and wine! I want chicken cordon blue from the Green Room! I want a bagel! I want ice cream! Just sayin’. RANT OVER. We will go to Bon Appetit tonight which has good pizza. And I will eat it all. No sharing!
Tina and I went around the city square putting up yoga lesson signs. Christina ran into someone she taught a yoga lesson to in Dharamsala! That is crazy stuff considering India has 1.2 billion and Dharamsala is 700 kilometers away from Leh. This world baffles me sometimes.
My nose bleeds every day from the dryness, but my bones do not hurt. It's a trade-off I guess. But I am having a great time just hanging out with my darling Tina, so it’s worth it.
Picked up clothes from laundry. Had dinner in Bon Appetit. It was packed. Tables were even reserved. Not on Open Table though.
Packed for Pangong Lake two-day, one-night trip. Good night! August 30, Wednesday
We awoke early to get a tagi in the lane and a cup of coffee at Coffee Culture before our trip. Our driver was to meet us at Coffee Culture ... how convenient! The driver picked us up including two Israelis (to cut our cost), and we were in our way to Pangong Lake. The five-hour drive was nothing like the bumpy, cliff-hanging, hairpin-turn mess on the road to Nubra. We left behind the overcast sky and rain in Leh, and our order for clear, dry weather in Pangong was filled. We drove over (and stopped at) the second highest motorable road in the world -- the Chang La Pass. Again this is arguable if you Wiki it. Even though Khardang La Pass is supposedly higher, a mild altitude headache hit me at Chang La. There was snow on the ground so I made a snowball. I have proof! We arrived at Pangong Lake. Omg! It is beautiful. The colors of the lake against the backdrop of mountains and clouds are breathtaking. Getting accommodations was no problem (end of season), and so we got a luxury tent at Pangong Delight Camp, www.pangongdelight.com, email: [email protected] or [email protected], tel: +91 9419218649 or +91 9596811649 (4,000 rupees total for both of us with dinner and breakfast). But you will still freeze your butt off as there is no heat. We had lunch with the Israelis (Matan and Sophie) and took a walk down by the lake to take sunset pictures. Just amazing! Dinner is at 8 and it is 7:15 now. After a short rest, we had dinner with Matan and Sophie, started chatting, and of course we shut the place down. Good dinner, good people.
Jan 2nd, 2018, 07:40 AM
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
August 31, Thursday (Final Installment)
I slept restlessly and had mild shortness of breath from altitude, ugh! Was not fun but I managed. I awoke at 5:45 to get some sunrise pictures. Gorgeous! We had a meager breakfast and were ready to leave. Two Israelis, Gal and Rosie, whose motorbike broke down, were looking for a ride to Leh. I asked our driver. He said no, the car is filled. Gal asked him, came back, and it was a go -- all for 1000 rupees (about $15). Money talks ... anywhere. We all squished into the car. Gal’s girlfriend Rosie had to throw up, so we made a quick pit stop on the side of the road. I am now at Coffee Culture taking in the sights. I am a regular so Sunil knows what I want. He introduced me to his beautiful mother who was visiting from their hometown of Delhi. It is my last day in Ladakh with Christina, and I am sad. I already bought Himalayan soaps for friends and a yin/yang sticker for myself. And a couple of tubes of Miswak, Indian toothpaste, which I love. Picked up a custom t-shirt for hub. Dinner at The Food Planet. Back to hotel to pack.
September 1, Friday
Awoke at 7:45, didn't sleep that well. Bought two tagis. When I told the tagi man it was my last day, he gave me one for free for hubby. Walked to town and had my last Coffee Culture coffee. Tina and I took a cab to airport. She saw me off and of course I cried. But she will be back in the States in two months!
Goodbye Leh, Ladakh, Sunil, Irfan. Great trip! I’ll be back Ladakh!
All three flights were good. Back to NYC. Ugh!
Thank you for reading. I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
I slept restlessly and had mild shortness of breath from altitude, ugh! Was not fun but I managed. I awoke at 5:45 to get some sunrise pictures. Gorgeous! We had a meager breakfast and were ready to leave. Two Israelis, Gal and Rosie, whose motorbike broke down, were looking for a ride to Leh. I asked our driver. He said no, the car is filled. Gal asked him, came back, and it was a go -- all for 1000 rupees (about $15). Money talks ... anywhere. We all squished into the car. Gal’s girlfriend Rosie had to throw up, so we made a quick pit stop on the side of the road. I am now at Coffee Culture taking in the sights. I am a regular so Sunil knows what I want. He introduced me to his beautiful mother who was visiting from their hometown of Delhi. It is my last day in Ladakh with Christina, and I am sad. I already bought Himalayan soaps for friends and a yin/yang sticker for myself. And a couple of tubes of Miswak, Indian toothpaste, which I love. Picked up a custom t-shirt for hub. Dinner at The Food Planet. Back to hotel to pack.
September 1, Friday
Awoke at 7:45, didn't sleep that well. Bought two tagis. When I told the tagi man it was my last day, he gave me one for free for hubby. Walked to town and had my last Coffee Culture coffee. Tina and I took a cab to airport. She saw me off and of course I cried. But she will be back in the States in two months!
Goodbye Leh, Ladakh, Sunil, Irfan. Great trip! I’ll be back Ladakh!
All three flights were good. Back to NYC. Ugh!
Thank you for reading. I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Jan 2nd, 2018, 09:09 AM
#10
I confess I rarely read trip reports but so glad I read this one, LG! I've spent some time in India but doubt very much I'll ever see Ladakh, but I could "see" it this morning here. Thanks so much!
Jan 2nd, 2018, 12:39 PM
#11
I would love to visit Ladakh, but I didn't trek in Nepal and wouldn't plan to do it in Ladakh either, so congratulations.
BTW, I used to think of Buddhists as peaceable, but turns out they are no more pacifist than any other religion - see Rohingya not to mention history of SEA.
BTW, I used to think of Buddhists as peaceable, but turns out they are no more pacifist than any other religion - see Rohingya not to mention history of SEA.
Amazing! We've been considering Ladakh and Kashmir bit I was planning on a little more comfort!
Feb 5th, 2018, 08:12 AM
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Welltraveledbrit - it was my second trip to India...the first being a luxury 4-star, private driver, private tour guide kind of trip in 2013. This was definitely different, but better in certain ways.
