Day 10,
Day 10 - Kargil - I woke with the shock my friend leaving. Stayed in bed until 11 and then had a good hair cut - the story is that night before we were searching for soda water and all we could find is a dozen of small saloons here. I was tempted to get a hair cut, just because the number of saloons outweighed everything else. I also got to the taxi stand and asked about roads to Rangdum -> Padum. Why? I had this plan earlier. However that plan was when we had 2 drivers. flashback a week before, my friend from Calcutta who was supposed to join me, cancelled the plan. With two drivers I had made the plan to visit Rangdum and Padum, in which case i would be in Srinagar by the 3 or 4th day max. With myself only driving we reached Srinagar on the 6th day. I had already dropped Zanskar from my head, however just for the sake of the heck, I inquired and got a shock, when the taxi drivers informed, none of the taxis go there. Its virtually a car breaker road. Only 4x4 sumos are going on that side. I heard for the first time that there exists a 4x4 version of Tata Sumo. I even saw one of them later in keylong.
Leaving aside all, I had a nice haircut and a very nice hot bath. I had been taking diamox from Mt. Abu itself so I was pretty relaxed and at home with the altitude. I did see tourists panting on the road. Ok so, I start at around 1 PM (not a nice time to start at all, since all the taxis leave by 10 AM max). Alone I was getting the chills and a newfound freedom I had never felt. One small detail, our mobiles were out after we left Srinagar, and still not reachable. So I called my wifey and kids from a std booth, and let them know I was OK, Hiding the fact that I was now alone
next about 100 kms was rough, but drivable. Let me compare, If you have driven on the Sakleshpur ghat roads to Mangalore, then these are 10 times worse - I learnt, our cars are lot tougher than we think. The rest was good tarmac right till Leh. Good point was I had enough time to pull up whenever I wanted and have as much of the Ladakhi breeze enter my lungs and then feel the lonely feeling on a lonely place. If Nirvana exists its very close.
Now some pictures :
Day 10 - 5th June 1 PM started from Kargil and reached Leh at 9 PM (
kargil -> mulbekh -> lamayaru -> Khalsi -> Nimmoo -> Leh - 230 Kms approx) Thanks to Kumar HV's logs I knew exactly what was coming before it came and I was ready with camera. Lamayaru snaps, and khalsi I took a bottle of Indus river (alas, my wife later on, threw it thinking it was dirty water. I forgot to say that it was Indus water)
As we aproach Mulbekh
Mulbekh, its an extremely inspiring small town, where the folks have to really work hard. The town must have 4 to 5 house. Sorry if I am wrong, thats all I could see adjacent to road.
Indus river after Mulbekh
Somewhere I just stopped
Namikala Pass (12198 Ft - 3700 m)
Fatoola Pass ()
Departing Lamayaru, golden mountains
Khalsi, where you can go down and touch the river
from Kumar HV's mails. exceptional info. thanks Sir.
Hindukush range
magnetic point - it actually is amazing, your car tends to move under magnetic powers
The person in background is a ladakhi driver, whose omni was stuck at Noom nala crossing. The Nala falls off the main road, it was a shortcut which he was trying, and his axle broke. He desperately wanted to reach Leh and get the parts, as he could himself fix that. Nevertheless, I gave him lift.
Dorjee Guest House. Good, the Ladakhi had a brother in law whose guesthouse I checked in. It was little outside the hustle bustle, and with a Ladakhi Family who were very nice.
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