[dinesha]

Originally Posted by man_and_machine

Gee, thanks! I love what I see. Can we please have an offline discussion. I would like to know more. Is there somehow you can send me say an e-mail or something?

You can send me a PM. I will respond.

[dinesha]

Day-4: 7-June-2011
Kalpa-Roghi Village-Kalpa

I wake up at 5:30 AM.

We have kept this day to unwind ourselves, especially the kids they needed to loosen their muscles. My wife had forewarned me not to wake her or the kids in the morning. I was very happy to oblige, I tiptoed out of the room with my camera and the tripod. I love this kind of solitude.

Purohit serves me my usual early morning Ginger-lemon tea, I happily immersed myself in the beautiful vista. The sight there was heavenly. No words or photograph and describe the sensation one gets during the sunrise. As the sun slowly comes up the morning rays slowly highlights one mountain after another and you can clearly see the well definded beam of sunlight.

Sun Rays creates an Aura behind the almighty


Sun rays just breaking out behind the mountain range


First rays hitting the Himalayas






The god has awaken..


I am a sucker for snow laden mountains. So excuse if you guys feels I go overboard with my camera.





Hotel Kinner Villa, Front rooms just behind the Varandha are the best rooms


Mr. Negi is adding another 30 rooms in the hotel. The foundation work for the new block has just commenced. This guys job was to carry big block of stones on his back. Do this day in and day out he must have one strong back and shoulders..




Cherries at the Kinner Villa's Orchard. Mr. Negi grows lot of apples and cherries in the orchard around the hotel.


Are those Butterfly larvae or some other Insects? please help.


Local lizard at the hotel



After breakfast I called up Lotey of Spiti Sarai he says that Kaza-Manali road will not open before 20th June. The same is confirmed by HPPWD at kokshar. So we slightly modify our travel plan and decide that we will go upto Kaza and return all the way back and we will cover some of the places including Sangla valley during our return journey.

After breakfast we went to Rekong Peo to buy and stock ourselves with the water and some emergency food items. We went little overboard by buying 24 bottles of water and lots of Junk food. We did not have to buy any more water on this trip. However now a days one do not need to carry lot of stuff as food, water and other stuff like biscuit and chips are available on almost all the towns and villages enroute. Few bottles of water and little bit of food item should be sufficient for emergency needs.

My wife brought some Shawls made of rabbit hair for gifting purpose and some local massage oil. We visited the monastery at Rekong peo and then return to Kalpa for the lunch. After lunch we go to Roghi Village.


(Cont..Day 4)

[man_and_machine]

Yes! agree, keep them coming and keep them fast. Fantastic pictures!

[wanderernomad]

Rabbit hairs? You bought angora shawls, I guess. Keep the pictures coming. The PWD RH at RPeo is also a nice place to stay but tourists generally prefer Kalpa as the views are awesome from there.

[dinesha]

Originally Posted by man_and_machine

Yes! agree, keep them coming and keep them fast. Fantastic pictures!

Thanks

Originally Posted by wanderernomad

Rabbit hairs? You bought angora shawls, I guess. Keep the pictures coming. The PWD RH at RPeo is also a nice place to stay but tourists generally prefer Kalpa as the views are awesome from there.

Yes, shawls made from hairs of Angora rabbit, supposed to be very warm. But not warm enough to handle bitter chills at Kaza.

PWD RH at Roghi would be a lot better option.

[dinesha]

(Cont.. Day 4)

Before returning from Rekong Peo I went to the DC office there to inquire about the Guest House booking at Sangla during my return leg from Kaza. I had earlier faxed an application from Delhi and the PS to DC has assured me one room. When I visited him in his PS he could not remember me nor could he locate my application

Well I gave him a fresh copy of application and again he assured me the room. He told me to call a day earlier enrote to find out the room number. So looked like we will have decent accomodation at Sangla. Reassured I returned back to Kalpa.

View toward Kalpa Village


Post lunch after some rest we head towards Roghi village about 8Kms form Kalpa. The stretch between Roghi and Kalpa in daunting for many bravehearts who do not have head for heights. The sheer cliff falls straight 900 meters below. River Sutlaj roaring below can be clearly heard from this road.


Locals says the road has been considerable broadened but it was still too narrow for my liking.


Roghi Cliffs are also know as Roghi Sucide point. I wonder why?


This road was part of old Hindustan-Tibet route and it is said that many british riders have lost their lives here.




However magnificent view from this road






Vinkal washing the vehicle. Next time will be after a while


Roghi Village


Its a small village with traditionally constructed houses


Wall is made up of layered wood and squared rock and the roof of slates


We return back to our hotel by 6:00PM. Few other families had also arrived in the hotel. A bonfire was lit by by the hotel staff in the evening. We had our dinner and turned in early as early next morning would be the beginning of our real journey.

Staying Options
Guest House at Rekong Peo, Kalpa, Roghi, Sangla valley
DC office at Rekong Peo: PS to DC 01902-222227


(Cont.. Day 5)

[fine69]

Is Roghi worth visiting only because of the road or anything else too?

[dinesha]

Originally Posted by fine69

Is Roghi worth visiting only because of the road or anything else too?

Cliff apart this route gives a magnificent view of the kinner Kailash mountain range.
I loved the walk through the village. Tradition houses there are fascinating. You can also visit Mahakal Temple.

[dinesha]

Thanks everybody for the word of encouragement and appreciation.

Next few days I am going to cover following places. From here on the TL will be more photocentric.
*Nako
*Giu
*Tabo
*Chango Monastery
*Lalung (Lingti Valley)
*Mane Village
*Dhankar
*Gulling-Kungri-Sagnam-Mud (Pin Valley)
*Kaza
*Rangrik
*Langza-Hikkim-Kommic
*Kye-Kibber-Tashigang
*Sangla-Rakchham-Chitkul (Sangla Valley)
*Rampur-Naldhera-Kasauli
(Not in the order)

Thanks for reading.
Regards
Dinesh

[wanderernomad]

@Dinesha: one of the USP of angora wool is that its incredibly warm and soft as well. I think after Pashmina and Toosh its the best you can have for style and warmth. Must be a blended shawl otherwise an angora can and will keep you warm at Kaza during summers atleast.

[dinesha]

Originally Posted by wanderernomad

@Dinesha: one of the USP of angora wool is that its incredibly warm and soft as well. I think after Pashmina and Toosh its the best you can have for style and warmth. Must be a blended shawl otherwise an angora can and will keep you warm at Kaza during summers atleast.

Well the shawl was quite expensive.. but you never know.

[dinesha]

Day 5: 8-June-2011
Kalpa-Nako-Giu-Tabo

As usual I wake up early, quite earlier then my family. My family can to with little bit of extra sleep as the day is going to be very long and very exhaustive especially for my 4 year old son.

I grab my camera and the tripod and tip-toe out of the room. Purohit brings me my honey-ginger tea and I immerse myself on the lap of gods. (I am impressed by the dadication of Anil Purohit towards his guest. He is a one in all-a manager, a cleaner, a waiter and a kitchen help.)

The Sun is yet to show its morning glory and I have clear view of the Kinner Kailash range and the imposing Shivling. Divine begning of the day.


Slowly the sun emerges from behind the mountains, no words needed..


one more..


After a while I go in the room and wake them all. We needed to start early so all of us are ready by 7:00AM. Purohit serves us our breakfast at the Varandha in the meantime I do what I love the most.






We get some sandwich packed and bid goodbye to Kalpa by 7:30AM.


We reach Rekong Peo at eight and buy few more essential junk food stock.

Finally to the Fueling station at Rekong Peo. Whatever little space in the tank is filled by shaking the vehicle..


We hit the road and soon cross the GREF depot at Powari..
.

(Cont.. Day 5)

[dinesha]

(Cont.. Day 5)

NH22, just after Powari


Looks like rough ride ahead..


Soon we reach Pangi Nallah. It's about 15min drive from Powari


Photo from the Pangi Nallah.


Cliff below and the dangerous turn..


the metal basket is used to ferry goods and times men across the river (Common Sight)..


Road ahead..


Kassang Nallah.. the mist from this stream can be felt even at quite a distance on the road.. we stopped here for fairly long.. one of the best roadside 'falls' in the entire region..25-30mins from Powari. Even travelers travelling only upto Kalpa should take a small detour here.. highly recommended..


BRO is engaged on road widening projectings through out the Border areas.. this particular stretch is just before Akpa. The road closes here between 12:30PM-01:30PM and 3:30PM-4:30PM for the blasting and the clearing operations... Please reconfirm the timing and the place from the locals enroute.


Preparing holes for the dynamites..


(Cont.. Day 5)

[dinesha]

(Cont..Day 5)

Once we cross the work site (BRO) the roads suddenly becomes pleasureful..


For the kids driving through the rock carved road is a thrilling experience..




BRO is replacing most of the Bailey bridges with the wider truss bridges..


The snow laden mountains appears closer and more magnificent as we drive further deep..


Where there is snow I get carried away..the funny thing is, I was born in Sikkim and have lived 3 years of my life at Buffalo, NY where for 6 months you see nothing but white I have spent quite a bit of my time shoveling out my car....I hated the color there in Buffalo..


But who can hate these...


The landscape slowly begins to change.. there is less and less of trees.. hue gradually turns brown from green..


We move on and cross Jangi..


mountains getting barren, Vistas getting better..


Suspension bridge at Akpa, cross Sutlaj one at a time..


Landslide on the other side..


Few bad stretches..


otherwise the road is in real great shape, surface is NHAI highways type smooth, no potholes whatsoever..


BRO must have been very recently done the carpeting of the road..


But, please don't be too happy, because these "highway type smooth road" ends in Spello, beyond Spello it is usual himalayan road, a mix beg..

Don't clean your comp screen, that's windshield.. lots of dust ahead..


Wellcome to Spello


passing through Spello without stopping..BTW: good eatery by the name "Himani Bhojanalaya" here.. stop here for good meals..


Isn't the view magnificent. look at the stream, it is "Ropa Gud" flowing out from the "Ropa Valley".. some call it "Rupa".. The road shown in this picture leads to the Ropa valley..



Between Spello and Pooh the landscape turns totally barren bearing dark grey hue, mountains appears too close for comfort ..remoteness of the place suddenly draws and the mind plays tricks. May be because of concern for kids but the mood turns somber and claustrophobic .. my daughter turns lethargic and sleepy. Being aware of my daughters medical conditions Vinkal wonders whether she is showing initial signs of AMS and should he turn back. I would hate to turn back at this stage..

I check my Navigator it show we are at 3300 meters but may be because of Sutlaj flowing so close, I did not realize that we were driving through such an altitude.. my wife checks on my daughter and inquires whether she is suffering an headache or breathing problems.. she denies any symptoms but we are not sure, she would not like to turn back either.. so a decision is made then we will proceed ahead and decide the course of action once we reach Pooh..

I hope she is just tired, it has been more then 4 hours since we left Kalpa..

We can see Pooh at a distance..


View near Pooh


Welcome to Pooh..

We stop here for a while, take a break and sandwiches and decide further course ..

(Cont..Day 5)

[laluks]

Originally Posted by dinesha

Where there is snow I get carried away..the funny thing is, I was born in Sikkim and have lived 3 years of my life at Buffalo, NY where for 6 months you see nothing but white I have spent quite a bit of my time shoveling out my car....I hated the color there in Buffalo..

But who can hate these...

So true. While I lived in Europe for around 2 years, the snow never made me feel so happy compared to the snowfall I enjoyed en route Kargil Padhum. It was such a nostalgic moment even today.

One query. Can you give some information on the stay options at Nako and Tabo