Originally Posted by goandude

Great pictures and even better write up. Even in daylight they are treacherous, what with ice, slush and steep drops around.

Thanks, goandude, for the compliments. I did the return journey Leh [4 am] to Srinagar [10:30 pm], hoping to cross Zoji La before dark, but again, got stuck due to a truck getting stuck at a hair-pin bend resulting in a big pile-up of vehicles for km!

Originally Posted by PGNarain

One question, what is the "Mandatory Yellow Sticker on RHS Headlamp" you have mentioned above?

Thanks a lot, PGNarain, for superlative compliments! In Gujarat, it is mandatory to affix yellow sticker vertically on RHS headlamp, perhaps to reduce glare to the drivers of the vehicles coming in the opposite direction. Here are the details. However, I visited Gujarat twice in as many years and stayed in Ahmedabad and Surat. But, I never faced any problem from GJ cops.

[goandude]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Thanks, goandude, for the compliments. I did the return journey Leh [4 am] to Srinagar [10:30 pm], hoping to cross Zoji La before dark, but again, got stuck due to a truck getting stuck at a hair-pin bend resulting in a big pile-up of vehicles for km!
.

Ravi I had gone to leh last July and had hired Innovas with their local drivers. We always started at 6 am and aimed to end our journey by 2-3 pm. We had the luxury of time and the drivers were always reminding us that we need to keep to schedule to allow for unexpected halts like landslides etc. You had a very tight time frame so obviously you couldn't stick to daytime travel.

Before the commencement of my Leh expedition, I had opened the bonnet of my Linea on 4 September 2011, checked the engine oil and fluid levels and topped up engine oil and windscreen cleaning fluid. My Linea carried adequate spare engine oil [Selenia K], coolant-water mixture and windscreen cleaning fluid for this great expedition. En route, my Linea got serviced at Amritsar and Srinagar with topping up of engine oil and fluids. I never opened the bonnet of my Linea anywhere during the Leh trip! After reaching Bangalore, I opened the bonnet yesterday and checked all the levels. After driving for more than 3,400 km from the last servicing at Srinagar, the engine oil level came down to the minimum mark and consumed about 750 ml of Selenia K and about a litre of windscreen cleaning fluid. The coolant level was just above the maximum mark as it was earlier. So, the spare consumables that my Linea carried returned home unused.

*********************

17 September 2011 [Saturday]

The attendant of IOC petrol pump at Kargil was very prompt. At 6 am sharp, he opened the pump. We were the first customers to have petrol on that day. There was a clean toilet at an elevated place above the pump. We had to climb a few steps to reach the loo. After a few minutes, we started another marathon journey to Leh. At 7:30 am, we encountered the first traffic jam of the day due to clearing of the landslide debris by BRO staff.



When I was returning to my Linea after clicking some snaps, I heard a voice, 'Good Morning, Sir!'. I turned back only to see the same Innova taxi parked ahead in the queue and all the guys, who helped me at Zoji La, were seated inside as the temperature outside was in single digit! I wished them back and returned to my Linea.





















After many stoppages, wretched roads, traffic jams, my Linea took us to Leh at 2:30 pm, a torturous 8.5 hours drive from Kargil. The roads in Leh were as narrow as that of Zoji La! I could not find a parking slot on the Fort Road, where Padma Hotel & Guest House was located. I made two or three rounds in vain. Finally, I parked my Linea at Polo Grounds, near DC's office, took out the minimum luggage and walked to the hotel. Tsewang, the owner, was a kind man. He asked me, where did I park my car. When I told him, at Polo Grounds, he immediately arranged a secured parking at Hotel K'Ser, Fort Road, opposite to the cluster of guest houses including Padma Hotel. He volunteered to send Naresh with me for taking my Linea to Hotel K'Ser. So, after unpacking and wash, I went to Polo Grounds with Naresh, drove my Linea to Hotel K'Ser and parked her at the secured car parking lot. Naresh commented that my Linea looked very dirty. So, I asked him to wash my Linea the next day evening.





We spent the rest of the day in acclimatising and resting.

More to come.

[AutoIndian]

The mountains are simply mesmerizing, look so barren & rugged. I guess the particular shape would have been formed due to melting of the accumulated snow in summer. The job being done by the BRO folks is truly commendable. They seem to be always on their toes in such a harsh terrain & the hostile weather.

[motomaverick]

Nice pics Ravi, since your linea took you to leh and back, i am sure my Manza can repeat the same feat

By the way in the last pic the MID shows 33c was it that hot?

Originally Posted by motomaverick

i am sure my Manza can repeat the same feat By the way in the last pic the MID shows 33c was it that hot?

Thanks, motomaverick. As I had mentioned earlier, when my Linea could do it, any car can do it! The driving skill and mental alertness are more important than the vehicle.

The last photograph was taken at 12:37 pm the next day. Yeah, we were profusely sweating at that time of the day. Even we were terrified to see that much of outside temperature.

[motomaverick]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Thanks, motomaverick. As I had mentioned earlier, when my Linea could do it, any car can do it! The driving skill and mental alertness are more important than the vehicle.

The last photograph was taken at 12:37 pm the next day. Yeah, we were profusely sweating at that time of the day. Even we were terrified to see that much of outside temperature.

Wow 33C for real is hot and you were sweating in Leh Even Blore is slightly cooler than Leh at 29c

[honeybee]

Your meticulous documentation of the journey itself deserves a 5-star rating, Mr. Ravi. After going through the thread, I believe it would have been better if you had used the assembly line section of TBHP to complete the write up and then open it to the general public for comments.

It's an excellent writeup and a daring expedition all the way from Chennai to Leh and back (to B'lore?).

[goandude]

Oil levels falling 750 ml after 3400 kms is rather much, esp in a petrol engine. Are you sure there are no leaks?

Originally Posted by honeybee

it would have been better if you had used the assembly line section of TBHP to complete the write up and then open it to the general public for comments.

Thanks, honeybee. This thread was in Assembly Line. I requested the moderators to make it public as I wished that it should reach all when it is fresh.

Originally Posted by goandude

Oil levels falling 750 ml after 3400 kms is rather much, esp in a petrol engine. Are you sure there are no leaks?

Thanks. It is absolutely normal. Every day, I used to check for leaks, puncture, etc., but in vain! My Linea's oil consumption is within the permissible limit of 400 g of Selenia K for every 1000 km. Which translates to 455 ml/1000 km. For 3400 km, the maximum consumption limit is 1.5 litres! My Linea consumed just about half the maximum limit. My Linea's regular oil consumption is around 250 ml/1000 km.

[Judemayne]

Dear Ravi,

great drive and a very engrossing narrative with the pictures being the icing on the cake. Just a query -quite a distance/time was covered during the hours of darkness-was it worth it both for the sightseeing and risk factors??
Hats off to the lady!!!
Ravi waiting impatiently for the rest of the story to unfold -inspiring. Did the drive-Srinagar-Leh, as an Army officer-many many years back-late 70's.

Jude

Originally Posted by Judemayne

quite a distance/time was covered during the hours of darkness-was it worth it both for the sightseeing and risk factors??

Thank you, Judemayne, for the compliments and kind words. I did not reserve our accommodation at some intervening days and the return lap so that we could have flexibility for stay, add or delete places at the eleventh hour. But, since I thought I could drive comfortably with some power nap, I did it! I agree, Zoji La was worse than my expectation.

[MAS]

Ravi... Kudos to your guts and sense of adventure

Excellent travelogue. I was unable to take my eyes away from the photos and the writing. I wish i can do such a trip with my family. If i do, i know whom to get in touch with.

We were free from acute mountain sickness [AMS]. No Diamox. No other drugs. We drank plenty of water, ate dry fruits and nuts and avoided exertion at high altitudes. On the first day of our stay at Leh, we were confined to our room only and spent time by watching a couple of Tamil movies on my laptop stored in my external HDD.

**************************

We got up late, breakfasted at the in-house restaurant, visited Shanti Stupa, got my Linea tankful of petrol at IOC petrol pump and returned to our room in the evening.




























We were incommunicado at Leh as our BSNL prepaid cell phones were dead as soon as we entered J&K. But, Padma Hotel & Guest House had wi-fi connectivity [chargeable at Rs 60 per hour, outside Rs 90 per hour!]. So, I updated my children and friends through emails. I also updated my Linea ownership threads about our safe arrival at Leh. We called it a day after eating a good dinner at the in-house restaurant.

Many more photographs are waiting in the queue.

[motomaverick]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

We were free from acute mountain sickness [AMS]. No Diamox. No other drugs. We drank plenty of water, ate dry fruits and nuts and avoided exertion at high altitudes. On the first day of our stay at Leh, we were confined to our room only and spent time by watching a couple of Tamil movies on my laptop stored in my external HDD.

So a sedentary day compared to the past hectic days. You didnt go to the DC office on this day for permissions to the regular places around leh.