[MaverikMahesh]

rnbohra,

FANTASTIC! is all i can say. dsc_2313 has come out beautiful. As Advait said....these logs make me feel to shut computer, hop onto my car and start driving. I am glad that you exercised restraint on your off roading urges. Rated 5* as well. Keep them coming

[rnbohra]

Thanks Mahesh and Advait for your kind comments.

"Best way to convince your wife for a Road Trip to Leh"

1. Try and avoid (busy/workload/no bookings whatever you can think of) going on a decent holiday over the year.
2. Once she is like "We have not been on a decent holiday for so long" drop the Leh bomb.
3. Show her photos of the locations i.e. camp sites/hotels/desolate locales... never the road/passes etc. Do not even mention them.
4. Within no time you will have her agreement.
5. Now without wasting any time planning, commit some money on hotel bookings etc. in front of her. Even better if she can do the bookings herself. Planning of the road trip before you commit any money can be a dampner.
6. After all that is done, start planning the actual drive involve her. Mine got apprehensive midway but when the credit card bill of all bookings done was shown it all settled down to "Jo hoga dekha jayega".

There you have your trip.

[sriswe]

Originally Posted by rnbohra

"Best way to convince your wife for a Road Trip to Leh"

1. Try and avoid (busy/workload/no bookings whatever you can think of) going on a decent holiday over the year.
2. Once she is like "We have not been on a decent holiday for so long" drop the Leh bomb.
3. Show her photos of the locations i.e. camp sites/hotels/desolate locales... never the road/passes etc. Do not even mention them.
4. Within no time you will have her agreement.
5. Now without wasting any time planning, commit some money on hotel bookings etc. in front of her. Even better if she can do the bookings herself. Planning of the road trip before you commit any money can be a dampner.
6. After all that is done, start planning the actual drive involve her. Mine got apprehensive midway but when the credit card bill of all bookings done was shown it all settled down to "Jo hoga dekha jayega".

There you have your trip.

Very nice travelogue, a visual treat, thanks for sharing. BTW, these tips should be good for other trips as well, not just leh, thanks again, will try these for my next road trip.

[rnbohra]

25-6-12, Overnite Jispa was relaxing hotel being brand new was very clean and staff courteous. 0700 hrs start. Route through Keylong upto Tandi was 50:50 but the general greenery after so many days of barren moonscape was pleasing to the eye. Had still 25 ltrs of fuel on reaching Tandi enough to reach Manali.. but to have bragging rights filled up again.

Drove to Khoksar checkpost, first good news here "Sir aaj Manali tourist allowed nahi hai Rohtang pe" (was not aware that Tuesday local tourists are not allowed). This news brought smiles.. having read of the 11 hr traffic jams in some posts earlier.

Stopped at the Kaza turnoff.. Hoping to do this some time in the future. Uneventful climb to Rohtang Top.. scenic all the way with lots of waterfalls. Slippery in some places but manageable.































Now this is the way to travel... Huge home on wheels all the way from EuroLand.



I had heard R-Top was bad.. was shocked to see the dirtiest snow ever, the place is nothing but a huge dump yard and open toilet area. Never again!







Descending..





Like Ying and Yang.. Good news had to be followed by bad news.. and it lay in front of us





Nobody told us that tourists are not allowed on R-top Tuesday... bcos they carryout repair works.

Well there we were stuck for 2-3 hrs till BRO cleared the road. As soon as the road cleared I don't know where all the discipline of Leh disappeared and everyone was cutting forward creating a jam that needed clearing. Sorry for repeating When will we learn!!

Drive down into Manali after that was uneventful except I was honked by on coming traffic.. realised that after driving in the middle of the road for so many days i was doing the same in busy traffic. Adjusted in my interest. to be continued...

[rajeevn]

Original quote by rnbohra...

(As soon as the road cleared I don't know where all the discipline of Leh disappeared and everyone was cutting forward creating a jam that needed clearing. Sorry for repeating When will we learn!!)

I quite know what you mean, Mr Bohra. There are so many instances of people showing complete disregard for traffic rules and mutual driving respect—on mountain roads no less—that it is shocking.

I was in Manali for a day for a quick weekend getaway (Fri-Sat-Sun) from Delhi, around the same time you must have been coming down R-Top. Just after crossing Pandoh Dam, I was 'at first intrigued' and 'then later completely cheesed off' by one private bus driver. On the curvy, and mostly one-lane road right after Pandoh Dam en route to Bhuntar-Kullu, he tailgated every vehicle on the road, including mine... He all but pushed some 20 cars off the road till they gave way.

All those half-angry and fully-frightened drivers had no option but to all but scrape the rock-face to let him pass. Shocking, to say the least!

That having been said, please accept by congratulations on a wonderfully-compiled T-Log—great writing and luscious pictures.

(For the record, the bus in pink pasted below is that of the tail-gater bus, just after I allowed it to overtake us before he pushed off the cliff-face!!).

[advaitlele]

Originally Posted by rnbohra

Thanks Mahesh and Advait for your kind comments.

"Best way to convince your wife for a Road Trip to Leh"

1. Try and avoid (busy/workload/no bookings whatever you can think of) going on a decent holiday over the year.
2. Once she is like "We have not been on a decent holiday for so long" drop the Leh bomb.
3. Show her photos of the locations i.e. camp sites/hotels/desolate locales... never the road/passes etc. Do not even mention them.
4. Within no time you will have her agreement.
5. Now without wasting any time planning, commit some money on hotel bookings etc. in front of her. Even better if she can do the bookings herself. Planning of the road trip before you commit any money can be a dampner.
6. After all that is done, start planning the actual drive involve her. Mine got apprehensive midway but when the credit card bill of all bookings done was shown it all settled down to "Jo hoga dekha jayega".

There you have your trip.

That's where experience comes in. Thanks Mr Bohra for the advise.
I did two mistakes in the past. Didnt do 1. -we regularly go for small vacations, anytime we have long weekend in sight. That would be no-no from now.
And did 5. as in was ready on the travel plan (read drive plan) without anything else.
Hope to reverse it now.

Meanwhile, let me see it through your lens. Thanks.

[Trojan]

Wow...mr.Bohra you have left me speechless and engrossed in the beauty of India!
Sir, you are living many persons dream mine included and what a way to do so.

When we travel places we see a lot of things but to be able to capture them as efficiently and beautifully is an altogether different story, thank you very much for sharing this utmostly wonderful TL with us. I have been trying to post comments on photos but each one is more beautiful or equal to the other, I have been reading your TL and it just makes my resolve stronger to be there. Also, I am making notes as well, as you have described everything very nicely.

Traffic Jams, nice place to be stuck
Waiting for more.

Regards

[rnbohra]

Thanks once again to all for your comments. Yes Rajeev I had my instances too. Drove for so many miles, did not even come near touching anybody. But the stretch from Manali to Mandi twice Innova taxi guys banged against my right side mirror. Fortunately the mirror has a "give" setup and ends up closing rather than breaking.

Lesson learnt between Manali and Mandi, never drive on this stretch early morning as those crazy Delhi-Manali buses will drive you of the edge. Better to start after 8-9 o'clock in the morning.

25-6-12 checked @ 1400 hrs in Manali, my last visit to this place was way back in 1995-96 and has this place changed. I am not very sure what could be the reason somebody would like to visit Manali anymore. Visit to any mall in a metro would be enough.. crowds/cold climate.

Anyway everyone has his choice. We hunkered in our rooms and celebrated the completion of this epic trip.

26-6-12 ,Two options to reach Jaipur were discussed

1. Manali-Chd-Panipat-Rohtak-Rewari-Jaipur (800 kms)
2. Manali-Hamirpur-Jalandhar-Moga-Hanumangarh-Jaipur (1000 kms)

I preffered the 2 option but was shot down as every body was greedily looking at the shorter one.

Boy, was it a big mistake

Manali-Mandi -carry a temple with you.
Mandi-Chandigarh - Horrible roads
Chandigarh-Panipat - Lot of diversions
Panipat - Rohtak - Rewari - Road works on ongoing
Rewari - Jaipur -Road works and horrible traffic.

Had left @ 0500 hrs Manali managed to reach Jaipur 2200 hrs. Most stressfull drive I would have ever done. Guys anybody going to north.. go through the villages and small towns but please avoid this route.

27-6-12 was used as rest day in Jaipur and 28-6-12 by 2200 hrs I was back in Pune.

Presently we are try to work on removing all the Tan gathered.

Some facts of the Trip

Costs @ 2.5L for 5 persons, this included all expenses.
Diesel @ 36K for the whole 7000 kms.
Tolls @ 3K (2K alone Pune-Jpr-Pune)
Medicines- Used up 2.5 Diamox (1/2 tablet tried by everyone in Jaipur before leaving), One band-aid.
Tools - Used swiss knife once, and 2 Lts of coolant not for my vehicle but for assisting the Military fire brigade which was going to put out the fire in the vehicle which has been posted by Saurav Biswas.

But still it would be wise to carry the extensive list of tools/medicines as surely Leh is remote and it can time before help reaches you.

Finally, the extensive trips of Military Gypsy's that you see zipping up and down the various passes are not always actual CO's moving around inspecting his troops, but tourists like you and me travelling at Government expense.


Thanks to everyone once again for patiently bearing my banter. Please try and make this trip once..

Before signing off..Some more memories in no particular order



















































bye and take care

[.anshuman]

Hi rnbohra, Wonderful travelogue with good narration and nice pictures. Another 5 star rating from me.

[rnbohra]

Thanks Anshuman for your kind comments

[rattandip]

Awesome is the word Mr Bohra. Just for the photographs, its my favorite and to add the wonderful narration, its a 5 star and for the excellent tip on 'how to manage home ministry' for a trip to Leh, can't thank you enough

Just makes me wonder that what a beautiful country side we have, but for the lack of infrastructure we tend not to explore much and instead plan a trip to a European country. Though I have traveled up the hills but never have been able to muster enough courage to 'conquer' Leh. I am sure these pictures will keep reminding me of my dream. Thanks again for making us a part of this amazing journey

[Ashish_Sharma]

All I can say is "Awesome", both your trip as well as your words and pictures. After Khardongla and Changla, R top should be bypassed without even a glance. The daily tourist assault has completely denigrated the place.

[Manuuj]

Really well written and concise TL. I get really irked by local authorities preventing tourist traffic from visiting certain places. All this is done in collusion with local taxi and tour operators for mutual financial benefit. I have heard that they are not allowing Non-Himachal registered vehicles from visiting Rohtang pass. That is unfair and discriminatory. Just like the JK registered Taxis were being let off first..

In my opinion the Pajero is a FANTASTIC vehicle to take on these roads (that water crossing with the stuck Innova would have been dispatched without batting an eyelid). For bad roads the Pajero is far better suited than the bouncy Fortuner especially for middle seat passengers.

Could you please post names of hotels with contact details also. This would help us make reservations.

Really enjoyed the pics also. Was surprised to not see any of the Moreh Plains (Expressway) though..

All in all a great travelogue..well done.

[aviorp]

Crisp narration and some scintillating pictures. Loved it. Would love to see some of the videos captured from your car cam. Please do upload them.

[Swift Express]

Absolutely Brilliant Pics and short and crisp narration. Had done the trip in a Vento in Ladakh around the same time as you did (11-Jul to 17-Jul) Dont know if we passed each other. Your write up inspires me also to write a TL. I am sure such TL's act as an inspiration for others to go an explore this heaven of a place !!!!