Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   Travelogues (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travelogues/)

-   -   5000kms and 12 Passes, a 20 day wild wild ride to the roof of the world! (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travelogues/65360-5000kms-12-passes-20-day-wild-wild-ride-roof-world-12.html)

As per my understanding, M.La is the last place you can go. Anyways you can continue forward. If you are not supposed to go some place, they will send you back.
However if you do not find any checkpost, turn back before 32kms, or you aint coming back

Pangong lake is a cure for sore muscles, sore eyes and dust filled lungs.
But first we need to cure the rumbling tummies.
What better thing to have than Pangong Thali at the army run canteen.
Its 70rs, but then you get rice, pooris, raajma, sabji etc., etc.,

As we await our order(a team of docs from himachal is giving the army men tough time, and screaming for food), I chat up with the poor JCO who is the front manager.

I generally ask him about where he is from etc., etc.,
He asks me where I am from, and when I say "Ludhiana".
His ears stand up, his eyes light up, and a million watt smile powered by a million happydents dazzles.

"Same place as Dharminder!" those are is next words.
"Well Dharminder is from Sahnewal, a town 10kms away" I murmur, too shocked to react.

And so due to Dharminder our camaraderie deepens, and we chat more.
thaali comes and we eat.
MEanwhile from the window we look enviously at the army "influence" people taking boat rides.
My wife suggests, why not try our luck too.
And I go the officer, and ask him about boat ride.

Well its paid, and its only for army guests.
But I can be his guest , he will confirm with his senior.
The senior also agrees!

My jaw is open, wish has been granted, and we get the tickets.
Time to go boating in the Tso

Yipeeeeeeeeeeee

Coming up in the next installment ->

pic of the lake is stunning. waiting for your post on it.

WOW a boat ride at 15000+ feet!! Waiting for shots from the inside the lake. I was never this lucky. Some or the other VIP was there.

AND you are not using enough of claimed home laptop....this is perversion, leaving the thread with carrot dangling in front of us. SIGH!

Lucky bum! What else can I say:D

The boats used for joyrides are the slower shallow motorboats, as opposed to the slightly faster patrol boats with lights on top.
The Lake is 135kms in length, with 90kms being in china.
They have modern boats and submarines too. But then they have good roads on the other side too.

Anyways, the army officer in charge of the boat was also our guide and explained the history behind the lake

In 1962 was, we got whipped lift right and center. Chinese reached Karu, and they would have taken Leh town itself, but due to international pressure, they withdrew, but took 90kms of the lake.
International pressure also forced them to sign a treaty, which says, I will not whip Indians before 2010.
2010 is coming and chinese military has increased hanky panky.

So if you want to see Pangong with inner line permits instead of Visa, better go now.

Anyways, lets forget history, and enjoy boating.
From inside the lake it looks very different


This lake is saltwater. However thats not the reason for it being dead. The reason is unusually high calcium content. In the above peak you see the west bank, where a stream empties into the lake.
At that point, there is fish, which dies as it comes to the lake.
That explains the birds I think?

More pics


Me in the boat


Some more lake pics






After a few minutes the very very enjoyble boat ride came to an end...

Shore pics. Those boats with lights on top are patrol boats




CONT..........

Tanveer, I have been reading your travelogue and was keeping the appreciation till the end. But since you mentioned that there still is a long way to go before it finishes I must repeat that its a wonderfully compiled trip log with beautifull beautifull photos. Anyways any amount of appreciation for the effort gone in compiling this for us will be less.

Things definately have changed over the last 20 years when we visited Pangog tso, but the boats are the same. Here are pics of us, 20 years back in the same boat body hopefully with a better engines.

Also did you guys visit the Garnet hill at the lake end where the boats are parked and collect the Garnet stones that are in abundance there?

Sorry abt posting them in your travelogue, they can be deleted if you want.

And the young one is you Deky?
Yep it seems that not much has changed. Twenty years back road would have been even more of a challenge and vehicle would have been Jonga/Mahindra/1Tonner.

Awesome. The lake pics are absolutely magnificent. And the story behind the Chinese intrusions is bone-chilling.

please: Gimme more. Still Thirsty.

Have you used filter in all your day shots?

Wonderful.

No need to delete them. Its awesome seeing nothing changes in so many years. These boats are like ambassador. Same body new engine!
As for garnets, we went garnet searching, and found some, but weren't sure about are they real or not. I am sure 20 years back they were much more abundant than they are now.
I got a couple home I think. But must have misplaced them!
I use a polarizer in the day

Pangong!
Now, its another thing to see pangong in photographs, and entire other to actually be there.
No photography, video or log can every describe what is pangong.
I can't put it in words the feeling when you are there.
To put it in one line, we both agree on one thing, there is nothing as beautiful as pangong in the whole wide world.

Since it was just noon yet, we had the whole day with us. What a wonderful thought!
First was to find a secluded spot. A spot so difficult to reach that nobody follows us.
Now a quick scout of the initial part showed that all spots were easy to reach. However there were some which you could reach, but coming up without 4x4 will be tough.
So a nice spot was decided, and it was time to go into the lake!
The water was cold, but after some time it feels okay.



















The water was salty, or so they said, time to test?


CONT.........

Maybe in June the tourist season had just started and the crowds were not there, hence maybe we didn't experience all these. Strange

gd bhai, you can go to anwhere in the world in any season, and the only reaction, if any, that you will notice is people running away cowering in fear rl:

In June we crossed the river to the other side and parked our Scorpios right next to the camels, did some dune bashing there, took camel rides and crossed back the river. I won't post pictures here of these as the ethos & the beauty of this travelogue will get marred. Might start a photologue after this Leh epidemic ends.. No one stopped us or fined us. This must be something new.

Btw, only one of the Scorpios in the group was a 4x4. The 2WD scorpios did equally well everywhere minus the dune bashing..:)



Was this the place you stayed Tanveer? I too stayed there for a night in June for 400 Rs. a day. The med centre was opposite this motel.

:Frustrati We didn't even try and ask...:Frustrati