25th June 2010, 12:40
| #166 |
| BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Noida
Posts: 72
Thanked: 8 Times
| Ahhhhhh, a new twist in the story  Finish off the log Tanveer boss, don't stretch it over the weekend. If you don't mind can I have some of your pics in high resolution for my desktop background? |
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25th June 2010, 15:42
| #167 |
| Team-BHP Support   | Day 11: The Journey Back There is no cure for hope. Its 6:45am and we are at the bus stand looking for HP taxis. They are there, and they are getting ready for Srinagar route. Due to lack of leaves, we have to go back via Srinagar. Cannot take the chance of going to Sarchu and coming back. Simple. to compound things, its raining. Heavily. The clouds have really opened up now, and as far as the eye can see, there are black clouds. I am not worried about the Fotu La and Namika La, simply because these require days of consistent snowfall to get blocked. The trouble spot is Zoji La. Still very far away. I have to be there before 5pm if we are to cross today. And cross today we will. Do not want to spend more than a night on this route. We are aiming to reach PB by tomorrow night. Tonight, the goal is Srinagar, or atleast Sonmarg. Well we are on the road, and making good time. The scenery is bleak, with grey all around.    I decide to play with the panny. In situations like this, its the Panasonic which shines     A dash of color in the bleak landscape  At Khalste we stop for a quick breakfast, and as expected in horrendous. Khalste is the last point for fuel, but yesterday, we have tanked up on all the fuel we need. Even the Jerry can has a few liters(10) for emergency. We encounter our first jam near Lamayuru "Moon land". An entire Army convoy is coming. Even locals are amazed. Army convoys do not normally travel on Sundays. Well since we are waiting, I decide to click pics. Welcome to the moon   We wait for the convoy  Prayer flags  More moonscape. Though the sun breaks out briefly, its a losing battle   Finally, its close to 10am, we break free, and start the journey again. Barely a km later, we see more Army trucks coming "GROAN". But imaging the shock of my life as the lead truck flags me down. A confused voice asks me "Aapne Hamara convoy jaate dekha?". I inform him he is very much on track, and should continue going. After that we get a stretch of good roads, and snowfall with rain, as we start ascending to Fotu La. It may be the highest, but at barely 4000mts, it seems like a hillock now  Snowfall at Fotu La  The time is 10:27am, and we have a lot of journey remaining. Through a mix of good and bad roads we continue onto Namika la, and little before noon, even that is done Its sunny at Namika La, and we hope for the weather to hold    The sun allows me to shoot some nice Telephotos I never thought I will use up more space on the Panny's SD cards as compared to the CF on 350D. But then Panny also shot a lot of videos(which my antiquated laptop will need ages to process)    We cross Kargil by 2, and are on the road to Drass. I stop to take a few pics.  what a vista   pssssssssssssssssssssss. Is this the sound of nature talking to me? Is it. Psssssssssssssssssssss. Does not sound like anything natural. Sounds like air escaping from somewhere.... TO BE CONT......... |
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25th June 2010, 15:46
| #168 | |||
| Team-BHP Support | Quote:
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25th June 2010, 15:49
| #169 |
| BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: New Delhi
Posts: 172
Thanked: 9 Times
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25th June 2010, 17:38
| #170 | |
| BHPian  Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Gurgaon
Posts: 139
Thanked: 171 Times
| Nice snaps, boss. Especially the "Vista" one was wonderful. Quote:
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25th June 2010, 17:44
| #171 |
| BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bangalore
Posts: 103
Thanked: 27 Times
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25th June 2010, 18:28
| #172 |
| Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Bangalore
Posts: 2,089
Thanked: 715 Times
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25th June 2010, 18:57
| #173 | |
| Senior - BHPian  | Quote:
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25th June 2010, 22:55
| #174 | |
| Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Bangalore
Posts: 2,089
Thanked: 715 Times
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25th June 2010, 23:28
| #175 |
| Team-BHP Support | Day 11: The puncture! Yes, we had a puncture, and air was gushing out of the rear left wheel. I could see the gash. It was in the main tread, and half a cm long. Slime works for nails and such, this looked like a bad gash. The sounds was due to slime bubbling. We still had 22PSI, and I rolled the car a bit, and the leak stopped. Drass was near, we reach there, and try to find a puncture shop. One guy is there, and he is asking 100rs for tubeless puncture, and I have to take the wheel off give it to him and then fix it myself. I decide to scoot, since his expertise is suspect. But in all this we waste a lot of time Note to self : Buy a puncture repair kit, and buy a reliable electronic pump which does not take ages to fill up tires. Footpump is a tedious task for the safari, thats best left with the indica or for top ups! Anyways, we fill up air, and start moving. I am driving fast, very fast, a little to fast I think. I do manage to take a few pics    But few kms after drass I realize that the car is not behaving properly. Get down, and find that now the tire has 10PSI, and a lot of slime has leaked out! Now this is trouble. Time for a tire chance. We get out all the luggage to get to the tool kit and get to work. At that time, out of nowhere, a guy comes to help us. Tire change takes a few minutes thanks to this kind gentleman, and looks like we will reach Zoji La post by 5pm! Its 1640 now, and we start. Weather, clear till now, starts taking a turn for the worse  TO BE CONT... |
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26th June 2010, 07:09
| #176 |
| BHPian  Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bangalore
Posts: 106
Thanked: 227 Times
| Thank You Tanveer, this travelogue is simply awesome, and your photography skills just help keep the narrative flowing. My family, all four of us are really inspired by this. And we are planning to visit Leh, in October. The wide angle shots are really nice, you mentioned that it was a 350D (Canon ?) and a Tamron 10-24 ? I have a Canon 450D with a 16-35 - the Tamron's extra wide truly shines. Need to get one of these Guess, we will fly to Delhi and plan to drive up. Will need some help and guidance, trust you can help. Given we have two kids (13 & 9) we might not be as adventurous as yourself. Your travelogue sounds like 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' This is truly inspiring. I am hooked THANK YOU and Safe travels. |
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26th June 2010, 10:06
| #177 |
| BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Pune, Melbourne
Posts: 771
Thanked: 1,027 Times
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26th June 2010, 10:23
| #178 |
| BHPian  Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Pune
Posts: 348
Thanked: 267 Times
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27th June 2010, 00:13
| #179 |
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27th June 2010, 00:56
| #180 | ||||
| Team-BHP Support | Quote:
The 16-35 you have will serve you better actually. Sometimes, 10mm is a bit too wide! Quote:
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I will try to cross zoji la by tomorrow morning. Anyways, to be honest, the interesting parts are over. Kashmir is dreary and boring. We wanted to do the white manali leh highway, but unfortunately, the weather spoilt all plans. Perhaps we will do it some september end or maybe some June. | ||||
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