To NW of Hanle sits the visit of Punguk. Its the last bastion of habitation for today.
We decided to stock up on Centerfresh fruit chewing gums(very popular in Ladakh), and also ask for directions. The road to Punguk is bad, very bad. Its not a road. Its just rocks kept on the surface. Only some places have dirt trails.
Finally I find a local, who first tells me that I should have taken a local guide along. There are tracks going here and there, and I will get lost.
Well I have GPS and Oziexplorer. I paid 40$ for Oziexplorer, twice of what people pay for India maps. I better not get lost. And even if I end up somewhere totally elsewhere, Oziexplorer will allow me to retrace my steps.
So getting lost was a possiblity, since I just had Lat and Lon, but getting totally lost was not a possiblity.
Anyways, he asks me to follow the track, and where I find a plain sort of place, take right. Track will go left, I have to take right branch. He tells me that from time to time there are marker poles on the track, as long as I spot them at periodic intervals, I am on the road to chumur. He also tells me that there is a 10% chance that I will find Chang Pas, and if they have set up their tents, then they will guide me to Nyoma from Kyun Tso. But first, I need to reach Kyun Tso.
Meanwhile GPS tells us, we are 38kms as the crow flies.
Its almost quater to 11, the village is in our past. We are in the Wild
Far away you see the observatory
This is our track. I scout for small vehicle tire marks, but find only truck tracks. Made God only knows how many days back
A Telephoto shot of the Hanle Observatory
We start on the track. I can't take pics now. Its tricky, its rocky, and its bumpy. After almost getting stuck in the sand, I shift to 4H. No point taking chances, and then waiting for 3 days for that Army supply truck.
As I drive on, the terrain gets harsher. We are on a dry river bed. The round stones suggest that thousands of years ago, rivers flowed here. All that remains now is a dried up seasonal stream.
There is no village here, no habitation, no human. Just groups of Kiangs stare at us silently, getting scared every time the white elephant revs.
As I slowly progress, even they lose interest, and just stand and stare at this white thing invading their domain making scary sounds. I guess their brains have figured it out that we do not want to eat them.
Still they are cautiously curious.
MEanwhile, I reach an open space kind of river bed area, and a track divulges to the right.
GPS says Kyun Tso is straight ahead, but I decide to take right. Maybe the track will turn left ahead to chumur. Maybe, I this right diversion will keep going parallel to kyun Tso and take a sharp left...?
All is maybe.
The new track is worse, and unfortunately, there are no tire tracks here. The "road" starts climbing a mountain, and soon, we are at the top of a table top mountain, with just the kiangs for company. Drive around and round, we are lost at the top of the table top mountain, with just Kiang's for company.
The altitude is 4700 mts, almost 15400 feet. The engine groans, and the exhaust belchs out black smoke as she struggles for air.
and I.. well I drive around looking for even something remotely indicating a track.
Are we lost?
TO BE CONT.........