[MX6]

That's loads of encouragement deky. My daughter is 1 year and 7 months old now. She has already travelled over 20K in our car. So I have another 11 months to have a shot at that record

[Irish]

This is the begining of another wonderful thread from Dheeraj. Waiting for the next installment.

Liked the way you are going with your Leh trip. It's really different!

Irish

[amanbir_jolly]

its one of the great destination around, It has all the elements of fun trip, adventure, breath taking views etc.., not been to this place but am sure its next in my plans

[Indian Ranger]

Hi Deky,

First congrats on having a successful trip and sharing the same with us. Second, I must thank you for sharing the letter from Capt.Thapar who knew what destiny had for him but so brave that he embraced it with open heart. Could not control tears in my eyes while reading this letter. My god what a big sacrifice..

The posting is very apt and timed with the Independence Day falling so close.

Thank you...

[ramkya1]

Deky,

Thank you for sharing, lovely photographs and giving a different perspective to Leh, every person brings different angeles, so different and eye-opening!!!!

The pictures of HOF, Capt.Thapar and his father's letters are very touching, words are not enough to praise our soldiers who lay down their lives with pride. Would visit it first thing in my next Leh visit.

=======

[greencity]

Pics taken from flight are too good.
Especially the pic of mountains from flight is awesome.

[deky]

Originally Posted by MX6

That's loads of encouragement deky. My daughter is 1 year and 7 months old now. She has already travelled over 20K in our car. So I have another 11 months to have a shot at that record

Lol, so we should be seeing a travelogue from you on Leh in the next 11 months. Right?

Originally Posted by Irish

This is the begining of another wonderful thread from Dheeraj. Waiting for the next installment.

Liked the way you are going with your Leh trip. It's really different!

Irish

Thanks. I guess its different because we did it as a family including our kid.

Originally Posted by amanbir_jolly

its one of the great destination around, It has all the elements of fun trip, adventure, breath taking views etc.., not been to this place but am sure its next in my plans

Originally Posted by Indian Ranger

Hi Deky,

First congrats on having a successful trip and sharing the same with us. Second, I must thank you for sharing the letter from Capt.Thapar who knew what destiny had for him but so brave that he embraced it with open heart. Could not control tears in my eyes while reading this letter. My god what a big sacrifice..

The posting is very apt and timed with the Independence Day falling so close.

Thank you...

Yes, I had to click the letter for me to read it time and again and get motivated. Its truly inspirational.

Originally Posted by ramkya1

Deky,

Thank you for sharing, lovely photographs and giving a different perspective to Leh, every person brings different angeles, so different and eye-opening!!!!

The pictures of HOF, Capt.Thapar and his father's letters are very touching, words are not enough to praise our soldiers who lay down their lives with pride. Would visit it first thing in my next Leh visit.

=======

I am sure it will happen soon.

Originally Posted by greencity

Pics taken from flight are too good.
Especially the pic of mountains from flight is awesome.

Thanks

[deky]

We had planned to leave by 0830 hrs but by the time we left it was 0900 hrs. I was actually not concerned about being late as this was suppose to be a leisure holiday. Also I was told that the "pagal nallah" had now been tamed as there is a bridge over it now so getting late from Pangong would be not an issue.

Soon the journey started on good roads. We stopped at Thikse first but it was just a photo stop as we would be doing the Monastery on our way back.


Wherever there was a village greenery greeted us otherwise it was barren landscapes that are so typical to this area.


The road bifurcates for Pangong at Karu. We took the left exit for the lake. There was this beautifull monastery before Sakti.


As we ascended, the greenery in the valley surrounded by barren mountains look breathtaking.


Some remains of a broken castle at Sakti.


The road zig-zagged up as we moved towards ChangLa. So is this an "N" or is it a "Z"?


View of Sakti Valley from the top


Soon we were appraching ChangLa and the road was getting bad in places. But still I would say it was much better than what it was 20 years back as that time most of the journey was done on river beds rather than roads.


At ChangLa


Enjoying nice hot Kahwa with roasted almond's courtesy the India Army.


My daughter had just woken up from her sleep hence was in a pretty irritable mood. Or it also could be the high altitude affect on her. She was not her usual chirpy self.


The temple bells did excite her for a bit.


We did have a few stream crossings en route but was nothing major.


It was warmish once we started the descend from Chang la, so it was pretty surprising to see a frozen lake.


This side of ChangLa was much greener and we could see pastures and marsh lands along the river.


Soon we were approaching Tangtse. We would be halting for the night at Tangtse but not before we went and saw Pangong Tso.


One thing when you travelling with a kid is that you need lots of stops on the way.


Wind powered communication center at Tangtse.


Finally we get to see the Magnificient lake.



Garnet Hill.



The plan was to have lunch first and then do boating and enjoy the lake. But this was a sight to behold.


Pangong Tso....contd in next thread.

[ampere]

Breathe Taking snaps! I was also waiting for my kid to grow up so that I could go to Leh by road.
But this I guess pre-empts all my thoughts. Lets see when I plan my travel!

[deky]

After a quick lunch we hurried to the part of the lake where the seagulls were. My daughter was soon excited seeing all the segulls and whetever problem she had was forgotten. Next one hour was spent playing with the seagulls and enjoying the vistas.










Next was the boat ride but they did not have a life jacket small enough for my daughter plus the Army Havaldar said that it was too windy hence we all decided against having one and moved on along the lake in our taxi.







I decided to take a dip in the lake, it was not much before I came out as the water was freezing cold.


My daughter was totally oblivious to the surroundings, the beauty and the hills changing colour every minute. It was the stones that kept her busy.


It was time to head back to Tangtse but not before I climbed up the Garnet hill in search of the riches, just like I did 20 years back.



But unfortunately I only found one rock with Garnets in the 30 minutes I spent there unlike the plenty we collected last time.


As we left Pangong behind we saw a Scorpio stuck in muddy water ahead. The water flow had increased so much that the road had been washed away and the vehicle got stuck in the flow.



Finally after a some time our driver managed to pull out the vehicle without towing it. Now it was time for our vehicle to cross the Nullah.

As the scorpios driver and our driver discussed the best way to cross the stream, the unattended Scorpio started moving forward on the slope. The lady passenger though under the weather had the nerves to jump out of the moving vehicle before it fell in the ditch below and our driver also had the presence of mind to jump from our vehicle and control the scorpio.


Finally we crossed the nallah and moved to Tangtse.



We crossed the Pagal Nallah which has a bridge over it now.


By evening we had reached our accomodation at Tangtse. A beautifull day had come to an end. I was also feeling the affects of mountain sickness so I decided to give dinner amiss and head straight to bed. I think walking up the garnet hill and the swim + the excitement at the lake did me in.

[ampere]

What can I say! Short of adjectives. The lake is just beyond words!

[Irish]

It seems, you were lucky for not getting too many clouds at Pangong. Wonderful photographs.

[rkbharat]

what a wonderful pics and details Deky. I am hooked. Your daughter enjoyed Pangong the most. I guess she was back to her chirpy nature

[hvkumar]

That is a lovely way to present Ladakh in a season raining with travelogues from this Himalayan region!

Does the captain explain any of the peaks that you cross on the way to Leh in the plane? Any idea which is the flight path and about the region that you overfly?

Where did the Scorpio get stuck? On the road between Pangong & Tangtse?

Pangong pictures are superlative, is this midday or early morning? Pangong changes colours through the day, and one has to be really lucky to be there at different times of the day to see the change happen.

What special precautions did you take on landing from Jammu? You guys seem to have got into the act straightaway without any "stay in bed" punishment?

[MX6]

Boy oh boy. You continue to amaze me. The scorpio stuck there was a scary sight. And the unattended movement was scarier. Are civilians allowed to do boating in the lake?