Ladakh Adventures

                                
                                            (24-08-2018 to 30-08-2018)


                           “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness”
                                                                                        -Mark Twain


Cousins are bound to create happiness together. We five, brothers and sisters, set out on a ladakh journey, and here is a little diary of our journey.


Himalayas mid-air
 Day 1: Reaching Ladakh

Our beautiful journey to Ladakh, the land of high passes, started by boarding 8.50 P.M flight to Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport from Bengaluru Kempe Gowda International Airport. Our next flight from Delhi to Leh was scheduled at 6.15 A.M. Chit chatting, dozing a bit, wandering in terminal 1, and munching some eateries was our pastime. At 7.30 A.M, after enjoying the stretched view of the mighty Himalayas midair we landed in Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (IXL) and was honoured to be received by our brother who is in the Indian army along with the military gypsy on which our first ride in this beautiful land began. Our stay for that day was planned in the military unit at Noorla which is 80 km from the airport. En route we enjoyed the splendid view of the ranges, visited guru nanak pathar sahib, witnessed the magical movement of vehicles in the magnetic hill and the beauty of river Indus flowing all the way beside us. On reaching the unit, we were privileged to be welcomed and served lunch by the army men. Rested in the Unit guest house for a while and began our next visit to tingmosgang monastery in temisgam village near noorla, clicked some astonishing pictures for a lifetime. Before that, we also touched the holy river water Indus which flows right in front of the Unit. Our day ended with sumptuous dinner in the unit with the CO, Major and other military men. Finally retired for the day.

Day 2 : Leh

Leh
It was rakhi day, so the day began by tying rakhis to our brothers and the army men in the unit. Our stay for rest of the days was planned in Leh. Bidding goodbye to the military unit we headed towards Leh on our civil vehicle, en route stopped at Alchi monastery (Gompa) believed to be the oldest and most famous monastery in Ladakh. Outside the monastery, we spent some time window shopping and drinking the home grown apricot juice. The localites introduced us with walnut tree and advantages of rubbing teeth with walnut leaf. After all, it was not a bad idea to experience. Our next stop was at Nimoo Bazgo Hydroelectric Plant. Even though there is no public access to this place we were given special permission to visit the entire site and this credit comes to us by our captain bro. After which we payed a visit to Likir monastery and then took a break at a shop to sip some hot maggie and this spot is famous for climax shooting of Tamil movie theri. Our next stop was at the confluence of river Indus and river Sanskar. It was a beautiful site. Reached Leh city in the mid afternoon, checked into the hotel ‘The Ladakh’, had lunch, slumbered for a while and then in the evening payed a visit to the ‘Hall of Fame’. This place gives us the insight of Indian Army, Ladakhi culture and heritages and is a place for reasonable knick-knack shopping. We ended the day roaming in the Leh market, experiencing the juggling of firesticks by the hippie’s in the streets, hogging our dinner in the bistro and buying some local ornaments. A long walk back to the hotel completed our day.

Day 3 : Khardong La and Nubra (North Ladakh)
Khardungla

Today’s destination is one of the most awaited spot of our ladakh trip. Yes, Khardung La, 18,379 ft (5,359 m) above the sea level and claimed to be the highest motor able pass in the world. Luckily, we all were acclimatised to the place and could stay at the top of this mountain for about 40 minutes. Way back, few kilometres down the pass we filled our stomach with traditional Ladakhi food i.e., Skyu, thukpa, chow  mein, kashmiri kawa along with 2 minutes maggie. Took a few moments clicking pictures near the beautiful water stream beside that place. Our next  move was to Nubra valley where we had planned the stay in ‘Paramount’ camp. En route  spotted the Bhaag Milkha Bhaag shooting spot and payed a visit to Diskit Monastery. Moving further witnessed the confluence of river Nubra and river shyok. This confluence separates the Ladakh and Karakoram Ranges. Stopped at Hunder sand dunes which is famous for double hump camel ride. Tried traditional Ladakhi attire for Rs 100 Per person and the Ladakhi traditional music played for us by the ladies in the same business was an unexpected experience. Reached the camp site which was 15 minutes from Hunder and rested for the day in a very impressive tent house after a light dinner.

Day 4 : Pangong Tso

On this day we were heading towards eastern Ladakh, Pangong Tso (climax shooting spot of ‘Three Idiots’) which was 6 hours journey from Nubra. We left our camp site early at 7.00 A.M. This long journey with a panoramic view of the ranges, exquisite beauty of the stream waters and long stretch of roads ahead of us was worth travelling long distance. Reaching this beauty, Pangong Tso, was such a feeling that could be hardly jotted in words. This salty, crystal clear and colourful  blue water is a must visit site of Ladakh trip. After clicking plenty and plenty of photos, we had some fried eggs and soup and headed back to Leh. En route, 150 km away from Pangong, we visited Chang La, again believed to be the second largest motorable pass in the world which is at 17,590 ft.(5360m) from the sea level. Reached to our Hotel in Leh around 7 P.M., had our dinner and retired to bed.

Day 5 : Bike Ride

Shey Palace
Our trip was now coming to an end. Biding bye to our captain bro.,who organised and made this trip come alive, was now joining back to his Duty after spending some holidays with us in this Ladakh trip. Now, trip to Ladakh, is incomplete without a bike ride. A long ride through NH 1, to Nimmu village, where we stopped to pluck some Kashmiri apples and apricots and headed back via same route to Leh. En route we had our lunch at Gurdwara Pathar sahib and then visited Leh Palace, Shathi stupa and slumbered for a while in our Hotel. Evening again rode through Leh-Manali highway for about 30 km to and fro, had a glimpse of Shey Palace. Ended bike ride and went on for shopping final pieces of bric-a-brac. Rested for the day.

Day 6: Back to home, Bangalore.

 Our journey back home started by boarding 8 o’clock Leh-Delhi flight. Having enough time in Delhi, as the next flight was at 3.30 P.M, spent some time chit chatting and recalling all the days well spent in Ladakh. Reached Bangalore at 7.00 P.M., feeling glad, because it happened. We have finally embraced ourself in the beauty of mother nature.

                              
                                      'We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone'

Camel ride at Hunder sand dunes
 Knick-Knacks
Shanti stupa











Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Browny

It was a usual drive to the nearby supermarket to pick our culinary. Just we four, mother, father, 4 year old daughter and her browny. Browny who is not any pet, a bit more than that, a puny soft teddy bear which she adores all the time. It was she who insisted to carry him along. As I get busy in the shop, picking stuff and supervising her, browny skips my mind from then on. And she too loses track of him as she is now cajoled by the things lying on the aisles. As we bill, pick the stuff and reach home, she asks for browny. For us, grown-ups, to whom browny was just a stuffed toy till then, feels like we left a family member somewhere midway. Her father rushes back to the supermarket to find the lost one and we await his return with browny. But then, he is back empty-handed after informing the service desk to keep the teddy bear if found. I just realize that fathers don't hesitate to do any silly things for the sake of their daughters. Since then every time I visit that shop I
Read more

Sustainable idea

Image
In the pursuit of celebrating Halloween, I and my 4 year old came up with sustainable indoor Halloween decor that enchanted us. Here is the description of the decor. A cardboard box which came to our house as a grocery carton,  served us as a base for the decor. In order to lest this box from all the filth I rummaged through the collection of my once used wrappers   which  still looked cute and reusable. That is where I found a beautiful cover . After wandering around the house for a while we found stuffs to put on the top. Starting with a empty beverage bottle, I pick my little girl's one year old huge door painting, however it looked like, I convinced her and everyone, that, it signifies ghost house, which marks one of the essentials for Halloween theme. And then some lighting’s which was lying in the house idly found a better purpose. Her must have ‘trick or treat’ halloween basket from our previous year’s only halloween shopping apart from chocolates, which will come in use eve
Read more

The Excursion

Image
                     Lower Clementine  A plan made to spend a day with the beauty of nature can be so refreshing and rejuvenating to any soul and mind. This excursion to the upper and lower clementine beach in the vicinity of Sacramento happened during the mid-summer of the year. Lower clementine beach had to offer  trail of mounting and dismounting the rocky hill to witness the water gushing down the dam, from the nearest point possible, which got us drenched by the splashing water. Being all wet in the mid hot day of summer feels exhilarated. Upper Clementine Extending our trip to Upper clementine after stomach-filling homemade lunch just felt as exciting as the trip just started. This place was in the midst of the greenery and cliffs. The fully accessible stream of crystal clear water was the most enthralling spot of the journey. The cold lake filled with pebbles and the serenity of nature was the best anyone could ask for in this scorching summer heat.
Read more