TOYOTA Leh Jayenge
Day 16. Homeward bound. The Final stretch and waiting arms!
30th May 2010, Sunday.
Route : Hodal to Lucknow via Mathura, Agra, Firozabad, and Kanpur. Distance 250 kms.
Morning tea was in bed and we were down for breakfast by 9.30, and a nice bright sun welcomed us again. The Dining hall was bustling with activity as it was also attached to a huge showroom displaying curios, artifacts, memorabilia and souvenirs made of wood, stone, marble, metals and much more. The collection of these and some fabric based items would require a whole day to go through. Perhaps we would do that next time we were here.
Mouthwatering Parathas with aloo ki subzi, omlettes and other options helped us fill our tanks up and we said our goodbyes to our wonderful hosts after a brief photo session outside the Haveli like motel. It was 10 am and I took the wheel. The cheer was in the air as we were finally completing a blemish less trip laden with spills, thrills, adventure, bonhomie, male bonding, and more.
We were a bit solemn that it would all end, but looking forward to getting grounded! We’d actually being living out of our suitcases and in fact got used to it!
Mathura came on the Horizon and so did U.P. the traffic went unruly and the laziness was evident. But that was home for us! Up came a McDonald’s and we were ready to have the last binge………….strawberry thick shakes! Satiated, we moved on and got through the terrible Agra traffic, somehow.
The highway was good and aside from the cyclists and motorcyclist who drove in from different directions, making their own rules, we did good time. Vijay took over from me and as we approached Kanpur, Shekhar who was on the wheel next from Firozabad, and suggested we stop at a place he was familiar with, for Lunch. It was a cute little food outlet which was thankfully cool and clean and we made do with some Chinese and Indian food which was palatable.
By now all the phones had started to ring, timing our arrival into Lucknow. It was almost 3 pm and in two hours we would be touching Lucknow. We were energized at the though of returning back and around 5.30 touched down at Amausi. Our ride would deliver us at our doorsteps!
The good part was that we would be meeting again soon, to catch up with the little anecdotes that made this trip so memorable. We negotiated the Sunday traffic at Alambagh and a detour from Jail road, and were finally at Nisheeth’s home, and Nisheeth promptly in the waiting arms of Bonnie. Vijay, dutifully handed over the Naughty Kid to Bon, in entirety…. nappies, bottles, biscuits and bags. The delightful faces all around said it all.
Next stop was Vijay and Roma in waiting, along with Caesar the doggie. I was next and Neelam , my mom, Pranay, our son and Esha our daughter in law were dying to catch up with all that Leh Jayenge was!
Amazing is all I can say……..and an experience that will be embedded in our life’s special history archived for posterity.
As we said our good byes, the Fortuner with Shekhar and Sadhana drove into oblivion, hopefully with another opportunity to head in a different direction, very soon!
Cheers guys and friends, for encouraging us all the way, with your comments and kind words and I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed living and writing each day, on this wonderful journey to Leh and back. We’ll be back, I promise!
Like it says, at the back of our Fortuner…………….Live it up….You’re middle aged only once! This is Kiron Chopra...signing off.........but only for now!
En Route in Hodal
Rajasthan Royals? Ready for the home stretch.
En Route to Pangong
At Changla Pass almost 17500 ft. the Third highest in the world.
En Route in leh
Testing the Magnetism of the foursome?!
En Route to Leh
Driving and living on the edge!
En Route from Leh to Kargil
The Colours that never cease to fascinate!
En Route to Pangong
Finding Alternate Routes
Sunny Toyota Lucknow
enroute pictures
connected always - wordsmith
enroute picture
dhabba lunch - kashmiri style
enroute pictures
kashmir valley - taking our breath away
enroute pictures
valley view break - on way to srinagar
enroute pictures
connected with uninor ready for day 3
enroute pictures
backing up at nirulas pathankot
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Day 15. A Flavour of Rajasthan in UP. A Stormy welcome! But not before we finally had the Lassi!
TOYOTA Leh Jayenge
Day 15. A Flavour of Rajasthan in UP. A Stormy welcome! But not before we finally had the Lassi!
29th May 2010, Saturday.
Route : Chandigarh to Hodal via Ambala, Karnal and Delhi. Distance 250 kms.
We had decided to start early. Reason being the dense traffic at Delhi and the time to be spent with Nikon. And how could we go back without the Lassi! Nisheeth would never forgive us.
We were ready and set at 7.30. For a change, skipped breakfast and Shekhar was diligently getting the luggage in place, chilled drinks in the ice box, et all. Nisheeth was first at the wheel and we decided to ask the lady on the GPS to help us out of town, which she did. As we hit the highway, we agreed to stop in a couple of hours for breakfast, when the driver would change too. Two hours on the highway and looking forward to the last halt tonight, kinda gave a mixed feeling. One of delight to be back with family and the comfort of home and the other of being deprived of days of fun, food and masti. But that’s when we started to talk of the next trip which could be the East of India or Rajasthan or even the South!
It was 9.30, we’d suffered enough and were ready for breakfast for sure. The Dhaba watch started in good time and although we crossed many, settled for one with shaded parking and a ‘breakfast’ sign. Dosa and parathas it was with some lassi which did not meet with Nisheeth’s approval so we were where we started! I had now taken over from Nisheeth. We were just on our way when we spotted a ‘Haveli’ and despite a full tank, the Lassi had to be acquired. Nisheeth and Vijay ran in to pick up some chilled sweet lassi in earthenware glasses and it was more than worth it as it tasted out of this world indeed! And a bonus for Nisheeth………….the Haveli was strewn with eye candy! What a great start for the day!
Although we were not destined to return via Manali as originally scheduled, we had to retrace this leg anyways and soon were through Ambala. The Lassi had done the trick as Nisheeth eased into his seat and drifted into a little nap……..tank showing ‘FULL’!
Soon we were passing Karnal and at a convenient spot, eased ourselves and switched turns, with Shekhar at the wheel. Delhi was not far………..and the heat outside, blended with some lilting FM music and jingles from Nisheet’s by now famous phone, got us into Delhi pretty quick.
We committed the cardinal mistake of listening to Ms GPS and ended up in some side streets of North Delhi, in the vicinity of the University area. And we were headed for Ashram! Somehow, a cop helped us head in the right direction and as Shekhar struggled with the organized chaos that is Delhi, we finally made it to Ashram. Thereafter we had to locate the Nikon service centre in Okhla Phase 3 which we finally managed to locate after a struggle. Vijay’s camera was an expensive one so the repair was not cheap either. Anyway, having figured things out, we were on our way again and Vijay refused to take over from Shekhar citing Delhi blues. Shekhar, the sporting guy that he is, held on and hit the Mathura road, on our way to Hodal. It was almost 2 pm and we thought of stopping for a bite than decided otherwise as the Lassi still had its presence felt. As we headed for Hodal, I seemed to have dozed off too, until I was woken up by a lot of conversation about a storm outside. Sure enough, the entire stretch was affected. A dust storm of intensity that uprooted trees and hoardings had left its telltale marks. The little rain that followed seemed to cool down the temperature though.
Before sunset, we entered this compound on the main road, just short of Mathura, that housed this magnificent Rajasthani building called Rajasthan Motels. Owned by a friend of Shekhar’s, Mr Ajit Singh, it was a relief to get our feet back on the ground. The temperature had dropped almost 10 deg C so it had become bearable. The landscaped surroundings with curated gardens, Lotus ponds, fountains, piped music and a little fish pond on the side, gave it a very royal feel. As we moved to our rooms and eased out of our shoes, we realized we were famished and collected in the dining hall, for some tea and snacks. No prizes for guessing that the star attraction was onion pakoras!
Very soon, Ajit and his family and some common friends of Shekhar’s from Delhi also joined us and we were soon sharing our little adventure with all of them.
Ajit had specially got the swimming pool cleaned and refilled with fresh water from the gushing tubewell and we were looking forward to just jump in. However the storm had had other ideas and the pool was strewn with petals and muck that would now require the entire process to be redone. But with the weather becoming pleasant as were the surroundings, we chose to just relax in the midst of the vast expanse of greenery and enjoy the gracious hospitality of the hosts in the form of cocktails and snacks followed by a very typical and delicious Rajasthani dinner. Dal Bati and an array that was all different flavors for some of us. It had been a long day again and although we had relaxed for the evening, the last stretch seemed to be something we all wanted to get on to.
We retired to our respective rooms and were in no hurry to get up the next morning as we had time on hand. It was a 250 km drive and we would be Lucknow in good light, irrespective.
Day 15. A Flavour of Rajasthan in UP. A Stormy welcome! But not before we finally had the Lassi!
29th May 2010, Saturday.
Route : Chandigarh to Hodal via Ambala, Karnal and Delhi. Distance 250 kms.
We had decided to start early. Reason being the dense traffic at Delhi and the time to be spent with Nikon. And how could we go back without the Lassi! Nisheeth would never forgive us.
We were ready and set at 7.30. For a change, skipped breakfast and Shekhar was diligently getting the luggage in place, chilled drinks in the ice box, et all. Nisheeth was first at the wheel and we decided to ask the lady on the GPS to help us out of town, which she did. As we hit the highway, we agreed to stop in a couple of hours for breakfast, when the driver would change too. Two hours on the highway and looking forward to the last halt tonight, kinda gave a mixed feeling. One of delight to be back with family and the comfort of home and the other of being deprived of days of fun, food and masti. But that’s when we started to talk of the next trip which could be the East of India or Rajasthan or even the South!
It was 9.30, we’d suffered enough and were ready for breakfast for sure. The Dhaba watch started in good time and although we crossed many, settled for one with shaded parking and a ‘breakfast’ sign. Dosa and parathas it was with some lassi which did not meet with Nisheeth’s approval so we were where we started! I had now taken over from Nisheeth. We were just on our way when we spotted a ‘Haveli’ and despite a full tank, the Lassi had to be acquired. Nisheeth and Vijay ran in to pick up some chilled sweet lassi in earthenware glasses and it was more than worth it as it tasted out of this world indeed! And a bonus for Nisheeth………….the Haveli was strewn with eye candy! What a great start for the day!
Although we were not destined to return via Manali as originally scheduled, we had to retrace this leg anyways and soon were through Ambala. The Lassi had done the trick as Nisheeth eased into his seat and drifted into a little nap……..tank showing ‘FULL’!
Soon we were passing Karnal and at a convenient spot, eased ourselves and switched turns, with Shekhar at the wheel. Delhi was not far………..and the heat outside, blended with some lilting FM music and jingles from Nisheet’s by now famous phone, got us into Delhi pretty quick.
We committed the cardinal mistake of listening to Ms GPS and ended up in some side streets of North Delhi, in the vicinity of the University area. And we were headed for Ashram! Somehow, a cop helped us head in the right direction and as Shekhar struggled with the organized chaos that is Delhi, we finally made it to Ashram. Thereafter we had to locate the Nikon service centre in Okhla Phase 3 which we finally managed to locate after a struggle. Vijay’s camera was an expensive one so the repair was not cheap either. Anyway, having figured things out, we were on our way again and Vijay refused to take over from Shekhar citing Delhi blues. Shekhar, the sporting guy that he is, held on and hit the Mathura road, on our way to Hodal. It was almost 2 pm and we thought of stopping for a bite than decided otherwise as the Lassi still had its presence felt. As we headed for Hodal, I seemed to have dozed off too, until I was woken up by a lot of conversation about a storm outside. Sure enough, the entire stretch was affected. A dust storm of intensity that uprooted trees and hoardings had left its telltale marks. The little rain that followed seemed to cool down the temperature though.
Before sunset, we entered this compound on the main road, just short of Mathura, that housed this magnificent Rajasthani building called Rajasthan Motels. Owned by a friend of Shekhar’s, Mr Ajit Singh, it was a relief to get our feet back on the ground. The temperature had dropped almost 10 deg C so it had become bearable. The landscaped surroundings with curated gardens, Lotus ponds, fountains, piped music and a little fish pond on the side, gave it a very royal feel. As we moved to our rooms and eased out of our shoes, we realized we were famished and collected in the dining hall, for some tea and snacks. No prizes for guessing that the star attraction was onion pakoras!
Very soon, Ajit and his family and some common friends of Shekhar’s from Delhi also joined us and we were soon sharing our little adventure with all of them.
Ajit had specially got the swimming pool cleaned and refilled with fresh water from the gushing tubewell and we were looking forward to just jump in. However the storm had had other ideas and the pool was strewn with petals and muck that would now require the entire process to be redone. But with the weather becoming pleasant as were the surroundings, we chose to just relax in the midst of the vast expanse of greenery and enjoy the gracious hospitality of the hosts in the form of cocktails and snacks followed by a very typical and delicious Rajasthani dinner. Dal Bati and an array that was all different flavors for some of us. It had been a long day again and although we had relaxed for the evening, the last stretch seemed to be something we all wanted to get on to.
We retired to our respective rooms and were in no hurry to get up the next morning as we had time on hand. It was a 250 km drive and we would be Lucknow in good light, irrespective.
Days 13 and 14, Chandigarh. Taj Poshi! A Le Corbusier welcome!
TOYOTA Leh Jayenge
Days 13 and 14. Recharging in Style. Taj Chandigarh ki Mehmaan nawazi!
27th and 28th May 2010, Thursday and Friday.
Route : Pathankot to Chandigarh. About 270 kms. Mostly National and State Highways. Via Phagwara and Ludhiana.
It was a lazy start. Got up leisurely and Blue was the colour of the day. The skies followed suit except the aura of heat generated by Mr Sun was blinding and the mercury touching 45 deg. C. Shekhar and Sadhana were ready early and the awesome threesome ( me, Nisheeth and Vijay) who shared the room, were flitting in and out of the bathroom tried to get our act together, interspaced with morning tea and some missed calls. Yes, they were back and Nisheeth was a busy man. The minute the phone signals were back, so were the MISSed ones, with a vengeance. They were averaging at 6 to 7 a day!
By around 10 am, breakfast was ordered in the Hotel room itself and omlettes and breads later we were burping and ready. Shekhar in the meanwhile was down with the Fortuner, trying to get rid of unwanted junk in the luggage storage area and organizing the water and essentials for each passenger, as he had been doing religiously and immaculately, all these days. Only today, it was a perspiring effort!
As the luggage was brought down and I settled the Hotel account, it was touching 11 am and we had an estimate 5 hours of driving time ahead of us, with our usual stoppages customized to individual needs!
We were kind of getting used to the scorching temperatures and Nisheeth at the wheel negotiated the unruly Pathankot traffic and we were soon on the state highway to Phagwara. The air conditioning shielded us from the pot boiling temperatures outside and some good old hindi film numbers had us humming along. Nisheeth tried to catch his forty winks, whenever we let him, which was not too often and his hunger pangs were a few hours away, so it was pretty manageable.
The Punjab terrain was dotted with well tilled fields and hard working farmers. Infrastructure was also visibly being upgraded everywhere. We were looking forward to our lunch stop at the gorgeous Orchid Cabana Hotel which we had discovered on our way up to Leh. We would get in there in a couple of hours or more. The traffic was a deterrent since the state highway construction work limited the top speed and the we ambled into Phagwara by 1.45 pm. The cool and pristine environment of the Orchid was welcome and we settled down for some chilled drinks and a lightish lunch. The Lassi saga had eluded us again as Nisheeth insisted that we visit the ‘Haveli’ and we never seemed to spot one at the right time.
I took over the wheel, an hour later and headed for Ludhiana, not very far away. We had some shopping to do, at the Monte Carlo factory outlet, we had visited on our way to Leh. So we pulled up and picked our pockets and the store for goodies and headed for Chandigarh through an exit to the highway.
The GPS on board provided by Toyota obviously had some updation to be done as new roads and flyovers beat its imagination. At times we would have driven in the opposite direction so ‘mute’ was what it was told to do. Some asking and road signs later, we were finally headed for Chandigarh.
Around 5 pm, we spotted a Dhabha which offered some tea, and cold water, besides our very loved onion pakoras.
At the rate we were going, eating driving, then stopping, eating, sleeping and eating again………….our rotund profiles would raise a few eyebrows when we got back…………..but what the hell, weren’t we supposed to be holidaying?! So more pakoras and chai later, we were headed for Chandigarh. Vijay had taken over and handed the wheel to Shekhar an hour and a half before we hit Le Corbusier’s creation………Chandigarh. The GPS helped here as all the Sectors looked similar and we had no clue which direction to head once we entered. A well planned city and a GPS that wasn’t confused was what took us to the Taj Residency in Chandigarh.
We were accorded a very warm and traditional welcome and allocated our rooms. We chilled out and decided to go for a swim. Except Nisheeth who chose to relax in bed with his phone on tap, Vijay, Shekhar and me cooled ourselves in the first floor pool which was heavenly and refreshing. A cool stormy breeze also helped.
The appetite built up, and Nisheeth showing signs of hunger pangs with his fuel needle precariously heading for red, we headed for the bar and enjoyed the ambience and some great chilled beer. This was followed by a special menu at the Black Lotus Chinese restaurant on the property. The Chef had churned up a few of his specialties and we gorged on what was served.
It had been a long yet fun day so we chose to call it a day and agreed to meet for breakfast the next morning.
The morning of Friday the 28th May at the Taj Residency Chandigarh, started as planned. A lavish breakfast menu and Vijay in his Kurta and Pyjama adding a dash of Lucknow to the surroundings. Idlis and Dosas, eggs to order, cold cuts and sausages, beans and roasties and more…………..we let go and splurged for the same reason as always………! We figured out our programme for the day and decided to meet in the lobby 11.30 ish, after a shower.
We had planned to leave for a new Spa place called Moksha, for lunch. It had been recommended by a friend who had been there. It was just above Timber Trail, enroute to Kasauli and Simla, about a couple of hours away.
I took the wheel soon after we reconvened and thanks again to the GPS found our way out headed for Timber Trail. It was a winding and congested route, past Pinjore gardens. Once there, we were disappointed to learn that due to the still gusty winds, the ropeway which one would have to take to get to Moksha, would be risky and had been suspended for now. So we changed course towards Kasauli to another resort, Kasauli Resorts, for a bite of Lunch. Winding narrow roads later and a terrain full of monkeys and meat pickles, besides the cute toy train that runs through the hills to Simla, we were in Kasauli resorts just before 3.30. It was a great place with a lovely view. The restaurant had a deck overlooking a valley and we savored the view before the food arrived. Tandoori Chicken and dal and some great rotis helped ease the pangs and we then sauntered around the property admiring the curated gardens and flower patches. Around 5 pm we were back on the road to Chandigarh when a Baskin Robbins beckoned us. As we headed back, we spotted a shop selling Apple cider which Vijay apparently liked. So we picked up a bottle which turned out to be something completely different. Moral of the story………..when you want cider, go to Europe!
As we entered the outskirts of Chandigarh, Nisheeth and Vijay spotted a sweet meat shop and couldn’t hold back. And lo and behold we had half a kilo of fresh milk cake on board! Delicious it was, as I managed to get a few bites while I drove. The day was relaxed yet tiring, but fun. We were just unwinding. As we entered the Hotel, the in house shopping centre in the Hotel complex caught our attention so we browsed around for a while before hitting the showers and meeting over dinner at Dera, the Indian restaurant. The menu was special………….Raan! Anyone reading this blog would probably think we were on a Vir Sanghvi rude food trip. I guess, that was our way of saying, 'agar Leh jana hai, that’s only food for thought!'
Nisheeth was however complaining about being deprived of eye candy since he hadn’t got an opportunity to ogle at the sights in Sector 17. No one was wanting to do any such thing at 11 pm. So I volunteered to walk him down just so he’d have a good nights sleep. We settled for a paan and decided to call it a night.
Next morning was our scheduled drive to Hodal, via Delhi, where Vijay was to meet the Nikon guys to check on his camera under repair. We were certainly not looking forward to civilization that is Delhi! But the light at the end of this tunnel was home………that was motivation enough!
Signing off, as I watch NDTV news in the Hotel room and almost dozing off!
Catch you guys en route to Hodal and there!
Days 13 and 14. Recharging in Style. Taj Chandigarh ki Mehmaan nawazi!
27th and 28th May 2010, Thursday and Friday.
Route : Pathankot to Chandigarh. About 270 kms. Mostly National and State Highways. Via Phagwara and Ludhiana.
It was a lazy start. Got up leisurely and Blue was the colour of the day. The skies followed suit except the aura of heat generated by Mr Sun was blinding and the mercury touching 45 deg. C. Shekhar and Sadhana were ready early and the awesome threesome ( me, Nisheeth and Vijay) who shared the room, were flitting in and out of the bathroom tried to get our act together, interspaced with morning tea and some missed calls. Yes, they were back and Nisheeth was a busy man. The minute the phone signals were back, so were the MISSed ones, with a vengeance. They were averaging at 6 to 7 a day!
By around 10 am, breakfast was ordered in the Hotel room itself and omlettes and breads later we were burping and ready. Shekhar in the meanwhile was down with the Fortuner, trying to get rid of unwanted junk in the luggage storage area and organizing the water and essentials for each passenger, as he had been doing religiously and immaculately, all these days. Only today, it was a perspiring effort!
As the luggage was brought down and I settled the Hotel account, it was touching 11 am and we had an estimate 5 hours of driving time ahead of us, with our usual stoppages customized to individual needs!
We were kind of getting used to the scorching temperatures and Nisheeth at the wheel negotiated the unruly Pathankot traffic and we were soon on the state highway to Phagwara. The air conditioning shielded us from the pot boiling temperatures outside and some good old hindi film numbers had us humming along. Nisheeth tried to catch his forty winks, whenever we let him, which was not too often and his hunger pangs were a few hours away, so it was pretty manageable.
The Punjab terrain was dotted with well tilled fields and hard working farmers. Infrastructure was also visibly being upgraded everywhere. We were looking forward to our lunch stop at the gorgeous Orchid Cabana Hotel which we had discovered on our way up to Leh. We would get in there in a couple of hours or more. The traffic was a deterrent since the state highway construction work limited the top speed and the we ambled into Phagwara by 1.45 pm. The cool and pristine environment of the Orchid was welcome and we settled down for some chilled drinks and a lightish lunch. The Lassi saga had eluded us again as Nisheeth insisted that we visit the ‘Haveli’ and we never seemed to spot one at the right time.
I took over the wheel, an hour later and headed for Ludhiana, not very far away. We had some shopping to do, at the Monte Carlo factory outlet, we had visited on our way to Leh. So we pulled up and picked our pockets and the store for goodies and headed for Chandigarh through an exit to the highway.
The GPS on board provided by Toyota obviously had some updation to be done as new roads and flyovers beat its imagination. At times we would have driven in the opposite direction so ‘mute’ was what it was told to do. Some asking and road signs later, we were finally headed for Chandigarh.
Around 5 pm, we spotted a Dhabha which offered some tea, and cold water, besides our very loved onion pakoras.
At the rate we were going, eating driving, then stopping, eating, sleeping and eating again………….our rotund profiles would raise a few eyebrows when we got back…………..but what the hell, weren’t we supposed to be holidaying?! So more pakoras and chai later, we were headed for Chandigarh. Vijay had taken over and handed the wheel to Shekhar an hour and a half before we hit Le Corbusier’s creation………Chandigarh. The GPS helped here as all the Sectors looked similar and we had no clue which direction to head once we entered. A well planned city and a GPS that wasn’t confused was what took us to the Taj Residency in Chandigarh.
We were accorded a very warm and traditional welcome and allocated our rooms. We chilled out and decided to go for a swim. Except Nisheeth who chose to relax in bed with his phone on tap, Vijay, Shekhar and me cooled ourselves in the first floor pool which was heavenly and refreshing. A cool stormy breeze also helped.
The appetite built up, and Nisheeth showing signs of hunger pangs with his fuel needle precariously heading for red, we headed for the bar and enjoyed the ambience and some great chilled beer. This was followed by a special menu at the Black Lotus Chinese restaurant on the property. The Chef had churned up a few of his specialties and we gorged on what was served.
It had been a long yet fun day so we chose to call it a day and agreed to meet for breakfast the next morning.
The morning of Friday the 28th May at the Taj Residency Chandigarh, started as planned. A lavish breakfast menu and Vijay in his Kurta and Pyjama adding a dash of Lucknow to the surroundings. Idlis and Dosas, eggs to order, cold cuts and sausages, beans and roasties and more…………..we let go and splurged for the same reason as always………! We figured out our programme for the day and decided to meet in the lobby 11.30 ish, after a shower.
We had planned to leave for a new Spa place called Moksha, for lunch. It had been recommended by a friend who had been there. It was just above Timber Trail, enroute to Kasauli and Simla, about a couple of hours away.
I took the wheel soon after we reconvened and thanks again to the GPS found our way out headed for Timber Trail. It was a winding and congested route, past Pinjore gardens. Once there, we were disappointed to learn that due to the still gusty winds, the ropeway which one would have to take to get to Moksha, would be risky and had been suspended for now. So we changed course towards Kasauli to another resort, Kasauli Resorts, for a bite of Lunch. Winding narrow roads later and a terrain full of monkeys and meat pickles, besides the cute toy train that runs through the hills to Simla, we were in Kasauli resorts just before 3.30. It was a great place with a lovely view. The restaurant had a deck overlooking a valley and we savored the view before the food arrived. Tandoori Chicken and dal and some great rotis helped ease the pangs and we then sauntered around the property admiring the curated gardens and flower patches. Around 5 pm we were back on the road to Chandigarh when a Baskin Robbins beckoned us. As we headed back, we spotted a shop selling Apple cider which Vijay apparently liked. So we picked up a bottle which turned out to be something completely different. Moral of the story………..when you want cider, go to Europe!
As we entered the outskirts of Chandigarh, Nisheeth and Vijay spotted a sweet meat shop and couldn’t hold back. And lo and behold we had half a kilo of fresh milk cake on board! Delicious it was, as I managed to get a few bites while I drove. The day was relaxed yet tiring, but fun. We were just unwinding. As we entered the Hotel, the in house shopping centre in the Hotel complex caught our attention so we browsed around for a while before hitting the showers and meeting over dinner at Dera, the Indian restaurant. The menu was special………….Raan! Anyone reading this blog would probably think we were on a Vir Sanghvi rude food trip. I guess, that was our way of saying, 'agar Leh jana hai, that’s only food for thought!'
Nisheeth was however complaining about being deprived of eye candy since he hadn’t got an opportunity to ogle at the sights in Sector 17. No one was wanting to do any such thing at 11 pm. So I volunteered to walk him down just so he’d have a good nights sleep. We settled for a paan and decided to call it a night.
Next morning was our scheduled drive to Hodal, via Delhi, where Vijay was to meet the Nikon guys to check on his camera under repair. We were certainly not looking forward to civilization that is Delhi! But the light at the end of this tunnel was home………that was motivation enough!
Signing off, as I watch NDTV news in the Hotel room and almost dozing off!
Catch you guys en route to Hodal and there!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Day 12. Scorching under the sun even at 2500 meters. But loving it.
TOYOTA Leh Jayenge
Day 12. Scorching under the sun even at 2500 meters. But loving it.
26th May 2010, Wednesday.
Route : Srinagar to Pathankot via Udhampur. 385 Kms.
Woke up to another wonderful day in Srinagar and we all had caught up with the deficit by now. After a leisurely shower and a lavish breakfast at Raghvendra and Rakhi’s, our ever gracious hosts, we left Srinagar at 10.10 am, with Shekhar at the wheel. It was a great feeling to be back in shorts and T’s.
Most of the drive was through hills and we had to be vary of traffic jams and hold ups. We would be crossing Udhampur and Patni top. Jammu would be by passed as we would take the second part of the fork after entering Udhampur right next to the fuel station.
The drive was good in terms of the road but the traffic was extremely heavy and we had to negotiate some jams and holdups which put us behind the clock by almost an hour. After about 90 kms at Banihal, Vijay took over from Shekhar and it got hotter as we descended. It was now almost 42 deg C, and although the Fortuner was comfortable and chilled with the effective front and rear air conditioning. At around 2.30, we stopped at a JKTDC restaurant at Ram Baan, for a very basic lunch. The heat was at its sweltering best and we felt the blast each time we stepped out of the car.
Nisheeth was behind the wheel now and with his hourly stops reasonably reduced to longer intervals ( perhaps the weather had a part to play, rather than his intake of water), so it was smooth sailing. In fact, we had a consensus over the fact that Nisheeth had been the most accommodating out of all of us and we would even constitute and present him with an award! We crossed Kudh and some very green and red Anardana fields which blended beautifully with the lush green stretches which accompanied usWe highly recommend Kudh for a good break for anything if it is enroute as the infrastructure there is better than most places around. We stopped at a cute Dhaba, New Greenland, for our favorite Chai and Onion Pakoras.
We took the road to Sambha from Udhampur as planned and the track was picturesque with wild life protection measures taken all along the route. It was getting to be dusk and as we reached Sambha, Nisheeth handed over the wheel to me. AS we hit Sambha, the highway construction activity put paid to our intentions to reach earlier. The J & K roads were pitiful, especially near the border checkpost. When we reached the toll gate on the J& K and Punjab border, Vijay opened the window and asked the man incharge to pay us Rs 1000/- instead of charging us toll, for suffering the pain of traveling on roads that did not apparently exist. The hung jaw of the guy said it all. He then smiled and understood what we were trying to get at and told us he was just doing his job and sympathized with us.
It was dark now and we finally entered Pathankot city through the Cantonment, at about 9 pm. We were booked at Hotel Venice in the heart of the city which although a decent hotel was located close to the railway station and the approach was painful thanks to closed railway crossing. But Post a quick meal in the restaurant in the Hotel and were ready to go to bed. The next day was another long stretch to Chandigarh and getting hotter. We were lucky to have been away from these oppressive temperatures, but had to acclimatize again.
With Vijay ( Jahanpanah)and Nisheeth in their eternal role of the chaperone and chaperoned, constantly creating the lighter moments, it was on a happy note that we said our good nights. Some shopping at Ludhiana was also in store as was the famed Lassi that had been eluding Nisheeth. So Chandigarh here we come. We had kept an extra day at the Taj in Chandigarh ( also our co-sponsors in through their Vivanta brand) so we could catch up with some sleep as well.
Signing off. Catch you in and enroute to Chandigarh!
Day 12. Scorching under the sun even at 2500 meters. But loving it.
26th May 2010, Wednesday.
Route : Srinagar to Pathankot via Udhampur. 385 Kms.
Woke up to another wonderful day in Srinagar and we all had caught up with the deficit by now. After a leisurely shower and a lavish breakfast at Raghvendra and Rakhi’s, our ever gracious hosts, we left Srinagar at 10.10 am, with Shekhar at the wheel. It was a great feeling to be back in shorts and T’s.
Most of the drive was through hills and we had to be vary of traffic jams and hold ups. We would be crossing Udhampur and Patni top. Jammu would be by passed as we would take the second part of the fork after entering Udhampur right next to the fuel station.
The drive was good in terms of the road but the traffic was extremely heavy and we had to negotiate some jams and holdups which put us behind the clock by almost an hour. After about 90 kms at Banihal, Vijay took over from Shekhar and it got hotter as we descended. It was now almost 42 deg C, and although the Fortuner was comfortable and chilled with the effective front and rear air conditioning. At around 2.30, we stopped at a JKTDC restaurant at Ram Baan, for a very basic lunch. The heat was at its sweltering best and we felt the blast each time we stepped out of the car.
Nisheeth was behind the wheel now and with his hourly stops reasonably reduced to longer intervals ( perhaps the weather had a part to play, rather than his intake of water), so it was smooth sailing. In fact, we had a consensus over the fact that Nisheeth had been the most accommodating out of all of us and we would even constitute and present him with an award! We crossed Kudh and some very green and red Anardana fields which blended beautifully with the lush green stretches which accompanied usWe highly recommend Kudh for a good break for anything if it is enroute as the infrastructure there is better than most places around. We stopped at a cute Dhaba, New Greenland, for our favorite Chai and Onion Pakoras.
We took the road to Sambha from Udhampur as planned and the track was picturesque with wild life protection measures taken all along the route. It was getting to be dusk and as we reached Sambha, Nisheeth handed over the wheel to me. AS we hit Sambha, the highway construction activity put paid to our intentions to reach earlier. The J & K roads were pitiful, especially near the border checkpost. When we reached the toll gate on the J& K and Punjab border, Vijay opened the window and asked the man incharge to pay us Rs 1000/- instead of charging us toll, for suffering the pain of traveling on roads that did not apparently exist. The hung jaw of the guy said it all. He then smiled and understood what we were trying to get at and told us he was just doing his job and sympathized with us.
It was dark now and we finally entered Pathankot city through the Cantonment, at about 9 pm. We were booked at Hotel Venice in the heart of the city which although a decent hotel was located close to the railway station and the approach was painful thanks to closed railway crossing. But Post a quick meal in the restaurant in the Hotel and were ready to go to bed. The next day was another long stretch to Chandigarh and getting hotter. We were lucky to have been away from these oppressive temperatures, but had to acclimatize again.
With Vijay ( Jahanpanah)and Nisheeth in their eternal role of the chaperone and chaperoned, constantly creating the lighter moments, it was on a happy note that we said our good nights. Some shopping at Ludhiana was also in store as was the famed Lassi that had been eluding Nisheeth. So Chandigarh here we come. We had kept an extra day at the Taj in Chandigarh ( also our co-sponsors in through their Vivanta brand) so we could catch up with some sleep as well.
Signing off. Catch you in and enroute to Chandigarh!
Day 11. Tough on us, but we made it across the Dzo Zila pass and to Srinagar. Warm weather was welcome too!
TOYOTA Leh Jayenge
Day 11. Tough on us, but we made it across the Dzo Zila pass and to Srinagar. Warm weather was welcome too!
25th May 2010, Monday.
Route : Kargil to Srinagar via Drass and and Sonamarg.
We were up at 1.30 am and departed from Kargil at around 3 am. Barely having slept for 3 hours we were like zombies but raring to negotiate this crucial stretch across the Dzo Zila pass. Which had a been closed for 5 days when we had come up the same way.
It is a pity that the timings for traffic to and from Sonamarg are not part of standard tourist information in Hotels in Leh as it could leave people stranded in Kargil or Drass since hotel availability is limited.
Tip: Must find out about these traffic ‘release’ timings since these keep changing and on a particular day ( Friday as was told to us), the road is closed for maintenance.
I took the Steering wheel to start with. The road from Kargil to Drass was also in pitiable condition towards the approach to Drass in particular and we reached around 5 am, at the crack of dawn, soon after the traffic had been released and had to be content with following some of the trucks and buses. Shekhar was driving and we managed to overtake a few and with cold temperatures of as low as 6 deg C, we climbed and negotiated the Dzo Zila pass and down into the valley en route to Sonamarg.
We entered Sonamarg at around 8 am for a welcome toilet and breakfast break of freshly cooked Masala Omlettes and toasted bread, sitting in the very pleasant outdoors, in the lawns of Snowland Hotel. Everything seemed so familiar around , obviously. But it was a relief that we were headed in the opposite direction. The weather was holding and it was nice, bright and sunny as Vijay took over the wheel at around 9 am. We were now headed for Srinagar via Gund and some small Kashmiri villages along the Sind river. Srinagar was 85 kms away and would take around three hours now.
An hour and a half later Nisheeth took over for the last stretch and just about 30 kms short of Srinagar we had a flat tyre again. Dunlop tyres licked by a sharp pebble again. Point to note for Toyota. Fortunately again, we had a Tyre repair shop close at hand and we spent 20 minutes getting the job done. At 12.30 we were in Srinagar, dying to bathe and sleep. Vijay had organized another guest house and we just crashed out after lunch. Vijay’s brother in law who had been our gracious hosts when we were stuck on our way up, invited us over for drinks in the evening and we all had a wonderful time together. Relaxed and refreshed. Later we invited them for a meal at the famed Arabica restaurant in the Broadway Hotel for some char grilled platters which tasted heavenly. We turned in by 11 pm and had to prepare for the journey ahead, the next day, to Pathankot, a 10 hour 385 km stretch.
What was welcome was the warmer temperatures in Srinagar and the fact that our mobile signals were back! And believe it or not, so were the MISSed calls! Nisheeth logged in half a dozen starting with the first as we approached Srinagar. And the mystery just deepened, and so did our amusement. By now our hosts had also become accustomed to the fun element that followed Nisheeth and were equally amused.
The Fortuner was sent for a clean up job to a local service station after a thorough mud pack treatment received from its journey from Leh. It looked spanking clean and pretty too! So we parked her after refueling and gave her a well deserved rest. The plan to leave the next day at around 10 am and arrive in Pathankot by 9 pm or so. Sleep overcame us as we hit the sack.
Day 11. Tough on us, but we made it across the Dzo Zila pass and to Srinagar. Warm weather was welcome too!
25th May 2010, Monday.
Route : Kargil to Srinagar via Drass and and Sonamarg.
We were up at 1.30 am and departed from Kargil at around 3 am. Barely having slept for 3 hours we were like zombies but raring to negotiate this crucial stretch across the Dzo Zila pass. Which had a been closed for 5 days when we had come up the same way.
It is a pity that the timings for traffic to and from Sonamarg are not part of standard tourist information in Hotels in Leh as it could leave people stranded in Kargil or Drass since hotel availability is limited.
Tip: Must find out about these traffic ‘release’ timings since these keep changing and on a particular day ( Friday as was told to us), the road is closed for maintenance.
I took the Steering wheel to start with. The road from Kargil to Drass was also in pitiable condition towards the approach to Drass in particular and we reached around 5 am, at the crack of dawn, soon after the traffic had been released and had to be content with following some of the trucks and buses. Shekhar was driving and we managed to overtake a few and with cold temperatures of as low as 6 deg C, we climbed and negotiated the Dzo Zila pass and down into the valley en route to Sonamarg.
We entered Sonamarg at around 8 am for a welcome toilet and breakfast break of freshly cooked Masala Omlettes and toasted bread, sitting in the very pleasant outdoors, in the lawns of Snowland Hotel. Everything seemed so familiar around , obviously. But it was a relief that we were headed in the opposite direction. The weather was holding and it was nice, bright and sunny as Vijay took over the wheel at around 9 am. We were now headed for Srinagar via Gund and some small Kashmiri villages along the Sind river. Srinagar was 85 kms away and would take around three hours now.
An hour and a half later Nisheeth took over for the last stretch and just about 30 kms short of Srinagar we had a flat tyre again. Dunlop tyres licked by a sharp pebble again. Point to note for Toyota. Fortunately again, we had a Tyre repair shop close at hand and we spent 20 minutes getting the job done. At 12.30 we were in Srinagar, dying to bathe and sleep. Vijay had organized another guest house and we just crashed out after lunch. Vijay’s brother in law who had been our gracious hosts when we were stuck on our way up, invited us over for drinks in the evening and we all had a wonderful time together. Relaxed and refreshed. Later we invited them for a meal at the famed Arabica restaurant in the Broadway Hotel for some char grilled platters which tasted heavenly. We turned in by 11 pm and had to prepare for the journey ahead, the next day, to Pathankot, a 10 hour 385 km stretch.
What was welcome was the warmer temperatures in Srinagar and the fact that our mobile signals were back! And believe it or not, so were the MISSed calls! Nisheeth logged in half a dozen starting with the first as we approached Srinagar. And the mystery just deepened, and so did our amusement. By now our hosts had also become accustomed to the fun element that followed Nisheeth and were equally amused.
The Fortuner was sent for a clean up job to a local service station after a thorough mud pack treatment received from its journey from Leh. It looked spanking clean and pretty too! So we parked her after refueling and gave her a well deserved rest. The plan to leave the next day at around 10 am and arrive in Pathankot by 9 pm or so. Sleep overcame us as we hit the sack.
Day 10.Homeward bound. Dissapointed that the Manali route was closed.
TOYOTA Leh Jayenge
Day 10. Homeward Bound. Disappointed that Manali was closed
24th May 2010, Sunday.
Route : Leh to Kargil.
It was a short and sweet end to our short stay at Leh. Having lost two and a half days waiting at Sonamarg our options in Leh were cut short drastically. The Manali route being closed due to inclement weather was a dampener, as I had mentioned earlier and our side trips to Khardungla Pass and Tso Moriri had to be abandoned due to bad weather but we had been fortunate as Changla was closed soon after we came through. Both Pangong and other locations to sights around were cut off as well. We tried to extend our stay to catch up with what we could not cover but no rooms were available anywhere. Having said our goodbyes to our spouses who left at 9am, after a hearty breakfast together, we also left for Kargil.
To make a change in our route to Kargil, we opted for another route via Batalik along the Indus river. Our first concern was to cross the Dzo Zila pass and reach Sonamarg. Moreover we did not have a Hotel booking at Kargil and Shekhar had made some calls to get one. We had to wait, for the same to be confirmed.
It was a wonderful sunny day and the first stretch out of Leh had Nisheeth on the wheel. The roads leading us out were four laned flatland as mentioned before and we stopped a half hour later at the famed ‘Magnetic Hill’ where gravity is defied. A square which is painted on the middle of the highway marks the spot where, if one were to leave the car/vehicle in neutral, would experience a movement UPWARDS on the incline, defying gravity! We did just that but not before placing a half full bottle of water on the square to confirm that the ‘incline’ was not an optical illusion. Our Fortuner touched a speed of 60 km as we rolled on to the incline and as the road dipped, we sped. It was a unique experience alright.
Just a few kilometers on to the Batalik route, we noticed a cluster of rock formations on our right which glistened in the sun. These were obviously geological marvels, looking polished and lacquered and again a deft display of God’s artistic prowess. Soon after, 45 km from Leh and 15 km from Saspol on our new route, we were enthralled and mesmerized by the terrain that we saw. As we sidetracked of the road, we soaked in the view, all 360 degrees of it. On one side we could see the magnificent snow capped Himalayan range, and on the other, a stretch of stone mountains, in hues of brown and burnt sienna each block further streaked in mauves, pinks, greens and more. It was a sight to behold and we silently stood there and soaked it all in. Then, still spellbound, we took pictures which somehow would never convey the emotions generated by the landscape around us. There is no doubt in the fact that every stretch of road and turn exposes God’s handiwork in all its splendour and a million pictures would not do justice to what the eyes can see and convey to those rose bushes in the barren terrain laden with healthy, beautiful and fragrant flowers. These sporadic bouquets added a mystical tinge of color to what the eyes could behold.
The road was decent in comparison to the treacherous track we had traversed, coming up to Leh. I took over the wheel from Nisheeth at around 12.30. We crossed several army battalions and Border Police posts where TCP’s were placed for security reasons in this sensitive and porous area lining the borders.
Tip: It is advisable to take a Tourist permit from Leh when traveling on unconventional routes as we had taken.
We climbed up and down several mountains and kept marveling at the sudden change of terrain every few minutes. There were stretches of emerald green crops step farmed and patches of brilliant yellow mustard which looked refreshingly wonderful too.
At around 2 pm, after having covered 110 kms, I handed the wheel to Shekhar at a place called Skurbachan, just after Dunkar village. By now our appetites were also getting the better of us and we stopped at some small villages to check out some eating place. At a village called Alchani, we stopped again and were told to go further to the next village as it was touching 3 pm. However we spotted some bananas at the shop, we stopped to ask and decided to buy some to at least get a filler snack. The bananas were more than welcome as we were famished and more so because we bought them at Rs 60/- a dozen!
The next village was encouraging as we were directed to a roadside place run by a family with two tables in a small but warm surroundings. The place was right next to a Hydro electric dam project up stream and as we went over a bridge next to the restaurant we saw an incredible sight…..the merging or sangam of two rivers, the Indus and the Zanskar.
The restaurant had momo’s on their limited menu and our mouths watered at the thought. Our joy, however was short lived when the lady who ran the place, told us, she was sold out. But seeing our plight she offered to give us a Maggi masala concoction with tomatoes and onions, followed by some well brewed tea. We were satiated and on our way again at 3.45 pm. Phone signals were non existent, with BSNL waking up to connectivity, here and there. We were now about 70 odd kms from Kargil and still waiting for a Hotel confirmation. At around 4 pm, with Vijay now at the wheel, as we crossed some more fascinating vistas of the Himalayas at 4000 meters, BSNL started to appear. We checked about our Hotel booking and were told there was no room available in Kargil for the night. Vijay then made some calls to Srinagar to get some alternative options and we managed to get a guest house accommodation with meal service and this was a big relief.
As we approached Kargil, the road deteriorated and despite the fancy claims of BRO and BEACON, the Border Road Organizers and contractors, the condition was deplorable. We finally made it to Kargil at around 7 pm after refueling on the outskirts and moved to the guest house. We enquired about the road conditions and were surprised to hear that there was a fixed time for traffic to be released from Drass, for Sonamarg which incidentally was 4 am tomorrow. Kargil to Drass was a two hour drive which meant we had to leave at 2 am or so. We had little choice since the later we left, the more the chances of our getting stuck behind heavy vehicle traffic. This can be very painful on a single track road such as the one between Drass and Sonamarg.
After a hearty meal of Chicken, rice, vegetables and daal, we turned in early only to be up at 1.30 am.
Day 10. Homeward Bound. Disappointed that Manali was closed
24th May 2010, Sunday.
Route : Leh to Kargil.
It was a short and sweet end to our short stay at Leh. Having lost two and a half days waiting at Sonamarg our options in Leh were cut short drastically. The Manali route being closed due to inclement weather was a dampener, as I had mentioned earlier and our side trips to Khardungla Pass and Tso Moriri had to be abandoned due to bad weather but we had been fortunate as Changla was closed soon after we came through. Both Pangong and other locations to sights around were cut off as well. We tried to extend our stay to catch up with what we could not cover but no rooms were available anywhere. Having said our goodbyes to our spouses who left at 9am, after a hearty breakfast together, we also left for Kargil.
To make a change in our route to Kargil, we opted for another route via Batalik along the Indus river. Our first concern was to cross the Dzo Zila pass and reach Sonamarg. Moreover we did not have a Hotel booking at Kargil and Shekhar had made some calls to get one. We had to wait, for the same to be confirmed.
It was a wonderful sunny day and the first stretch out of Leh had Nisheeth on the wheel. The roads leading us out were four laned flatland as mentioned before and we stopped a half hour later at the famed ‘Magnetic Hill’ where gravity is defied. A square which is painted on the middle of the highway marks the spot where, if one were to leave the car/vehicle in neutral, would experience a movement UPWARDS on the incline, defying gravity! We did just that but not before placing a half full bottle of water on the square to confirm that the ‘incline’ was not an optical illusion. Our Fortuner touched a speed of 60 km as we rolled on to the incline and as the road dipped, we sped. It was a unique experience alright.
Just a few kilometers on to the Batalik route, we noticed a cluster of rock formations on our right which glistened in the sun. These were obviously geological marvels, looking polished and lacquered and again a deft display of God’s artistic prowess. Soon after, 45 km from Leh and 15 km from Saspol on our new route, we were enthralled and mesmerized by the terrain that we saw. As we sidetracked of the road, we soaked in the view, all 360 degrees of it. On one side we could see the magnificent snow capped Himalayan range, and on the other, a stretch of stone mountains, in hues of brown and burnt sienna each block further streaked in mauves, pinks, greens and more. It was a sight to behold and we silently stood there and soaked it all in. Then, still spellbound, we took pictures which somehow would never convey the emotions generated by the landscape around us. There is no doubt in the fact that every stretch of road and turn exposes God’s handiwork in all its splendour and a million pictures would not do justice to what the eyes can see and convey to those rose bushes in the barren terrain laden with healthy, beautiful and fragrant flowers. These sporadic bouquets added a mystical tinge of color to what the eyes could behold.
The road was decent in comparison to the treacherous track we had traversed, coming up to Leh. I took over the wheel from Nisheeth at around 12.30. We crossed several army battalions and Border Police posts where TCP’s were placed for security reasons in this sensitive and porous area lining the borders.
Tip: It is advisable to take a Tourist permit from Leh when traveling on unconventional routes as we had taken.
We climbed up and down several mountains and kept marveling at the sudden change of terrain every few minutes. There were stretches of emerald green crops step farmed and patches of brilliant yellow mustard which looked refreshingly wonderful too.
At around 2 pm, after having covered 110 kms, I handed the wheel to Shekhar at a place called Skurbachan, just after Dunkar village. By now our appetites were also getting the better of us and we stopped at some small villages to check out some eating place. At a village called Alchani, we stopped again and were told to go further to the next village as it was touching 3 pm. However we spotted some bananas at the shop, we stopped to ask and decided to buy some to at least get a filler snack. The bananas were more than welcome as we were famished and more so because we bought them at Rs 60/- a dozen!
The next village was encouraging as we were directed to a roadside place run by a family with two tables in a small but warm surroundings. The place was right next to a Hydro electric dam project up stream and as we went over a bridge next to the restaurant we saw an incredible sight…..the merging or sangam of two rivers, the Indus and the Zanskar.
The restaurant had momo’s on their limited menu and our mouths watered at the thought. Our joy, however was short lived when the lady who ran the place, told us, she was sold out. But seeing our plight she offered to give us a Maggi masala concoction with tomatoes and onions, followed by some well brewed tea. We were satiated and on our way again at 3.45 pm. Phone signals were non existent, with BSNL waking up to connectivity, here and there. We were now about 70 odd kms from Kargil and still waiting for a Hotel confirmation. At around 4 pm, with Vijay now at the wheel, as we crossed some more fascinating vistas of the Himalayas at 4000 meters, BSNL started to appear. We checked about our Hotel booking and were told there was no room available in Kargil for the night. Vijay then made some calls to Srinagar to get some alternative options and we managed to get a guest house accommodation with meal service and this was a big relief.
As we approached Kargil, the road deteriorated and despite the fancy claims of BRO and BEACON, the Border Road Organizers and contractors, the condition was deplorable. We finally made it to Kargil at around 7 pm after refueling on the outskirts and moved to the guest house. We enquired about the road conditions and were surprised to hear that there was a fixed time for traffic to be released from Drass, for Sonamarg which incidentally was 4 am tomorrow. Kargil to Drass was a two hour drive which meant we had to leave at 2 am or so. We had little choice since the later we left, the more the chances of our getting stuck behind heavy vehicle traffic. This can be very painful on a single track road such as the one between Drass and Sonamarg.
After a hearty meal of Chicken, rice, vegetables and daal, we turned in early only to be up at 1.30 am.
Snow-clad Fortuner
Sheep, snow, brook
Pangong in the morn
Pangong Lake with its pristine blue colour
On the way to Pangong
Hmm.....
Inside Leh City Palace Temple
The Indus
A beautiful patch of water on the way back to Leh
Thicksey Monastery
Alchi- Ladakh's oldest monastery, built in 1100 AD
A view of the Indus from Alchi Monastery
Lamayuru Monastery
Stuck in an army convoy on the way to Lamayuru
Moonscape at Lamayuru- a 100 km or so from Leh
Temple at Likir Monastery
A statue of Buddha at Likir Monastery
Confluence of rivers Indus and Zanskar
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