Day 8. Romancing the Pangong Tso .........and the Spouses!

TOYOTA Leh Jayenge
Day 8.
Romancing Pangong Tso ( Lake)………and the Spouses
22nd and 23rd May 2010, Saturday and Sunday.
Place : Leh-Pangong-Leh

Hey guys, its good to be back and communicado. Our arrival at Leh early in the morning was a reunion of sorts with the painful wait at Sonamarg. We all knocked on the rooms of our respective spouses and yelled ‘Tea madam, room service’. At 5 am this would have been normally an irritating call so we were fortunate the calls were answered with warm welcome hugs, except Vijay who got a curt ‘ I don’t want tea at this time’! But on second thoughts he got his welcome hug too!

After a much needed three hours of sleep, and a hearty breakfast we were all set to keep our date with Pangong Tso ( lake) the highest salt water lake which stretches for 135 kms, a third of which is in India and the rest in China. Two Taxis and our Fortuner with its mud pack still intact and purring like a dream headed for Pangong at 11.30 am. The route was via Durbuk, ChangLa ( Pass), Tangsey. A total distance of 150 kms, one way. Having heard so much about this one of a kind destination and seen a glimpse of this nature’s marvel in the movie ‘3 Idiots’, we were eager to get there asap.

None of us fortunately felt any altitude related symptoms as we had been religiously taking our ‘ Diamox’ and of course acclimatizing as we ascended. The unscheduled stay at Sonamarg at 2950 meters for two and a half days, perhaps helped.

It was a beautiful and sunny day, around 17 degrees and sunny. Sandwiches were packed and the convoy of three vehicles stopped at a TCP ( Tourist Check post) to log our departure. The gentleman at the post insisted that we must have chains as there was likely to be fresh snow at Changla Pass at over 5300 meters. I was driving the Fortuner on this leg and insisted that we be allowed as we had a all time four wheel drive with options for an additional low and high 4 WD. Somehow he allowed us through, though reluctantly.

The terrain to Changla was a combination of rubble mountains, barren glory of the flatlands, snow capped Himalayas as a backdrop and the ever changing colours of the slate, stone and mineral rich mountains. The soil that was gravel like suddenly changed to very fine and soft sand and back again. One could only marvel at natures bounty that was strewn around in its opulence.

Two hours later we stopped just past Durbuk for a photo session with the spouses. We were climbing now and the drive was getting more interesting and the weather colder. An hour later we were at the third highest pass in the world, Changla, at 5380 meters, surrounded by snow. The temperature was 3 degrees Celcius so we had enough time for a 10 minute photo session before we were on our way, through snow lined roads, gleaming and stark white on all sides. Such conditions necessitate the need to wear UV protection eyewear.

The Fortuner just didn’t feel a thing. At any point and had covered every terrain with consummate ease.

Just 10 odd kilometers and downhill, we crossed the village of Tangsey after negotiating another TCP. An hour later, the road suddenly roughened and single tracked. The terrain became sandy again and the mountains changed colours again. Just then we got a distant glimpse of Pangong lake. The view was truly mesmerizing with a turquoise patch that is so Pangong.

Ten minutes later we were there……..truly breathless at a height of 4000 meters plus, watching shades of Turquoise and pink changing with the movement of the sun’s rays and the clouds. Words cannot describe the expanse of this 135 km long wonder of the world. The salt water lake, the highest in the world, had the clearest blue water I have ever seen. The surrounding terrain just enhanced the magnificence that is Pangong!

The approach to our camp, the Watermark camp was a rocky one as there was really no road and we had to traverse more than a km of pebbled and stones, almost like going over a river bed. The camp, on the banks of Pangong lake was more than picturesque and we just devoured the surroundings in every possible way with whatever equipment we had. It was too good to be true! It was almost sunset now and we couldn’t take our eyes off the view, literally, with popping eyeballs.

While we all sat on the banks of the lake, we saw a cloud of snow building up at one end. A snow blizzard was almost in the offing and the wind picked up speed, blowing our headgear away and sending a chill up our spines. We quickly headed back to the safety of our tents. As the evening set in, we decided to freshen up and meet again in the Dining area ( also a tent of course) for hot chai and pakoras!

Am signing off for the day and will get back with more as I may be disconnected from the Internet for a day or two, while on the move.

Till then savour the pictures that will keep you abreast with all that’s happening with us! Loving every minute!