Recall: Leh Diary Day 6- Day 8

Day 6/7(Leh- Pangong Tso Lake- Leh)

220 Kms

We had booked 3 Bikes(Royal Enfield) for the best part of the trip because we couldn't risk taking an unfit Safari for another roller coaster ride. Unfortunately, the booked bikes were not available due to over booking. Finally we had to be content with Xylo. I decided to ride the Fazer(Still going good).A little health check up of the bike and we were ready for another adventurous ride.

The roads were the high point of this trip. And it was the most relaxing part of the journey, as we had a driver. I plugged in my earphones, and continued cruising even though my fingers pained. But the visual treat made me forget everything. Fellow riders keep wishing you luck and waiving at you. Keeps you busy and makes you smile all the while.

Just before the world's third highest motorable pass, Changla La (17500 ft), We took a break to witness the hard work our wonderful Army has put in. In places where we struggled to breathe, they not only survived, but also worked hard to ensure that tourists have the best adventure of their lives. I read it on one of the road signs : A life time adventure for you is a daily routine for US(Indian Army).

Let me take a moment to thank The INDIAN Army- Its an honor that you guys serve the country, its a pleasure to drive on highest motorable passes of the world in extreme weather conditions. You guys make us proud. Keep up the good work. Double Thumbs Up.

I posed for a couple of clicks and moved ahead. The descent is not always easy, and I realized it the hard way. The road got a little bumpy again as I startED the descent. In a bid to move fast, I forgot to keep a check on my brakes. Just as I was getting into a comfort zone(dangerous thing to do), my bike hit a rough patch and before I could realize the bike was on the ground. Somehow I was safe, and avoided a fall. But the steep slope made me gather momentum and:

Humpty Dumpty Had a great fall.

Thankfully, the damage was small. I rushed to the bike. Shit, the wiser was gone.

I didn't feel the pain initialy but then it set in. Another biker checked me and i signalled him to move on. I brushed off the dust and moved on, rubbing my knee and palm. Xylo was way behind. I drove almost 100 kms before i was asked to stop. Jyoti wanted to ride. I explained them my bit of story and quietly landed into the back seat of xylo. It was still paining.

Anshuman finally took his turn to drive the bike, and with the kind of experience he has, it was a cakewalk for him.

The mountains keep coming at you, and a variety of them : snow capped, dry, green, colourful. Horses, yaks and Pashmina goats are a common sight. They combine to give you the feel of a safari ride. We were smitten and enchanted with the first view of Pangong lake(14000 ft). Pangong is a long(150 kms), narrow trans boundary lake that mesmerizes the Indians as well as the Chinese. What seemed to be a small wetland, kept coming at us and never ended.

I could use numerous adjectives(Enigmatic, serene, tranquil….) and yet fall short of describing the beauty. We covered a good portion of the lake before we started to look for camping beside the lake. Sadly, the camps were booked, and we looked for a room, which was another good find.

So what do we do next after hot, delicious, boring maggi? Lets have little-little ;)

It was fun playing various indoor games : Raja Mantri Chor Sipahi, jack and the killer. The gods by then had turned on the stars, and the bonfire was in place too. What a sight! Almost everyone witnessed a "Falling star". Dinner was ready after another 30 mintues. It was time to hit the bed. And yes, My knee was still paining.

Witnessing a sunrise is a charm in itself ,coupled with Himalayan ranges and the beauty of Pangong makes you forget the pain. A walk by the Lake in the dawn is a must. Its breath taking to say the least.

After a filling breakfast(not that good on the tastebuds), it was time for some bollywood action alongside the lake. We went to the '3 Idiots' shooting location and spent an hour by the lakeside. Not to forget the odd thousand clicks.

The return journey was without hiccups with no further adventures(vehicle breakdown,accidents) and quiet in terms of adventure, with everyone enjoying the scenic beauty. We reached Leh around 1600 hours, and the first thing I did was take the Safari for another round of check up. After much discussion and Jugaad options, we managed to get it done. By far the best jugaad with some brass welding around 2 iron pipes. The mechanic assured that it would go on for another 10000 kms.

The day ended with a nice dinner and some shopping. By far it was the most relaxing day of the journey. What do we do next? Nubra valley?(keeping in mind Safari's condition) or do we start the return journey and cover Sonemarg, Gulmarg and Dal lake? Shabba Khair!

Day 8(Leh-Kargil-Sonemarg)

330 kms

Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. And lo, no one was there.

Probably starting the return journey was the best decision that we could have afforded. We started early to avoid another Pang. We booked Anshuman's bike(Well played!) with a transportaion agency upto Chandigarh and he joined us on the way back(Little cramped for 4 people sitting on the back seat).

The return journey is always considered to be boring but not when you have a good company which include friends, family, nature, stunning views and a well maintained highway(NH-1). The magnetic hill and zanskar valley ought to amaze you. The shapes that mountains take in Moonland is a visual treat.

We drove, sang and danced. Thankfully, safari was in good condition. Army trucks kept waving at us whenever we waved at them, or saluted them. It feels satisfying to give them a passing smile when they see you wave.

Next stop---- Kargil war memorial. Many of us have seen it in movies(LOC, Lakshya),documentriesand read about it in newpapers, but to actually visit the battleground made everyone sad(because we lost lives),happy(because we won),proud(because national flag still flies high and mighty) and ofcourse angry(for obvious reasons. Bastards).

We spent nearly 2 hours at the memorial, reading every letter that was displayed and every story that was told. It was an emotional journey through time. The courage and valour at such extreme battle is no child's play. Stories about recapturing Tololing, Tiger hill, Batra top makes you happy whereas war photos, captured pakistani fighting gears is bound to bring a hatred for the cowardly act.

A walk through the memorial was our tribute to late Capt Vikram Batra, late Lt Manoj Kumar Pandey, Rifleman Sanjay Kumar, grenedier Yogendra Singh Yadav and all the soldiers who served thier part in bringing glory to our motherland, India. Our eyes welled up during the 2 hours that we spent.

It was already 1800 hours and we had another 130 kms to cover with zojila pass in between. The drive was not bad but testing. Really testing. Driving through Zojila pass after sunset was probably the toughest part of the journey. But slow and steady wins the race and we did manage to come out unscathed.