Posts Tagged ‘ladhak’

I was asked on the first day of this year, What Plans ?? And I said I want to reflect upon the year that has passed by.Sounded heavy? No it wasn’t the hangover of the night before coz I went to sleep by 10:30 PM. I just wanted to revisit the year that passed and had so much action.. So here goes…

Highs

Himalayan Biking Trip : After reading the Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guvera years ago. I always wanted to bike to the Himalayas. And finally I did it this year. No amount of words can  describe that experience. 2500 kms over 3 odd weeks, breathtaking scenery and amazing people. I don’t think I’m still done with the Himalayas, I am definitely going up there again. And I so strongly feel Kashmir is Paradise on Earth. It should be high up on any travelers list.

Starting my Business : A year back all I had was an idea and over the last year it was great to see that this idea has become a reality, Royal Mysore Walks was up and running or should I say Walking and now it sustains me. Definitely a great feeling. The challenge in 2010 is to get more things done.

Meeting people : It was year where I got to meet a lot, a hell lot of people, from various backgrounds, Artists, Journalists, Architects, Top shot Govt. Officers, Entrepreneurs, Politicians, Organic farmers, Interesting Travelers and yeah a few techies too. It was great interacting with most of them.

Give it a Shot : This was undoubtedly the best lesson I learnt over the year. Never kill an idea in your head. You never know what might work. And you have NOTHING to lose by giving it a shot. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING !!

Better use of tech : Ironic but true, after I quit my job as techie I began to use technology much more. And in fact now I enjoy using technology to improve my business.  Looking forward to pick up a smart phone soon. To Stay connected is the Mantra if not its gonna cost you dearly.

Value People : I had always known that one needs to value people. But it was over the last year that I realised that its the people who make you or break you. Your BIGGEST asset is the people you invest in. Life is short choose the right people around you and invest in them selflessly.

Marketing !! Marketing !! : Over the last one year I have truly understood the importance of this magic word and why everybody keeps taking about it all the time. It sounds really really attractive but it is the MOST difficult thing to master. You never know what works. You can never give it up. Wishing I was married to a marketing guru , Life would have been so much easier and yeah, I also realised the most effective marketing tool is by the good old word of mouth, There is no better brand ambassador than a happy customer !!

Passion for Work : I had always strongly believed that there is nothing called Work satisfaction, It must have been a word invented by those creepy manager to get crappy work done. When I would hear people say I work for passion, I would always wonder how much the dude gets paid to say that. but I was so wrong all through I am glad I found mine over the last year. Hope everyone does find it. Because work cease to be work but its just fun !!

Marathons : It was also a year of long distance running. Ran the Bangalore 10k run and finished among the top 1500 out of 35,000 folks. My only achievement in the field of sports all my bludy life (have saved the certificate for my kids) also did the Kaveri Trail half marathon at Srirangapatna, It was a nice personal high. Want to do a full marathon in 2010. Takes a hell lotta preparation. I better be game.

Lows

Relationships Suffered : When you out there trying to get things up and running, you are ought to miss out spending time with your loved ones. Personal relationships suffered. Where ever you go everybody around you is saying.. We just don’t get to see you these days. Hope to fix that this year

Lazy : Over the last 6 months I have been down right lazy. Thats the problem when you dont have a boss. Anytime is sleep time. Anytime is party time

Procrastination : The deadly disease that I have been suffering from and it could be suicidal when you are running your own show. Thankfully with great friends like Mihir, I have been trying to get cured I have also caught on to his slogan “Do it Wrong, Quickly !!” Thanks dude for being that huge moral boost. You rock !!

Follow ups : That is another department where I have slipped down. With so many people that I have been meeting. I have fallen behind in keeping touch or getting back to mails/calls. So I have put a 24hr deadline to return mails/ calls.

Attenti0n to Detail : I should sue my school for teaching me all this crap, like for ex this one, I have wasted so much time just trying to make things perfect but then you realize that what is most important is to be up and running. Over time you will achieve perfection. Or something close to it.

Double Standards : Over the turn of the year I realized or rather was made to realize that I use this weapon called Double standards in my dealing. Not good.. not good. Efforts are on to rectify it.

Fitness : All that running and Walking has done no good for fitness. One look at my size you will feel sad for my knees. So 2010 is gonna be a yr of fitness. Action speaks louder than words so I have decided not to speak on this.

I have faded : Yes its now official, I have definitely become a coulpla shades darker. Spending so much time out in sun has just not helped. For the skin I mean Damn I should have put this under the Highs as Tall, Dark n Handsome . Okay okay.. I can hear the protest for handsome. So chill its a low now

One glance above and you realize that among all those things that have either made me happy or sad over the last year.. there is one thing in common. Money doesn’t figure anywhere. And that has been a huge realization. Money does not buy you happiness nor the lack of it can make you sad

So finally 9 Highs and 8 Lows, Which means 2009 has been ‘a’ high

So.. Bring it on 2010 !!! I am rearing to go !!

I was at this rally today organised in Mysore as a remembrance of 26/11, The day that India will remember for a long time to come. As I write this post If I look back the same time a year back, I remember partying in Pune looking at some scantly clad women without being aware that the world is being shattered for so many at that very moment.

I spent the next 10 days in Vipassana without any communication with the rest of the world. And when I got to Bambay soon after. Everything seemed normal except near the Taj.  I wanted to take the Walking Tour in Bombay and the lady running it wasn’t sure if it’ll happen because of the obvious reason. I wondered why cant life still carry on like before? Anyways she finally did the tour for me, which started from the Gateway of India and I could still feel the tension in the air with the whole area still cordoned off. For the records the walk was an absolute disappointment.

I went to the Leopolds Cafe later, I had always wanted to go to that place.. I was sitting by myself sipping beer and all I could see was bullet marks all over the place, from the walls, pillars, ceiling to the table cloth. Nothing seemed to have escaped the fury of that night. They had preserved it all as some kind of memorabilia, which I failed to understand why. I was sitting in a corner and when I turned to the Wall right next to me, I saw a deep bullet mark piercing the mirror. It shook me a bit because who ever was sitting there that unfortunate night would sure have not survived.

I am glad I went to Leopolds and dint avoid (as I had been advised, again for obvious reasons) it because I happened to meet Gregory David Roberts,the Author of the most gripping book I have read so far, Shantaram. The very reason I was at the Leos was because a lot of what is described in the book takes place at Leos. I was thrilled to meet Gregory and get his scribblings on my book. I am glad he too dint avoid this place because of “security reasons”.

I was in Kashmir this July on a biking trip more about it here. I was in Leh when my good friend and Author of Splendours of Royal Mysore, Vikram Sampath called. He asked “Vinay, Is Mysore safe now?” I said “Why?” He said “A friend of mine wants to go there for a musical concert and after the recent communal clashes and deaths due to police firing, I was wondering if it was all fine now” I told him “Well.. I am in Kashmir now and this definitely feels normal !! ”

It is human be paranoid. We are living in the age of fear and we avoid going to a lot of places. doing a lot of things for the exact same reason. And by doing so we are actually helping these terrorists achieve their goal. That is to drive fear into our minds. Dont you think the most fitting reply to these rouges is to live as if we are not affected. Every place is affected by terrorism. Weren’t there blasts in London, New York , Madrid, Bali? Yet we Indians avoid Kashmir like plague. Which I think is the most beautiful place on earth that I have been to and where people with their kindness and helpful nature show you what humanity means. When we Indians regard as Kashmir unsafe I don’t blame the foreigner for his/her attitude towards India.

I am not writing this post claiming that I wear my undies outside my pants and that I am Sooperman !! I am just another individual like so many other who wants to lead his life normally so that terrorists know that their objective will never be fulfilled by creating fear and if we all as a nation do it together, It’ll be loud and clear.

As for the question, Is Mysore Safe ? I think its safe as any another city in the world or probably as unsafe. Ain’t it the same

2 guys 2 bikes 3 odd weeks 2500 kms this was our Road trip in Kashmir. Penning down the day to day events that followed so that other bikers/travellers do not make the same mistakes as ours but rather make new ones

The Route:

Delhi-Chandigarh-Manali-Leh-Pangong Tso-Khardung La-Nubra Valley-Khalste-Kargil-Dras-Srinagar-Jammu.

The Pics:

http://picasaweb.google.co.in/vinayparamesh/DelhiManaliLeh#

http://picasaweb.google.co.in/vinayparamesh/PangongTsoKhardungLaNubraValley#

http://picasaweb.google.co.in/vinayparamesh/KhalatseKargilDrassSrinagar#

Bike:

There are two options

1.Hire a bike in Delhi, Manali or Leh for about Rs 500 to Rs 700/day

2. Ship your own bikes and ride it in the Valley

We followed the second option, as one is more comfortable in ones own bike which is very important when you are doing a ride like this comfort factor is crucial

Which bike?

There is a lot of contemplation on this Question. People swear by the Royal Enfield, but in my personal opinion its a White Elephant, i can already hear the bullet enthusiasts making noises I took my TVS Fiero 150cc an 7 yr old bike and it did the journey without any problem at all. i would say a 150 cc is best suited for solo riding. Its smaller nimbler and less problems. I met a lama in the Diskit monastery and he said he goes to leh through Kardhung La in his scooter and that too with a pillion. Guess that would answer your Question.

What to Carry?

About the bike, make sure you get it serviced well from a reliable mechanic because your bike is your life line on such a road trip. A coupla weeks before we left I went in for a small day trip on bike to a near by hill and did it with the luggage tied. It did help me to find out if the bike was all fine.

What to carry for the Bike?

1. Brake, Clutch, Accelerator cables
2. Spark plug
3. Spare tube
4. Yoke and lever (2 sets)
5. Head light bulb
6. Air pump

We sent our bikes in the train from Bangalore to Delhi. For details on how to ship your bikes >> http://www.60kph.com/interact/loadintrain.htm

I’m sure you’ll know what to carry for yourselves. Make sure you travel light. These were some small but very useful things on the trip.

1.Hand Sanitizer (If you eating by hand it good to keep it clean after all grease on it)

2. Toilet Roll (Is god )

3. Nail Cutter (If you there for 2 weeks or more, it helps to keeps your hands clean)

5. Gum Boots (Was our saviour on ladhak roads which had streams flowing at regular intervals)

6.No Sleeping Bags (It just occupied space, unless you plan to camp I would say do not carry it)

7. Army Shoes (They are cheap ones and you’ll not regret that they got screwed)

8. Guide book (Ladhak, By Himalayan Milestone Publishers, if you like to know more about your journey. I think it made our travel more enriching)

Day 1 :

Flight landed in Delhi at noon, Went to Nizamuddin and collected the bikes, usual bribes to the cops and by the time we were out it was around 5PM . Delhi can be quite harsh with its heat, Crashed at friends place in Delhi for the night after some deserving chilled beers and tasty kebabs.

Day 2:

A ladhaki carrier or a cramster saddle bag is very useful on your bike for carrying the luggage. We dint have both so we would spend close to an hour initially on the trip tying the luggage. Chandigarh around 270 kms and should take around 4 hrs as the road is quite good. One of the bikes had developed some problems so got that fixed and left Delhi at around 3PM as it took more than 2 hours just to get out of Delhi traffic. The ride was good except that people on that highway have absolutely no traffic sense. Don’t be too surprised if you see trucks coming in the wrong direction on full speed.

Passing Panipat, Karnal, Ambala we reached Chandigrah around 10PM. Its a beautiful city. You see people following traffic rules at 11:30 at night. India’s only planned city by Le Corbusier in 195o’s. With the huge circles and well laid out gardens you get a feel as if you are not in India. Its too organised to be a part of our country. Another friend put us up for the night. Got some good sleep before we headed northwards

Day 3:

We headed towards Mandi which was around 150 odd kms there. Tanked up in Chandigarh as fuel is a drat cheaper here A little alertness on the road helps as the road signs are not very visible and we lost 2 hrs as one of us had taken the wrong route. You get to Kiratpur, A stop for brunch here and you take a deviation to Mandi. The hills start from here and you realise that you no more go by the distance but by time. Passing the massive ACC cement factory you pass the dry arid mountains and get to Mandi. The town of Mallika Sherawat(The item girl of Indian movies).

You pass the pondoh dam which is across the Beas from here the ride gets very scenic and later you pass the Aut tunnel which is quite an experience. From here Kullu was an hour’s ride. And then rode to Manali which is about 40 kms away. The ride by the Beas river on the Moonlit night was really nice.  Manali has a Vehicle fee of 100/bike/week as you enter. Got to Old Manali and picked up a place for Rs 350 right next to the Beas river near the Club house. There are quite a few options there and Old Manali is quite, away from the bustlings of the town and a nice place to chill.

Day 4:

Stayed in Manali forday. Just getting acclimatised(A word u’ll hear quite often on this trip) to the weather. And also checking the bikes and getting them fixed as the ride from here gets tough. Right across to the place we stayed there was this lovely restaurant called River Music German Bakery, A nice option for b’fast/brunch. And you do hear the River Music which is rushing down quite fast  Blue Elephant right next to it is another nice cosy restaurant, good food and warm people.

After about 560 kms from Delhi.Manali is a good place to get your bikes checked before another 500 kms to Leh. In Manali behind the private bus stand you have a wholesale automotive parts dealer who also has a mechanic shop. Decent place to get it checked cause if you are stuck with a wrong mechanic he might as well advice you sell your bike because of its condition. This did happen to us so.. You can also pick up spare parts if you need any right here. If you riding a bike other than the Enfield then its advisable to carry the spare as you would not get them there.

We went to main market behind the City Bus Stand and picked up a pair of Gum Boots, the smaller ones for less than Rs 100. This was one of the best buys on the trip. As it definitely shields you from the streams flowing on the roads and also the ice on the road. We also bought  jerry cans one per bike 5L  in capacity for filling fuel because after this place Tandi you do not have a fuel pump for the next 380 kms till Leh.

Day 5:

Left for Leh from Manali. Its about 470 kms and its advisable to take 3 days to reach Leh stopping at keylong and Sarchu on the way. This way one get acclimatised to the conditions of high altitude and you also get to enjoy the journey. Here the pleasure is in the journey and not so much in the destination. So the less you hurry the better is it.

On the way you get the famed Rohtang(meaning pile of corpses) Pass ,About 50 kms from Manali. Its named so because in the 1860’s some 70 workers died in a landslide here. There had been a landslide on the way so we had to stop for a while .Getting to Rhotang takes around 1 1/2 hrs. Its a sad place with so many people up there to see snow. On top you get some hot maggie. Met a bunch of bikers from Bangalore. After Rothang the journey gets amazing. All u’ll find are trucks, tourists jeeps and fellow bikers who wish you luck as they pass by.People here understand and appreciate Biking, especially the truck driver, who would slow and give you space to pass and most would even stop so that you can pass them or overtake.

As you come down you get to this beautiful place in the valley called Khoksar , From here for most parts of the journey you riding by a river on the edge of a mountain. As we rode the terrain kept getting more and more interesting, on the way you get Tandi, Make sure you tank up here and also fill your Jerry cans as this is last fuel pump until Leh which is about 380 kms. We stopped in Keylong for the night. It has a lot of cheap accommodation options but make sure you bargain for it. Start by 50% of whatever he quotes that’s a good way of going about. We stayed at Surmila for Rs 300/night which is right on the highway.

Day 6:

Next day after taking a look at “Lady of Keylong”, A womans outline on the snow mountains. We rode towards Sarchu. We got to Jispa in about 1 1/2 hrs for b’fast not stopping at the Ibex Hotel after friends had advised that its rip off place. We stopped at next place for b’fast but that guy was going out so hadn’t cooked L. Stocked with chocolates which are good for getting instant energy. We headed to Darcha which is another 6 kms from there. Nice stop next to the river Bhaga for brunch. Got to river to wash my hand and thats when i realised how chilling cold the water is.

Rode on for the next couple of hours on the beautiful mountains and we reached ZingZingbar for a light snack. We were told there was stream next which is best crossed early. The thing with mountain biking is to start as early as possible  in the morning and ride slowly. You get a lot of streams on the way which you will have to navigate carefully. As the day passes with the sun the snow melts and the water level keeps rising. We crossed this stream around 3PM. The water gets into your boots and its chilling cold. We met guys in Leh who got to this stream at 7PM with the water level knee high the bike fell and they lost a bag containing their wallet, licence cell phone. So be good. Start early. The booze better be finished early the night before.

We went on to climb the Baralacha La pass. We got to point where there was only snow in all directions. Very pretty sight with a beautiful blue water lake on top. Came down to Bharatpur village (read 4/5 tents) where we met this frustrated old man from Holland whose bike had some problems. Tried to help him but in vain. We left for Sarchu which was another 1 1/2 hrs from there. Its at a high altitude,14,000ft and u’ll feel the lack of oxygen. You get shared tents Rs 50/person. The temperature is really cold and its very windy there. It helps to use your warm clothes there. And smoking a scented cigg that the locals offered made matter worse for me. There are no toilets in Sarchu so all of your nature’s call is best taken in nature by the river side. Toilet Roll Zindabad!!!

We did a total for 102 kms this day taking about 6 hrs of riding not including the numerous stops.

Day 7:

Woke with a mild fever, running nose, headache n a stomach ache, there was no looking back. Thermal wear did helpnow. Checked the bike’s oil level which was dangerously low. Filled in Oil. Its a good habit to check the Oil levels before starting your  journey each day. It’s highly advisable Carry a litre of Engine Oil with you all the time. We hit the Gata loops with 21 steep harpin bends. You pass some interesting bridges like the “Brandy Bridge” , “Whisky Bridge”. Border Road Organization(BRO) do a very tough job of building and maintain the border roads. They also display a good sense of humour with their innovative road signs. Sample this on a hilly terrain “I’m curvaceous, Be slow”

We hit the Nakeela pass,15,500 ft and climbed down to Pang . A brief halt at Pang and we carried on further to hit the Morey Plains. Mind blowing landscapes. Plain land for a strech of 40 odd kms in between the mountains. The trucks as the speed by raise a trail of dust. There is no road and everybody rides on their own path. Now the climb to Tanglang La,17,500 ft, the second highest motorable road starts. The climb is steep and it’s really cold out there. Taking Altitude Sickness pills “Diamox”  helped us. We dint have headaches not any nauseating feeling. Also the gradual increase in altitude by stopping over in Keylong and Sarchu helped.

Down the pass and after a short ride you find Upshi. From here Leh is just 60 kms and its a plain road. It feels nice to unleash you machine again after long. After doing 20-30kms/hrs for long time it’s a nice feel to reach Leh within an hour from Upshi.

We did a total of 250 kms and it took us close to 10hrs.

Day 8:

Leh is lovely hill town. Quite a lot of cheap accommodation options on old road. You might also want to try your luck at fort road which is more colourful with varied eating options too.Changspa could be a good options with a lot offoreigners staying there. After 3 long days of riding Leh is the perfect place to take it easy before doing some tough riding again. After starting our day post lunch, hit the DC office to obtain permits(which is required to venture futher outside). We applied for permits for Pangong Tso, Khardung La and Nubra Valley, Its valid only for 7 days and works out to Rs 20/person/day A fee collected for the wild life conservation in these areas. If you are going to Kargil then applying for a permit to go through the Batalik Road which goes along the Indus might be a good option, which we dint as we took the road through Lamayuru. You would need your Identification card and a requisition letter for obtaining the permit. The whole exercise takes around half hour. Office is open from 10 Am to 4 PM Make sure you do not land up there ard 1-2PM when the babus are out for lunch. Make about 8-10 copies of the permit as you’ll be asked for it at various check posts.

Met more biker boys there, teamed up and decided we’ll ride together to our common destination Pangong Tso tomorrow. It was time to get the bikes checked again. Mechanics in Leh are quite reliable. If you are on a bullet, Juma automobile on the way to the airport is a good stop, for the other bikes Ganesh Automobiles down the same road is a very good bet. Once the bikes were fixed it was time for was partying. We landed up at this place called Leh-Chen on front road, lovely roof top place, great place to enjoy your drink and also catch up with other travellers and their tales. If you are interested in potting the ball. They’ve also got a pool table .

Day 9:

It was time to hit the lake Pangong Tso, We talked to hotel guy so that we could keep the luggage in Leh so that we could travel light as it was just a one night stay there. Most hotels let you keep your stuff on request and would not even charge for it. We were joined by our new formed friends Sam,Mishi and Nayeem n they had met eachother coupla day before when Mishi bike fell while crossing the stream which carried their bag containing their wallet, cell phone, licence etc and they met nayeem on the bus on which they were loading their bikes which dint start cause of the water in the engine.  They were crossing the stream at 7 in the evening when the water levels can be dangerously high. It was tough for us to cross it at 3P, I can imagine how it would been at 7. Starting early always helps

Pangong is around 150 kms form Leh, about 5-6 hour ride . Stopped at Karu for b’fast. You can stock up on somechocolates and smokes if you wish as you not find it ahead. from here you take a deviation to Pangong. The climb is nice. You get to the top of Chang La peak, 17,250 ft, its 3rd highest motorable road in the world. It feels great to get some flavoured tea at this height, served complimentary by our Indian Army along with some snacks. You are well charged up to proceed after this round of kindness. Pongong Tso is at 13,900 ft so its all downhill from here. Which means you need to be extra careful. Heard there was a bad accident to one of the bikers the day before we got there.

Shortly after Tongse, Guru’s(my riding partner) Bullet developed problems. We left it at the Army camp and they are ever helpful and we carried on further on 3 bikes and 5 guys. The ride is lovely and road is quite good. You reach this small village  where they check your permit. We were advised to stay there and not proceed as it was already past 5 and there is a stream there called the “Pagal Nalla” (Translates into Mad Stream) and its overflows quite badly. True to its name its very difficult to predict when it overflows. But we decided to carry on no matter what. The ride from there is extremely beautiful, the patches of green pastures, the goats grazing, the river by the side and all in the valley , loved every bit of it. Until we reached the “Pagal Nalla”. Its was past 7,The stream, around 200 mts long and knee deep ice cold chilling water. Its definitely dangerous.

We thankfully had a local driver on the other side who offered to help. For one bike we had 2 guys pushing the bikes. The ordeal lasted for close to an hour. We finally crossed the mad stream. Getting to Pangong Tso was another 15 mins from there. Once we reached there that place it felt that all trouble was worth it. The starry night was mind blowing . Its quite cold by the lake. After some good dinner. As we came out seeing the Moonlit sky and its reflection on the lake,I fall short of words to describe that scene. Not to forget the snow capped mountains in the background.

You have got both tents and cottages there. Its Rs 500 for a cottage for 2. We were 5 of us in one. He charged us Rs 600 and asked us not to feel bad. We tried hard not to

Day 10:

You are mesmerized by the beauty of the lake  once you wake up . This is a salt water lake which was formed due tothe continental drift. 1/3rd of it is in India and the other 2/3rds in China, The colour of the lake changes thought the day. An extremely pretty sight. Sitting by the lake and just watching it is a lovely experience.  Couldn’t do the boating on the lake which is organised by the Army cause they had some big shot officer on a visit. But do try your luck once there, it’s supposed to be easy.

Left Pangong around 12, Picked up the bike from the Army camp. Their Mechanic helped us fix it. They were kind enough o get us lunch, topped with some sweets and juice. Army hospitality rocks.  Once we crossed Chang La , the ride was all down hill and easy.Now it just a matter of getting to Leh

Day 11:

Rest day in Leh. Just chilled. Sam and Mishi were getting back home. Bid them goodbye. Decided to get some T-shirts done with our bikes and names on it. Quite a few options on Fort Road . The “Potala” Tshirt shop, next to a cyber cafe did a great job. He embroidered my TVS Fiero on the T-shirt and it came out great.This guy can do any bike provided you give him a print out of the pic and Rs 300 is  definitely a  good deal.

Lot of eating options on Fort Road. Would strongly recommend the “Ginger Lemon Honey” Tea in restaurant Bon-Apetit, It was the best we had. I’ve even got the recipe form him J The Dolphin restaurant right next to it is a nice cosy restaurant too, by a small stream. Pretty waitresses there I tell you

Leh Palace, Leh Castle, Thikse Monastry are all good visits.

Day 12:

The Weather was a little gloomy but we still decided to go up Khardung La,18,380 ft, The world’s highest motorableroad Its 40 kms from Leh, Again leaving our luggage at the hotel we left for Khardung La at noon. It takes around 1 1/2 hrs to climb the peak. Once on top you have a lot of photo ops. You get hot Maggie and tea by the Indian Army there but this time it doesn’t come free but its totally worth it J. By now it was snowing and it felt good but not for long. We had to ride to Nubra, a good 4 hrs ride from here. For the next one hour we rode in the snow. It was tough. With snow on the road it can be very slippery and very dangerous too, and the snow bites on your face like a million needle sticks. So it might be a good option to check the weather before you embark on a Khardung La ride. It took us more 1 1/2 hr for a descend of 15 kms to North Pullu. The ride was extremely uncomfortable in the snow and we see two cyclists cycling down and that was some respite us. Wonder how they took it.

Stopped in North Pullu for a couple of hours hoping the snowing would stop but it dint. We met the cyclist there, A Swiss couple who had braved it. With our rain gears on we decided to ride on. Khardung Village was  a good 20 kms away and Khalsar a good 25 kms from there. It took a good 2 hours in the rain to get there. At Khalsar you can a deviation, one road goes to Diskit and Hunder and the other towards Panamik and Sasoma. We headed towards Diskit. The ride was extremely beautiful along the Shyok river and at twilight the mountains with the colourful sky at the background is a sight to behold. The sight was so pretty that I dint even feel like take a snap. This image stays with me. It felt as if the strenuous  ride was worth it. That’s the thing with the Himalayas,the tougher the ride gets the more beautiful is the landscape you discover. You feel its nature way of rewarding you. And this happened to us all through the trip.

Diskit, 20 kms from Khalsar will take you around an hour. It a pretty Himalayan Village, extremely beautiful and the best part is it’s not crowded with tourists. Don’t be too surprised if you are the lone traveller there. The Olthang Guesthouse on the highway and also the Sunrise Guesthouse, it’s pretty neighbour hidden in the background are good options to stay and the food is good too.It’ll make you poorer by Rs 250-300/night and you wont even feel the pinch. Try the ladhaki berry juice you get there. Its nice.

Day 13:

We rode to Hunder in the morning after getting my bike fixed for a minor fuse problem from the lone mechanic in that village. Hunder is just 7 kms away and the ride is mind blowing. You are riding through a desert. Desert and up there?? Well, the Shyok river there overflowed multiple times centuries ago and all that sand is from its river bed. Once there you get to see the snow capped mountains at the far end, bare mountains next to it, The Shyok flowing below, small stretches of vegetation and also the sand dunes. The only thing missing there is the ocean. It unbelievable what nature can throw at you.

Hunder was the part of the old Silk Route which in came from China all the way to the Arab. And its home to double humped camel which is found in Central Asia. These were left behind by the merchants centuries back and their tribe has been growing since. There are about 170 of them today.  We went on a 15 mins Camel Safari sitting between the humps It was a lovely but bumpy ride, Its Rs 150 for a 15 mins Safari and its by the JK Tourism.It is quite an attraction here. They even showed us a 6 month old double humped camel. Its here i learnt that the camel hump does not store water but it stores fat. Guess I need to sue my geography teacher in school now. And also the humps are full and upright when the fat levels are high. The fat level keeps changing with  the season. Anyways it’s worth  taking a dersert safari ride.

On our way back we met the cyclist again. It was quite funny because yday we met when it was snowing and today we meet in a Desert, that’s Himalayas for you The plan was to stay in Diskit for a night and in Panamik for the other but we so fell in love with Dikit that we decided to stay here both the nights here. We were happy to skip the hot water spring in Panamik but I’m told the ride is quite good.

Diskit has a monastry which is more than 500 yrs old. You get a lovely view from the monastery. Met a Lama there and he asked me about my biking trip and I was shared it with him proudly. I asked him if he goes to Leh as they have to cross Khardung La for it every time. He said he does once or twice a month, on this scooter and that too with a Pillion. Guess this answers most people’s question on which bike to take:)

That evening they were having a Fair in Diskit and there was a rock band playing as a part of it. It was nice being there. One of the shopkeeper told us there was a lottery too and we should participate. I asked what the prize was, He said “A Washing Machine”. I dint participate out of the fear of winning it. We were having a tough time carrying our own stuff now Imagine a Washing Machine tied to the bike and the highest motorable road staring at you

Day 14:

Left Diskit early, We were at North Pullu for b’fast chatting with some Army guys who were posted in Siachin,Theworld’s highest battleground. They said the temperature there goes to – 40, I would never want to go there. By the time it came to settling the bill they said they had already done that for us. They had no reason to do that ,It is such small and meaningful gestures they show their warmth which is hidden behind their tough exteriors.

Got on top of Khardung La again and this time it was sunny and felt great to be there. We got to know the road was closed the day yday because of heavy snowfall. From here the ride down to Leh was easy. Stopped in Leh for a while, had the Ginger Lemon Honey Tea at Bon Apetit on Fort Road again. Its addictive After picking up our Luggage from the hotel we left Leh at 6PM towards Kargil to get to an Army Camp in Khalsti, 100 kms from Leh. We had a friend, Captian in the Army waiting for us. Its extremely windy on the Leh-Kargil Highway and with the sunlight hitting your eyes riding can be difficult. Up in the mountains the Sun doesn’t set until past 8, its good for bikers as we have more daylight at our disposal. Khalsti was reached post 9 after a treacherous ride in the dark. Its highly advisable not to ride after sunset in these regions.

Day 15:

This was rest day for us. After 2 weeks on the road we felt we had earned it. A nice Guest house and clean bathrooms did well to us. The Army camp in Khalsti is situated right by the Indus with the mountains at the backdrop. Its a lovely location.  With the Officers Mess serving us unlimited liquor in their lounge bar and good food at the end of each drinking sessions. Lets say we happily piled on We were given a class in Army etiquette by my Captian friend which was to be followed at all times in the Officers Mess. For we aimless bikers it wasn’t easy learning these skills but we had no complaints We were also invited to one their parties and their Major’s , Colonel’s and their Brigadier seemed quite impressed by our roadtrip. They called Brave Young Boys. We gleefully accepted Their Brigadier said, “We need such adventurous young men in the Army, Why don’t you join it”, I was game join the Army just for their evening at the Officers Mess, During day time, Naah

Day 16:

Still in Khalsti, we rode to A small village 10 kms away near Nurla called Temisgam, It a lovely ride. There is a nice old Monastery there. A Pretty Village in the valley with a small streams flowing and greenery on both sides of it. Back to the Army camp. We had some Beers sitting by the Indus. It definitely quenched our thirsts.

In the evening we crossed the Indus on a small hand pulled trolley and climbed the mountain to get to a small Village called Ishu. The Village had only 2 houses and the only way to get there is by the trolley. They had a beautiful Apricot farm. The Apricots were fresh and sweet. They also had a small farm where they grew vegetables for their own use. We had some carrots from there, they were really sweet. The was small stream flowing from the mountains on the top and that’s the waterthey had and so did we, Real mineral water. They made us taste “Chang” The local Ladhaki Beer which they drank in the evening to keep warm. We found it strong. They had no electricity there. They had livestocks which they would get to village by crossing the frozen Indus during winters. It was a picture perfect place, too good to be true. You realise how simple Nature has made us and how complicated we make our lives.

They got us plateful of dry fruits for us. We picked up a few. They asked to fill our pockets. We did it on their insistence. We were glad we did, they were damn good. Ishu is a village to remember.

Day 17:

The Brigadier’s family was going to this Aryan Village Darchin, They asked us to join them and we readily accepted. People in these villages are said to be descendants of Alexander’s Army. They are considered to be of the pure Aryan race. In the 70’s neo nazi women came down here so that they could have pure breed nazi kid fathered by the men here. Tourists were banned from then on. It was only in 93 that it was reopened. You need a permit for Batalik to get there. We dint have any but in an Army jeep that too with armed guards nobody stops you. It was a nice drive along the Indus, It’s a good 3 hour drive from Khalsti , add another 2 hours from Leh.

Once in it village, it was nice to see them traditionally dressed. They take a lot of pride in their elaborate head gear. The look impressive in their traditional gear.  Their looks are distinctively Aryan. We also visited the village headman’s house. Their houses are very interesting. They keep their livestock in the ground floor and they stay upstairs so that the animal’s body heat get to them during the cold weather. Their kitchen is an attraction too, Its very neatly arranged and sits pretty.We also got to know they they have become quite commercial, they charge for putting on their traditional dress and also for visiting their houses. It came free for us. Thanks to Indian Army.

We left from there to have lunch in another Army Camp, This was a Gorkha Regiment, which meant all the soldiers are from the Gorkha community. You had this put up in bold there “If a man says he is not afraid of dying, He is either lying or he is a Gorkha” – Field Marshal Manekshaw. It amazes me when there is such rough terrain outside but once inside an Officers Mess you are in the lap of luxury with people all around pampering you. Its like an Oasis in the desert

Day 18:

We decided to go white water rafting in the Zanskar river at Nimu, Which is 30 kms from Leh. Rode from Khalsti to Got to Nimu at around 10. You can directly go to these folks at Splash Adventures there, They organise Rafting expeditions there. So instead of paying 50% more for the same in Leh, you can book the same for Rs 1000 here which comes inclusive of lunch. The rafting is for a stretch of 28kms, The currents are quite strong but I expected the rapids to much better but overall it was a nice experience for a person like me doing it for the first time. We were asked to take a swim if interested, tried it , the water is chilling cold, it gets to your bones. One gets so hungry after 3 hrs of rafting, it feels good to see lunch ready and I went after it. Rafting happens during the months of July and August.

Rode to Leh after that to draw cash in those never working ATMs, so whenever it works make sure you draw enough to keep you going for awhile. On the way back on the Leh-Kargil Road about 15-20 kms from Leh we came across the “Magnetic Hill”  A Place that defies gravity, You can park you vehicle on the slope there and it’ll climb up by itself with the engine switched off, Its quite a sight to watch. Not to be missed when you are in Leh. Got back to Khalsti for our last night there. The Army folks bid up a nice farewell, read more booze and more food

Day 19:

We started early and rode towards Kargil, There are two routes one through Lamayuru, and the other through Batalik, The latter needs a permit but not the former which was the one we took. If I look back now we should have taken the Batalik road that runs by the Indus, it’s a more scenic route. We rode through Lamayuru, famous for its old monastery. We stopped at Bukhtkarbu for lunch at another friend’s Army camp, The was our last and final Officers Mess we would stop  on this trip

As we rode on I had a flat tyre, thankfully the only one on the whole trip and miraculously the Puncture Shop was just 200 mts away. They took more than an hour but did a decent job, the spare new tube came handy. We crossed the Fotula Top, 13,500 ft ,the highest point on the Leh-Srinagar highway,Its no big deal now after you have climbed the first three big ones:) From here got to Mulbek, famous for the giant Buddha statue. Kargil was just 45 kms . The ride was beautiful in the low lying pastures. Got to Kargil and halted at the JK Tourism Guesthouse, Rs 180 was a good deal we thought, but the bed bugs troubling us the next day made us think otherwise.

Leh-Srinagar is around 440 kms. Kargil in the middle at  230 kms from Leh, it is a good days ride to get there taking  around 7-8 hrs.

Day 20:

Loved Kargil, lovely small city. Reminded me of Kabul from Kite Runner. The Suru river flows right by. After Leh, its only in here that you have a ATM and a fuel station, You have another fuel station at Khaltsi but its not vey reliable. Make sure you tank up and check the air as soon as you are entering Kargil as the fuel station is on the highway.

Left for Drass which is 60 kms from here and it takes around 1 1/2 hrs. The ride is lovely, all along the Suru river. You have boards saying “Caution: The enemy is watching you”. You also have memorials of soldiers who passed away in the Kargil war. The intruders were sitting on these very mountains and the whole road was bombarded. You have the 1999 Kargil War Memorial on the same highway 5 kms before Drass, It a good stop and you get a closer look at how it is at wartime. You can see the famous Tiger Hill sitting pretty right there.

Drass is good place to get some food. Its also the 2nd coldest inhabited place in the world , The temperature went down to -60 C in 1995.  The Zojila pass comes next, from here there is a lot greenery and the place is mind blowingly beautiful. With river flowing by the side and the mountain goats grazing on the lush green pastures. With each turn the Himalayas get more and more beautiful. You get tired of stopping to take pics every 5-10 mins. As you get down you hit Soanmarg. Another pictureous  location. Sringar is just 80 kms from here. The road is decent but the civilian traffic starts and you miss the mountains and the isolation that comes with it.  It takes about 2 hrs to get to Srinagar.

As you enter Sringar you get a lovely view of the Dal Lake which is breathtakingly beautiful. We just stopped there for awhile absorbing its beauty. We rode to Nehru Place that’s where most of the houseboats are. We got a decent one for Rs 900/night inclusive of b’fast and dinner for 2 of us. Beware of the touts hanging around at Nehru Place .Insist on seeing the House Boat before taking it. A lil gyaan on house boats, There are 5 levels Delux,A,B,C,D in the descending order of class. You should get a Delux for Rs 800-1000,make sure you bargain, he’ll show you a price list and quote Rs 4000 don’t get moved by it. Also make sure you get a complimentary Shikara(small boat) to take you to the shore and back. And if you want to enjoy a drink in that serene ambience, carrying your own liquor would be a good option as it’s quite steeply priced there. A House boat stay is quite an experience but unfortunately we were two guys

Day 21:

The sight of the Dal Lake from your House boat in the morning is way too beautiful, I never seen a prettier sight and a prettier place before. Srinagar is  surrounded by layers of mountains on all sides, A perfect valley and the sight from the lake looks illusionary, with the mist covering the mountains and the water dancing to its own tunes and once in awhile you see a boatman rowing his Shikara either ferrying people or carrying vegetables, you just can’t stop clicking away those moments. Started the day by visiting the Mughal Gardens, Nishad Bagh, Built by the Mughal Emperor Shahajahan .It overlooks the Dal Lake. This where he took the first step in the garden and said “Gar Baru e zamin hast, Hamin Asto Hamin Asto Hamin Asto” Its in Farsi and it meant “If there be heaven on earth, It is here,It is here,It is here”  So very true. It must have been very beautiful then but sadly now its not maintained quite well . There is so much beauty in Srinagar even today i can’t imagine how it would have been centuries ago. We got to the Hazart Bal Mosque next, Again by the Dal, A very peaceful place. Sat there in the prayer hall. Couldn’t believe it was the very place where you had a gruesome terrorist attack more than a decade back.

We rode through Old Srinagar. It was sad to see Hotels which did flourishing business before the militant problem but were now abandoned. Srinagar is safe for tourists. I found it as normal as any other city I’ve been to. Thanks to our media which creates all the hype that people stay away. People there are desperate for tourists to get back after all it was once a tourist heaven and Srinagar thrives on it. Locals and tourists are not bothered by the terrorists. Their problem is against the govt and the army. There is so much army presence in the valley that you would find armoured personals every 100 mts. but life goes on as if everything is normal.

We had heard a lot about the restaurant “Adhoos” right from our in-flight mag to fellow tourists. We decided to have lunch there. It’s on the Old Residency Road. Tried the Kashmiri Wazwan, Mutton dishes cooked in Kashmiri style. Its amazing. It tastes better with their Basmati rice than Rotis. We also tried Kashmiri Kawa, Their hot drink which has saffron in it. Its great. The waiter said that’s why it’s so expensive. I asked how much is it. He said “20 bucks with pride”. Wanted to tell that poor guy “You wouldn’t  have heard about the ripper in big cities, Coffee Day”

Time for some shopping. We went to the Govt Emporium again on Old Residency Road. Infact the emporium was the erstwhile 18th century British Residency building. Guru bought a Pashmeena Shawl for his mom, The basic one costed him 11 grand. It made from the fur of this special mountain goat which can stand temperatures until -43 C. It’s the finest wool in the whole world. After doing this ride seeing the climate and the goats grazing we could truly appreciate the Pashmeena. There are some decent shopping options on Old Residency Road. On the Shankaracharya Temple on top of the Hill one gets a good view of the Srinagar. You’ll find the writing there, saying The Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV visited this place in 1924 and by his order one of lamps in the temple should be lit all the time. This is when the Maharaja of Mysore was impressed with the Mughal Garden of Kashmir, The Brindavan Gardens in Mysore is inspired from it.

When in Srinagar one should experience the Shikara ride in the Dal, especially during sun set when the view is magnificent. The govt. rates are put up there Rs 200/hr. They’ll take you on ride covering parts of Dal for lil more than an hour. Your bargaining skills will come handy. Yes, it’s quite commercial with the mobile boat salesmen approaching you trying to sell everything from fake beads to saffron. We’ll it’s all a part of the game now. In spite of this, a Shikara ride can be very relaxing.

Day 21:

We left in the morning for Jammu, which is 300 kms away. Coming from the Manali-Leh route where there is hardly any road, this felt like an expressway. There is a lot of security on the whole highway with two armoured guards at every 100 mts. That was also the day when the old batch security personals were leaving Srinagar for a new batch to replace them from Jammu. We came across an army convoy of more than 100 trucks and buses transporting the security forces. May be that’s why there was so much security. Overtaking the entire convoy was a lot of fun; it took us more than an hour to do it. Every time we would stop for a break they would overtake us again and we were back in the business of getting in front of them. This is what made our ride enjoyable. After riding through Kashmir , the scenery here is quite ordinary. Plain roads mixed with hilly terrain. We dint feel the need to stop and click pics anywhere.

Quite a lot of dhabas all along the way so food was never a problem. We passed Anantnag, Banihal and Udhampur, from here Jammu is just 55kms and the ride is a breeze. We left Srinagar at 8Am and after all our pit stops we reached Jammu at 6PM. We took it easy. Jammu welcomed us with a traffic jam. We had decided to ship our bikes from through road transport Jammu, As the ride from here to Delhi is not very rewarding, in fact its said to be extremely painful. To get to the Gati, Parcel office took us close to 90 mins. Its on the Pathankot highway and then take a turn towards the Delhi highway. Their rates are decent, Rs 15/kg  from Jammu to Mysore. And the Bike was door delivered in good condition. Their address.

Gati Limited,

Shiva Market, Paramandal mod, ratnu-chak, Jammu-10

Mr Surender : 9906263905

After 3 weeks and 2500 kms later we were totally exhausted, We were glad we got rid of the bikes. Took a night bus to Delhi and that bloke got us to Delhi only in the afternoon. This when we thought may be should have just ridden

Day 22:

Back in Delhi, It was nice to get some great food, chilled beer and share our story with friends. Before we caught our flight to Bangalore the next day.

This biking trip was quite an experience not just for the natural beauty it offered but also for kind of people you met all through, especially the Army folks who really show you what humanity is, something we have lost in big cities. How much people here help you when you were stuck even though you are just another stranger. It thought me how to survive in tough conditions and no matter what we got to keep moving on. Make some great friends, met some old ones and also met my friends friend on the trip I couldn’t stop thinking on my flight back. What a beautiful world

I would not be wrong if I said this trip gave me a new perspective towards life.