Just booked in for our flight to Goa after a night back down at sea level in Delhi. It is nice to feel slightly more energetic. India never ceases to surprise you. You go through 3 security checks and pat-downs as you make your way to the departure gate. We looked over at a long line - and over longingly at the Business Class line (which was nil). The guard - a very nice young man with a gun caught my eye. He said “I saw you in wellington” - I went sure I am from Wellington NZ. He indicated that we had met in Wellington in India....anyways it got us through the Business Class line quick smart!
Internet connections up in Leh are not the best. It is the only thing that you could possibly say was not 100% or 10/10.
So - this blog entry covers 5 days.
The flight into Leh is something out of this world, and you are literally on the top of the world. It is like flying into Queenstown and kissing the Remarkables - but these mountains are 6000m high and 360 degrees around you, and you fly over them for ages. We saw K2 rise up out of the mountains.
Hard to think about this region as India as it is very Tibetan in its influence. Buddism, prayer flags, monks and monasteries everywhere. Monasteries cascade down step mountains, clinging on to goodness know what. Temples and stupas are all over the landscape. It is a combo of the NZ Desert Road and a high country station in Central Otago but on steroids.
Leh itself is a cool town. The houses are all made of a mud bricks painted white and they have the most gorgeous wooden windows and doors. The head of all the windows are intricately carved wood (kind of like a marae pou - they even have a koru type design on them). The town is fed by water from the mountains. It is crystal clear and water flows down water races all through the town.
We spent the first 2 days going very slow. Flying in to such a high altitude was not our best move. The breathlessness is crazy - you feel like a serious asthmatic. By day 3 we were starting to feel better. We hired a scootie (scooter in kiwi) and spent each day exploring the outskirts of Leh. The roads are amazing - looked after by BRO - border road organisation. We biked on brand new asphalt roads which we assume get relaid after the snows each year. BRO have very engaging signs to keep motorists on their toes.
Everywhere you go you are surrounded by massive mountains. The landscape is desert but in another couple of weeks it will be covered in snow and the roads impassable. At times we turned off the main road and followed the road up the valley. There was usually greenery either side of the water source and sheer mountains rising on up beyond that. A little bit like the 1km wide strips either side of the Nile.
We rode up one side of the Indus River on the road to Manali ,visited Thiksey Monastery and drove up the 2nd highest motorable pass in the world (very freaky!). We were way higher than Mt Aoraki. We went west to Alchi on the road that would take you to Pakistan through Srinagar.We found a lush valley and motored to Phyang. We visited a little place called Chilling. Not much in Chilling but you travel 20km up a river valley that resembles the grand canyon. You are actually in the Hemis high altitude national park. On the way to Chilling we stopped to skim stones in the Zanskar River. An Indian Army Adventure wing were there too, learning to raft. Again - the hospitality of the Indian people starred. A young corporal came over with 2 glasses of water on a tray. I just cant imagine us treating tourists in NZ like this.
Motorbiking is such a special way to explore the region. The roads are superb . You only share them with army trucks or other riders on Royal Enfields - and the odd crazy driver hooning in a Suzuki Swift. The Royal Enfield tourists do a big loop through Srinigar , Leh and Manali. Looks great - but I wonder if we see more by exploring off the main roads.
I decided I couldn't leave Leh without checking our the Kashmiri carpets.They are so nice...ooops ended up buying one after 2 days of negotiating . The shops and restaurants here are an eclectic mix of old, new, modern and traditional, Chinese, Israeli and Italian. There are French and German tourists, we didnt hear a Kiwi accent but heard a couple of Aussies, and lots of Indian domestic tourists enjoying motorbike journeys , rafting and trekking.
The Ladakh folk have a super word that is the equivalent of Kia ora - Julley. Pronounced Jule-lay, and not Julie as I did the first time I used it. The poor woman in the restaurant couldn't work out what I wanted to order.
The military presence in Ladakh is huge. You pass 3-4 large bases on the hour journey out of Leh. Signs like “Trespassers will be shot and killed” can be quite sobering. Talking of sober - there is very little evidence of alcohol being part of the Leh society. It is quite refreshing. We didnt miss our nightly beer or gin ...part of that was feeling half-pie due to altitude I suspect.
So today we fly to Goa - Mountains to Sea. We are staying in one place for 11 days which will be nice. We plan to just enjoy the local environment. The weather is likely to be damp but we are hoping the monsoon will stop soon. Then Sarah arrives for her virgin tour of India. Exciting.
Internet connections up in Leh are not the best. It is the only thing that you could possibly say was not 100% or 10/10.
So - this blog entry covers 5 days.
The flight into Leh is something out of this world, and you are literally on the top of the world. It is like flying into Queenstown and kissing the Remarkables - but these mountains are 6000m high and 360 degrees around you, and you fly over them for ages. We saw K2 rise up out of the mountains.
Hard to think about this region as India as it is very Tibetan in its influence. Buddism, prayer flags, monks and monasteries everywhere. Monasteries cascade down step mountains, clinging on to goodness know what. Temples and stupas are all over the landscape. It is a combo of the NZ Desert Road and a high country station in Central Otago but on steroids.
Leh itself is a cool town. The houses are all made of a mud bricks painted white and they have the most gorgeous wooden windows and doors. The head of all the windows are intricately carved wood (kind of like a marae pou - they even have a koru type design on them). The town is fed by water from the mountains. It is crystal clear and water flows down water races all through the town.
We spent the first 2 days going very slow. Flying in to such a high altitude was not our best move. The breathlessness is crazy - you feel like a serious asthmatic. By day 3 we were starting to feel better. We hired a scootie (scooter in kiwi) and spent each day exploring the outskirts of Leh. The roads are amazing - looked after by BRO - border road organisation. We biked on brand new asphalt roads which we assume get relaid after the snows each year. BRO have very engaging signs to keep motorists on their toes.
Everywhere you go you are surrounded by massive mountains. The landscape is desert but in another couple of weeks it will be covered in snow and the roads impassable. At times we turned off the main road and followed the road up the valley. There was usually greenery either side of the water source and sheer mountains rising on up beyond that. A little bit like the 1km wide strips either side of the Nile.
We rode up one side of the Indus River on the road to Manali ,visited Thiksey Monastery and drove up the 2nd highest motorable pass in the world (very freaky!). We were way higher than Mt Aoraki. We went west to Alchi on the road that would take you to Pakistan through Srinagar.We found a lush valley and motored to Phyang. We visited a little place called Chilling. Not much in Chilling but you travel 20km up a river valley that resembles the grand canyon. You are actually in the Hemis high altitude national park. On the way to Chilling we stopped to skim stones in the Zanskar River. An Indian Army Adventure wing were there too, learning to raft. Again - the hospitality of the Indian people starred. A young corporal came over with 2 glasses of water on a tray. I just cant imagine us treating tourists in NZ like this.
Motorbiking is such a special way to explore the region. The roads are superb . You only share them with army trucks or other riders on Royal Enfields - and the odd crazy driver hooning in a Suzuki Swift. The Royal Enfield tourists do a big loop through Srinigar , Leh and Manali. Looks great - but I wonder if we see more by exploring off the main roads.
I decided I couldn't leave Leh without checking our the Kashmiri carpets.They are so nice...ooops ended up buying one after 2 days of negotiating . The shops and restaurants here are an eclectic mix of old, new, modern and traditional, Chinese, Israeli and Italian. There are French and German tourists, we didnt hear a Kiwi accent but heard a couple of Aussies, and lots of Indian domestic tourists enjoying motorbike journeys , rafting and trekking.
The Ladakh folk have a super word that is the equivalent of Kia ora - Julley. Pronounced Jule-lay, and not Julie as I did the first time I used it. The poor woman in the restaurant couldn't work out what I wanted to order.
The military presence in Ladakh is huge. You pass 3-4 large bases on the hour journey out of Leh. Signs like “Trespassers will be shot and killed” can be quite sobering. Talking of sober - there is very little evidence of alcohol being part of the Leh society. It is quite refreshing. We didnt miss our nightly beer or gin ...part of that was feeling half-pie due to altitude I suspect.
So today we fly to Goa - Mountains to Sea. We are staying in one place for 11 days which will be nice. We plan to just enjoy the local environment. The weather is likely to be damp but we are hoping the monsoon will stop soon. Then Sarah arrives for her virgin tour of India. Exciting.
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