I would know how beautiful I am

It’s a beautiful dawn, birds chirping in the bush.

Mist of love touching my cheeks and made me blush,

Oh that cool moist breeze gave my curly hair a soft push.

But my mom says I am more beautiful than all of those.

Warmth of the sun making my skin glow,

That little stream in my garden I hear it run slow,

Beautiful fields of paddy where men walk with their plough.

But my mom says I am more beautiful than all of those.

Pretty jingle of the cattle bell, as it returns home.

Merry laughter of the child when it is hugged,

And all those beautiful birds returning to their nest.

But my mom says I am more beautiful than all of those.

I can sing and dance with this beauty of nature,

I can hug and touch these splendid gifts of god.

I can hear and love all these being around me.

But If only I could see, I would know how beautiful I am.

-Dedicated to a sweet person I met this weekend, who had no sight but loads of dreams!

I do right thing at right time!

Hello Hello!!! By seeing the post’s title, People who are thinking that I am very proud of things I do, I request you to please go ahead and read through the post.


Scene 1:

Entire week I wouldn’t have washed my office wear. I pester my dear husband to put it to washing . He not only does it but also he takes it off from drying, gives it for pressing and collects the same.

Now suddenly I realize!!! Dear god such a nice husband I have and immediately gear up and collect all his cloths put it to washing machine and also put it on strings to dry, I feel so proud of doing this right thing.

But alas, I forget to notice that it was in “Washed cloths to Pressing” Bin and with this I also forget take it off when it dries and night it showers badly!!!

Scene ends with Hubs searching his old shirts Suitcase to see which one fits now!!!

Scene 2:

My dear dad does most of the small work for me even today, so I decide to surprise him by personally going to the Coffee shop where he has been going from years and get freshly brewed coffee powder for my dad.

But alas I dint notice that it’s different shop owner and only later found out that the old guy had changed the shop but a similar one was in that place and I got a huge pack of Coffee Powder which was not my father’s favorite!!!

Scene ends with my father cribbing each time drinking the coffee prepared by mom and Coffee powder got by me!

Scene 3:

On a south Indian festival which is similar to Karva Chaut, I wanted to show off to MIL that I am starving whole day for my husband’s long life. I called her up in the evening and informed the details I did and also that I starved whole day for him. I was happy to hear MIL laughing at the other end but only later I realize that I forgot to note that month she had mentioned and My MIL calmly told “dear Daughter in law, festival is next month don’t worry you can do it again next month when I come there!!!”

Scene ends with me starving again!!!

Scene 4:

My best friend is seeing a beautiful girl in my office,

One day in cafeteria my dear friend was walking with me, I stopped midway talking to someone and later realized that he had walked ahead of me and I thought he will end up searching me. So went shouting his name, ran to him and felt very proud that I informed my best friend that I was with him.

But alas I dint realize that I disturbed a beautiful moment of my best friend seeing his girl and to add to this, it was the only time she turned to see him as well!!!

Scene ends with an angry stare from my best friend :(

I do right thing at right time!!!

Ladakhalogue … Day 7 and Day 8

Day 7: 2nd July 2011, Saturday

Good morning India, Today is the last but one day of our trip. We are done with all the sight seeing, but one more wonderful thing is still pending and that is shopping. I am so damn excited, messaged all my friends about this and have made them jealous. Hold on guys, see the things I have shopped you will be more jealous…

Ladakh is very famous for Silk, Antiques and stones. You name an accessory and you will get it here. God, I am all excited to shop for myself and my friends. Hubs has shifted the shopping time to post lunch as it will be less sunny so I will rest well and then get ready. Before that let me list things I want to buy

Shopping listed in my Diary:

Stone(Amethyst, turquoise, ruby, Pearl, etc etc etc) Bracelets

Stone Earrings

Tshirt

Silk Purses

Antiques
Chains Lot more…

Hey ya, its shopping time now see the things :D

  

I shopped handful and I took just 4hrs 35min (time keeping done by hubs) oh I cant stop seeing it again and again, Hubs is worried about packing things and taking it safely back to Bangalore.

We are back in hotel and its dinner time now, Oh there is one thing in our itinerary. Something as Dinner with Chang!!!! I don’t know who is that ok will come back from dinner and sleep early, as we have to be ready to the flight to Delhi tomorrow morning.

End of Day 7: Good night, Hey btw Chang is the local drink!!! Phew, I was hoping to meet some handsome hunk!!! Anyways love my life today more than any other day. ;)

Day 8: 3rd July 2011, Sunday

Good morning, Packing done and we are starting now.

I am in Flight to Delhi and from there back to namma Bengaluru, I am getting this last glimpse of Leh from the flight.

Hmmm I am leaving heaven now to be back to reality is all I can say, Its been wonderful trip with loads of memories, shopping and Wonderful Photos. I don’t want to write anything more I am ending my Ladakhalogue with heart full of love and memories and a small wonderful list of things which is Summary of this trip.

  

Highlights of this trip:

1. First view of snow capped mountains, Clouds in the sky and felt snowfall.

2. Little incidents which I can blog about, Rajesh the server at Naro, GPS Scarf incident, Honeymooners… many more wait for it folks

3. Drinking and eating all through out the journey, Local Tea, Noodles and paratha

4. Airtel network availability even at 13000ft ;).

5. Quails Journey, Music, dreaming

6. No Fans in Hotel loved it!

7. Landslide!

8. Make up, Styling for Photography and after all this covering my self in layers of cloths, jackets, Gloves and Cap

9. Smsing friends for my own pride and satisfaction

10. My Diary. And shopping list I prepared!!!

11. Medical Kit prepared by very experienced traveler and my best friend contained Medicines for fever, head ache, body ache, cold, loose motions. Good we are all prepared!!! But alas I suffered from Constipation for which we dint have any medicines :(

Oh God list has no end, just as my memories of this place.

 I have to stop at some place so here I do.

JULEY (Bye in Tibetan language)

Something for New readers who have landed on this Blog now, If you think you can handle this and want more here you go...

Slow Poison Dose 1: Ladakhalogue - Day 0

Slow Poison Dose 2: Ladakhalogue …Day 1 and Day 2

Slow Poison Dose 3: Ladakhalogue …Day 3 and Day 4

Slow Poison Dose 4: Ladakhalogue …Day 5 and Day 6

Slow Poison Dose 5: Ladakhalogue …Day 7 and Day 8   ---> You are already here!!!

THE END!!!

Ladakhalogue… Day 5 and Day 6

Day 5: 30^th June 2011, Thursday

Wow it’s an awesome morning, beautiful climate and love in air.

Today’s itinerary is Shey Palace, Thiksey Monastery and will be doing a long journey to Chang la this is in Indo China Border and guess what? We are going to PANGONG Lake, wondering what so special about this??? Oh my! Please wait, will tell you only once I see the place.

Shey Palace and Thiksay Monastey: More Devotion more tangaka paintings and so many Mani wheels all throughout the monastery. 

One more nice thing to observe is entire Ladakh you can see Stones piled on one top of the other, even on the remotest corner on the hilltop rocks you see stones piled up. I asked our driver, why and who does this? so he told its people while praying to mark the completion of their prayers they pile a stone. Not sure about the reason though, but entire ladakh you will get to see them. There is a game called 'Lagori' I was reminded of that game where we pile stone and hit them in ball.

Also you get to see Prayer Flags all over, these are of 5 different colors which symbolizes Void, Earth, Water, Fire and Sky. This adds to the beauty of the place. Love all these Mysteries in air!

Spot me in this snap!!!

We have started our Journey to Chang la, Here are few interesting sign boards we are seeing over our journey :D, These are truly inspiring.

1.    Darling I love you, But not so fast!!!

2.    I am very curvaceous, be Slow.

3.    On my cure you will lose your nerve

4.    Drive like hell you will be there

5.    Be Late Mr rather than Mr. Late

6.    If you are married Divorce Speed

7.    Slow Drive long life

8.    Speed Thrills but kills

9.    Fast wont last

10.           Time is money but life is precious

 Many more, wonder which driver has patience to read them.

On the way to Pangong...

Now we are heading Towards Pangong lake, Roads are good till we reach the foot hills of Chan la and sign boards are all over.

We reached Chagla, wow this is dearly called as Chang La Queen and is protected area, photography and trekking is also monitored. There are jammers installed it seems hence cell phones doesn’t work so no messaging and irritating friends.

This is at 17350ft. we stopped for permits and I was blessed with snow fall again, oxygen level is very low here and we were rushed to start immediately.

God I am Waiting to see Pangong Tso, tso means lake!

Ok Now about this lake, this is some 130km lake which is spread across India and China and only 20% of it is in India and rest in China, This Lake has become very famous post the movie 3 Idiots which has shot its climax in this Pangong Lake. I am waiting to capture the beauty of this lake in my eyes and hubs in his camera

Now you know why I was so excited isn’t it. I have no words to describe the beauty of this place. Mountains, snow, Blue water, Sun shine, very cold wind, Clouds all over I just can’t get this out of my eyes and can never put in words I am dumb fold. Its 2 am in the afternoon best time to see the lake its beauty is indescribable with different color and shades of blue.

 

We are staying in Tents here, I am writing this post dinner in the camp where we are staying. God it may be less than 0degree, I am shivering uncontrollably and hubs happily remembering his engineering days as he studied in north India he is so much fond of it. Oh did I tell you this is my First North India visit and I have come to Northern most tip of India.

Ok End of Day 5: I was wearing 1 pair of inners, 1 pair of Thermals, 3 Tshirt, 1 jeans, Sweater, Gloves and Head Cap(All these at a time FYI)  over these 2 Quilts and 1 rasai and I was Shivering whole night , never had experienced such cold in my life.

Love my life.

Day 6: 1^st July 2011, Friday

Today we are heading back to Leh, god yesterday night was terribly cold. I woke up to see parts of Lake Frozen, again a long journey and we will visit Hemis Monastery. God! so many monastery so many lamas, Kings and Ripoches I cant remember a single name. Thank god I dint have to study Buddhist Culture or history I would have flunked multiple times!

Again we will be crossing Chang la Peak, Team is waiting for Guide to accompany us, I am sitting in Driver seat and making my notes. Our Driver Amjad urf Namgayal is very happy and is taking my snap in his cell phone.

Ok Journey to Leh has started…

Driver Namgayal\Amjad

We are back in Leh now put up in Hotel Cho Palace, will be here for 2 more nights and then end of our wonderful trip.

But top thing of the trip is still there waiting, ladies guess what!!! Shopping at leh market and that’s tomorrow. I am eagerly waiting for it and hubs is not talking about it!!!

Points to note from Day 5 and 6:

1. All the roads are maintained by BRO, border road organization a military section for maintaining roads in the border. God its one of the toughest job I tell you!
2. Tibetan most common name is Namgayal or Tansieng every other person is Namgayal, so to identify themselves uniquely they keep nick name for themselves like our driver he calls himself Amjad!!!
3. At this altitude your skin dries, and Nose becomes extremely dry because of inhaling dry air and it also starts bleeding, we have got sun tan and dry skin properly. But I always feel pain is good, sometimes I enjoy pain which is the result of maximum joy.

 End of Day 6: Good Night!!! I have rest and be well prepared cause tomorrow its Shopping day :D, Love my life.

Ladakhalogue …Day 3 and Day 4

Day3: 28th June 2011 Tuesday

When I wrote this I was at 14000ft above sea level and its morning 8:40. Today we are going on highest motor able road 18380ft to Khardung la peak and reaching Nubra valley which is near POK. I am enjoying this drive with wonderful music, scenic Beauty and company. Now I can see Stok Kangri Range it is completely snow capped, it is sunny here but cold wind and glaciers around. Am I in heaven???

No I am on top of the world Khardung la!

Mountains give you the impression that you are very very small, But when I see neatly laid roads even at this altitude, I feel we can conquer Anything.
So dreaming big is valid!!!

Oh snow god its closing by, I am waiting to touch it. Yes I touched and played in snow. God I am also experiencing SNOW FALL first time ever in my life!!! this is trip of firsts as my friend calls it

We reached Nubra crossing a military base camp where we met lot of Soldiers spoke to them hugged and thanked them.

Also I had wonderful noodles it’s the local specialty here, its nothing more than Maggi Masala mania but trust me it tastes like heaven when cool breeze is hitting you

We visited Hunder village, it has beautiful stream of glacier, sand dunes and extremely fine weather, I am getting bests of nature here.

End of Day 3: Surprisingly Reynolds pen which I flicked from office writes in every condition also most shaky roads

Good Night, Love my life

Day 4: 29th June 2011 Wednesday

I am now in Diskit Monastery, due to the journey on very rough terrain and Back seat journey has completely handicapped me I am not able to walk, so Hubs has gone up to Monastery to get Pictures for me. Here are few glimpse of what I missed in real.

This is the image of Maitraiy Buddha who is about to come to this world in 2500yrs now, This statue was inaugurate by Dalia Lama

Every Monastery will have A Big Mani Wheel, People say wish for something and pray by turning Mani wheel and wish comes true. I have prayed for all my dear ones and have turned mani.

Peace is one word which strikes me here Day 4 has started we have a complete Journey back to Leh which is 128km from here and the same bumpy roads.

Highlights of these 2 days:

1. Ladakh is mostly mix of Tibetan and Kashmiri Culture.

2. I was new to learn that Buddists are mostly Vegetarians.

3. All around are Photographers, Big Lenses, Different styles of taking picture, people posing (including me), But I must say our eyes rocks No lens can make justice to the beauty we are seeing here.

4. Nature has given the best and worst to this place, 4-5 Months people here work and save money and rest of the year they have to leave ladakh or sit cozy at home as winter is very sever and floods are also expected.

5. Double Hump camels are endangered and they are seen only in this part of the world, these were used to Export Silk, And this Path was the famous as Silk Route remember reading in History Books!!!

We are now back in Leh, and tomorrow we have a big day ahead as we are going to one of the most awaiting destinations of this trip…

End of Day 4: Good night!!! Yes of course I love my life! :)