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.