Day 9 (14th June 2009)

Day 9 : 14th June 2009 (Destination : LEH, Distance Covered : 270kms)

All where quiet excited to reach LEH today, hence the eyes where bang open early morning. As usual my health was bit down. The most worrying thing for all of us was "No network" for last two days & even today we doubted. My parents where use to expecting my call everyday. They must have worried for me a lot, even my better half would have been tensed including my friends too. I knew they all must be little scared, tensed & lot of mix thoughts must be wondering around their head. Everybody had usual omlet & parathas, but I was not in a state to have that. I prefered having something else, the tent owner she suggested me to have a chicken friend rice. I had that & was feeling much better. Now I was finding myself really perfect, thanks to the Aunty. I knew now, my body has got acclimatised with the atmosphere & the altitude. We did a top-up in our engine oils, Prasad used the petrol we carried. Other than bullet, our bikes had enough petrol for the further journey. Gopi clicked a snap of the tent & Aunty requested him to send her across through courier.

The tent & the wonderful Aunty. Check the solar system on the left corner which is used for generating electricity


tent


Aunty's daughter I think, liked Gopis Cross helmet ;).


As a regular habit, we inquired about the further roads & usual we got a reply, the roads are fine ahead. :) We came to know another highest pass "Tanglang La" the worlds Second highest pass was waiting ahead.
So bidding bye to the Ladakhi females, we started our journey to the ultimate destination "LEH". I forgot to tell, throughout our journey when in Himalayas, we met lot of bikers, mostly tons of Thumpers. Its so wonderful to see bikers after bunch of kms riding alone. Exchanging respect by a thumps-up or saluting or just waving is an amazing feeling & makes you feel special & proud to be "A Biker". Continuing our journey we passed by lots & lots of Sand one could expect. Suddenly we started feeling in Rajasthan but this was a Chilly Rajasthan ;). Move your head & eyes as much as you can & you will find only sand around. Heavy winds, lots of small & long cyclones dancing around. Hardly any roads where visible & present. We had to just follow the marks of big truck/cars tyre most of the time. Suddenly you going straight & out of no-where a diversion sign-board will be seen.
But this climate was bit good for us, as it was not chilling as on our past days, but atleast bit less & little warm.


Better road


dessert around


a biker in the search of peace


biker desserted


and winzee


Am sure we must have eaten kilos of sand that time. Lot of windstorms grazing around.
After almost 50-70kms in sand we started nearing "Tanglang La". It again started getting chilled & the body started freezing as we climbed the altitude. Bike started loosing power & to top up this the roads where OK, but not so good. Riding gradually we made it TangLang La. I was not having any health problems, just was freezing badly with cold. Prasad was sounding very low & hence me & prasad moved ahead just waiting merely for 5 min. Gopi got excited & was jumping around to click snaps & spent almost more than 20min on the top.

what could be more beautiful


the road converting to just sand, taking us to the pass


Himank


winzee giving proof, he was there :)


Tanglang La Baba


the temple


Gopi didnt knew hes standing on Second Highest Road in the world, later he realized on coming down


On the way to the Pass


the comparison chart from the past mountains we did




As we started heading back down, the roads where bad, but suddenly they started turning really good. Wonderful curves, it just looks brilliant to see those tiny design of hair pin curves. Looking from the top, thinking "am gonna pass those" & then comming down saying "Vow, I just did it.."

are'nt they sexy curves


can u spot winzee in this.


Finally getting down & completing successfully the second highest pass in the world we found a small dhaba where we take a small break. As we all where darn hungry by this afternoon. While relaxing we smiled at each other & discussed the mammoth himalaya we just did with a feeling of another satisfaction



Further as we continued our journey, the view & the roads where just getting hilarious. It was so beautiful & so tempting to take halts, but we couldnt as had to reach LEH in any conditions. The mountains, curves, roads, river passing by was just perfect a biker could always wish for. It was just perfectly cool & the climate was lovely.

roads getting better & mountains turning red





sky shadowing


gopi u going the wrong way straight


wish I could stay here, this is precious than a 3 BHK flat in Mumbai




grazing around


common fast.. bit more ahead


Further we located a bridge with a river flowing by below. That was actually where the Indus Valley/River starts from. So some posergiri is mandatory.

zma.. still going strong..


abey.. bas na..


Rajni Babu.. aka Gopi


rtr tested..


Ninja chacha


winzee left out


prasad


Indus river


We all excited as LEH is just around 50-60 kms more from here.. Yupieeee


the photographer


we been watched from far away..


finally the Four Conquerors .. huiaaaaaaa!!


The roads where getting more like city roads now, this was a sign of LEH nearing. As we where zooming on the road with the utter curiousity of reaching LEH & we had decided to stop at the first STD booth we locate. Back of the mind tension of my family, friends & better half was revolving. Suddenly.. I hear a SMS tone of my cell. My cell was kept in my upper pocket of the jacket. The location was silent & I hear a message tone. I was so happy about it & took a sudden stop in desperation of contacting my people. I was reaching sms after sms from my Dad, friends & my love asking about where I was. I halted there urgently & so others. No body had a clue why I waited & I told them about the network, finally they too started searching for network. I first called up my parents. My mom picked up the phone, she heard my voice & started bursting into tears. Even I got my eyes watery a bit. I explained her about the entire problem which was unknown to me & couldnt tell them in advance of no network availability. I assured her that me & everyone of us where just perfect, no problems at all & finally your son has made up till LEH right from our house. Then called up my better half, even she started crying a bit & then I had to console her about the thing happened & told her will be calling up once I find a place to stay & then we can speak for hours :) . Then I called up my close friend "Nitin", even he sounded damn worried & explained him about the entire thing & told him not to worry & convey the message to others. I messaged the good news of "Reached LEH" to all my friends, fellow xBHPians & received tons of replies wishing me. Gopi, Winzee & Prasad too called up their parents. Everybodies parents where very worried which was really obvious when you are 1000s of miles away from your family. The location where we got network had some nice views around, hence the pix :P








this is the place where I stopped & called up my near ones after a huge period








It was a feeling of real relief now. Leh was couple of kms away now & we where almost entering the city.

A popular sculpture which is a sign of LEH entrance






Finally we reached our ultimate destiny LEH.
LEH is the capital of ladakh. Its on an altitude of 11,483 ft.

After searching for some places we started heading to the inner parts of the town & found a guest house "Goba Guest House". It was a really beautiful place having an authentic Ladakh architecture. We got two rooms as we had to stay for 3-4 days here. It was darn cheap, we got two rooms for total of just Rs. 500 for one night.

the guest house


the room inside




the view from my window


We got a room exactly below Shantisthupa (a Holy Place of buddha which is extremely peaceful, about it in the next day).
It was a wonderful relaxation after reaching LEH & getting back to slightly civilized life. There are lot of foreigners staying around. The most important thing one can spot here is 1000 types of customised bullets. People here a bike crazy.. We could call it a bikers city or a bikers hangout place. Most of the bullets going around have the ladakh carrier already attached, some bullets even had 30 Lts. Tank mounted on the bike. Lot of chicks around on bullets. Lot of choppers making thud-thud sound.. Its amazing to be here..!!
Tomorrow is our holiday from the rides & we gonna look around places in LEH.

Next : Day 10 : 15th June 2009 (Destination : Places around LEH. A Stay today)