Day 7 : Sissu - Tandi - Keylong - Jispa - Darcha - Patseo - Zing zing Bar - Baralach-La - Sarachu.
Morning Diary :
So, we met Oolie last night in Triveni guest house. He's from Germany and is travelling with a Keralite friend in Scorpio towards Leh.
This is his 7th visit to India and 6th to Leh-Ladakh. Phew, too much na. As a 60 yr old German, he is strong enough to take on these routes, even though it is in an SUV. He knew all about the route, has stayed at all the places
some time or the other, has many friends in Leh also.
The best part which I liked is, when he mentioned about India. He always comes every year, here for 2 months. He has already seen half the world still he comes to india every year now. I asked him why not explore any other place and only India.
He said, "See, I'd seen a lot of them, and here I got all I want, so I don't want to explore any other place now. No time to waste".
A small anecdote he mentioned.
"Everybody goes to Pangong Tso for a day trip or at the max stays there for a night. Once I went there for a week. So, there in the campsite, there was a common dining tent where people come, eat, keep on sitting , discussing etc.I used to be sitting there everyday. Everyday, some new people will come. Some day an Indian Doctor with family, some army officer with family, some guys on adventure trip.
Everyday, they would see me, an old man, that too a foreigner sitting alone. THey would come to me and ask, come join us, have meal together or they would come over and join me. One night a few Israeli guys came in. In that common tent, they didn't even wish me, they completely ignored me.
Even if you do not want to spend time, you can say Good-evening and thats might be all."
Well, I was happy to hear this one.
He continues "I am welcome everywhere I have gone. Never in India, I have seen this feeling in anybody that you are not welcome here.
The warmth, love they all show and shower is what makes me come back again and again."
I loved the conversation.
About the travel plans, our further travel plan is to reach Sarachu for the day. We have to cross Bara-Lach-la today. Yesterday I was scared and nervous inside, when I was departing from Manali and in that mind set I guess, I missed the Rohtang board and kept riding.
Would be filling petrol at Tandi.
9:30 pm at Goldrop Royal Camps, Sarachu ;
9:30 pm at Goldrop Royal Camps, Sarachu - So, we have been able to achieve our target orf Sarchu. The day has not been very good still 'all is well that ends well'.
We started from Sissu, a little after 10 am. Although we only had to cover 140 kms, still this 140 kms is always more than 12000 ft of height and in the mountains, the most extreme terrain.
Filled up our tanks, can to brim at Tandi. Riding, we were waiting for Keylong to come. There would be the last STD booths to call home. There was a small line on the booth, so we called up home and told them the latest status.
Now, slowly and slowly we marched torwards Bara-lach-la. There were scariest of the water strems I have passed yet in my life. One was huge and Atul said he will go back to pose while crossing it again. He went back and while negotiating the stream again. he fell down.
Luckily for him, we were capturing everything in the cams :-) Anyways, that stream was pretty bad. Although till now, there have been countless streams, still they scare me everytime. Roads 6 kms before La were hellish and then its butter cream till La and further. Spent some time clicking and chatting at La. Its 16500 ft. you know, so, start the descent then. Haider was perturbed with the height now. and we rode fast till Bharatpur and stopped there, its 5:15 pm, so I think we crossed the pass around 5 pm.
And it was a good pass.
Just after that scary stream, when we were rinsing aour shoes and socks, a fellow all alone came from Leh side on his CBZ. He is Lokesh from Ambala and is doing the solo and is almost on completion. He had started from the Sinagar side and is now going back through Manali side. Solo, phew.
He had also gone to Baba Amarnath. So we all had prasadam.
At Bharatpur we all had snacks etc and then started towards Sarchu. Haider forgot his bag there, so we had to ride back and fetch his bag. Almost 30 kms of bad bad roads again, ah I hate this.
The good part, was, he found his bag ;-)
So, sleeping at 10 now in Sarchu. Hope to reach Leh tomoorw. " Liye sapney nigahon mein , chala hoon teri rahon mein....jindagi ...aa rahaa hoon main ".
Night Halt : Goldrop Royal Camps, Sarachu
Food + Lodging : Rs 1000/=
Fuel : Rs 456/=
Trip : 158 kms for the day.
Click on the photo to view full size.
Where to I see, front or the rear:
Snow capped mountains as a backdrop, what a petrol bunkit is :-)
Keylong, the last std booths were from where we contacted our family.
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