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**bhpistorqintorpm** · 06-29-2010, 04:47 PM

great travelogue!!

the only one in a long time where i have read each and every page. it is a very good read (except for the live spat between the you 2 friends).
rating 5 *.

**prashantbhardwaj** · 06-29-2010, 05:09 PM

Hey Vishwas..

Great log you have.. I have been a silent visitor to this log, but must say that it is a great read and with some good visual treat aswell.

It was very mature of you to state you didnt conqured Khardungla... but just a word of caution(which has been pointed out by many).. respect the one you ride along with both on and off a ride, and you'll see how well you'll start bonding with him as a rider and a person..

Keep Riding and Keep writting...
Cheers

**surojit** · 06-29-2010, 05:10 PM

Originally posted by animeher View Post

I really find it rude to read when young bikers say 'I conqured Leh! I conqured the passes!' BS you just went over the tarred road that 100s of truckers pass! The Indian army conqured, you just went on a trip.

I feel touring should be connecting and humbling, and not filling your head with false pride. Your blog is honest and humble, and that's why it gets my full vote

+1000 to what u said bro....

**spiderweb** · 06-29-2010, 07:45 PM

STUNNING PIC man, my fav of the lot...

Originally posted by trustvishwas View Post

The sand dunes are amazing. I never expected to see something like this popping up in Ladakh.

**ROCKRZ** · 06-30-2010, 11:59 AM

absolutely great thread!!!!
pics are a treat to the eye....

awesome

**trustvishwas** · 06-30-2010, 08:20 PM

Day 10 : 9 June 2010 – Diskit– Khardung La – Leh

In the morning, as decided (and as was custom), Aman got ready early and then left for his solo Diskit – Pangong Tso – Leh Ride.

Me & Rudra got ready bit later and left our hotel around 7 am. The weather was clear. Did some photography while getting out of Diskit and left for Khardung La.

Prayer wheels found on every corner – (and aman wanted to pray on every corner at every wheel)

While coming back to Khardung La, took some photographs of the amazing landscape which I had missed out on the day before.

The night earlier, it had rained quite heavily. All throughout the road, we could see evidence of snowfall earlier.

The temperature was quite cold but not freezing. Me & Rudra reached North Pallu at 8.30 am hoping to reach Leh around noon so that we will have sufficient time for sundry shopping.

But the gods had other plans. The road was closed due to extreme heavy snow fall on the previous night and we had to wait till road opened.

Above photos will give some indication of quantity of snowfall.

Had some breakfast at a restaurant at North Pallu itself. We were at a height of 16000 ft and weather was very cold so the only option open to us was to walk around to generate some body heat. We must have walked around for around couple of hours.

While waiting for the road to open, shot some photos around –

Met a lot of tourists and interacted with them. Met with army personnel posted at North Pallu for height acclimatization. After spending seven days at North Pallu, they have to start climb for Siachen Glacier within 72 hours.

Here, we met a person called Dhiru Patel. He is a professor in Ahmedabad and is aged 57. He had travelled to Leh by bus with his wife. Took a pulsar on rent (Rs.400/day) in Leh, bought some secondhand jackets and rode with his wife to Diskit. We were shivering in 4 layers of clothing and this guy was comfortable wearing just a windcheater on top of his woolen sweater. Enroute, they fell down twice on ice so on return journey, his wife was reluctant to ride the bike. This guy put her on a bus and rode his pulsar back. This is what I would call as grit and determination. He gave me new hope for my remaining riding years. I wouldn’t have dared to do what he did. After going through the complete tour photographs, I found that this guy had done Chang La and Pangong etc. on his bike.

Some photos as supplied by Mr. Patel --

We all at Khardung La Top-

At North Pallu -

Met a Canadian guy riding a fz. He was with his gf from switzerland (riding a pulsar). Talk about long distance relationship. This guy was into mountain biking in Canada. As soon as the road opened, he zoomed far far ahead of us. That is called skill.

Finally after a long long wait of 4 hours, the road opened at 12.30 pm. Being typical bikers, we had managed to get our bikes in the first spot near the barricade and so were the first to move off. What I didn’t knew was that I will have to check the definition of the statement – Road Opened.

For first couple of km, the road was ok. After that, it deteriorated into thigh high snow on road. Army trucks were climbing steadily by fitting snow chains. Photos below may give you some idea about the road but please do remember that these photos have been shot where the road was actually better and we were able to stop.

We had absolutely ZERO control on the rear tyre of the bike. Rear was oscillating like a pendulum in a 3 ft arch. We were just holding on to the handle bars praying to keep the bike going forward. Our prayers must have been heard and the bikes kept going ahead. Every 50 meters or so we had to stop and catch our breath. This is THE MOST DIFFICULT RIDE I have ever had. We were hyperventilating and sweating in the snow.

Finally we reached Khardung La Top. Went in to enquire in the Souvenir shop whether fresh stock had arrived. The guy at the counter told me that some poser biker had purchased all his stock the day before. (This is a joke and not to be taken seriously. If required, a disclaimer will be posted here)

We did not want to do any photography at the top but Mr. Patel wanted a couple of photographs so obliged him. After that, we started off for Leh. At the south pallu, met a lot of bikers waiting for the road to open. (As you all must know by now, nearly all the passes have one way system and specific hours for traffic from each direction) Advised them about the road conditions to expect. Met a group of 10-12 from Nasik there. Since we were quite hungry, didn’t spend much time at south pallu and proceeded directly to Leh.

We had decided to reach hotel indicated by Inder, have a hot bath, change clothes and then have a leisurely lunch. On reaching the hotel, the hotel owner told us that some biking group is staying in his hotel but he dosen’t know name of any. Also the guest had left with room key. As you would know from my earlier ranting that paaji did not have a working phone connection in Kashmir so there was no way for us to contact him. So we asked the hotel owner for safe parking space and waited in the lobby for three hours.

In the mean time, one swaraj mazda crane with a siren and yellow light on top came near hotel entrance. Here the guy tried to lift my FZ by tying a wrist thick chain around its tank and engine. I don’t think these guys have ever seen how to lift a bike. Even after trying for 10 minutes, they couldn’t lift it properly. By the time I reached them and told them that I was ready to pay the fine so they asked me to sit in the van and took me to Leh Municipal Corporation office. These guys were so elated to have grabbed two bikers in no parking, the driver put on siren and flashing yellow light and raced me to the office. This must be the highest collection they had made this season.

On reaching office, a futile attempt to find the receipt book was made for next 20 minutes. Then another officer came in and told these guys to call a madam to enquire about receipt book. This madam came after 20 minutes and finally found receipt book. On paying Rs.200 as fine for each bike, I was free to go. These guys wanted to drop me at my hotel in Swaraj mazda but I politely declined and walked out.

By this time, me and Rudra were extremely pissed with paaji. We were wearing wet clothes, without lunch, sitting in a hotel where he may or may not be staying and with no means to contact him. Finally, we dumped our luggage at the hotel and went off to a restaurant. Had a sumptuous leisurely late lunch and returned to the hotel. Still no sign of paaji.

Finally Aman found us roaming around. He had met paaji in the market while returning from Pangong and paaji had handed over room key to him. Checked with hotel owner to find that 4 guys were staying in the room. So me, Rudra and Aman checked out other available rooms. Didn’t find any decent room so decided to move to a hotel where Aman had previously stayed.

So we lifted our luggage from paaji’s room and checked in Aman’s hotel. It was quite a decent room with clean toilets at Rs.400 for 3 persons. No TV and no fancy entrance but good rooms.

Hotel Name: Hotel Khan Manzil (Zangsti, Leh)
Contact No: 959632562

Since we had lunch very late, decided to skip dinner and went to sleep. My mobile’s battery was completely drained so shut it down, put it on charging. Aman / Rudra got a call from Paaji some time late in the night to join him and Mumbai group at Ibex for drinks. We all declined.

One kahaani me twist to be revealed tomorrow.

**trustvishwas** · 06-30-2010, 08:22 PM

More than 7000 views and only 18 votes? Yeh koi insaaf nahi hai thakur

**aman_pulsating** · 06-30-2010, 09:37 PM

^^ why are you after votes?!?!? ..kya milega?? no contest is on...

**razorBlades** · 06-30-2010, 09:40 PM

Originally posted by trustvishwas View Post

More than 7000 views and only 18 votes? Yeh koi insaaf nahi hai thakur

you got my vote man

beautiful log! keep it coming

**tourer_kashif** · 06-30-2010, 09:43 PM

wonderful pics
Log aaram se parhoonga...

**trustvishwas** · 06-30-2010, 09:46 PM

Originally posted by aman_pulsating View Post

^^ why are you after votes?!?!? ..kya milega?? no contest is on...

Votes give you an idea of whether people like the travelogue or not. If overall perception is not very positive, much easier to stop it midway rather than taking all the effort.

**razorBlades** · 06-30-2010, 09:46 PM

Originally posted by trustvishwas View Post

Votes give you an idea of whether people like the travelogue or not. If overall perception is not very positive, much easier to stop it midway rather than taking all the effort.

dont you dare do that

**antz.bin** · 06-30-2010, 09:48 PM

Vote ka kya mol Vishwaas sir... Apka log hamaare dil me basaa hai!

**aman_pulsating** · 06-30-2010, 09:53 PM

Originally posted by trustvishwas View Post

Votes give you an idea of whether people like the travelogue or not. If overall perception is not very positive, much easier to stop it midway rather than taking all the effort.

I don't think so. There are many silent readers. There are many more non-member readers. So the number of views is not a direct variable of no. of votes.
Moreover I feel only the greatest rides, like the one Praveen did, or the one Pankaj is doing deserve the votes. But they never asked for it!

**trustvishwas** · 06-30-2010, 09:57 PM

Originally posted by aman_pulsating View Post

I don't think so. There are many silent readers. There are many more non-member readers. So the number of views is not a direct variable of no. of votes.
Moreover I feel only the greatest rides, like the one Praveen did, or the one Pankaj is doing deserve the votes. But they never asked for it!

Yes. I absolutely agree with you but since this was my first ride anywhere and also that I am writing something other than business correspondence, would like to see the opinion of readers. In fact, all the tourers I have met don't bother at all about the votes.

May be, when I have 8-10 big rides under my belt, I will be mature enough so I either won't be bothered about votes or writing a log. Till then......

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