TSP Detour - Ladakh Motorbiking & Amritsar

LadakhBikers paradise on Earth

WHelloWorld! 1st IssueJanuary 2013 100 Vol 1 Issue 1

EVERY THING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO DETOUR IN LADAKH ON A MOTORCYCLE:

MOTORCYCLE DETOURINGget ready to detour!

PREPARING YOUR MOTORCYCLEget you bike in shape for the roughest ride of its life

BIKERS PARADISE

man and machine

in the wilderness

13 DAYS IN LADAKH

ON A MOTORCYCLE

day by day account of what

it is like to ride in the himalayas

spirituality and relaxation in amritsar amateurs share their experience of trekking kumara parvatha

Where straight ahead is not an option

INCLUDED: MAP OF MAJOR LADAKH ROUTES

2 | First Issue | TSP: Detour

THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE MAGAZINE TITLED ..

BY REG NO..

IS DONE BY HER/HIM DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2012-2013, UNDER MY SUPERVISION IS A PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE PAPER MAGAZINE JOURNALISM, DURING III SEM BAJC.

THIS IS AN ORIGINAL WORK OF THE STUDENT AND HAS NOT BEEN SUBMITTED BEFORE FOR THE AWARD OF ANY DEGREE, DIPLOMA OR ANY OTHER TITLE.

EXAMINERS:1. Ms. Gayathri Chakravarthi .

2. Ms. Sherin Elizabeth .

3. External Examiner

SUPERVISOR:

. Dr. Nandini Lakshmikantha, Ph.D Associate Prof & Head Department of Media Journalism and Communication

Manipal University Bangalore Campus

DIRECTOR

.Dr. Thammiah Chekkera

DATE:PLACE: MANIPAL UNIVERSITY BANGALORE CAMPUS

APPROVAL OF PROJECT

DWhere is what

Motorcycle Touring? Motorcycle Detouring Preparing your motorcycle for Ladakh Ladakh Ladakh on a Motorcycle Amritsar The Wagah Border My Amritsar trip Langar at the Gurdwara Amateurs on Kumara Parvatha

Where straight ahead is not an option

The Students Post: Detour

A concept magazine created as a college project.\ For Manipal University Bangalore Campus

Created by Tajinder Pal Singh Walia,[email protected] - fb.com/tajinderwalia

681216

305465667072

All pictures and text has been given courtesy where ever possible. Unaccredited images and pictures and text are taken from public domain. Thanks to Wikipedia, Wikimapia, Wikitravel, Flickr, Picasa, Panoramio, halfbakedtales.wordpress.com, bcmtouring.com and others.

thestudentspost.com/detour | 5

D

Where is whatEditors Note

hanks for having a look at TSP:Detour, The magazine seeks out unique travel experiences

for travelers who want to explore and take holidays that are not found in brochures or travel

packages. It covers places to stay, bars, food, festivals, eco-travel ideas, and a range of activities, so people can experience local cultures away from hoards of other travelers.

In this First Issue I have tried to cover Motorcycle Touring, (Which we call detouring for those who are keen to explore more than the average traveler). This magazine hopes to give all the details needed by an adventure traveler to be able explore the place without worry. Other peoples most recent trips are given as stories so you can understand how it feels to be at the destination.

We have provided detouring guides is this magazine to make it simple for people to get ready for trips which are a bit off the beaten path.

I hope you like the magazine, Although we try our best to give accurate information there is a chance we might make a mistake, please check with the authorities before going on a trip.

I hope this magazine is helpful to you, please fill out the feedback form at the back so we can create better Detour Magazines in the future

Happy journey,

Tajinder PalTajinder Pal Singh Walia

Editor

rPhoto: Ajay Amanth6 | First Issue | TSP: Detour

MotorCycle Touring?rGuida

nce

Are paagal ho gaye ho kya? Jana hai toh car main yaan bus se jao! Motorcycle pe risk bahut hai. These are just few of the replies that you get when you mention that want to tour on a motorcycle. After all a car/bus/train is much more comfortable,

you are protected from the elements and at the end of journey you are less tired than you would have been if

you had done the same on a motorcycle. These are much safer and at the same time you need not be on a con-stant state of alert if you are taking a taxi/bus/train. Then why would any one want to go on a motorcycle, only to reach the destination dirty and tired? In motorcycle touring, not only the destination matters

but also the time spent traveling. Your vacation starts the

moment you sit on your bike and start the engine. It might not be as comfortable or fast as other tools of travel, but then again its not a tool! Its not just a mean to reach your destination; your bike is your constant

companion. A cup of tea/coffee will never taste better

than the one you will have on small road side tea stall on a cold foggy morning. Even a simple parantha at a road side Dhaba will seem more delicious than an extravagant buffet at a five star hotel, after hours of riding in hills. You will only need one tour on a motorcycle to get ad-dicted to it for the rest of your life. A days journey on a motorcycle will teach more about the world than a month long journey in train. You wont be locked up in a cage with a small window to look at the wonders of nature. In the morning sun will come out to greet you,

while the constant wind will give you a hug reminding you that you are one with the nature. The whole world is your play ground, with new things to discover, new chal-lenges to meet, places to go where very few have gone before. When you come back from a trip like this and talk to your friends about the things you have seen, places you have visited, there will be a sense of amazement in their eyes. Even though they would have been to the same destination as you, they would have never felt that you

were able to feel. They can only dream of doing the same in a metal cage with a view from the window as their outlook to the world. This, my friend, is the wonderful world of motorcycle touring. A world where destination is just an excuse for the trip. A world where less used village roads are preferred to super smooth national highways. A world where strangers greet you as a long lost friend because both of you choose to tour on motorcycle. A world where when you get off from your motorcycle

suffering from acute mountain sickness and then one

look back at the highest road in the world and you in-stantly make a promise to yourself to do the same road again. A world where you choose the direction to travel rather

than a destination!

Thanks to bcmtouring.com for the article



Motorcycle Detouring

Motorbike Touring Guidebcmtouring.com

Detour Know

QGuida

nce

Motorcycle Touring has its share of thrills and spills. While for most nothing comes close to touring on their beloved motorcycle, for some touring may leave a bitter memories. The purpose of this guide is to help you prepare for any eventualities and come back with a big grin on your face and fond memories.

The first phase of preparation for any motorcycle trip is the psychological part; you have to make sure that you are prepared to take the leap into the world of motorcycle touring. The biggest thing to understand is your and your motorcycles limitation, the sooner you learn this, the sooner you will under-stand what motorcycle touring is all about.

T RouteChoose a route that suits your riding style and skills. Choosing a route which is beyond your ability can leave you with a dented ego or worse! Learn to recognize your limitations and only then will you be able to improve them.

Start off small; start going for rides that are few hours long. This will not only teach you the basics of riding on the highway, it will also build up your stamina. Remember; in motorcycle touring saddle time counts more than riding fast.

Once you get accustomed to highway riding, choose a popular tourist destination for your first long ride. This way you can be assured that roads will be in a slightly better condition (not always true) and there will be plenty of information available regarding the destination. A popular tourist destination is also likely to have a good network of roads, petrol pumps, service centers, commu-nication, hotels etc. This will prove beneficial in case there is a breakdown.

A couple of trips like these will make you understand your riding style and skills. This will also boost your confi-dence and give you practical knowledge that no amount of reading will. Once you hit this phase, the only limiting factor for your trips would be budget and work/studies.

` Preparing your MotorcyclePreparing your motorcycle for an upcoming trip is as essential as breathing. Get your motorcycle serviced from an authorized service center; ask the mechanics to check your bike for any parts that are showing signs of age/wear. Replace these parts at least couple of days before leaving for the trip, ride your motorcycle at least a 100kms after changing the part to ensure its working optimally. Get your bike washed before leaving for any trip, a clean bike not only runs cooler it is also easier to spot oil leakage on a clean bike. Never go on any long trip with an engine oil that is more then 1000kms old!

A day before leaving for trip, check the air pressure in your tires, get the petrol filled, check engine oil levels, check if all the lights and meters are working.

Tools: Below is a list of tools one should carry:

1. Tool kit: the standard tool kit that you get with your motorcycle, never leave this behind!

2. Ring spanners size 8 to 17

3. Screw Driver, if possible multi attachment one.

4. Steel wire: can be used to hold together any broken parts i.e. Exhaust.

5. Electricians tape: can be used for multitude of breakage and problems.

6. Torch light: you will it need when working on your mo-torcycle at night.

7. Match box/lighter + candle

8. Foot or Electric air pump: for motorcycles equipped with electric starters take along an electric air pump, it takes less space then a foot pump and is easier to operate. You will need to install a car cigarette lighter socket with your motorcycles battery. Warning: attaching the cigarette lighter socket might void your motorcycles warranty, so remove it before taking your bike to the service center Wink.

n SparesHere is a general set of spares that I would recommend you to carry, however these will change based on your motorcycle and need.

1. Engine oil: carry at least half a liter of engine oil recom-mended by your motorcycle manufacturer

2. 90w oil/Gear oil: Can be used to lubricate the chain

3. Headlight and brake light bulb

4. Chain links

5. Clutch and brake leavers and wires

6. Spare tube for front and rear tire

7. Spark plug

8. Rope: can be used for tying together various parts of your motorcycle or to help you tow your friends motor-cycle.

9. Bungee cords: helps in tying the luggage.

10. Spare key of your motorcycle.

11. WD40

12 Spare Fuse

13 Electrical wire

14 spark plug gap checker

Photo: TCPMU



Here are few spares that I wouldnt term as essential, but can prove life savers.

1. CDI Unit: if your bike uses CDI ignition then carrying a spare CDI unit can prove beneficial in case your CDI unit stops functioning. CDI units are tough to find in small villages, unless there is a large authorized service center. With out CDI your bike wont start!

2. Two Clutch plates: clutch plates take the brunt of the abuse in steep hill climbs, havent applied this but I believe in case your clutch plates fail, replacing two of them with two new plates should give you enough power to limp

back to the nearest service center.

3. Disk Brake oil: in case there is any leakage in your disk brake

assembly you can seal it off with the

help of electricians tape and steel wire and top up the fluid.

4. HT Coil: in case the HT Coil fails, you will need it.

Another useful addition would be a Swiss Army Knife and a good strong chain and lock to tie your helmet safely.

\ Medicines1. Your motorcycles first aid kit.

2. Medicines for fever, cold, stomach ailment, headache, painkillers.

3. In case going to high altitude areas carry Diamox to combat AMS.

4. Sun screen lotion: essential for touring in high altitude places.


@ DontsDont ride rash.

Dont cut through traffic; when overtaking, honk and more often than not, the vehicle ahead will make way for you.

Dont insult any one.

Dont believe a villager if he says road ahead is good, you might find out other wise.

Dont overstrain yourself or your motorcycle.

Dont leave garbage behind, especially plastic.

Dont drink and ride.

_ DosClick a lot of photos.

Treat every one on the road respectfully, especially the sweet village folks you come across.

Maintain a trip log.

Use commonsense and have a sense of humor.

Lastly post those photos and trip logs to at our website.

Disclaimer: this guide is only intended as a reference, on road any thing can happen. So please ride safe.

Preparing your motorcycle for Ladakh

Guidance

An arduous journey like Ladakh can take its toll, on not only the rider, but also on the motorcycle. In places like Manali - Leh highway or Zanskar Valley, a me-chanical failure can spell disaster. With nearest town miles away and a mechanic even further down the road, it is a good idea to get the bike serviced properly and get the worn out parts replaced, before embarking upon a journey of this magnitude. Things to watch out for when get-ting the bike serviced for Ladakh: Clutch Plates: For the steep and hilly terrain of Ladakh, it is best to ensure that your bikes clutch plates have enough life left in them, to see you through the trip. So when you are getting the bike serviced, ask the mechanic to check the clutch plates and replace if necessary.

Piston Rings: Another thing to watch out for is the health of Piston rings, if your bike has been drinking engine oil lately; it is best to get the piston-cylinder kit checked for wear and tear and while you are at it, get the valves checked as well.

Timing Chain: Another thing you need to pay close attention to is a loose/worn out timing chain which can end up spoiling your trip by reducing your bikes power output. So do make sure that you get the timing chain inspected at the time of service.

Drive Chain & Sprockets: Check drive chain and sprockets for wear, if the chain and/or sprockets are on the last lease of life, change the entire chain-sprocket set. Else get them cleaned and lu-bricated.

Suspensions: Riding on the harsh terrain of Ladakh with a bike loaded with rider and luggage can take a toll on the suspension of your motorcy-

Creator : DragonArtdragonartz.wordpress.com

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/

Can your

Motorcycle

handle rough

Ladakh?

bcmtouring.com

Detour Prep



cle. Get the front and rear suspension checked, and if the need be, get them repaired/changed.

Swing arm bush: Get the swing arm bush checked for slackness, change if there is a need.

Air filter/spark plug: If your air filter and/or spark plug is over 10000kms old or approaching that figure, get them changed. Dont throw the old ones out, keep them as spares.

Clutch & Accelerator wires: If your Clutch and Accelerator wires are over 10000kms old, get them changed and keep the old ones as spare. If they are not in need of a change then get them lubricated.

Brake shoes/pads: Get the brake pads and shoes checked for wear, if they cant last for 5000kms, get them changed. Also get the brake fluid changed or top it up, if you had changed it recently.

Con Set: Con set is an essential part of the bike and if its loose or worn out, it can affect the handling of the motorcycle. At the time of service get it checked and change it if the need be.

Engine oil/filter: If the engine oil is over 500kms old, get it changed. Also change the oil filter. In case your bike uses an oil strainer, get it cleaned.

Electrical: Get all the electrical wiring checked, check all bulbs to see if they are functioning properly. Also clean the headlight seal beam and brake light to ensure better visibility.

Fasten all nuts and bolts: Get all the nuts and bolts fastened properly, in case any is missing, get it installed.

Carburetor Tuning: Keep the Carburetor tuning as close to stock as possible. Running it rich will cause problem in high altitude areas and running it lean would lead to overheating in plains.

General check: Give every thing a once over, ensure every thing is working properly. And all the fluids are topped up, i.e. battery water, engine oil etc. Ensure all fuel lines are intact and there is no leakage any where.

Tyres: Check both the tyres for wear and signs of cuts and cracks. If either of them is nearing the end of their life, get them changed.

Wheel alignment: In case your motorcycle has spoke wheels, get them checked, and if the need be, get them aligned before you begin your trip

Learn minor repair/servicing:

If you have gone through the above routine, your bike should hold through for the entire trip, but its a good idea to ask your motorcycle mechanic to teach you minor chores like tighten-ing rear brakes, adjusting clutch and accelerator play, adjusting chain, fixing puncture, replacing bulbs and changing accelera-tor/clutch cable/levers.

Final checks on the D-Day and beyond:

Now that you have prepared your motorcycle, and are ready to embark upon your trip, there are few checks that you need to perform.

Check if all lights, horn and indicators are working. Double check fluid levels such as engine oil, brake oil, battery water etc.

Check tyres for air pressure as well as look for any signs of any nails, rocks etc lodged in tyre tread.

Check if chain is lubricated properly and isnt too tight or too loose.

Check for any leakages.

These checks should be performed each day before you start your journey, this should ensure there is no surprise in the middle of the trip.

List of essential tools, spares and motor-cycle documents:

Although it is recommended to learn basic repair of your mo-torcycle, even if you dont know much, it is generally a good idea to carry necessary tools and spares. Since sometime even

in the smallest of town you can find a mechanic or some one

who knows how to do basic repair, but might not have the required tool and spares to go through it.

Essential tools:

1. Tool kit: OEM tool kit that comes with motorcycle is an essential part of the tool kit that every tourer should carry.

2. Ring spanners size 8 to 17: Should come in handy for tighten-ing nuts and bolts of various sizes.

3. Screw Driver set: Try to carry a screwdriver set which has multiple attachments; a set which also includes a set of Allen

keys is a good choice. While purchasing screwdriver set, ensure you get one which is the sturdiest of the lot and wont break while you are tightening or opening something.

4. Steel wire: Can be used to tie together bike parts in case of any breakage.

5. Electricians & Scotch tape: Can be used for tying together various parts and insolating damage wires.

6. Torch light: In case of break down in the evening or early in the morning you will need it to see your bike, even once you are off your bike it can prove quite useful.


Photo: Andybkk


7. Foot or Electric air pump: Since motorcyclists dont have the luxury of carrying a spare tyre, an electric or foot pump combined with a puncture repair kit and spare tube can turn out to be a life saver.

8. Puncture repair kit: Puncture repair kit for tyres with tubes should consist of; rubber patches,

solution for pasting the patches on tube and tyre

iron for taking off the tyre from the rim. In case

of tubeless tyres, purchase a tubeless puncture repair kit.

Essential Spares:

1. Engine oil: Carry at least half a liter of engine oil recommended by your motorcycle manufac-turer, daily check engine oil level and top up if necessary.

2. 90w Gear oil: Can be used to lubricate drive chain, in case you prefer to use WD 40 or chain spray, please carry that.

3. Headlight and brake light bulb: Always carry a headlight and brake light bulb.

4. Chain links: Carry couple of chain links, in case your drive chain breaks due to some thing, you can fix it and ride on.

5. Clutch and front brake lever: In case of a fall clutch/front brake lever can break leaving you with a small piece to try and control your mo-torcycle with. Its best to carry each of these as spares to ensure you can ride with ease.

6. Clutch and accelerator wires: Clutch and Ac-celerator wires have a habit of snapping in the middle of nowhere, carry each of them to ensure in case one of them snaps, you can still carry on

with your tour.

7. Spare tube for front and rear tyre: Carrying a spare tube for both the tyres will ensure that in case of a puncture you wouldnt have to waste your time trying to repair the punctured tube and

can simply change the tube and continue riding.

8. Spark plug: Although spark plugs of modern motorcycles rarely give problem, it is a good idea to carry a spare one.

9. Spare key of your motorcycle: Always carry a spare key of your motorcycle and never put both the keys in the same place!

10. Spare Fuse: A blown fuse can leave your mo-torcycle without headlight and/or horn, so dont forget to carry one with you.

11. WD40: Can be used to lubricate and clean various mechanical and electrical parts of the motorcycle.

12. Nylon Rope: Can be used for tying together various parts of your motorcycle or to help you tow your friends motorcycle or help some one else tow yours.

13. Bungee cords: Helps in tying the luggage, always carry couple of spare ones since they can snap under pressure.

14. Electrical wire: Can be used to replace faulty electrical wire in the wiring.

15. Few nuts and bolts of various sizes: Based on your motorcycles make, carry nuts and bolts which hold parts like exhaust, leg guard, foot pegs etc.

16. Petrol pipe 1-2 meter long: If you run out of petrol and come across some one who is willing to lend some petrol to you, you will need it to take petrol out of their petrol tank.

If you own a Royal Enfield Bullet, also carry 250ml

clutch oil and a decompressor cable.

In case any of your motorcycles parts have a history of ditching you in the middle of nowhere, it would be a wise to carry it as spare.

Essential documents:

1. Driving license

2. Registration Papers of the bike

3. Insurance certificate

4. Pollution under control certificate

Carry two - three copies of the above mentioned

documents; generally you should have photocop-ies of Registration certificate and Insurance cer-tificate handy, while the original should be kept

in safe yet accessible place. In case of photocop-ies, they would have to be attested by a gazetted

officer in order to hold any value. You should

always have your original license and PUC certifi-cate handy as well. =


Ladakh



ExtremeBackpackOnRoad

12-20 Days

Detour Type

XThe j

ourney

Ladakh is a mountainous region in northwest Jammu and Kashmir in north India and in the area known as the Trans-Himalaya, (the lands be-yond the Himalaya: Tibet, Xinjiang and northern Pakistan). Its slightly smaller than Scotland, the settled population live between 2700 m and 4500 m, and nomadic encampments even higher, and its the largest and the least popu-lated region of Jammu and Kashmir. Travellers are likely to see more of the Buddhists as the majority of the tourist attractions are in the east and directly related to Tibetan Buddhist culture. This rugged region is home to one of the last undisturbed Tantric Buddhist populations on earth, protected from colonial interference, rampaging Mu-ghals and the ravages of the Cultural Revolution by sheer force of geography. From November to May, Ladakh is almost completely cut off from the outside world. Even in summer, get-ting here involves crossing the high-est mountain passes in the world, or a hair-raising flight that weaves between the peaks. Isolation has preserved an almost medieval way of life, dictated by the changing seasons. However, change is coming to this mountain Shangri La. Tourism and hydro-electric power are flooding the region with money, and global warming is altering rainfall pat-

terns, threatening farming cycles and Ladakhs traditional mud-brick architec-ture. Unlike the rest of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh has seen little violence since Independence. Most Ladakhis are Bud-dhist, with smaller communities of Shia and Sunni Muslims in Leh and the val-leys surrounding Zanskar and Kargil.


The land so barren and the passes so high, that only the worst of enemies or the best friends would visit this land..(Ladakhi quote)

Photo by Sandeep Rathod


F Ladakh Route Map (Major roads)


Regions Cities

Choglamsar - a village with a large Tibetan comunity, almost close enough to Leh to be a suburb.

Kargil - key to access to Zanskar area, and a necessary stop along the way from Leh to Srinagar and the Vale of Kashmir. A mostly Muslim town. Blossoming apricot orchards in summertime.

Leh - a medium sized town, very picturesque. An excellent base for exploring Ladakh. Good guest houses and restaurants.

Turtuk - a remote village inhabited on the line of control between Pakistan-administered Baltistan and Indian-adminis-tered Kashmir.

Ladakh was an independent kingdom for nine centuries, but it was very strongly influenced by Tibet and the neighbouring Muslim region. Linguistically Ladakhi is very closely related to Tibetan. Tibet has always been where Ladakhi Buddhists would go for higher religious education, which since the incorporation of Tibet into China has meant the Ladakhis have made the much shorter trip to the Tibetan monasteries in India. The architec-ture of Ladakh is almost identical to that of Tibet, both of resi-dential buildings and of the monasteries. The class structure, or more precisely the lack of a sharply defined class structure, is common to Tibet and Ladakh, and is in sharp contrast to the rest of India. Related to this is the relatively high status, freedom and outspokenness of Buddhist women in Ladakh and Tibet.

Importantly, a set of cultural practices that keep the popula-tion from growing to be more than the land can support, and to prevent a farm from being divided up and thus being unable to support a family, is common to both cultures:

However, Tibet was far from the only influence on Ladakh. Where Tibet was largely closed off to outside influence, Ladakh was a nation where the caravan trade played an important role. Traders from the neighbouring Muslim lands (both Kashmir and East Turkistan, now the Xinjiang province of China) were a common sight in Lehs bazaar until the 20th century. The folk music is based on the styles of the Muslim parts of the Western Himalayas; likewise polo was imported from these lands and enjoys popularity to this day with Ladakhis regardless of faith.

Over the couple decades the relationship between Buddhists and Muslims in Ladakh has deteriorated. Possibly due to the complex roles of the communites as minorities relative to each other. Muslims are a minority in Leh, majority in J&K, minority in India; Buddhists a majority in Leh, minority in J&K to Muslims, in India to Hindus. Possibly due to the importation of identity politics from the rest of India. Whatever the reason, it has never erupted into the kind of violence seen elsewhere in India at times, but it still may take the sheen out of a place that seems remarkably idyllic, when a new friend says something thats hard not to hear as racist.

Leh

Nubra - Photo By apriljournals.com

Zanskar - Photo by hamon jp

T Regions and Cities


l GeographyThe Indus valley is the Ladakhi heartland, with the highest pop-ulation density, and large amounts of agricultural land. Running parallel, roughly north-east south-west with it are a series of valleys and mountain ranges. North of the Indus valley is the Ladakh range, on the other side of which is the Shayok, and Nubra valleys. South of the Indus is the Stok range, clearly visible from Leh. On the other side is the Markha valley, a popular trekking destination. Farther south-west is a series of minor ranges and then uninhabited valleys we come to Zangskar, with the Kargyak and the Stod rivers joining at Padum, to form the Zangskar river which bucks the trend and flows north through a narrow gorge to join the Indus. To the south of Zangskar is the Grand Himal range marking the southern limit of Ladakh.

To the east of this series of ranges is the Changtang, a high plateau home to nomads. It is known as Kharnak in the west,

Samad Rokchen in the north east and Korzok in the south east. Not a true plateau, it has a chaotic assortment of minor mountains ranges not much higher than the wide valleys between them. With no drainage leading out of this area, there are a number of beautiful salt water lakes that make popular destinations for tourists.

h Further ReadingLehs many excellent bookshops offer a wide variety of books on Ladakh, Buddhism and Islamic history; general reading. They are well worth visiting, and have many titles not available outside India. Some recommended titles on Ladakh are:

Ladakh, Crossroads of High Asia: Janet Rizvi, an entirely enjoyable, meticulously researched overview of Ladakhi Culture, History, economy and Geography. It never lets its

Leh as viewed from the monastery.


precision and accuracy get in the way of its approachability and personalness.

Ancient Futures: Helena Norberg-Hodge, A passionate explana-tion of, and plea for, the preservation of the traditional values of Ladakh. A remarkable work despite its occasional lack of balance, it is an influential book and a must read for all visitors to Ladakh.

? TalkThe language of Ladakh is Ladakhi, a Tibetan dialect with written Ladakhi being the same as Tibetan. Tibetans can learn Ladakhi easily but Tibetan is difficult to speak for Ladakhis. Spoken Ladakhi is closer to the Tibetan spoken in Western Tibet. Ladakhi language is a shared culture platform which brings the Muslims and Buddhists together as one people of this Himalayan region.

Ladakhis usually know Hindi and often English, but in villages without road access neither can be expected. A high quality Ladakhi phrasebook, Getting Started in Ladakhi, by Melong Publications, is available in Leh and well worth getting. Not only will any attempts you make to speak the language be appreci-ated, it will be useful.

[ Get inBuses run directly to Leh from either Manali or Srinagar. Enroute to Leh one can stop in a number of places , most will get off in Keylong , the administrative center for Lahaul. Overlooking Keylong is the Kardang monastery. This is the choice that most travelers will want to take due to the tense security situaton in Kashmir, however the road is only open from June to mid October due to snow fall. There are shared taxis from Manali which start early in the morning and reach Leh early next morning.Tourist buses from HPTDC and the local HRTC buses, stop overnight in Keylong.There are also minibuses and shared cabs that makes a overnight stop in Sarchu - this comes with a high incidence of altitude sickness , since Sarchu ( also dubbed

The Vomit Hilton) lies more than seven hundred meters higher than Leh , at 4253 meters. Coming from Srinagar there are a few interesting places to stop en route : Kargil at 2693 meters ( where the buses stops , the best choice for altitude acclimatization) , (Lamayuru and Alchi that also offer accom-modation). The opening and final closing of both roads, but no major events in between, are announced on the the official Leh website. Srinagar-Leh news updates are found here, Manali-Leh here

Daily flights to Leh are run by Indian, Jet Airways and Kingfisher Red from Delhi, Srinagar, Jammu and elsewhere. These are, however, subject to inclement weather and may be cancelled at any time, keep your schedule flexible. Altitude sickness is also a worry given the altitude.

You can ride in to Leh between June and Mid october (when the roads are open) on a motorcyle too.

Bikers usually follow either of the 2 routes

1. Delhi -> Chandigarh -> Patni Top -> Srinagar -> Kargil -> Leh

2. Delhi -> Chandigarh -> Manali -> Sarchu -> Pang -> Leh

N Get aroundu By busLadakhi buses run from Leh to the surrounding villages. They are often overcrowded and generally disorganised and poorly run. Daily buses or mini buses run to Alchi, Basgo, Dha-Hanu, Likir, Nimmu, and Saspul; twice daily to Chemray, Hemis, Matho, Stok, and Tak Tok; hourly or more often to Choglamsar, Phyang, Shey, Spituk, Stakna, Thiksay.

p By taxiYou will find in Leh a number of local taxis, that will take you to the surrounding monasteries much faster and more comfort-ably than Public transport. Rates are fairly steep compared to elsewhere in India.

Photo By Chris Horobin


t By truckTrucks often stop for hitchhikers, who are usually expected to pay half the bus fare, bargaining may be necessary. They are slower than the buses and sometimes stop for long periods to unload cargo.

r By motorcycleIn Leh there are a number of shops that will rent motorbikes, mostly the Royal Enfield, still made in India today (350 and 500 cc model). Rents are fairly cheap, and if you are are used to old bikes and left hand side driving, it is certainly a great way to move around if short of time, and far cheaper than local taxis. Be sure to check your rented bike before you leave so that you dont end up getting stranded in the middle of nowhere. As always in India, drive carefully, as other drivers often lack caution.

Things to note

1. In most sections of the journey, the road are in a bad condition but in certain conditions the roads are literally non-existant. Bottom line is that BRO (Border Roads Organ-isation) has done a good job, with what ever little resources that are available, in making these difficult terrains acces-sible to vehicular traffic.

2. Though there are many mechanics in Leh who deal with many bikes, the availability of spares is limited. So before you leave please be sure to get your bike serviced (also get all cables checked/ changed, set chain, get oils topped up, brakes inspected etc.) and also carry all necessary spares (cables, chain link, bulbs etc.)

3. Make sure to carry the originals of all your bikes documents.

4. Glaciers tend to melt as the day progresses and flow (at some places across roads). So be sure to plan to reach and cross these glacier melts commonly known as Nalas (for example Pagal nala, Khooni nala, Whiskey nala, Brandy nala etc.) during the earlier part of the day, when the flow is low and the depth depth of the water is still easily passable.

5. When you encounter a Military convoy, always pull over and let them pass. It might be a good idea to find out from the locals as to when the convoy goes uphill and downhill and try to time your trip accordingly.

q By bicycleThe scenery would be magnificent at the pace of a bicycle, however one would need to be well prepared with full camping equipment. There is a bit less than 1000 km of paved roads in Ladakh. The Manali-Leh-Srinagar road makes up about half of that, the remainder being spurs off it. As such its not possible to string together a loop, and the only route that would avoid backtracking would be to follow the Manali-Leh-Srinagar road. You would need to check the current situation and think carefully to decide if travling in Kashmir at bicycle pace is more of a risk than you want to take.

In addition to the paved roads there are some trekking routes that would be possible to ride a lightly loaded sturdy mountain bike on, perhaps hiring a horse and handler to take your baggage. Padam to Darcha, via Shingo La (pass) would be a good route for this, though you would still need to push your bike over the pass itself. Ask trekkers in Ladakh for more options.

NOTE: If you plan to drive/ ride in to the Ladakh region in your own car/ bike,

1. Carry enough spares and all the required tools.

2. Try and learn basic vehicle maintainence before you start on the trip.

3. Carry spare fuel. (There is a 380km strech on the Leh - Manali highway which has no petrol pumps).

4. You will need to get permits to visit certain places (For example Khardung La)

Photo By Abe and Bethany Okie



o By footFor the traveler with a number of months it is possible to trek from one end of Ladakh to the other, or even from places in Himachal Pradesh . The large number of trails and the limited number of roads allows you to string together routes that have road access often enough to restock supplies, but almost entirely avoid walking on motor roads. See below in the Do section for more info.

SeeThe main tourist sites relate to Tibetan Buddhism, and to the stunning landscape.

Ladakh is not only home to some of the most beautiful and serene monasteries youll ever see, but it also a land of rich natural beauty - and its this natural beauty that hits you so hard, because its a barren beauty. Many travelers find themselves at loss to understand

how something so barren can yet be so beautiful. Be respectful, these are holy places and active monks in most of them.

Must-see sites include Moon-land-view (the area around Lamayuru) on the Leh-Kargil highway;

Many places in Ladakh need an inner line permit which is available for free in DCs office in Ladakh. A travel agent can also arrange the permit for Rs 100 per person within an hour on any working day.

There are some regular tourist circuits which entail driving 200-400 km roundtrip out of Ladakh.

1.) Leh-Karu-Chang La-Tangtse-Pangong Tso & Back: This is a pouplar trip to Pangong Tso Lake and can be done by taxi/bike. Most people do it as a day trip starting early in the morning and come back by the evening. However, there are arrangements for stay near the lake in Lukung & Spangmik and one can stay overnight to enjoy this place at a slower pace. Camping is also possible.

2.) Leh-Khardung La-Nubra Valley(Valley of Flowers): This is another popular trip but difficult to do in one day. Nubra Valley may not be as beautiful as is touted to be, and is second favourite to tourists as a trip out of Leh. Some people return from Khardung La (18380 ft), which is claimed to be the highest motorable pass in the world. It provides excellent views of Ladakh Range as well as Karakoram Range on the other side.

Accommodation is available along the way and in Nubra Valley at various places.

Silhouette Self PortraitTaken in the sand dunes of Ladakh By leslein


3.) Leh-Upshi-Tso Kar-Tso Moriri: This is another trip which covers two smaller lakes Tso Kar and Tso Moriri. There is ac-commodation available in Korzok(Tso Moriri) but camping near the lake is not allowed.

4.) Leh-Lamayuru-Leh: This is an easier drive along Indus river towards Kargil and one can also see the confluence of Indus and Zanskar on the way. Lamayuru is a beautiful place and is home to the oldest monastery and one of the most important in Ladakh. One can stay in the monastery or in the surrounding village.

5.) Various monasteries-around Leh: There are 4-5 big mon-asteries around Leh and can be covered in one day. Most important of them are Thiksey, Hemis, Spituk, Stok and Shey.

One needs to acclimatize to the attitude in leh (3500 m) before heading out as AMS (acute mountain sickness or altitude sickness) can ruin the entire trip.

The Hemis Monastery: This is the largest monastery of Ladakh. Tourists can found at least 150 lamas living in the monastery, at any point of time throughout the year. Hemis is famous for a huge painting of Buddha, which is brought to the public or displayed to the public only once in 11 years of time period.

Padum Valley: Padum is located at an altitude of 3505 m from the sea level. It is the capital of the ancient Zanskar and presently administrative headquarter of the Zanskar region. Padum has population of around 1500-1600. Padum is a very scarcely inhabited valley in the Zanskar. Padum is one of the famous trekking destinations for trekking lovers, Zanskar.

Zanskar Valley: Zanskar is one of the remotest regions of the Ladakh. Zanskar is spread in around 300 km of area, which is only accessible through high passes. This valley is higher than any other valley in Ladakh region and located in the inner Himalaya. Here rain fall is very less and the climates is very harsh.

Parang La Trek: Parang La Trek is one of the most challenging and adventures trekking trail. This trek is located on an isolated route far into the mountains with many rivers to be crossed.

Kang Yatse: This trek is located to the south east part of the Leh, in the Markha valley. This valley is a dream for every trekker and everyone wish to trek the Markha Valley for at least once.

i DoVolunteer: There are numerous NGOs in Ladakh, mostly centred on Leh, many of which take foreigners as volunteers if you can commit to a stay of a few months.

Meditate: There is a meditation center in Choglamsar, with an office in Leh, that offers meditation courses and retreats for various levels of experience.

Festivals: In late June and early July, the whole Ladakh region comes alive with festivals. Some are held at the local cricket and polo club in Leh, while others are held at the monasteries. Reserve a place well in advance as they get very crowded. Some of the festivals are only held every 12 years, (such as one at



Hemis) and at that time the monastery will display its greatest treasure, such as a huge thangka (a religious icon painted or embroidered on cloth). Festival Calendar till 2014.

Trek: Ladakh is an excellent trekking area for experienced trekkers. The infrastructure is nowhere near as developed as in Nepal, necessitating greater preparedness on the part of the trekker. Most trekkers go with a guide and some pack horses, which is easy to organise, and if arranged in Leh quite afford-able. It is possible to trek independently, but this should not be undertaken lightly and without much consultation with locals. People do go missing and die on those trails!

Below are a few selected routes:

n The Baby Trek

Duration: 2-3 days

Season: Year round

Get In: The trail starts at Likir, there are a few buses from Leh daily.

Description: Ladakhs one tea house trek is, despite the name, hard work because of the steep and frequent assents and descents. Its highest point is 3750 m (unusually low for Ladakh); it passes through frequent villages, allowing the

traveler to sleep in guest houses or peoples homes every night, it is a good introduction to trekking in Ladakh, and way to ac-climatize to the altitude. The main attraction of this trek is the

large villages of beautiful well made houses, among good ag-ricultural land; the mountains and views from the passes are

relatively unimpressive.

Route: Likir village - Phobe La (3580 m)- Sumdo village - Chagatse La (3630 m) - Yangthang village - Tsermangchen La (3750 m) - Hemis Shukpachen village - Mebtak La (3720 m) - Ang village - Tingmosgam village.

The Markha Valley Trek: This trek is among the easily acces-sible and popular trek in Ladakh. This trek also leads to a large Diversity of landscapes. Markha Valley is surrounded by the

high altitude mountain Kangyatse which is at the height of 6400

meters from the sea level. Tourists will pass through colourful villages and beautiful valley where they can experience the

enjoy the tradition and culture of Leh Ladakh.

Q MapsGeneral traveling maps showing the roads and tourist sites are commonly available in India and abroad.

The best quality trekking maps are nowhere near the quality of maps covering trekking areas of Europe or North America. Note that high quality maps of the border regions of India/Pakistan/China are technically illegal in India for security reasons, your map may be confiscated if you allow security personel to see it.

(despite very high quality maps of Indian J&K and the LoC being available from the Survey of Pakistan in Islamabad!)

Survey of India produces a very out of date (early 1980s) trekking map of J&K; its cheap, and could be useful for planning

a route with an experanced guide.

US Army Map Service. (1:250000) - produces out of date (1950s and 60s) topographic maps of whole india, easily available on the Internet.

Soviet Military Topographic Maps (1:200000 & 1:100000) - maps produced in the 1970s and 1980s which are now easily available on the internet but expensive. They provide a good information but all the labels are in Cyrillic script limiting their

use.

Artou (1:300000) - based on satellite imagery. Until recently the best available, it is satifactory for pre-trek route planning, but

not good for navigation. A pirated version is available in Leh.

Trekking Map of Ladakh by Sonam Tsetan (approx scale 1:600000) is very accurate for what it shows: the trails, village names, and water courses. It lacks topography but has the most accurate place names of all the maps, making it a very useful


planning tool. Its available in Leh for about 200 Rp.

Leomann (1:200000) - may have better scale than the Artou, but it actually contains less information and is less accurate;

however the series does cover a lot more of Ladakh and elsewhere in the Himalayas.

Ladakh Zanskar Trekking Map Series by Editions Olizane

(1:150000) - recently introduced, an excellent topographic map, with lots of detail.

i Things to Carry2 Denims & 4 T-shirts (should suffice), Jackets 1 Armoured Riding jacket, 1 Jacket for cold weather (Winter Jacket / Leather would be ideal), Riding Trousers Thermal wear (Water Proof), Gloves 1 Riding Gloves + 1 Gloves for Cold weather, Monkey Cap / Balaklava (Balaklava preferred as will fit properly inside your helmets) Socks Woolen and Cotton (3 Pairs each) Gumboots, Waist Pouch, Slippers, Sleeping Bag, Empty containers for Fuel, Bungee Cords / Octopus 4 nos, Helmet (Full faced), Extra Visor (White Glass only), Riding Glasses, Getters (To cover your shoes in case of unavail-ability of Gumboots), Thermals / Inners (At least two sets),

Riding shoes / Army Combat Shoes, Barsati or Rain coat (Duck Back), Dry fruits, Chocolates , Rucksack with polythene cover, Polythene bags (Can be worn inside the shoes to prevent frost bites), Torch, Maps, First Aid Kit, Toilet Kit, Tissue Papers.

] EatLadakhi food has much in common with Tibetan food, the most prominent foods being: Thukpa, noodle soup; and Tsampa,

known in Ladakhi as Ngamphe, roasted barley flour, eatable

without cooking it makes useful, if dull trekking food.

A dish that is strictly Ladakhi is skyu, a heavy pasta dish with root vegetables.

As Ladakh moves toward a less sustainable, cash based economy, imported Indian foods are becoming more important. You are likely to be served rice, dal (lentils) with veggies even in villages

without road access, and its standard in Leh.

In leh town you can taste a vaste range of cuisines- which include north Indian, Tibetan, Chinese, Italian and even Korean. Bakeries are plenty in Leh town. Strangely they all claim to be German Bakeries. They serve seasonal fruit pies, tarts, brownies and a variety of breads.


R DrinkTea it traditionally made with strong black tea, butter, and salt,

it is mixed in a large churn and known as gurgur cha, due to the sound of mixing it. Similar to tea traditionally drunk elsewhere

in Central Asia, its more like soup than tea elsewhere, it can be refreshing and invigorating if you can get use to it. Sweet tea

(cha ngarmo) is common now, made Indian style with lots of milk and sugar.

Beer (chang) is traditionally made from barley; it has a yeasty

taste slightly similar to sake.

S SleepYou will find a variety of places to stay in Ladakh. The accom-modation option ranges from hotels and guesthouses to paying

guest accommodation and tourist hostels. The hotels in this

region are classified into A, B, C & Economy categories while

guest houses fall in the upper, medium and economy class.

Quite a few hotels in Ladakh are family-run and give tourists the opportunity to interact with local families. Some monas-teries allow guests and offer essentially basic accommodation

that is available for the price of a small donation. Most of the


hotels are around the main market area and most hotels and guesthouses close down in winter, mainly because occupancy is pretty low.

g Stay safeLadakh is one of the safest parts of India, and the most basic precautions are enough to keep you and your possessions safe. The locals are very friendly and humble. Most of the region is dotted with military cantonments every 50-80 kms, but mainly because of its strategic position on international border between India and China. The army plays major part in rescue and aid efforts and that is why you will require to produce iden-tification documents or written permission from local authori-ties before entering some remote places.

o Stay healthyCarry any and every medication (for specific health problems) that you may need. Ensure that you are physically fit if you intend to ride or trek in the Ladakh region.

Leh is above 3500 m (over 11,000 feet) and other parts of Ladakh are higher yet. There is risk of altitude sickness due to

the rapid shift in altitude. =



Ladakh on a Motorcycle



unknownuser666halfbakedtales.wordpress.com

Text and images by the writer

Detour By

rExper

ience

g Day 00

Half past ten and a bunch of soft songs are blaring in the background. My room mate of many years Priyanku and I just finished smok-ing, well, a cigarette, and are waiting for Himan-shu to show up. Himanshu is supposed to come at midnight, have dinner with us and then discuss the plan a bit more. We will be on our way to what I hope to be a highlight of my otherwise or-dinary life, the one dream that every Indian biker dream a trip to Ladakh.

I am not too keen on discussing plans. It is rather simple for me. All of my bags are packed, my mo-torcycle serviced & tuned up and now we ride.

Himanshu called at around midnight to tell that he might not make it tonight and that hell need some more time to prepare.

How much time? I asked.

Lets start on Sunday he suggested.

It had something to do with his motorcycle or his parents I dont exactly remember now. What I do

remember was that my jimmies were thoroughly rustled. I asked him if he was serious about the trip at all. The poor bloke got a bit offended by the question.

Yeah, I can be a complete dick at times.

Dil pe lagegi toh baat banegi I reasoned myself.

There wasnt anything for me to do for a whole Saturday. I decided to figure out if theres any better way to pack my stuff. I couldnt find one. I bought some stuff that I planned to buy in Manali extra battery, extra rope that sort of things. There wasnt much space to add too many new things carrying my 4.5 kg tent meant that theres absolutely no room for flab in the luggage. Riding literally to the top of the world (Khardung La the highest motorable road in the world is a part of the route) meant that we cant load our motorcy-cles with anything other than whats necessary. (In the hindsight, carrying the tent was NOT necessary at all)

Saturday night, all my stuff are packed and loaded on to the motorcycle.

My RE Machismo 350. Shes not fancy, but shes mine


1 Day 01 Traveled through the sweltering heat for about 400 kilometers from Delhi to Mandi stopped short of about 100 kilometers from Manali. The original plan of reaching Manali was abandoned because we started very late. The journey was pretty uneventful. Just a straight high-way with a lot of traffic moving to & from Delhi. We kept cross-ing a couple on their motorcycle heading for Leh and waved at them every time we cross. I have tremendous respect for the girl who was riding pillion. They are the true iron butts. As we travelled further, there were visible changes in the surround-ing. The roads started to have some sweet curves and we started to cross small hills.

We stopped at a place named Kings Hotel in Mandi nothing like what name promised, a poorly lit sad little thing by the road. But we were not out here looking for comfort. 500 bucks for clean beds, clean bathroom and parking space for our bikes was good enough for us. On the downside, the cable really sucked. Only channel on the TV with half decent signal was playing Laughter Challenge. Ms Singhs hysterical laughter at every shitty joke was mind numbing. Not the ideal viewing material after smoking a, well, a cigarette after a full days ride. But since we had an early day the next morning, we didnt had much time for TV or anything else anyway. We quickly took our baths and had our dinner and hit the sack pretty soon.

Tomorrow, the mountains will actually begin. I cant wait for morning.

2 Day 02 We started off at around seven in the morning from Mandi. It was a pretty uneventful ride till about Kullu where we stopped for breakfast. Himanshu took out his camera and went for a walk to look around. I went out looking too, for some, well, cigarettes. After asking around for a while, I came across a guy who works in a service station. We had a chat, told him where Im headed so he gave me his personal pack of, well, cigarettes. Score!

We didnt intend to stop in Manali for long, only long enough to pay some tax and take out some cash before continuing to Rohtang Pass. That took us more than an hour because of the tourist rush. The stretch of road from Shimla to Rohtang Pass was awesome, tests your balance with the bike. Himanshu was riding much better and faster than yesterday. There seemed no problem in taking on the sharp curves while going uphill.

Met one Manu a member of Punjab Enfield Generation (PEG). He insisted that we join them and we decided what the hell, more the merrier. Thats when I realize the problem of trav-elling in large groups. Including us, we were eleven. Some of the members of the group were behind so we waited for more than two hours at Rohthang Pass watching tourists playing in the dirty snow, riding their ATBs and having adventures. A guy asked if wed like to play in the snow. Dirty snow with a lot of tourist playing adventure sports is not what excites hipster bikers like us.

Himanshu during a water-in/water-out break

Himanshus first tryst with snow @ Rohtang Pass


Finally all the members finally arrived and we started to ride through a stretch of mud they call road. Just as we passed that, one of the PEG guy struck up a conversation with some girl in a car who said she wanted to ride the bike for some time. Being the red blooded Punjabi guy, more than one offered their mo-torcycle as they cramped for her attention. Thanks to lil miss Jaipur, we lost another hour.

Once we crossed the muddy stretch, the road suddenly changed into stuff dream is made up of. Well, my dream anyways. Freshly topped mountain roads as smooth as it gets here in India, lot of sweet curves, friendly people this was one of the memorable rides of the entire tour.

We reached Tandi at around seven in the evening the last fuel station till we reach Leh. The original plan was to refuel at Tandi and then continue till Keylong where we were supposed to spend the night. But it was already late so by the time we reached there, the promised accommodation wasnt there.

Instead of taking out our tents and try to pitch it in total darkness, we collectively decided to ride till the next place where we could get a warm tent & hot food Darchu.

We rode for another three hours in the dark through tricky mountainous roads and reached Darchu at around ten at night and got our warm beds & hot dinner.

There was a small incident during the days ride. We had a French guy Theo who was riding with us. The cops at Lepcha wouldnt let him through without a passport. Theo wasnt sure if he had his passport so while some of us searched his bags, others tried to convince the cops to let his pass. This whole incident took us more than an hour to sort out. The guys could have left Theo to sort it out himself but none made this sugges-tion even once during the entire period.

A group of ten loud Punjabi riders will slow you down but will never bail on you.

Boys will be boys

Theo (the French guy), Pritpal & Sunny (P.E.G.) at Darchu

Daljit Fixing strangers bikeOP with P.E.G. members

3 Day 03 I have always had my reservations about travelling in large groups. Given a choice, Id rather be a lone wolf than be in a wolf pack. Case in point, Himanshu and I were all saddled up and ready to ride by eight in the morning. The rest of the party took a couple of hours more to start. Even the cops at the checking gate were annoyed about us blocking the way and taking up so much time to cross the check post.

Just as we crossed the Darchu bridge, Manus bikes battery died. The Frenchman Theo got seriously sick (because of the altitude) and decided to stay back for a day or two at the camp to acclimatize himself first. This happens after putting in so much of effort at the Lahoul Spiti police gates the day before!

One Daljit decided to stay back with Manu and help him fix up his motorcycle while the rest of the team decided to ride ahead. We rode in awe, looking out at the amazing scenery with the Himalaya in the backdrop, majestic as ever. There were many photo sessions during the day; the longest were when we were at Suruchu.

We were lucky to not have any problem for the rest of the

way, though we stopped more than once on our way to help out other bikers with repairs. Actually it was Daljit who stops everytime he sees someone having bike problem. Himanshu and I just gave him company while he fixed up strangers bike. Tremendous respect for that dude.

We reached Pang early in the afternoon. This was where we had planned to spend the night but Punjab Enfield Generation members were to ride on till Tsokar Lake the same day and were supposed to spend the night there. They had permission for two more guys (couple of members who couldnt join them) and we were welcome to pile on with them!

We did our routine check our motorcycle while Daljit started to work on his motorcycle for a change. Thats when Himanshu discovered his motorcycles front tyre was cut by some sharp rock. We decided not to take the risk of riding off road with a damaged tyre with the night approching, no matter how tanta-lizing the prospect of spending the night out camping by a lake is. So we stayed back at Pang for the night and would start for Leh the next morning just as we originally planned. We gave half of our fuel to the group since we wont be needing them now and slowly settled down at an overnight camp in Pang some 15,000 feet above sea level.


Lack of Oxygen is a major concern and I remember being advised repeatedly about it back home. Lots of liquid, lots of chocolate pretty easy actually. Even small tasks like putting your motorcycle on full stand felt physically demanding. I never remember putting in so much effort in taking off my bags from the motorcycle. The whole process of parking my bike and unpacking took me an hour or so. However, I wasnt half as bad as the other tourists around. Most of the people in cars were nauseated, some were vomiting. Himanshu and I had our fill of Maggie, I smoked, well, a cigarette, with a cup of Tibetan tea and rolled into my sleeping bag for the rest of the night.

Tomorrow, itll be just me and Himanshu riding to Leh.

4 Day 04 What a night! It was cold and somehow I felt really uncomfortable in my sleeping bag. First I had a debate with myself for about an hour on whether or not to get out of my sleeping night to take a piss. Once I was back, sleep was gone and my scumbag brain got busy doing what it does best. I hardly had about a couple of hours to sleep when it was already time to get ready.

There were a few other riders who had stayed back last night with us at Pang. We chatted while we had our breakfast and packed up our motorcycles. Most of them were riding till Leh and then plan to get their motorcycles shipped back. We also met the couple we kept crossing on Day 01. They remembered us from Himanshus bikes plate (RJ number with Arjun written on it; one of them was from Rajasthan, rest was pretty easy). They have plans to ride on till Sri Nagar and then get their bikes shipped back to Delhi. Riding that far as pillion should be tough. Hats off to that lady whose name I cant remember now. The

force is strong with that one! To be honest, I also felt a bit bad for their motorcycle, laden with so many bags with two riders. Pro-tip: if you want to take a pillion on a RE on this route, make sure it is a 500cc. Its just not fair on the 350 engine.

The weather was gloomy when we started. I was only beginning to wonder if I should ask Himanshu to stop to put on our raincoats when suddenly it was all bright and sunny. The day looked promising and boy did it deliver! We did about 5-6 kms of uptrack in the morning sun and then we reach More plains a ride through a vast expanse of nothingness. Straight road with not another soul in sight, not a single tree, not even a bush. I imagined myself to be in a video of some sad song that was playing on my headphones as I looked into the horizon, thinking about life and other related shit. But the views of the Himalaya derailed my train of thoughts frequently as I stopped to take pictures every few minutes.

We passed a few bikers on our way. Wave, thumbs up, victory sign whatever works for you, but the show of solidarity to fellow bikers on this route is a must! For me it was more like, Hey! You managed to get away too! Fuck Yeah! It was nice to be a rider once again instead of just another commuter in a big city. Instead of trying to reach anywhere sooner than the next guy on the road, here people stop to talk and share a cigarette or a bottle water or just about anything. We met this shy guy


from Karnataka riding along with an enthusiastic Punjabi dude. They started separately, met on the road and now have been riding together ever since. A fine example of motorcycles bringing the nation together right there!

We had to give our details once again in Upshi so that they know which area to look for you in case youre lost. While I waited for Himanshu at a restaurant near the Upshi check post, I chit-chatted with two American tourists who had been cycling in this area for more than a month. The third member of their group was in their back up car, nursing a broken wrist. As usual, the conversation revolved around the weather, the road and things like that. They had a thick Californian accent. When I pointed that out, they were very surprised. Turned out, they were in fact from California and have never before thought that they had any accent. At last, something to show for two years of working in a BPO.

After crossing the army cantonment and a few kilometers of easy riding, we reached Leh. Just as we were about to center the city, we met another group of riders Chandan, Nidhi and Mayur. One of their motorcycles had a flat tyre. Two of them went ahead on another motorcycle to get it fixed, while we waited back. Mayur was from Assam and the other two were from Jaipur. The girl, Nidhi, was writing a book on something. Chandan was trying to escape the city life. Mayur was just there for the ride. Once the bike was repaired, we rode till Leh together. Once there we parted ways to search for accommoda-tion. We had decided earlier to stay as far away from the center of the city as possible. We found a decent guest house further up the city without much effort. It provided hot meals, had decent rooms and clean bathrooms and was within our budget. What else can one ask for?

5 Day 05 Rest day today. I washed up my motorcycle first thing in the morning much to the amusement of the Guest House owner. I dont expect him to understand. There are only a very few Bullet owners who are NOT obsessed with their motorcycles. Yours truly is a part of the vast majority. Himan-shu went off to fix his bikes carrier and change the front tyre. I went along to top up my engine oil and grease up the chain a little.

We went to the DC office to get our permits made which was pretty uneventful. You basically wait to pay up while your ap-plication goes through three desks. Himanshu and I managed to forget the name of the place were staying in, so we filled in the name of a guest house near ours, the one with a bigger signboard.

While Himanshu went off to the garage again, I came back to the city, looking for Tibetan food. I ordered way too much food than I could finish in a whole day. It was sort of a disaster. On my way back to the guest house, I met Theo the French guy who rode



with us till Darchu. He had just arrived and was looking for a place to stay.

It has to be nice, he stressed.

I offered him to take him to the place we were staying in where hes get clean bed, hot water but no TV. It suited him just fine.

In the evening, Himanshu the photography enthusiast headed for Ladakh Palace, I decided to explore the city. It was just like any other tourist city. Lot of shop, lot of cars, lot of people. Matter of fact, I saw a GOA embroidered handbag in one of the Tibetan Handicraft store at the market. I bought a bunch of T shirts and prayer flags. Ive taken a fancy to these flags. I bought one each for Himanshu and Theos motorcycle.

Protip: Try out kebabs by the roadside stalls if you happen to be there. They are delicious.

As we were preparing to sleep, Theo shows up. He wanted to ride with us but he still have to get his permit made. That meant well have to start late, very late. We discussed stoppages, mobile network, army, peace, anthropology and then went off to sleep without deciding what exactly to do in the morning.

6 Day 06 Yesterday was supposed to be a rest day which it hardly was. We spent most of our time running around the DC office and garages. Turned out, today was actually the day we all got some time to actually rest. On papers, it is a waste day. Our plan was to go to Khardung La and be back to Leh and then to Pangong Tso with Theo. But as luck would have it, Himanshus bike had a flat tyre yet again and mine just refuses to start. While Himanshu went out again to get his tyre fixed, I tried cleaning and then changing my bikes plug, fuse every-thing seemed to be in order. But the bike just wont start.

A couple of local guys on a bike helped me find my way to a garage through the citys lanes, avoiding the main routes. Now that I think of it, it was very fortunate I didnt have to drag the

170 kg bike laden with luggage, tent, fuel cans for even an inch. It was all downhill from my guest house to the garage. At the garage they found out the battery is dead so even if they charge it, there is no way of telling if it will work the next morning. Getting a new battery meant spending the rest of the day in Leh while the battery is put to charge. It was an old battery anyways so I opted for the latter and left my motorcycle at Mr. Mohan Sharmas garage who promised to give it back by six in the evening.

I met Chandan at the garage. He was there to get his clutch plates fixed. Apparently, he was lost from the rest of his entourage (Nidhi and Mayur) and has been roaming around the city ever since. This guy reminded me of Angshuman a guy who used to jam with us during my initial years in Delhi. Chandan offered me a ride till the DC office where I was supposed to meet Himanshu and Theo. Once there, I helped Chandan fill up his form and pointed him the right counters. I was a pro at it by then. Theo appeared an hour later, thoroughly pissed off, for he had to get his permit done through some travel agent and not individually like the rest of us. And since at least two tourists are required for the process, he had to pay up for two.

I dont like getting fucked he kept on saying.

Daljeet from P.E.G. called up to tell me that Himanshu was with them in some garage. I took the directions and started walking. It wasnt easy walking uphill with all your riding gear and a pair of slightly oversized army boots. Thankfully, Theo showed up to save the day.

We were for good two hours at Juma Jis garage. While the mechanics fixed our bikes, we discussed travel plans. Pritpal Singh or Vikky paaji, as he is popularly known within the group, told us about a route theyll be taking the next day. Apparently, we can go to Nubra valley from Pangong Tso without having to come back to Leh. Himanshu and I pounced at that idea and agreed to join them the next morning.

Sometime later, Theo suggested a place to eat a small joint somewhere in the market. While we were waiting for our orders,

Leh Palace former mansion of the royal family of Ladakh

Highlight of the day Yummy kebab at dirt cheap price

having another one of our discussion on routes, a girl nearby overheard us and came up to talk. She knew French and before long, she and Theo were talking while Himanshu and I smiled, hoping not to look any more stupid than required. She told us shes new here and never actually have tripped in and around Leh. Its the signal Theo, take it I thought to myself looking at him, hoping hed get the hint. But our dear Frenchman was too busy with his burger and soggy fries.

Back to the garage, mechanic Mohan Sharma tells me since there was no electricity since morning, he wasnt able to charge the battery and will be able to give it to me only in the morning next after keeping it on charge overnight. Now this was cutting a bit to close. I should be able to fix the bike, repack, refuel and be on our way to Pangong Tso hopefully by nine in the morning.

Please do it by tomorrow Sharma ji, or else Ill have to walk till Pangong I tried my brand of humour on Mr Sharma. He got it though, after I repeated it to him, thrice.

Couple of the P.E.G. guys were at the garage too fixing a leak in their motorcycles fuel tank. They offered me a ride till their hotel which was not very far from the guest house we were staying in. Once I was in their hotel and listened to their conver-sation, I realized not all of them were keen on doing rest of the trip on motorcycles. Some wanted to hire a cab for the rest of the journey. Nothing is final yet was the catchphrase thrown around in the discussion making me even wearier about our next morning plans. I didnt quite understand why they would back off now after all that preparation & trouble they went

through to reach Leh. Himanshu & I were fairly green riders but we were so psyched up about riding to Khardung La that even the discussion of hiring a cab seemed ridiculous.

I went back to my guest house and had my dinner at around half past ten. We still had not decided where well go the next morning but wherever it is, well have to start early. Theres still no sign of either Himanshu or Theo. He should be sleeping by now, hell be late tomorrow again, I thought to myself. Earlier today, Theo goofed up with his permit. He wrote only Nubra Valley in the application instead of putting in all the places you he wants to visit. Now if he wants to go to Pangong Tso with us, itll cost him another thousand rupees. Mr I dont like getting fucked just got analed.

They both show up an hour later with Daljeet and Aman from P.E.G and Chandan. Out came the map and we had another elaborate discussion on which route to take tomorrow. None of us were too keen to come back to Leh twice once after Pangong Tso and then after Nubra Valley. The track that connects Pangong Lake to Nubra Valley is closed. Theos goof up meant he can only ride to Nubra Valley while Daljeet and Aman had to ride to Pangong Tso with their group. Chandan didnt care where to go as long as we were going.

Kahi bhi chalo, bus chalo

Like many of our other discussions we had in the last two days, this one too ended without any plan. We just said Ill call you in the morning to each other and went off to our rooms and slept.

Some call it wave, I call them Air High-Fives thestudentspost.com/detour | 37


View of the city from Leh Palace



7 Day 07 Himanshu, Theo and I had breakfast together in our room. We exchanged emails and awkward hugs and then Theo left for Nubra valley. My motorcycle was still at the garage so I asked Himanshu to drop me at the mechanics and come back and pack his stuff. I got my motorcycle, refuelled it after waiting in a really long line at the fuel station. On my way back, I stopped to check out with Daljeet and Aman in their hotel since my phone was dead from the day we reached Leh. The manager told me that they had already left, some on motorcycles, some in a cab.

I saw Chandans motorcycle parked in front of a restaurant. It was hard it miss his ride. Painted in white, it had stickers of a Marijuana leaf, Che Guevara and a Swastika. I went inside and found him having breakfast there with Nidhi and Mayur. Chandans permit still needed to be stamped and the other two had no clue of whats going on. I figured out it was better for me to leave them to make their decision and get their passes and I should start for Pangong Tso with Himanshu. I told Chandan and Co that Ill go get my friend and check out from the guest house. Well meet them on our way back.

Back at the guest house I find Himanshu sleeping on his bed, still unpacked. Imagine the

angriest of the rage faces. Multiply it by ten. Put a poker face over it. That was me then. I went to pay off the owner and told him that were keeping part of our luggage in their store room as decided last night. By the time we started, it was ten. Two hours late. But that didnt matter. After two days of sitting around and doing nothing, we finally ride to Pangong Tso.

The first part of the ride was relatively easy but gradually it started to get colder and wetter. Water from the melting snow on the either side of the road made it a bit tricky to ride over the gravelled road. As we climbed up towards Chang La, the condition of the road worsened. There were long lines of supply trucks and army convoys.

Once we reached Chang La, we struggled a little bit to catch our breath. Free tea is offered to anyone who passes through Chang La by Indian Army. We had our fill of red tea, clicked a few photographs and started towards our destination for the day.

Going downhill is trickier than climbing up. At least I think so. Maybe thats because I had more than my share of falling off while going downhill back home in Assam. Himanshu nearly had a mishap today when he skidded off the road after two cars suddenly crossed him in one sharp curve while we were going down. Other than that, there were no problems during the rest of the ride. Given that this is Himanshus first ever ride in the mountains, hes doing a fairly good job so far.

Free tea at Chang La by India

n Army Pretty idiotic


Soon enough we reached the plains as we approached Pangong Lake. The road was freshly topped with some real sweet curves. The bright sun, the cool breeze, a majestic backdrop its all there. The stuff that makes bikers jizz their pants.

We reached Pangong Lake at around 5:30. 3 Idiots has had a tremendous effect on that area. For the uninitiated, it is a popular movie starring Aamir Khan and Pangong lake was one of the prominent locations. There was a 3 Idiots Hotel, 3 Idiots Restaurant, 3 Idiots Cafe and a few more such variations I dont remember now.

We stopped for a while by the lake to click pictures. It was great sitting in front of the lake, striking up conversation with random tourists, smoking cigarettes, watching the mountain in the backdrop change their shade along with the lake as if a colour show of shades of blue and brown. But we had to move fast and find ourselves a place to pitch our tent by the lake.

It was getting dark fast and after looking around for a while, we settled for a dry lake bed protected on the two sides from wind. I took it upon myself to set up the tent despite Himanshu offering me to help. It took me about half an hour more to pitch up the tent than it generally takes. Part of it was because the sandy surface would not support nails so I had to use rocks to set up the outer layer of the tent and partly because of the high altitude.

Finally the tent was set, Himanshu waterproofed the luggage that wont fit inside the tent and settled in to our sleeping bags. After some snacks and trees we scored back in Manali, I started my barrage of philosophy and other nonsense. Himanshu took it like a man, nodding and smiling at the right moments. But the night was long and there was nothing else to do but talk. A dinner of groundnuts, Mithee Roti and chocolates and a few more profound epiphanies later, I decided the poor guy have had enough. We should probably get some sleep now.

8 Day 08 As usual, I woke up earlier than Himanshu and went out to take some pictures of the Lake in the early morning sun. It was about a kilometer and half from our tent to the lake and low oxygen took its toll when I walked up to the lake and came back. This took me more than an hour. I rested near our tent for a while, woke Himanshu up and then started packing up the tent. Once everything was packed and loaded on our bikes and we had our fill of coffee from one of the 3 idiots cafes, we started our journey back to Leh.

Unlike we endlessly planned, we had to take the same route to come back to Leh from Pangong and there was no way to travel on the dirt track that connected Pangong Lake with Nubra valley. So theres nothing new to write about our way back. This time however we bought a bunch of souvenirs from the army shop in Chang La when we stopped there for our free tea.

Himanshu wanted to visit a few monasteries since we had the time. Though I was not very excited about the idea, I agreed to visit a few on our way back. One thing Ive come to realize long ago about myself is that I dont care much about places of interests. Id rather be talking about the weather or on any other bullshit topic with locals in front of a small tea stall than visit a museum. Not something to be very proud of but thats me.

The first thing I love about travelling is the actual travelling. I like to experience the changes in the surroundings, people, ty-pography and things like that. Some changes are gradual while some are sudden but every time they fill me with this feeling of how insignifact I am in the grand scheme of things and how less Ive seen the world.

the tent took its time to set up Time to Pack Up!


9 Day 09

Today we are finally riding to Khardung La the high-est motor able road in the world. One may argue that Semo La is the highest motorable road and that the official height listed for Khardung La is incorrect. I dont want to argue with either of these facts. However these do not change the fact that that it takes some effort to actually reach there. Ive been dreaming of this moment for so long that I almost have had a case of over excitement and no amount of nicotine could soothe my nerves.

As usual, we were late than when we had intended to start. We filled our tanks at a fuel pump in Leh and started for Khardung La. We had hardly travelled 10 kms when the smooth black topped road gave way to a gravelled dirt track something weve gotten quite used to in the last few days. The roads are perpetually covered with running water, courtesy melting snow on both sides of the road. However, this stretch was particularly bad; potholes and broken patches of road ran for miles. The road was more like a series of mini speed-breakers made by the continuously flowing water over it. And did I mention the endless convoys and supply truck lines that hog the road? All in all, it was like playing Motocross Madness in hard mode. But then you are trying to go as high as you can on two wheels.

Once at Khardung La, we stopped there for some time to enjoy the view and free red tea served at the Highest cafeteria in the world. In fact, everything had highest in the world tag before their names the temple, the souveniour shop, the cafeteria everything! Within the next 30 minutes or so, we shot more pictures than Salvador Dali did in his entire life. We left soon af-terwards because there was still some distance to cover before we stop for the day and the thin oxygen cover at 18000+ feet wasnt helping.

Going down from Krahdung La towards Pullu was much easier even though generally it is the opposite as I must have

mentioned in one of my earlier posts. The road was

recently repaired and was comparatively straight. So we had an easy ride till North Pullu without having to maneuver much.

We stopped at North Pullu again to submit our permits. While waiting for Himanshu to catch up, I had a conversation with a group of Dutch riders while having momos in a restaurant nearby. They were a group of 8-9 bikers with support crew and back up van. They were on their way to Handur and asked us to join them for the ride. But our plan was to camp out near Penamic hot water stream tonight and visit Hondur the next day. One of the riders thought we were pretty hardcore Indians to have travelled alone this far without any back up crew. I suggest them to watch Riding solo to the top of the world so as to prove the existence of the adventurous Indian. Its just that our small group of riders/adventurers is completely shadowed by a very large group obsessed with a medical/engineering degree and a green card .

The ride to Penamic hot water spring was one of the best rides I had in the entire trip. There were trees of all hues on the both sides of the road. The road was smooth and full of jizz inducing curves. But the most awesome thing about riding in this part of the world was the high-fives. You see, up until Leh we had crossed numerous kids who would wave enthusiastically at us and wed wave back at them. Pretty normal stuff. But as you travel towards Nubra Valley, the kids would stretch out their hands for epic on-the-move high fives. I gave as many high fives as I could even after almost falling off my motorcycle once during one such moment of awesomeness. Himanshu gave out handful of candies to anyone whod come up to us.

Our actual destination Penamic spring turned out to be a complete dud. It was a sad little stream of natural hot water, blocked on all sides by ugly concrete. They have constructed the drains such that the hot water of the stream would come to the bathrooms that are constructed below where tourists can take a bath. In reality, it is the locals who wash their cloths & dirty dishes in the hot water. Such was our disappointment that even the paltry 20 rupees they charged from us to look around seemed like a rip off. There was no question of camping in.

Something to brag about back homeThe great gig in the sky


Road to the top

After a cup of tea, we decided that wed travel back 65-70 kms to Diskit and spend the night there. Himanshu was a bit worried about the fading sunlight. But to be honest, I was thrilled with the idea of riding on that road stretch again in the evening sun with all its hues and colours.

The ride to Diskit through a vast river bed that looked more like a desert had a profound impression on both of us. I tried to take pictures of the light and shade show the sun was playing that afternoon. It was fascinating to watch the mountains change their colours every minute. But no matter what settings I put my damn camera in, the pictures will never match up to the actual thing we witnessed.

We reached Diskit at around half past six and managed to find a decent guest house almost immediately. Tomorrow we plan to ride to Hundar and complete the Nubra valley route before riding back to Leh via Khardung La. We agreed that well have to start early tomorrow. Himanshu promised to wake up early. That Ill have to wait and see.

A Day 10

Despite waking up early, it was not until 9o clock that we managed to leave from the guest house at Diskit. Today well ride to Hundar to see the double hump camels. Un-like monasteries and gompas, I was actually excited to see them in real life for the first time. An hour and half later we were there among a bunch of other tourists who were enjoying their camel ride. We should have reached here sooner then we could have avoided the rush I thought to myself.

I rode my motorcycle across the stream to the area where camels were kept. While I parked my bike and took pictures of camels, the tourists nearby were more interested in getting their pictures taken next to my motorcycle

After a while, when they finally had their fill of taking pictures of/on my bike, I took it for a spin in the Nubra Valley desert. As expected, the motorcycle got stuck in the loose sand after about 500 meters. Himanshu and I had to put in all our strength to pull the motorcycle out. After fooling around in the desert sand for an hour or so, we headed back to Leh via Khardung La.

On our way back, I missed one turn and ended up riding up a wrong hill. I realized my mistake after reaching a dead end. This made me lose anot

TSP Detour - Ladakh Motorbiking & Amritsar

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