The one with the Leh trip - Part 2
(F.R.I.E.N.D.S)
Day 6: 29/07/2010
It was a usual
morning for Leh but special one for us. For us it was “Pangong Tso” day. In
Tibetan “Tso” refers to lake as “La” refers to mountain pass. This lake came to
prominence among Indian bollywood fans after the release of movie “3 Idiots”.
At around 8, we took off in 2 cabs. Pangong Tso is around 150 kms from Leh.
Roads in the region are better than expectations and BRO is taking good care of
them. While moving uphill, shadow of clouds on barren mountains present a rare
and magnificent view. My taxi was ahead
of other one and we couldn’t see them following us two hours in to the journey.
So we took a break near a water stream and click few pics. Half an hour later,
we saw them coming and on enquiring, came to know that their taxi’s tyre got
punctured (P-2). We started moving together after that break towards the mighty
Chang La. This is world’s 3rd highest pass and 3rd
highest of our trip too. Just before reaching Changla, one can see an abandoned
rusted jeep with more than half of it covered in snow on the mountain side. It
started snowing for 5-10 minutes and stopped as soon as we reached Changla.
Indian army is the proud host of the place and they offer tea for free to every
traveler. Similar to other high altitude passes, one can find a small temple
there too. Sign boards are placed mentioning the relevance of the place and
informing travelers about the do’s and don’ts. The snow was fresh and so were
the trails on it. We took a break there for about half an hour and then moved
on towards Pangong.
The road
passed through a valley with a little population. Barren mountains on both
sides, greenery in a contained zone on the both sides of flowing stream and
horses grazing on the grass with no one to restrict them. Something which we
have seen often on TV but never in real. The serpentine roads finally lead us
to the beautiful Pangong valley. High altitude 135 kms long fresh water lake,
1/3rd in India and 2/3rd in China with even higher mountains
rising in the background. There were just a few tents selling maggy, dal chawal
and water bottles in the name of habitation. Deep into the road along the lake
lies Indo-China border so no civilians allowed after specific point. A sight
and place which cannot be described in words. We had our share of fun at the
bank of the lake and then headed towards the tent restaurant. When we were
waiting for our order, we found an Indian family littering the area. Santa and
pax (hope I remember it correctly) went up to them, picked up the water bottle
they threw and gifted them back along with a small lecture which we are proud
of till today. We headed back to Leh at around 3 PM. On reaching back to our
guest house “Shangrila”, we packed up our luggage, cleared payments with the
owner and loaded our stuff in our cab. Someone among us checked the parking
spot of Innova to look for any diesel spot which we observed 3 days back at
Tandi fuel station but couldn’t find any.
Our plan was
to take the Srinagar route while returning as Manali to Leh road was in pretty
bad shape and given the time constraints we had to travel overnight from Leh to
Srinagar. Mahak and Santa left for Leh bazaar to get our dinner packed while we
waited near the IOCL fuel station of Leh after getting the tank full. Pax and
Tills were happily singing the “Indian Oil meri pehchan h” song like the rest
of their journey. Even after 1.5 hrs there were no sign of Santa and Mahak
returning which made most of us happy since in case they are not coming back
because of any reason, we need not adjust 7 guys anymore on seats meant for 6
people. Once they were back, we were ready for a long or I should say the
longest stretch of our non-stop travel. We left Leh at around 10.30 PM. Soon we
left the city and only source of light was our cab’s headlamps. We never knew
when Magnetic hill arrived and left. I don’t remember there were many vehicles
on the route. No sign boards, no habitation, no co-vehicles on the road. Then
started the horror story session in the middle of the cold desert at midnight.
All these were meant to keep the driver occupied and awake. For a couple of
times on our journey we encountered road junctions with no sign board and
nobody to guide through the correct road. Mr. Sher Singh took his shots. The
night was awesome. At around 3 AM we got flat tyre (P-3). We were somewhere in
Kashmir but nowhere near life. We picked up our torch and helped Sher Singh
changing the tyre.
Day 7: 30/07/2010
At around 4.30
AM we entered the much famous city of Kargil. Kargil is a very beautiful city
situated at the bank of a river Indus. We stopped at IOCL fuel station to tank
up. While someone tried to take a nap, loyal employees of IOCL Pax and Tills talked
to the fuel station staff. Surprisingly the fuel station guys didn’t ask for
money after knowing Pax and Tills work with IOCL which we realized just when we
left the fuel station. We stopped and paid them for the diesel. At the fuel
station we noticed that diesel in still leaking from the tank. Further analysis
revealed that when the Innova is parked uphill or moving uphill, tank is not
leaking but as soon as ground is flat it leaks. We all thanked god that we
didn’t ran out of fuel last night when we were travelling through some of the
most remote regions of J & K. As it was very early in the morning, we
decided to get the tank fixed in Dras which was around 40 kms from Kargil. As
soon as we entered Dras, one of us noticed the signboard placed by the Indian
government saying “Caution – Enemy is watching you” instilling a different
sense of patriotism for the country and cautioning about the closeness of Dras
to LOC. We stopped at puncture repair shop to get the stepny fixed as well
bought MSeal to fix leaking tank. Some of us vanished in the nearby bushes to
get relieved of morning duties. One can see the very famous Tiger hill from the
road. People were so polite and town was so calm and beautiful that it was hard
to believe that such a fierce battle was fought at the same location a decade
back. There is Kargil war memorial in Dras which we couldn’t visit because of
time constraints.
Soon we kept
moving. At around 8 AM we stopped in small meadow just along the road to
stretch out a bit. It was 10 hrs ago we left Leh and driver didn’t took the
much needed rest. We decide to halt there for some time. A couple of patrolling
parties of Indian Army passed by keeping a vigil look. The place was a real
picnic spot, small and clean meadow between snow-capped peaks. While few of us
were busy eating the remains of aloo paranthas from dinner last night Tills and
pax was busy putting mseal on the leaking tank. We were still hopeful to see
some the Pakistani border posts with LMG pointing out of it on the mountains
but got no success. May be they got to see the middle fingers which few of us
showed them even under the fear of getting our ass shot. Soon we were on our
way towards Zozila pass. There is a J & K police barricade few kms before
the zozila pass which opens for a specific period of day and allows for traffic
to pass. Our driver unknowingly hurt the sentiments of the police constable
posted over there in some way which forced us to stop at the barricade and made
us request the constable to open the barricade as he told us to wait for
another 2 hours. He responded to our request giving tough looks to the driver.
Diesel tank was still leaking. We were moving out of Ladakh district and moving
towards Kashmir. The barren mountains were slowly wearing the blanket of lush
green trees.
Just after
crossing Zozila pass, we got stuck in a long traffic jam. Road near Zozila pass
is not so wide and so at some place only one vehicle can pass at a time. To
manage the traffic was the very reason for the barricade which I mentioned
about. Traffic moved slowly. Few kms later, the temporary settlement of Baltal
was visible to us which was just below the mountain where we were stuck. Some
army convoy was to cross because of which other vehicles were made to wait.
National security first. The traffic jam not at all like the one which we
encounter in our city lives. No one was in a hurry to overtake other. No
parallel vehicles standing. People not arguing with each other or honking unnecessarily.
A truck driver gave us a desi remedy to fix our leaking tank. He rubbed a piece
of soap on a cloth and applied some mustard oil assuring us that it will fix
the leaking tank. He did that without expecting anything in return. We had half
a bottle of rum which we (Mambo) picked up from TillsB place and was considered
as evil blaming to be behind this leaking tank. We gave that bottle to the
truck driver in exchange of the help he offered to us. We got down and Santa
hit a conversation with an Indian Army soldier posted in the nearby area. He
asked us to visit Amarnath too as we were already at the base camp and told us
that they make return journey to Amarnath cave in a day from here (16 kms one
way). We discussed on various issues ranging from political to geographical. It
was around 4 PM that the army convoy finally arrived and was the biggest I had
ever seen. When the traffic started moving we got nearer to the Baltal base
camp. The place was heavily armoured. Indian soldiers with LMG’s were on vigil
stationed at their camouflaged bunkers and others were on foot carrying
automatic weapons.
Soon we
entered the Sonmarg valley. High green meadows on both sides. “Madras Warriors”
carved out loud on the meadows if I correctly remember. We had left barren
mountains behind. We asked if Sonmarg is this amazing, how good is Gulmarg
going to be. We stopped at a small restaurant in Sonmarg at around 4.30 to eat,
our last meal being the dinner last night. An army patrolling party passed by
looking at us. We continued moving. We were about to enter Srinagar. Suddenly a
couple of guys dressed in Kashmiri attire came in front of our car and stopped
it. Few of us really got scared, but the driver didn’t. One on them asked for
Rs.10 as a toll fee and gave us a receipt. We were relieved but unaware of the
fact that this relief is short term. Kashmir is really heaven on earth and
again can’t be described in words. We travelled around the circumference of Dal
lake but didn’t stopped. Santa’s wish to eat “Bhutta” at the banks of Dal lake didn’t
come true. It was big and beautiful. Because of the ongoing stone pelting
incidents in the valley, it was advisable to cross Srinagar in daylight as
curfew was imposed in Srinagar a day ago. While we crossed the town, police
were preparing to place barbed wire on streets giving impression that curfew is
going to be imposed soon.
On leaving
Srinagar behind, we thought we’d left the Kashmir issue behind too which was
not the case. On the outskirts of Srinagar lies Pampur, a region famous for its
saffron fields, claimed to produce the world's best saffron. As we entered
Pampur at around 6-6.30 PM, there was a long queue of vehicles. We thought it
was a normal jam, we got out and stretched a bit. Soon we got to know that
people in Pampur village are holding agitation and blockade. We didn’t leave
the tension behind; we were in the center of it. Cars and buses coming from
that area were having broken glasses and deep dents. While few of us tried to
make the situation light making plan A, plan B and plan C of escape, others got really
scared. A couple of us even made their last wish and 2 minute sequence of their
complete life flashed before their eyes. We can’t go back as curfew was imposed
in Srinagar and can’t move ahead because of the violent agitation. Few people on
bikes crossed us and said the agitation is over. We thought of moving but
fellow (local) people advised us to stay as according to them it was just a
trick of the agitating mob to draw people to their area. We stayed back. Few
damaged vehicles were still coming from that side of village. It was good that
we stayed. We didn’t see any police or army unit passing by and moving towards
the area which was our only hope. We kept waiting.
Soon, vehicles
ahead of us started moving, and we followed them. As we approached the village
we could see closed shops and burning tyres on the road. Stones lying
everywhere on the road. As we moved, we heard a loud voice like something hit
us. A big dent appeared on the right side of our cab very close to the rear
window. Sandy almost fainted. Sher Singh pressed the accelerator. Even the sound
of gear shifting could be heard in the silent cab. All of us sitting near the
windows picked up our backpacks and took cover of them in the event a side
glass breaks. Moments later, another stone hit us and left a dent. Bold Sher
Singh didn’t get scared at all and cruised through the road. Soon we were out
of the place safe and alive. It took 10 minutes for us to come out with a word.
We moved ahead. It got dark and our driver needed to take rest, he was driving
since last night 10 PM and didn’t get a chance to sleep. We crossed Jawahar tunnel.
After driving for another 100 odd kms, we reached Banihal. There was a guest
house on the outskirts. Not many people around and not much lighted. None of us
had the courage to go upstairs and ask for accommodation. We kept moving.
Minutes later we crossed a government rest house. We enquired, 2 rooms were
available. We checked in. It was around 9.30 PM. Few people can be seen on
road. A Punjabi dhaba was open just in front of our rest house, we all went for
dinner. The food was really good and satisfying given all that happened in the
last 4 hours. The sleep was satisfying too.
Day 8: 31/07/2010
Next morning
was a little lazy for all of us. We took our time, clicked few pics and got
ready. A soldier was visible to us in the first floor of the building opposite to
us who was guarding the area. As we got ready, some congress party delegation
entered the rest house campus and gathered over the rest house lawn. Some
meeting was scheduled at the place. We decided to move out quickly of the area
as the environment didn’t look calm. As soon as we loaded our luggage in our
cab, driver noticed that we got a flat tyre again (P-4). A shop was nearby as
we got the puncture fixed. On the way, one can easily see the army bunkers with
soldiers keeping an eye on the surroundings. Before reaching patni top, we
bought some fruits from a road side vendor. Patni top was all covered under
clouds and high Deodar trees. We crossed Udhampur. Puncture tradegy struck
again (P-5) as well as it started raining. Tills dropped his phone in water
while getting out of Innova and was unaware of that. Pax asked about his phone and then only
he realized that his phone is missing. He found it back but the phone was not working.
Nokia express music 5800 was new and one of best ones those days. Sher Singh
replaced the tyre with the stepny amid high rains. Raincoat came to use for the
first and the last time on the trip.
Few hours
later, we got flat tyre again (P-6). We were lucky to find a shop nearby. We
got both the flat tyre and the stepny fixed. Taxi owner was informed about the
puncture tradegy at the very same point and dissatisfaction was conveyed. We
moved ahead. While on our way to Jalandhar, we overtook an Artillery unit of
army. It was carrying some big guns/canons with it. At around 10 PM we again
got flat tyre near a petrol pump (P-7). Driver replaced it with the stepny. Few
kms later, the tragedy continued and the type got punctured again (P-8). Now we
neither had a stepny in the back and the puncture repair shop was closed. We
took refuge near a restaurant. Pax and Mambo had their flight next morning from
Delhi and so they had to reach there before time. We asked them to board a bus
going to Delhi which they agreed to as no other option was there. We
slept/spent our night with big mosquitoes in Innova hoping the puncture repair
shop will be open early morning.
Day 9: 01/08/2010
It was early
in the morning. We waited outside the shop. At around 6.30 AM the owner came to
our rescue fixing the problem and we left the place. The day was non-eventful.
We were tired enough. Came to know that Mambo was able to catch the flight but
Pax missed it. We reached Panipat and dropped Tills. As soon as we reached outer
Delhi and were on the outer ring road we got flat tyre again (P-9) at around 3
PM. This was the most irritating moment of our journey. We were so tired and
the hot sun added to our misery. We were in the middle of busy outer ring road
changing our tyre and a group of houseflies attacked us. We just wanted to
reach home ASAP. Sher Singh replace the tyre and we were back on the road. We
dropped Santa at the Metro station. Matta got down at his point. Mahak and I were
at home at around 5 PM. We settled our payments with Sher Singh, thanking him
for his support throughout one the most memorable 9 days of our life.
