Travelling through Ladakh - Part 2 Pangong Tso and Nubra Valley

To read the first part go to https://thefitfoodietravelscom.wpcomstaging.com/travelling-through-ladhak-part-1-leh

To read the top things to do in Ladakh go to https://thefitfoodietravelscom.wpcomstaging.com/things-to-do-in-ladakh

Day 4

The cab guy was late. I was getting super annoyed. I called my local contact who said that the driver was on his way already. I was unable to connect to the driver and it was testing my patience. We were standing on the street and a massive traffic jam was building up. Finally, our driver came who was waiting at some other point. Our common contact hadn't bothered to actually connect us or share my location.

Bad start. Five minutes into the drive our driver Namgyal, thankfully confirmed that we were going to Nubra. We said NO! We weren't. We were going to Pangong. We kept thinking for a while that he was pulling our leg only to realise he wasn't. He was given the wrong information that we were going to Nubra. We had to turn around and change our route.

Namgyal told us how going to Nubra first is more optimum with distance and time. I decided to keep that in mind for my retreat. We were stopped to show our permit. Something went wrong with Surya's and we had to wait for a while. Surya had a payment receipt but she wasn't coming up on their database. Finally, they decided to let us go.

Surya had severe motion sickness and she slept through most of the ride. There was a traffic jam again on top of the mountain. I stood out side enjoying the view and looking at Stok Kangri and hoping one day I will climb it.

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After a good 10 minutes wait, we started moving again. The roads were scary, but the view was amazing! Soon, snow was not just on mountain tops but right next to us because we were on mountain tops! And we reached Chang la. The mountain pass to get into Pangong.

I got out and started taking pictures quickly before the other tourist hordes joined in. I was wearing a thick track pants and crop co-ords. As we were taking pictures, an army personel asked me if I wasn't feeling cold. I told him that my clothes were quite warm and joked saying can take a little discomfort for pictures. We laughed at it. He introduced himself and told about the pass. Then Surya and I went into the snow and took pictures. At some point we were going knee deep in snow. She was freaking out. We warmed ourselves with some hot chocolate and maggi at the cafeteria. It looked like it was going to snow but after waiting for a bit we realised it wasn't going to and we moved on.

It was almost lunch time but I guess maggi was our lunch for the day. Once we descended, the drive became even more beautiful. We saw herds of yak grazing down in the valley. We stopped for lunch at a random place on the way. Food was below average but there aren't really many options available. The view was beautiful and that helped me somehow eat my dal chawal.

After a while we came across this absolutely gorgeous landscape with goats grazing on it. A goat started chasing Surya and even wanted to get into our car! Poor creatures had been habituated to tourists giving them random things to eat. I had nothing and even if I did, I wouldn't give human food to these animals who might fall sick.

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Soon the grassy land turned into desert and there we could see Pangong coming up. The view was just mind blowing! No amount of pictures were doing justice to it. We went by the lake side and the photo shoot began. I can't even explain how many pictures we took. pose, angle and backdrop.

Of course the 3 idiots movie had made this spot super popular and now there were the movie inspired props to take pictures with. And of course, we did it too!

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We met a couple and I offered to take their pictures. We realized the girl was from Hyderabad and has her home really close to mine. What are the odds of it? They were interested to know that I was a fitness coach and we exchanged phone numbers.

It took forever to find our tents the World Attic. There were no proper sign boards and we kept driving in circles. After a good 10 minutes we found it. It was bloody cold and I couldn't wait to snuggle under blankets.

As we were unloading our stuff, Namgyal the driver said that thin and fit people tend to have lesser issues with AMS than overweight people. Leaner people acclimatise to the altitude better. Not sure if this information is correct. I have heard about lean and fit people falling sick too.

The layout of the tents with the gorgeous mountains for a backdrop was just so stunning. I was amazed at that view. We bundled ourselves into multiple layers and sat snuggled in the bed. Surya was struggling with the cold and kept curling up to stay warm. She mentioned how my pictures and blogs sound so glamorous and adventurous but the reality was a lot of struggle behind the scenes too. I agree, there are a lot of things that go wrong, don't go your way when you are travelling. But honestly, That is my adventure. The challenges, the tricks that we learn to get out of them make our holidays so much more special.

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Suddenly, strong winds hit and our tent started shaking and bellowing and we wondered if we will be able to sleep in the night. Dinesh, the manager came in and gave us a hot water bag each to cuddle with and another set of blankets. He told us that it seldom gets so windy in May. It was our lucky day! Thankfully, it stopped soon. We had to step out to the dining area for dinner. Food turned cold the moment it hit our plates, we had to wait long for rotis which by the way was a bad idea. If you eat rotis, you will have to take out gloves and wash your hands!

Back into bed and to my book. Loving how much time I am getting to read. This is my dream life, read for hours every day. But this place has no power. The generator comes on between 7-11 pm and if you are lucky, you can charge your phones. There was no switch in the room and I was getting annoyed that I couldn't switch off the light. Now, no worries! No power!

Surya was sitting in the bed and screaming out, ordering warm water. I didn't want to drink water because I didn't want to go to the bathroom! It suddenly started snowing outside and I ran out to look. But, couldn't see anything and honestly felt like light drizzle on my skin. I decided to get back into bed and sleep. It was not even 9pm yet!

Day 5

I woke up at 3:30 am and lied in bed waiting for some light. The sunrise was at 4:30 and I decided to get moving. As luck would have it, the water supply in my tent wasn't working and it was too early to ask the staff for water. So, I took my bucket into the dining area and took all the water from every water jug! Let me say I was frozen at the end of it. After freshening up, I walked out to look at the view, which as expected - extraordinary.

I walked around taking pictures. My fingers were going numb and I chose warmth over photography. As I stood soaking the two rays of sunshine, I met Sunidhi from Bangalore, who was travelling with her family. We talked about travels, family and careers.

Meanwhile the cars were started and kept running by all the drivers there. It was so cold that, they had to do it to make it out of that place. I could hear some cars struggling. What a nightmare to be stuck there with no help around for a long long stretch.

By 8am, it was blazing hot and we were ready to leave. The drive was through mountainous roads and Surya was very motion sick. She couldn't find her pill and we had to stop to let her throw up. We passed by the Shyok river and Namgyal offered to take my pictures.

The best part of the drive was the drive on the river bed. Namgyal explained how in summers the river bed fills with water post 12pm. The drive was insane and I had a great time watching how all these drivers were navigating through it, while every few kilometres a team sat to move the rubble if need be.

We stopped outside Agham for some tea and bread and omelette. We saw some hilarious toursists there. Someone who was dressed in every colour of the rainbow and someone who told her husband to teach the kitchen staff to make an omelette. "Ise sikhaoo baby, yeh kachcha hai!"

I was having a great time watching how my brain worked translating the various languages I was hearing. Tamil, Kannadda, Telugu, Marathi. As we moved on, we saw a WagonR struggling on the road. Not even the river bed, but on the small stretch of road with rubble. In a while we realised that it was not just the driver, but five people in that car! Out of which 3 were senior citizens. We were laughing and stressing out to think what their condition would be on the river bed.

Just before we hit our hotel, we stopped at Diskit monastery. We just went up to the statue of Maitreyi and skipped going up to Diskit. We were tired, Surya specially so. I decided to hike it up when I come again on the retreat. The food was on some spot on the way. Really really bad. This is going to be a challenge when the retreat happens. Food on the road isn't great.

Just before hitting the hotel, we stopped for the camel rides. Stinky, loud creatures! We spoke, paid and got unto a camel each. It is an experience that you can't forget! You are challenging gravity when the camel rises or sits down. My camel was temperamental and was used to standing up too quick so the handler asked me to climb on it. Well, she was a mother whose baby was at home but she was confusing a baby here to be hers.

We had a hilarious incident where another group of 3 men on camels had one of their camel run towards it's baby and my camel thinking the baby was hers, ran behind it. It is hilarious in hindsight but it was terrifying then!

We ran around on the sand dunes and did some Bollywood style photography.

Finally we checked into Snow Leopard hotel. What a beautiful beautiful place! This is the first place where I am getting to do what I really want to. How a holiday should be. Sitting in the sun, reading a book in the balcony.

After a while we found Tridev on TV and obviously watched it while eating some room service pakodes. Dinner time Surya wasn't hungry so I went down for a quick meal.

Day 6

I woke up at 4:45 am. Better than most days here now. We got ready and went down to breakfast. We came across a nutcase Kannadda aunty. I heard her comment on my clothes to her husband in Kannadda. I just turned around and asked her what she had said. Nothing more. She lost it and started screaming that I was conscious of my body and clothes and was imagining everyone commenting on me. It was hilarious! I hadn't even told her what I thought the conversation was about. Look who was caught!

I had bought this pack of Ladakhi biscuits from Alchi and had been carefully carrying them around. Surya dropped her bag on it today and I just got so very upset. It takes me a long while to calm down when I get really angry. We stopped by a little stream on the way and sat for a bit and moved on to Khardung La.

It was extremely cold, I could feel breathing get a little laborious. Saw quite a few people struggling for breath while there fellow travellers were only focussed on taking pictures. I wasn't happy with the pictures but couldn't care in my current mood. I bought some souvenirs and moved on. I had a bad headache again. I wanted to take a picture with Stok in the background but forgot about it.

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We saw a couple with a toddler on a bike. The baby was crying and it was extremely worrying to think what the baby must be going through in that cold and lack of oxygen. People can be so stupid. The air was beautiful and crisp but Surya was cold, so had to keep the windows shut. I spent my time talking to the driver and planning my retreat.

We were back in our room in Leh by 2:45 in the afternoon and I sat reading. In the last three days, I really understood why people love doing bike trips here. The view is incredible and you can make the most of it on a bike where you have access to the whole 360 degrees!

Sat in the room and relaxed for a bit and booked a taxi for the Stok palace visit tomorrow. Left at 5 and decided to check out the local Ladakhi food place recommended by Toshi. We knew it was somewhere near the market so mapped it to there. On the way, we stopped by multiple little stores that made the local bread and sold it freh. Tasted it and loved it! Unfortunately they were sold out for the day and we decided to buy some the next day.

We had reached the market, but now, we had no clue. We kept asking and people kept guiding us. Best was the help we received from a sweater shop lady, who actually left her store unattended to take us to the doorstep of this eatery. So sweet! Can't imagine anyone doing that so easily. When I asked what would happen to her customers, she replied saying, she might lose one customer which was fine to help someone out. What a big heart!

This was a cute, little hole in the wall place with a max seating of 10 at a time maybe. We ordered the Yarkandi pulao and paba and tangtur. This is a vegetarian place, so the options were limited to that. Yarkandi pulao is a local Ladakhi delicacy and Paba is a local staple made of wheat and peas and served with Tangtur which is essentially buttermilk. Their water had some herbs in them and reminded me of Kerala.

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Once done, we walked down and came across a crockery store. We both went cray cray there! Shopped till we dropped or rather as much as we could carry back. I quickly popped in to thank the sweater lady again. We walked a little ahead and stopped at a Jewellery store. We both picked what we wanted and then I got into an argument with the shopkeeper which turned quite heated. I couldn't understand why I was getting so wild and angry. I was saying and behaving in a way I don't usually. I had been feeling the cloud of depression coming on me the last few days. I had been fighting it but it was rearing it's ugly head.

I walked into the Tibetan market and found another store. Same jewellery and same prices, better discounts and options. Bought gifts for people back home. I was looking for Thangka paintings but couldn't find it anywhere. We stopped at a Pashmina store, I was exhausted and was dying to just get back. I bought a pashmina mix shawl, something that fit my budget. But honestly, who knows if it was really Pashmina? We also saw a store with local artefacts and I went in to ask for paintings, which they didn't have. Surya got into looking at jewellery which lasted thirty minutes.

Finally we started moving and I saw Bodhi greens, a vegan restaurant I had been wanting to try. I went up while Surya went to another store to shop. I went in to this beautiful space filled with amazing art. Photographs that were breath-taking. I sat and broke down. Couldn't stop sobbing.

I met Hans the owner and the German chef. Heard their background story and how the place came to be about. So inspiring and teaches you about believing in your dreams and persevering. I had a miso soup which was delicious.

My thumb was splitting open because of the cold and didn't seem to be healing. Couldn't wait to get back to warm climate. I sobbed myself to sleep. Probably will need to go back to my therapist too.

Day 7

I woke up at 2:45 am. Sleep has been non existent this holiday. ( I came to know later that it could probably have been because of altitude sickness.) But, this day was worse. Woke up and just started crying.

I had planned to hike up to Shanti stupa and I left soon after sunlight. I suddenly felt so free and relieved. I think I need to be be able to have some alone time, to be out in the open or else it starts taking a toll on me. It was great to see so many people out and jogging up to Shanti stupa. Cute doggos everywhere, who were unfortunately very scared and wary of everyone.

The walk was extremely pleasant and the view as always, worth the effort. I asked a girl who had come to pray to take my pictures. I felt so at peace and happy. There is a small meditation room, where I spent a while, letting my mind be at ease and meditate.

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Once I got back, there was no hot water. I took the plunge and took a cold water shower. It was shocking at first, but felt so refreshingly good! I wanted to eat at Leh cafe, but we couldn't find it. Finally settled at Rendezvous German bakery where I ordered a Israeli breakfast and Surya ordered a pasta.

Suddenly a couple came and introduced me to them. Apparently he was my second cousin! Crazy that he recognised me, I obviously didn't.

In a while Tenzin, the driver who had taken us to Magnetic hill came to pick us up to go to Stok palace. First we stopped by the huge Buddha statue and then into the palace. Surya was on a work call so I walked in myself. There was a guided tour of the public section of the palace. The rest of the property is used as a heritage hotel.

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It was beautiful to see all the artefacts and read about the history. I loved all their kitchen vessels and wanted to carry some back home! Surya joined in a bit and we went into the private monastery. We chatted with the super friendly monk there who told us about the history of the place and the thangka painting.

We got Tenzin to drop us back into the market area and we walked through the Tibetan market, shopping and looking around. We stopped at the roti guy and ordered for a few biscuits for us to take back home. Decided to pick them up on our way to hotel in the evening.

Surya hadn't gone to Leh palace, se we started walking up that way. On the way, I noticed Thangka painting and we stopped at a store. The owner showed us around, told the process and got us some butter tea. I even bought a few paintings for myself and as gifts.

Day 7 continuation

We walked a bit towards the palace but Surya was tired and we turned back. As we were shopping, Surya noticed swelling on her hands. She asked me the reason that could happen, and I gave her a few. She was worried that it was AMS or Acute Mountain sickness.

I told her that it couldn't be possible because we had been there for a week now. In a bit she started panicking and hyperventilating. A local man sitting in the market with his baby came to help us. He sat with Surya while I went into a medical shop to get an oxygen pump. She was getting scared and not breathing in properly. I decided it was time to head to the hospital. The friendly man told me where the taxi stand was and it would have taken me 10 minutes to go get one. I told Surya to sit and calmly breathe while I get one. We had no other option you see! But she started crying and wouldn't let me leave.

I was stressed but also getting impatient and angry. I am known as the action person not the one with emotions in such situations. That man was god sent and he offered to go get the taxi. He ran with his baby and got us Tanzing. Who was again another god sent gift. Tanzing helped me with billing, buying medicines, getting food and even wheeling Surya in and out of the hospital.

Initially they treated her for AMS but soon realised she was dehydrated and her oxygen levels were low. Flashback to me telling her a million times this trip that she doesn't drink enough water!

In the middle of all this the doctor asked me if I was a celebrity?! I was like whaaaat?!! She said I looked like one. It was hilarious.

The best part, Surya asking me to go buy the biscuits before the store shuts while we didn't yet know what was wrong with her. SMH.

She was discharged at 12:30 am. I had gone in the middle and packed our luggages. We had a flight at 6:30 am and I was finally at peace when it took off, only to be brought back to reality with the cacophony of a Gujju family planning their next holiday.

That brings us to the end of an adventurous holiday in so many ways! Ladakh should be on everyone's bucket list!