Ladakh; Kashmir; Leh; Himalaya; Buddhism; Maitreya; Dard; Nubra; Pangong; Indus; Sindhu; Kargil; Shankaracharya

भाग4: पैंग – ताग्लंगला ला – उप्शी – कारू– लेह……………12-सितम्बर

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आज हम पैंग से 185km का सफ़र तेय करके लेह पहुँच गए। लेह पहुँच कर बिना समय ख़राब किए हमारा सबसे पहला काम था “DC” ऑफिस जाना। वहाँ जाकर हमे “नुब्रा वेली” (nubra valley) और “पेंगोंग सो” (pangong so) जाने के लिए “Inner-Line Permit” लेना था। “DC” ऑफिस मे ज्यादा भीड़ तो नहीं थी पर ऑफिस बंद ना हो जाए इस बात का भय सता रहा था। ऊपर से सरकारी ऑफिसर कब अपनी सीट छोड़ कर चला जाए क्या भरोसा। सीमित छुटियाँ होने की वजह से हम एक दिन की देरी भी नहीं झेल सकते थे। हरी और मनोज ने तो दिल्ली से हेदराबाद का हवाई टिकेट भी करा दिया था। अगर देरी होती तो इन दोनों को मोटी चपत लगने वाली थी। परमिट का काम राहुल को सौंप दिया गया। मैं, हरी और मनोज “DC” ऑफिस के बाहर फ़ोटो लेने लगे।

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Motorcycle Diaries. Road to Ladakh (Sarchu – Leh)

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After 20kms of very good roads, we hit the under-construction roads. Bad, very bad they were! It was as if I was riding perennially over speed-breakers! The area appeared uninhabitable and has no construction at all, and also no population, save the migrant construction workers. Its was an extremely tiring and tedious ride; we also were forced from time to time to off-road into sand and ride wherever the roads were blocked for construction – BRO is constructing a two-lane road here. I always find riding in sand really painful and painful it was even this time. As we ascended, the road became worse – it is all under construction. Heavy amount of gravel on the road made the ride very tiring and I was in fact forced to stop several times before reaching Taglang La – the second highest motorable pass of the world. This was the worst patch to ride till now.

Despite a mild headache (one shouldn’t wait at high Passes in such case), I rested at the Pass for a good 15minutes. I needed it, badly!

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