Wander through India : NORTHERN EXPEDITION 2014 : DAY VI .... on the epic MANALI LEH HIGHWAY

# DAY VI: Jispa-Leh sector

#32. What do one say about this most famous of all sections , where the average elevation is 4000 mts and one crosses five mighty passes in a single day , where the vehicle struggles and the driver clutches the steering wheel with utmost dedication all the way , where there is something known as the More plains which is not called as a Highway but rather a Runway and at the same time there is the mountain , tones of it all over which ensure that the steering wheel is never steady but rather moving at all times to keep the tires of the vehicle on the centre of a road that snakes its way through the terrain climbing , falling but moving ahead all the time .This is the land of the BRO and GREF who keep the paths open for people like us to traverse the passes and the lakes .

#33. We started from Jispa just as the sun was coming up . The clock read 0600 hours and the light was just perfect to start the journey. After a quick good bye we were off passing through the sleepy town of Jispa. Soon we were speeding up as I wanted to cover as much as possible as early as possible . The first target of the day was Deepak Taal which as per my notings was supposed to come after 32 kms . Darcha was reached by 0630 and we could see a sprinkling of Taxis and a bus standing , I guess there is some place to spend the night even at Darcha. Deepak Taal was our first stop of the day and I was getting worried when I was unable to see it and eventually we spotted a guy in shorts on his morning run on the Leh Manali Highway , now this is something I was really envious for I could imagine his stamina for this , anyways we asked him about Deepak Taal and he said that it is just a few minutes ahead near to the ITBP camp.

#34. Deepak Taal in the early morning cold, well my fingers were abusing me for subjecting them to the cold body of the camera as I went about clicking some early morning snaps, there were two tents and a cycle which suggested that some cyclists had camped for the night next to the lake, personally I feel a lot of cold so somehow am unable to relate to the concept of camping unless it is absolutely mandatory.

#35. After Deepak Taal we were on our way to the Lake of the Sun , Suraaj Taal. As we were still in Himachal , the lakes were called Taal instead of the Tibetan word Tso. The road went on and on twisting and turning as we climbed higher and higher into the Pir Panjal, a red Logan in a world of brown mountains and white snow beneath the electric blue sky. The vistas were spectacular desolate and often breathtaking. Zing Zing bar was reached by 0730 and we decided that this was a good enough place to have a cuppa of hot chai . The pleasure of having tea on lonely mountain roads , now this is a different altogether , it gives a totally different perspective to the moment as one holdsa hot cup of tea in the hand and gazes upon the mountains of snow spread across the entire vision of the eyes.

#36. Suraaj Taal was reached by 0830 and I found it much more inspiring than Deepak taal , the lake has its own unique long sharp features and was shimmering in the morning sunlight. Soon after we were at Baralacha La , our second pass of the trip situated at a height of 16040 ft. Baralacha La was totally empty, devoid of any human presence other than us and the Indomitable. It shimmered in the morning sunlight as the sunrays reflected off it and the towering peaks of snow all around. A extremely lonely and lovely place it definitely leaves its mark on all those who visit.

#37. Post Baralacha we started descending and were continued onwards, the road conditions were satisfactory, at par with the terrain that we were crossing and I was deliberately not subjecting the Indomitable to any kind of a undue stress . We crossed the much read about Killing Sarai Bridge by 1000 hrs and thereafter reached Sarchu as the clock struck eleven. Prior to reaching Sarchu we came upon numerous camps, neatly arranged and erected for the weary traveler who stops at Sarchu for the night . Sarchu was our breakfast break and we had a well deserved stop after covering a distance of 88 Kms.

#38. The heat had built up by the time we reached Sarchu and after a sumptuous breakfast we were ready to move ahead . The Tsarap river by this time was giving us company as she had come flowing from the Zanskar all the way. She radiated a seductive emerald blue shimmer off the falling sun rays and each pebble in her rocky bed was visible to the naked eye . If only we had time, a most fruitful effort could have been spent walking along her banks and indulging in some great photographic clicks. But alas that was not be and we marveled at her brilliance and beauty from the splendid Leh Manali Highway itself.

#39. After around eight km from Sarchu we came to the next famous landmark well acquainted to all those who have read about this region or travelled out here – the TWING TWING BRIDGE on the Tsarap. We soon moved along and were bombarded with anecdotes and proverbs by BRO all the way, they kept appearing with regular alacrity and I did wonder which department within the BRO looks after slogan inventing or do they have a monthly contest of sorts going on within for selecting the best slogans. The roadside humor in slogans really kept the spirits up .The landscape were truly inspiring now with the wind eroded mountains forming eerie shapes and giving company to the Tsarap as well as us . The traffic was light and we kept speeding up stopping in between for the photographic clicks. I was behind the schedule by around an hour which I hoped to make up soon. The Brandy and whisky nullahs were crossed soon enough, a mere shadow of their former formidable glory I am sure.

#40. Soon we were at the Gata Loops and here we bid goodbye to the Tsarap as she turned northwards towards the distant mountains and we turned eastwards to ascend on the Gata Loops, a series of 21 hair pin that gain altitude. Some one had said that there were numerous shortcuts and people offroading do use them . So I was eager to have a look at them, not that I was going to attempt any . I was trying to see how many loops can be seen at once and I think not more than 4-5 can be captured in a single frame, though I tried to find the best possible vantage point but then with the traffic that we encountered out here it was not ethical to stop frequently to inconvenience the truckers for whom momentum up slope was the most important factor of all .

#41. The loops continued for the next hour as the steering wheel kept turning from clockwise to anticlockwise and back again without any respite in between .The scenery was spectacular as we kept climbing. Soon we reached our third Pass of the trip, by now we were ready to enter the State of Jammu & Kashmir. Nakee la (4750 mt above sea level) .The pass was neither windy nor crowded, so we spent some time just soaking in the feeling and looking around. Thereafter we started descending and soon we were ascending yet again and reached our fourth pass Lachung La.(16000 ft ) situated around 8 kms from Nakee La .The heat had picked up by now and the pass was definitely dusty yet pretty . The pass offered great views of the Ladakh plateau and the Zanskar range of the Himalaya. The camera went just click click all the while .

#42. The clock read 1430 and I knew that I was late , for Pang was supposed to be reached by lunch time but then what does one do when he is a first timer on the Leh Manali Highway and it is a clear day with breathtaking views all around , to fall behind in the schedule is the only natural thing to do J

#43. Anyways soon we entered the canyons of the Ladakh plateau which formed the gateway to Pang, the Tar road had long disappeared and we were confronted with awe inspiring rock formations acting as guardians of the highway which snaked through the foothills of these mountain blocks. The play of shadow and light was excellent .Kangla Jal was approached soon and I was so happy to see in reality what I used to read about or see in photographs. Soon after Kangla Jaal we met a few old friends and it was such a great feeling to meet someone whom you know this way and in this place of all the places.

#44. Pang was reached by 1600 hrs and we decided to have a late lunch. The road condition was really deteriorated all the way after Gata Loops till Pang. I was told that the road was excellent post pang once we had ascended the mountains. The butter smooth roads awaited us at More Plains and with that thought in mind which gave a real good feeling we hogged onto the Maggi and the hot tea.

#45. At pang my friends came back to have a tete-a-tete and it was such a touching moment that they turned back to spend some more time with me , really felt very happy from within . Soon we started from Pang and ascended the climb towards More Plains , it was evening and the sun was on its descent for the end of a lovely day over Ladakh plateau . The scenic beauty was incomparable and the black tarmac of More plains stood out boldly in the evening sun rays. We were soon either speeding onward else stopping or clicking photographs as we continued towards Taglang La.

#46. Diebrieng was soon crossed by which was the route towards Tso Kar and the Chumangthang Plains, but that was for later .For today it was Leh that was our focus. Taglangla the highest pass of my life and also for the Indomitable, the pass which stood at 17000 plus feet above sea level gazing down mightily at all those who attempted it. Taglang la was super windy and cold . It required an effort to stand outside the vehicle at the summit, but the views were super awesum. Tanglang la proved to be the coldest and the windiest till now as it reminded us of the power of the Himalaya and nature. Soon we were on our way, the time by now was 1830 hrs and the evening light was fading as we continued our descent towards Rumtse , soon we were crossing villages of Gya , rumtse in the gathering darkenss and Karu came in view which was the turn off for the route to Pangong Tso.

#47. Night had fallen and there was absolutely no traffic lights nor any sort of a light as we continued our journey onwards.In the darkness concentrating on the road I was unable to keep a trace of the places that went by .Eventually reached Chogmalsar by 2000 hrs and Leh by 2030 hrs.Our stay was booked at Asia GH and it took some time trying to get the bearings right and find the road to Changspa where the hotel was located. Eventually was able to find the hotel and thus ended our day, with us reaching the city of Leh nestled deep within the high passes and mountains.