Wander through India : Northern Expedition 2014 : Towards the Pass of a million flags and homage to the future buddha

# DAY VIII: Leh-Deskit

#50. The road strike ensured that we started the day while the sky was still dark and no sign of the pre dawn. Leh town was in deep slumber as we made our way through the streets towards the exit from the city. The period before the onset of the dawn is the blackest of the entire night and so was the case here with the sky black as ink. On the way as we passed a few home stays we encountered individuals standing in the dark with rucksacks and other gear which gave indication of fellow travelers who were also getting out of the town whilst it was still open.

#51. Deskit though was quite a way off, first coming up was the famous Khardung La, the pass of the million flags. He definitely made the list of being amongst the celebrity passes in this country. The climb started almost immediately after Chagspa as we exited the town. The winding road lay ahead shrouded in darkness and in between flickering moving lights gave us the indication of similar travelers who were on their way towards Kahrdung La.

#52. South Pullu was reached soon enough and a quick check with the TCP and we were waved through. The predawn had come up by now and we were thankful that we had made the best of the situation and what a sight it was. The first rays of the sun soon struck gold on the towering peaks of the Himalaya and mortals like us stopped in our tracks to gaze in awe at the creation of nature being unfolded.

#53. The climb was relentless as the INDOMITABLE moved in first gear or second gear all the while. I was conscious to give way to all the 4WD vehicles who came up from behind so that we did not hinder their approach as we continued in a more sedate pace by not pressurizing the Indomitable too much. The photographic breaks were numerous where ever I could get an opportunity to stop the vehicle.

#54. Khardung La was reached by 0730 hours and it was super cold and empty, we were thankful for the empty place. We were met by few army jawans who were present and had a pleasant discussion with them. After paying homage to the Lord Shiva temple out there and with the customary clicks we were ready to move ahead. The road stretched ahead all the way through the snowy white carpet on the mountain as the sun gained strength with each passing moment.

#55. North Pullu was our next stop and after the necessary verification with the TCP and a cup of hot tea we made our way towards Khardong village. The path till North Pullu was better than the one from South Pullu till K Top. After North Pullu the tar reappeared and we were able to sustain a good speed. I was very happy with the performance of the Logan and it instilled with me a lot more confidence for the paths that lay ahead.

#56. Kahrdung village has plenty of options to stay as well as eat. It’s a pretty village tucked away amongst the high mountain ranges. After Khardong the next stop was supposed to be Khalsar, which was a good 63 km away and just before the town was bifurcation point for the entry into the Agham/Shyok sector. Our path this day lay straight ahead northwards. The beauty of the valley ahead was unfolding as the blue sky sparkled against the brown earth which was interspersed with the golden cover of vegetation.

#57. Khalsar, a small village with a sprinkling of shops was reached by 1130 hrs and thereafter we took a turn towards Deskit instead of heading on the northern arm which lead to Panamik and Siachen Base Camp, more on that route in the next post. As we stopped at one location admiring the pretty Shyok river I was having a talk with one of the local taxi drivers who was mentioning that the road ahead to Turtuk been closed few days back on account of heavy rainfall. As I digested this bit of news I was approached by one fine gentleman who very enthusiastically introduced himself and we shared a lot of light talk subsequently. Why I am mentioning this is because that light talk has been the start of a wonderful friendship and I am glad to have made some very fine friends on the roads including the gentleman in question, Mr Sunil Arora.

#58. Soon we proceeded ahead and reached Deskit by 1300 hours. As soon as we approached Deskit, we were astounded by the beauty of that place, the serene and pristine atmosphere was so inviting. We crossed Deskit and gunned the vehicle ahead towards Turtuk, but then something within made us question the reasoning of leaving such a place behind and in such hasty a manner. Looks exchanged I just turned the vehicle around and decided to stay a while and see the place.

#59. The scenic beauty was so captivating that we ended up staying the entire day out there , found a great Home stay named Sonam GH. The afternoon was spent in the village of Deskit followed by a visit to the Deskit Monastry where we were fortunate to enter into a conversation with one of the senior Lamas which ended up with an invite to this place within the monastery for the evening tea.

In the fading light we went to the sand dunes of Hunder and relaxed ourselves amongst the towering mountain ranges above us and the cold desert beneath our feet. I think staying back was a very good decision as we got the opportunity to experience many moments which otherwise would have been lost . Dinner time was spent in the company of our hosts as we talked on a lot of topics and came to know many a fact about Deskit and the people who stay there .ODO for the day stood at 75073.