The Road From Leh to Manali

We set off in our jeep from Leh with driver "Cherry" into the unknown.
8-30am and the main road is bustling. Soon the mountains resemble huge seemingly everlasting quarries- just rocks everywhere. But the rock changes as quickly as the shadows zipping along their faces.
This place is woefully gigantic. We have 465km to travel and soon realise why it takes two days.
We're flung up and down side to side as we hairpin across collapsed roads up and down through the mountain sides.
We encounter the Himank Road Builders many times, sometimes we wait for road to be layed, sometimes just burn over the hot tarmac surrounded by men and boys covered from head to toe in tar and blending into the smokey air...most eerie.
We also stop for a petrol truck which has lost it's front wheels and axle , to be pulled out of the road whilst men attempt to catch the spurting petrol from the underside in various buckets and bins.
We also pass through makeshift tent towns where you can buy tea, chapatis and omelette or just extremely out of date fizzy drinks with enough e-nos in to collapse a yak.
After a desert like flat plane we come into the Gorges of Pang one of the most exciting landscapes I have ever seen. I suppose reminiscent of the Grand Canyon, unbelievable rock formations. Always in the background are snow capped peaks.
We reach the snow line 10km from the second highest road pass in the world Tanglangla 5378m up. We stop here and Jac ties prayer flags from the shrine.
Down again along the Iksi River, roads becoming even worse. We are now in Himachal Pradesh.
We stop for the night at Keylong 12.5 hours after we started. The hotel was described by Jac as "The hotel from The Shining with Lurch at the desk" She was right, but we are shattered and must sleeeep. Next morning are glad to be back on the road even though our bums, backs and shoulders are chaffed and bruised.
The morning light reveals a much different land scape. Tress and grass soften the mountains.
5 hours later driving under circling eagles and past a pony trekking town, we are at the head of the Kullu Valley and soon arrive in Manali, a vibrant, noisy experience but nonetheless feeling very welcome. We find a brilliant hotel, negotiate the price down and rest our exhausted bodies.
Love to all xx Lee

Photos at last!

Check out link to photo gallery. Loading photos to this blog takes much too long (works at nearly 1 pound per photo). Using different site.
Enjoy! xxx

Plane View - Flying into Leh

The flight from Delhi into Leh was one of the most spectacular sights we have ever seen (in Tevo's words - "it's more than amazing"). Clear blue skies gave us views across the Indus & Zanskar and an awesome introduction to these moonscape desert mountains, which seem to go on forever.

Gompa Stompers!

Picture - Lamayuru Gompa at top (Buddhists appear to like high places). Dzos (a cross between a cow and a yak) threshing barley at bottom.

Just got back from four day trek from Likir to Lamayuru (with a few jeep hitches in between). Hard going at times but worth it. Amazing Gompas and friendly Lamas (Tevo even got a cuddle) and we've seen the most amazing Tibetan artefacts.
We were well looked after by our Tibetan guide Pemar, who even carried Roisin on his shoulders at one point (and is an awesome cook and camp setter upper). Not sure our driver Khan can read the local signs (Better be Mr Late than Late Mr & Drive like hell and you'll be there soon) as we raced alongside the Indus, round gut wrenching hairpins and steep cliffs. Mind you, he got us back to Leh safe and sound, so hats off to him. Have managed to spend a months budget in less than a fortnight (flights to Leh and organised trek, plus the trip down to Manali) so plan to chill out in the Kullu valley and then Dharamsala for a while. All overland to keep costs down, so have a bus ride from hell to endure. Takes two days to get to Manali, 10hrs on 1st day then 6 hrs or so on the 2nd day. Going over the third highest motorable pass in the world! Think we're well acclimatised now, though here's hoping (and I stocked up on sick bags off the plane just in case :)
BIG LOVE TO ALL AT HOME!

Oh Leh Oh Leh Oh Leh!

Managed to get a flight out of Delhi (just in time as trees are falling, sewers collapsing and strange diseases have started to surface). The security checks for the flight to Leh were incredible, where the bags are triple checked and so were we. Once aboard, we all felt some relief that the winds had eased and as the plane took off, none of us were too upset to see the back of Delhi. Shortly into the flight the skies cleared and we were met with the most awesome sight any of us have had the privilege to see before.

Against the bluest skies, the Great Himalayan range rose above the clouds to greet us. Tevo said he will remember it for the rest of his life. I think we were flying over the Zanskar mountains, moonscape valleys drizzled with icing sugar snow. The approach into Leh airport was slightly unnerving, as the wing of the plane appeared to just miss the mountain as the pilot took a sharp left down to the runway. But what a sight!

We headed for the Bimla hotel and have ourselves a lovely room with a shared rooftop veranda. Here we met Paulo & Luca from Milan who were only staying one night before heading straight off for some serious trekking back towards Manali. The boys must be mad! Already we all felt a little odd and within a few hours, altitude sickness was starting to creep up on us. This is the first time I have been able to concentrate since arriving. It's like an overwhelming lethargy and incredible thirst, with a slight headache (that vanishes once you take paracetamol). But the heavy limbed, heavy headed and super tiredness continues. We slept for most of the day yesterday and then went out for a little walk and some food. We were aslepp again by 10pm and didn't wake until after 10am today. To be honest, I could just sleep all the time just now. But am determined to reset my body clock and adjust to the altitude. It's a little frustrating as you can see some of the amazing 'gompas' from our veranda, with their streams of prayer flags beckoning in the wind. However, just walking up the hills here in the town is an effort. Once you eat something, it becomes doubly hard. I think we may collapse if we tried to go much higher. Tomorrow, we are going to try to climb the 500 or so steps up to the old palace. The children are coping well, and have already written up the story of how Ganesh came to have the head of an elephant in their journals.

Roisin says I am to tell you it is much nicer here than Delhi aand that the hotel is lovely and we have nice views. Tevo says he's very happy in the mountains and wants to go on a trek as soon as possible. He may have to be patient. I think we need to rest for a few more days and then we can tackle some 'baby' treks.

This afternoon I met a lovely couple called Richard (from Derby) and Anya (from Belgium) in a local co-op (where you can refill your water bottles with pressure boiled water for 10p!). They also do eco-laundry where they wash your clothes well away from the water courses. It's a very impressive set up. Rich and Anya gave me the lowdown on where to eat (Tevo has been pining for salad but I have refused to let him eat any yet) and they also gave me lots of advice on little treks (mind you, Richard would have us toddling off into Kashmir proper if I took all his advice ;) Great food tho. A little Tibetan place just round the corner from our guesthouse - yum yum yum! And Tevo got to have the biggest salad I'd ever seen filled with fresh local organic produce.

The Ladakhi's are the friendlist and most unassuming people. They are so welcoming and kind to the children, and not 'in yer face' like the many Delhi-ites. The local kids are amused at seeing such young Europeans toddling thru town. And Tevo and Roisin are amused by the cows and donkeys that wander aimlessly around town. Tomorrow we are going to buy them some carrots.

I guess I should sign off now (am a little reluctant as it took me 20 mins to sign in). Hope all is well at home. For now, we are happy in Ladakh :-) xxxx

So what do we think of Delhi so far?

Jackie here - and I'm not so impressed. The hotel is a building site and the constant drilling and hammering is making my head hurt. The room is basic and not that clean, but for two nights it'll do. The rain is a bit of a blessing, as it's keeping the temperature down and the streets are less crowded than they might be. Pahar Ganj is an experience - we're off to buy Roisin some new boots as both the children have managed to grow a full shoe size in less than a month and their new Zamberlan boots no longer fit them. So Tevo now inherits Roisin's, and we'll have to try and find something suitable down at the market. Lee is just trying to book us some flights to Leh now. Many flights have been cancelled in and out of Delhi due to high winds and rain. The roads to Leh and even Himachel Pradesh are closed due to flooding and mudslides. We may end up being stuck in Leh for a while, but it's got to be better than here. Fingers crossed, we fly out first thing. Love & peace J x

Tevo here - I am having a very nice time in hotel but when i am asleep there's a loud banging. There is a fancy shrine outside the hotel and it had a chandelier and a television showing fancy dancing. We went to a cafe and you could choose your own food and it was delicious.

Roisin here - I am having an exciting time here in Delhi. It is quite stinky and the hotel has lots of fans. It is quite hot outside even though it is raining. Last night, I saw a shrine outside the hotel and it had a statue of Ganesh. He had an elephant head and lots of fancy shiny things and flowers around him. There were two chandeliers and pretty lights. We went to a cafe which had spicy food. It was quite nice. We have been in a few taxis because of the rain. We went in an auto rickshaw which is like a tuk-tuk.

Lee here - jetlag's getting the better of me. Looking forward to arriving in the Himalaya and a less frantic pace of life.