Most of us luxuriated in taking a well deserved break at Leh while some went to procure inner line permits for both the Nubra valley and for the Indo-China Border sector.

The day after, while enjoying steaming tea, there was a smile on every face because today we were to cross the highest motorable pass in the world, Khardung-La.

Khardung-La is 50 kilometers from Leh and the road is a steady incline but for the last few kilometers before the pass; roads from here on demand respect with lots of streams with ice cold water, steep inclines and snowfalls. We were stiff as logs by the time we reached Khardung-la, with snowfalls and cold increasing as we ascended. One does feel ecstatic on reaching the pass, which is the highest point in the world you can take your vehicle to, but what you go through to reach here is the real test. Khardung-La itself is an easy prize.

Descending Khardung-La is tougher, with no roads, thanks to heavy blocks of snow. And after a steady descent comes Khardung village, the beginning of Nubra valley.

The stretch is fantastic, snaking through the rough edges of the mighty mountains, with bewitching views all around.

At Khalsar, 60 Kms from Khardung we celebrated Satish's birthday. From there we then turned on to a road built on a dry riverbed leading to Deskit and Hunder. After Rajasthan, here again we saw sand dunes, even though we knew that Ladakh is a cold desert, it was strange to see sand dunes after snow-capped mountains.

Hunder is the last point any civilian can reach in this sector, from here onwards movement is restricted because of the proximity to the Indo-Pak Border. Next day before starting for Leh, we visited a double humpback camel breeding farm at Deskit, a very unique species found in this region. We stopped again at Khalsar, this time for Amol's birthday celebrations. Everyone was in a relaxed mood and in the bonhomie we forgot that to reach Leh, we had to cross Khardung-La
pass again.

Just before the pass was one of the innumerable streams we had to cross but this was a tough cookie, it had huge boulders, which blocked our Bullets.

All of us needed help here, and in the process of negotiating the stream our feet were soaked in the freezing water. We finally crossed Khardung-La pass at 6 p.m. which in retrospect was foolishness, but back then seemed fun.

Descending from Khardung-La, I saw some of our bunch riding with only socks, one foot on the engine and another on the clutch case since their shoes were wet. The posture looked somewhat like "Yoga on the bike" and we were in the Himalayas, some salvation!

Next...
It paralyzed the feet, with no sensation at all and yet we all somehow managed to move ahead. Salvation was finally sighted in the form of an Army post at Tsultak...(read on)


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