Travel Diaries: Day 7 & 8: Nubra Valley

Disappointment and Redemption

DAY 7

The dreams about warmth make me get up fresh and buzzing the next morning! Yay! We’re going to have some more fun in the sun

We learn from our mistakes from Day 6 and wake up just 30 minutes before our scheduled departure time of 0700 hours! We’re ready by 7 nonetheless outside Paul’s Guest House – THE BEST PLACE TO STAY IN LEH ON A BUDGET TRIP!

We still end up waiting for an hour! So much for learning from our mistakes! Finally we leave for Diskit, Hunder and the Valley in general.  The journey down wasn’t too eventful but for the fact that we were subjected to sad Hindi songs remixed by some crazy Tibetans by Nazir, our driver. Mummy kept persuading me – “Offer some food to the driver too. And talk in Hindi. So the Driver doesn’t feel left out!” DUHHHHHH UHHHH!

Oh yea, we come to Khardung La – The Highest Motorable pass in the world at 18380 feet! Oh and this time, we carry our brains along and wear our thermals! But it was the most amazing experience! We actually encountered REAL SNOWFALL! For the very first time in our lives! And imagine – you have cellular service at 18000 feet! I called up home to tell them about it.

Oh n yea, rum n coke feels reallllllly good up there! You dont get drunk. You get HAPPY

We went to Panamik Hot Springs on our first day. This was an overnight trip. The springs sucked. Just a shitty bathroom with a tap spouting yellow smelly hot water which supposedly had healing properties. None of us took a chance. Neither should anyone going there. Waste of time and money.

After the initial disappointment, Nazir takes us to the most distant corner of Leh (if thats even possible) to this shady hotel/guesthouse. We had no option but to shell out what that guy was quoting us. Mummy Daddy wanted an extra room. Ahem! I see the logic but financially it was ruinous. Further disappointment. So we decided on two rooms. To appease Mum Dad, they got one room to themselves. So poor Swati was shunted with us again!

Oh yea! We even went to a nondescript monastery on our way. There was the most creepiest looking monk EVER!

DAY 8

We had Camel Riding and Diskit Monastery on our itinerary. After the previous day, it didn’t look too promising. The Camel Ride in itself wasn’t exhilarating or anything, but rum and Snoop Dogg and his ilk made for interesting conversations and some situational comedy! Snoop Dogg was Swati’s ride btw. He liked my jeans – i dunno why. Maybe coz they were Banana Republic?? Bad joke!!

So our spirits were up a little bit. Pun intended. Then the monastery. Oops – i just realized we were a tad inebriated when we went to the monastery?? Correct me guys if im mixing things up here.

But Diskit was by far the best place we saw in the whole of Ladakh – Khardung La apart. We witnessed an ongoing prayer session with young monks of 9/10 years participating. A lot happened and very little can be put into words. Calming and Peaceful are the two words which come to mind. But like is the case with most beautiful places- words never do them justice.

So yea, that done, we got a lil high again and Swati’s already made me notorious for my dance moves on her blog so i’l smooth over those parts. So we get back to Leh. Tomorrow morning, the 5 of us part ways. These guys have a bus to Manali at the most unearthly hour of 2 am! N we had to drop Swati to the bus stand….coz obviously she couldn’t ruin mum dad’s last nite together as couple

So we did. So it ended. Sad we were – but only the next day when sleep left us. We stuck around in Leh for the day. Booked a car to Srinagar for the next evening. Again we were travelling with unknown people! This time 4 of them + the driver and his wife – that we didn’t bargain for. Anyways, that i’ll leave for the next entry.

Nite!