Day 14 - Tegar to Leh and our final day 160km

The queue of vehicles in the distance is waiting at roadworks.  We went cross country and I think that is Vlasta making her way up.  We were being egged on by a lady from a country bordering Canada saying that we were all young felines if we could not do it.  OK motormouth get back in your tour minibus and stop rabitting on!!!!!

Due to an ultra marathon taking place over KTop we took a detour over Wari La which was far more spectacular, fewer people and the road down was absolutely incredible

Part of the road down.  Unfortunately this photo does not do it justice.

Corr!  It's a big blue thing called the sky

Yakmobility

Leh Palace

Leh at night

So a quick summary :-

Awesome scenery, great company and wrong choice of motorbike.  I was lured by the 'it must be done on a Bullet for the true Indian experience.  The truth is that you are very much limited with regards to the terrain you can negotiate and hence the fun you can have.  I am sure that many Europeans/North Americans would do a tour run by a western company and so they would miss out on the pleasure and mind broadening experience of travelling with people from a different culture.  Indimotard were professional, experienced and fun and I will use then again if I get the chance.  Anand that is payment for the 250,000 rupees I lost to you at cards :)

Day 13 - Tegar rest day. Something I am not too good at but working hard at improving

We got up late and visited a hot springs just down the road.  Men and women had to be separated and each had their own bath.  The water was so hot I could not put my feet in it.  Solution.  Fill up a bucket with cold water and put your feet in that.  Problem - the cold water was almost as hot as the hot water.

Yak's milk tea with its trademark pink colour.  Also known as Ladakh tea.  When in Mongolia I tries fermented mare's milk and that was also pink.  Incredibly this milk was also naturally salty which I suppose is a way for the calf to get its electrolytes.

In the afternoon we visited the sand dunes down at the local river.  Bearing in mind that they were at about 4000m they were quite large.

and for those who had never seen a camel face to face it was quite a treat

Who thought a motorcycle helmet could look so interesting and yes it is interesting.  The age of this one means it now needs to be replaced.  I will willingly accept donations in £.

The local cultural group put on a display for us in the evening

Day 12 - Tegan to Turtuk and the closest foriegners can get to the Pakistani Border 220km

When I saw the motif on this gate I thought we were in Pakistan but this is simply a Muslim cemetery 

A quick drink for misty

I was feeling artistic and I think that I clearly have a future in the arts

Brick making

Lunch stop

The photos until the Dosa Stall are all pictures of the village of Turtuk which is the closest Indian village to the Pakistani Border.  As a European, in geographical location only, it was hard to appreciate the animosity/hate between India and Pakistan.

As my friends will readily point out I do not have the warmest heart towards strangers but this lady was a truly pitiful sight and had the effect of opening my wallet.

Basically a cafe manned by soldiers from the regiment based just down the road.

Day 11 - Leh to Tegar and on the way cross Khardungla Top the highest road pass in the world 5650m 150km

It was an OK road to get to the pass but once we got there we were surrounded by 100s of grockles.  Tour companies lay on jeeps to take people there so that they can spoil the ambience of the location. 

Don't ask me!!!

Great road down once you could get past the pesky army convoy

Children are like cats.  The more you ignore them the more they follow you :)

Our accommodation for the night at Tegar was beautifully tranquil.

Lunch stop.