Visiting Ladakh

I still remember once while I was in my 2^nd year of college, I stood in queue at the airport behind a group of friends who were checking-in to go to Leh, Ladakh. I remember feeling jealous and the urge to change my ticket to ‘destination - Leh’ instead of going back home to Aizawl. But I didn’t. Ever since that moment (that was around 2008 end or 2009 beginning), I’ve always wanted to visit the place but never found time. I’ve seen pictures, I’ve heard tales, and finally this second last weekend of July, I stepped into the enchantingly beautiful world of mountains, rocks and snow - Ladakh.

View from the plane: Since our flight was early morning, I took a nap during the flight as best as I could! When I opened my eyes, this was the first sight I saw; it’s so beautiful I couldn’t resist snapping a few shots from my phone cam.

Day-1: Although we didn’t take the warning given to us by the kind policeman at the airport seriously, we grudgingly slept for about 3 hours to ‘apparently’ help our body adjust to the altitude change. After the nap, we went for a drive way up to Khardung-La (world’s highest motorable road at 18400 feet above mean sea level). That’s when we realised the sleep thingy was really necessary; even after we slept we all felt light-headed and dizzy when we stepped out of the car, so ummm delete the word ‘apparently’ up there 4 lines above! On our way to the top, I began noticing the beauty of the dry rocky mountains with their snow-caps towering above the valleys where there existed a few greeneries and where most of the settlements are (except the monasteries – I really really wonder they’re always built so high up!). I especially love the trench-like structure of the mountains with white glistening snows embedded.

Day-2: Remember back in 2009, an Indian movie called ‘3 idiots’ made a hit, with an uncommon concept to those of most Indian movies, of ridiculing/belittling the Indian education system (which by the way, I totally relate to)? I normally don’t watch Hindi/Indian films but this I watched with gusto. Well, there was that ending scene where the hero (!) and heroine (!!) met again after abruptly parting ways in an earlier scene. Noticed that beautiful enchanting place with the high mountains, white sands and blue waters? Yup, Pangong Lake...that’s where I was standing after a 5 hour dusty bumpy drive but it was so worth it; beautiful beautiful beautiful...sigh! The pictures don’t really do justice to it:

The water was really cold!!!

And this was taken on our way back, another 5 hour drive, on one beautiful valley we drove past:

I'm proud of this picture I took of a horse..hehe!

Day-3: River-rafting! Woo-hoooo!! :D About 2 and half hours in the raft tossed around by rapids and whirlpools...I love it!! But yeah I was relieved the raft didn’t capsize since the water was freezing, and it wouldn’t do much good to be immersed in it especially in the whirlpools. No future :/. I had chances to look around, where the ‘Zanskar’ river calmed, at the mountains on the sides, the caves, mainly the whole towering scenery around me; I’d use the word ‘breath-taking’. [PS - couldn't take pictures while being tossed around like we're insects!]

We were to disembark where the rivers Zanskar and Indus meet, and as I looked around again for the umpteenth time and probably for the last time I was struck again by the beauty of my surroundings. The massive walls of the mountains changing colours from black to purple then to light pinkish hues as the sun’s rays fell on them. I wish I had my camera but it’s in the dry-bag and I couldn’t take them out before we were out of the raft; I’ll always remember that majestic view in my mind’s eye.

End: I wanted to do so much more...camping, trekking, hiking, cycling, etc. but they all required about 4 - 20 days’ investment, and we had just the weekend to stay. So sadly, we left on the 4^th morning. But before I end this post, I just want to share one thought I had when we arrived in Leh which remains with me till today; these mountains, how they worship their creator the Lord just by standing still and forever portraying how creative and powerful He is.

Ka sawi chak tlat, Mizo tawnga thu ziah thiam lo hle mah ila Mizo tawng ngeiin kan sawi lawk, “Heng tlang sang pui puite nghet taka an ding ringawt hian Lalpa I ropuina leh thiltihtheihna an van han tlangaupui nasa em.”