The Monastery Escape 2017 with Mahindra Adventure
4 Months after booking the Monastery escape adventure, finally the day arrived. This time round its not my friend who is partnering me, its my brother Julian Dsouza. Reached Delhi after a boring flight from Dubai and the drive from the airport to the hotel was more boring with the cab driver swerving from from left to right negotiating the crazy Delhi traffic. The Hotel, Oberoi Maidens, a heritage hotel built in 1905 with its British Architecture and spacious rooms was a good start to the trip. The evening started with the usual registrations, medical tests and handing out of the goodies. The ritual of picking up lots for the cars took place and henceforth we were known as adventure 6 for the whole journey as a mode of communication. Also the traditional flag off ceremony took place and we got the taste of the scorpio which would be our companion for the next 10 days. The rest of the evening was spent with introduction of the participants, briefing about the adventure, the do’s and dont’s, presentations from the sponsors and most importantly the radio etiquettes.
The last announcement of the day stating that the convoy would start rolling at 4am and all participants had to be in the lobby at 3.30 am had us rushing to the restaurant for dinner.
Day 2 – Delhi to Manali.
It was an early morning start for the long journey ahead. We left Delhi at 4 am and it was a 16.5 hours journey to reach Manali covering around 550 Kms. Driving in sequence in a convoy always limits the speed. The drive was pretty normal till we reached Mandi, a town at the foothills with the usual breakfast, lunch and tea break including the precious Bio breaks. The drive from Mandi to Manali, where we started ascending the mountains, savouring the crisp fresh air, having a view of the snow capped peaks which had started melting, was worth the long drive.
It was a pleasure to drive with mountains on one side and the river on the other side watching the rapids formed by the melting snow.
It was tempting, watching the tourists rafting in the river , but unfortunately it was not scheduled in our itinerary.
The drive from Kullu to Manali was a crawl as the entrance to the bypass road was blocked due to some festivities in town. The stay for the night at Hotel Citrus was comfortable, but given a choice i wouldn’t use the bathroom again.
The dinner was lavishly spread with a solo singer belting down Hindi numbers in full force. The day was long and tiring but worth it as we had come from long distances to do these crazy things.
Day 3 – Manali to Jispa
The day started with the sumptuous breakfast on the balcony with the river and mountain view, briefing and 8.30 am departure.
The serene beauty of the area from Manali to Rohtang was the highlight of the day. One peak was looking better than the other with ample photo opportunities. But a simple 1.5 hour drive took us 4.5 hours due to the traffic jams created by courtesy-the check post for issuing permits to the vehicles. It was amazing to see the number of vehicles and tourists visiting the Rohtang pass.
Thousands were enjoying on the hardened snow which would disappear in a couple of days due to summer. We couldn’t spend enough time at the pass as the traffic jams had devoured our time, but managed enough time for some pics and a group pic. Couldn’t help just watching the tourists go berserk playing in the snow.
The site of the rivers in the valleys flowing to full capacity is something to be remembered. Our journey to Jispa continued along the winding uphill and downhill roads. Some times the tarmac would totally disappear giving us the feeling of offroading in the mountains. A simple lunch at Sirsu, served on the bank of a river with a magnificent waterfall in the background made it a feast for us.
Fueling the vehicles was an agonising exercise. The petrol pump at Village Tandya is the only pump between Manali and Leh with one of its 2 dispensers broken down. 27 cars of the convoy had to compete with the local traffic which added 1 more hour to our journey, which the management team said was expected. We reached Padma Lodge by sunset, our night halt place and aptly named lodge and not Hotel. There was a nip in the air and the group was excited for the first bar night, that too outdoors and around a Bonfire. All gathered round the bonfire which killed the cold and the spirits from the bar kept us warm. It was fantastic to see the group getting together,mingling and dancing to the tunes of the dancing Doc.
Day 4 – Free day at Jispa
After a long day, it felt great to get up at leisure. Today, a free day is basically to get acclimatised to high altitude. After breakfast we headed to the river bank for a bout of offroading.
People were so thrilled with the crossing of the rivers and driving on gravel on the river bed using the 4L gear on the scorpio. It was more thrilling for me because the chief offered me the famed Indian offroader THE THAR to try out. It performed well, when all were doing river crossings, i was driving through the length of the river with the Thar.
Impressive I must say. As usual in offroading, vehicles got stuck and had to be recovered by the expert XSO team.The day was made more interesting for us by serving lunch at the river side with locally brewed beverages. And i am not the one who steps back from trying and tasting new things. Cant say it was good, neither was it bad. The rest of the day was spent at leisure and an early dinner was in line as we had another early morning 4am start and a gruelling but scenic journey ahead.
Day 5 – Jispa to Tsomoriri
Reporting time was 3.40am at the parking lot. The day didn’t start as expected as the alarm didn’t go on at 3 am and we were woken up by the sound of the vehicles at 3.30. We both were ready by 3.45 am and present for the briefing. The crackling of the radios began with the customary roll call which meant we had started our 16 hour journey and the most beautiful and exiting drive which is going to be printed in our memories for ever. Break down of Adventure 00 gave us an unexpected break and good opportunity for pics and to play in the fresh snow.(my first encounter with fresh snow and feeling it).
We drove through the beautiful Baralacha pass, Ghata loops, Nakeela pass and the Lalchangla pass – the highest of them at 16616 ft. Lunch was at Sonam aunties Dhaba at Sarchu, a regular joint for the expedition teams.
By now, as we were entering the region of Kashmir, people were feeling the effects of high altitude. Headaches and breathlessness was setting in. The mix of driving on tarmac and gravel was also taking its toll on the participants. But the beautiful and welcoming sight of the Tsomoriri lake tried to calm our nerves.
It was the first experience for us in tented accommodation at the Tsomoriri eco camp. We had reached at sun down and the low temperature at high altitude made us rush to our designated tents. We were advised not to exert ourselves by running and avoid consumption of Alchohol. But a shot of Cognac helped us re-ignite the heat with in for us, as many kept the Doc busy that night. The combination of high altitude, dogs barking through out the night and donkeys breying early in the morning made sure we had little sleep that night.
Day 6 – Free day at Tsomoriri
Most of them were up early and didn’t know what to do. The morning was serene with blue skies and view of the snow clad peaks was overwhelming. The cream of it was the calm and magnificent view of the gigantic Tsomoriri lake. The reflection of the sun, the snow clad mountains and blue skies in the lake was at its best featuring natures handiwork. After a lazy breakfast few of us ventured out to explore the lakeside.
The spectacular fauna around the lake was good for a few clicks. It was a sunny day and after the nights ordeal, we could see layers of clothing being pealed off from the bodies. 2 hours well spent at the lake and we were back in the camp. we needed to go to the other camp where lunch would be served and the vehicles would be refuelled. As we were getting ready to move, the unthinkable happened. We had only read and heard of it and now we were witnessing this strange phenomenon. The bright sun disappeared, the winds picked up, the clouds covered us and temperature fell drastically and we could feel snow flakes descend upon us. It was a heavenly atmosphere except for the cold, shivering and cluttering of teeth. The lunch being served outdoors made it absolutely mesmerising for us. The food would turn cold on its way from the plate to the mouth. The plan of visiting the view point of the lake on a cliff looked a distant challenge. But our determined souls made it possible even if we had to fight mother nature. Loaded on the back of the pickup truck, the chilling winds, snow fall and the view at the view point, was an out of the world experience and surely not for the less adventurous.
The steaming hot ginger lemon tea in the dining tent helped us regain our composure and we were there chitchatting for more than an hour. As we felt acclimatised now, the rest of the evening was spent downing cognac and rum in the tent of the Neurosurgeons along with the auto journalists and photography team with memories pouring out of the past experiences.
Day 7 – Tsomoriri to Leh
While driving in the challenging terrain was getting monotonous, the chief came to the rescue of the convoy with his quizzing and breathed back some life into the participants. The site of the structures on the mountain tops carved by the wind and erosion brought back memories of Capadocia in Turkey. We had witnessed the same type of structures from the top, riding the hot air balloons. Exitement was building as we were nearing Leh. Some post paid mobiles came alive and we felt we were back in civilization when we were greeted by traffic jams. Some were happy that they had mobile reception and some kept cursing it. The hotel Shangrila felt comfortable after coming from living in the tents and the ultra luxury was having 24 hours flowing hot water in the bathroom.
Etching all the wonderful and absolutely mesmerising memories in our minds, we said goodbye to Tsomoriri, one of the most majestic places on earth. Now we were entering a different terrain. The roads kept becoming difficult. The lack of oxygen made sure that there was no vegetation on the mountains. We were climbing and descending mountains full of gravel and soil. Our surprise stop was at Chumatang, at the river side. We were visiting the hot water springs of Chumatang. On the river bed, boiling hot water springs popped up from the ground spewing steam and flowed into the ice cold waters of the river. We witnessed one more wonder of mother nature today.
Even after a long journey, we were not prepared to stay at the hotel for the evening. As usual we formed a small group and headed towards Shanthi Stupa , where you get the magnificent view of Leh at night and more of all the most beautiful sky with vision of the milky way. Dinner at the famous German bakery was refreshing afer having traditional indian food for a week.
Day 8.- Free day at Leh
Again a free day at leisure. After breakfast we headed to Tiksey monastery. The monastery was built on a hillock in 1430 and an magnificently preserved place i must say.
The views from the top are extraordinary with the snow capped peaks with green valleys in between. Afternoon , as planned we got the keys to the rented Royal enfield bikes. With a scorpio as back up, we planned to ride upto the point of confluence. It was a spectacular ride with pure adrenaline pumping exhilaration along the striking beauty of gorges, rock faces and cliffs to reach the point of confluence where River Zanskar merges with River Indus.
While returning back, we switched rides and my brother took control of the bike while i got into the scorpio. We stopped for a brief moment at the magnetic hill as many tourists had stopped(didn’t find it fascinating at all as hyped). The next stop was at the famous Pattar Sahib Gurudwara. The hot tea served there was rejuvenating. Evening was fun, watching the local folks perform the traditional dances with full attire, exclusively arranged for us at the hotel terrace.
We intended to enjoy that night outdoors. But to our utter dismay we found out that it was a dry day and we won’t even get nonveg food on a dry day. Accidentally we met a person who guided us to a place where they dont know whats a dry day.
It was a cozy place where we had private seating with our own bonfire and good food with beverages. The owner was very hospitable and kind to us. All others in the group were wondering what we guys were unto late night on a dry day(pun intended).
Day 9 – Leh to Nubra
Today is the day to be remembered for the rest of our lives. This is because we will be driving on the highest motorable road on earth through the Khardongla pass at 18380 ft.
The place lived up to its hype and we were privileged to view the absolutely mesmerizing sceneries from the top. Half an hour at the pass, we could feel the effects of high altitude and the convoy had to be forcibly moved from the pass. The way to Nubra valley along the pass was scintillating and brings twinkle to the eyes. Respect to all the bikers who traverse this journey on 2 wheels. Its surely not for the faint hearted. Surprisingly when at the Nubra valley, you get to see sand dunes, snow capped mountains, green valleys and Rivers in one view. Stop at the sand dunes for a ride on the ATV was a waste of time, at least for me(being from Dubai) But the valley is serene and unexploited. Again we were in tented accommodation tonight. It was unusually warm during the day, which made us head straight to the bar(noticed on the way to the camp) to buy beers. There is no need for a fridge in the region. Beers were immersed in the stream running through the camp and alas in 10 minutes, the beers were pulled out chilled as ever. Couple of beers gave us the boost to go and try ride the double humped camels( Nubra is the only place in India where double humped camels are found i was told). These camels are small in size compared to the regular ones we see.
Back in the camp, the bar was opened in front of our tent and most of the men in the convoy joined us. It was fun time with all types of jokes being cracked. We were forced to move to the dinner hall after being threatened that the dinner would be removed.
One more session with the chief after dinner and we were back in our tents satisfied with the day well spent.
Day 10 – Nubra to Leh
We were all up with heavy hearts as this was the last day of the drive. We had all bonded as one big family and we knew we will all be departing in a day. The management informed us during the morning briefing that we would be taking back a different road to Leh giving Kardungala pass a miss. We were also told that the road we will be taking is more scenic with less traffic. Some of us stood quietly hiding our disappointment. As there is no proper facility for lunch on the way, we were given packed lunch boxes. The lunch stop by the side of the river in a valley brought back some excitement in the convoy. Post lunch, as we approached Warila pass(around 16500 ft), we were smitten by the serene beauty and magnanimity of the pass.
I can easily say that this was the best 1 hour we spent on the full trip and most of them will agree. The steep narrow and curvy roads, snow peaks surrounding us, colourful flags strung around and with no other person in sight made us feel that the entire pass was laid out only for us. It never seemed to be enough.
But all good things have to come to an end. We had to move on, but in style we did, etching memories deep within. Once back in Leh, we all assembled for the bar night and a last get together. A small ceremony was conducted with my brother compering the event where thank you’s and Good byes were said. We were also presented a certificate for completing the gruelling but memorable journey. A few of us remained on the terrace for a small singsong session where we were lucky enough to hear Amrita sing so melodiously. After bidding goodbye with hugs, with a heavy heart, we went to our rooms as the flight departures were starting as early 7.30 am.
The days where the itinerary was covered presented Delhi to Leh in its true shining colour. Its a world of rugged valleys, snow covered mountains, endless hills, barren lands, curvy and bumpy roads, crystal clear rivers and lakes and the mystical lamas where centuries old monasteries have still maintained their charm. A few memories from this expedition will stand out for ever. The time spent with Bijoy and Manoj, our best buddies on the trip the brain docs Anurag and Arjun, The Doc and CA Duo of Sanat and Ashwin, The 2 Gujju CA’s with their PTT pressed, The quiet duo from Nagaland Lemtsase and Salongse, The young couple Abhishek and Divya, Mohan and Chetna with 2 little cuties, jayita and Amrita, named Gulabi gang by Capt Anil, The youngsters Akanksha, Angel, Abishek and karan, Mr and Mrs Janak, Mr and Mrs Ravindra Singh, Mrs Poornima, Mr and Mrs Ranjith Mehta, Mr and Mrs Capt Anil, The journos Tushar and Parichay, Photographers Adi, Abhi and Franklin, Amit and Sanil from mahindra, Lead Vikram, float kanishk, Advance Karan, Yogesh and Nikhil, Sweep Ruban and Vivek, The lively Dj cum Doc Pawan, Service team Gulshan and co and Last but not the least, Raj and Veissali will be the topic of discussion for a long time to come.
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