पिंक लदी ओं खर्दुंग La

Here is the mighty Enfield Classic 500 at the highest motorable pass in the world (claimed!) with our BCNA Pink Lady who travelled all around Ladakh with us

मनाली तो Delhi

We decided as the bikes werent able to be ridden to Chandigarh :( we would fly with Michele and her # arm to Delhi. Raj & Mr Jassa organized the bikes to be picked up and we hoped to meet them in Delhi for a press conference and final goodbyes. Ritus 4 wheel drive turned up with logos and was ready for her to drive home and for the next leg of the trip (remember it broke down on the way to Leh). We were up early for the flight out. It was different from flying into Leh with barren mountains. These ones had vegetation and small settlements all over the mountainsides. Amazing to see and not unhappy we saw it from the air!
Once in Delhi the wonderful Yash picked us up at the airport and safely deposited us at the hotel Michele was taken to a specialist hospital (on Sunday) to be checked out and all was well. We spent the Monday getting things organised (insurance, flight changes etc) and Yash came and took the Ugly Aunts sightseeing and shopping. He was very patient with us and knew all the right places to go.
We had dinner with his family whilst in Delhi and they were very gracious hosts. It was lovely to meet them and his fabulous nephew.
Michele, Kerrie, Jenny S & Jenny R headed off to Agra to see the Taj whilst Jo linked up with Katie and Tarinis family.
Our last night in Delhi Yash again took us out for Jos birthday. We drank appropriately MUDSLIDES on the night! Fanatstic food again.
Then the next day we flew out.....

थे लास्ट डे ओं थे णीळ्ड्श्र! Manali

After a peaceful night we set off again over the pass to Manali. We stopped for permit checks and Jo spoke to a man from Luxemberg who said there was a lot of mud on the pass well it couldn't be worse than what we had already travelled could it? IT WAS! The trip up the mountain started with the usual: rough roads, hairpins, rocks, water, traffic convoys, trucks, cars.... Then it got worse. The mud we had thought we had tackled OK was now knee deep. If you stayed in the wheel tracks it wasn't too bad at first, providing there was no traffic... however of course there was. Bikes have no right of way (sound familiar) The larger the vehicle the harder it is to stop as there was no traction. So pulling over early was a good idea. Trouble was it was physically impossible to move out of the track. The mud was sticky and it wasn't easy to lift out your boot. A few bikes had a little sideways rest and the boys had to help a few times to move out of the way. Julene had a head to head with a truck who had given way until she had started through a patch. She stopped and couldn't move, threw her arms in the air fell backwards off the bike and became our 'MUD ANGEL' She then climbed up the bumper to right herself.
After this Jo & Julene set off alone deciding that the rocks and waterfalls down the road was the best option at least no sand & mud on those patches it had been washed away.
Michele was doing as asked... 1st gear no throttle and up over the rocks on a hairpin. The trouble was sometimes the Enfields stalled ( due to the altitude) Her bike stalled and she went to put down her foot but it didn't reach the ground ( knew she should have used more throttle!) Hit the ground and # her humerus. Knew it was broken... Into the car for her. A little later Kerrie had enough. She had to get off & get Raj & Mr Jassa to move the bike through some parts of the road.
Then Raj was back in the lead showing us how to walk/ride through the mud. A group of pack horses passed us...
Jo was on a roll and just keep swimming just keep swimming up the hill all be it on the wrong side safe hillside. Getting cross probably didn't help but it was fun yelling at the trucks.. NO I WILL NOT MOVE OVER. Sometimes we stopped leaned over and stayed until they passed.. we could touch them.
Up the top was as snowfield with tourist buses filled with people frolicking in the snow.....
Still with Michele and her # arm ( apparently the lead car doesn't go down the hill quickly in India and leave the bikes & rear car to follow) we stopped for lunch. 'Put it down to cultural differences was Katies catch cry when we didn't understand something'
We re fuelled our bodies thinking it must be better on the way down IT WASNT
Still having survived the upward climb Jo & Julene were determined.
Finally hit some tar and just when you thought it was safe more MUD TRUCKS BOGGED AND ##**!!## MUD.
Finally a road yes a real road with corners that were intact beautiful scenery could have been in Gippsland.
Finally got Michele to hospital for plaster & more pain relief.
Photos to follow

राज & मर Jassa

Here are our fabulous Royal Enfield representatives Raj & Mr Jassa and our final group photo at Manali

पंग तो तो Jipsa

Left Pang and the altitude thank goodness and headed to Jispa.Jenny felt better after a night on oxygen. Ritu asked Jo why she didnt come to the medical outpost.... couldnt move was the answer!! Once again the roads were hard work. Initial part of the journey deep mud (so we thought at the time) crap roads.Climbed up and up and yes snow again . The bikes were great but every now and then at altitude they would stall.. not so flash if you were heading around a hairpin and hit dust/snow/water or all of them! It got cold again thank god for thermals. We stopped for a photo shoot on the second pass. Michele stalled in the water and Raj had to push out the bike. Wet feet not happy but the team pulled together with spare socks boots and gloves.We travelled through the 21 loops which were fun but once again the unpredictable Indian roads tested us. You would have a stretch of Tar and be heading around a hairpin and it would turn to rocks, sand or water.... or all threeeeeeee.And then there were the trucks. Jo wasn't following Rajs lines (as sometimes they were a little dodgy) took a loop wide and yup a truck!!**##!! Ah well stopped at the cliff edge. We do hope the helmet cam has some of this stuff on it. Jo was watching the road as you do but trying to film over the edge... it made for interesting times.
Our next stop was at a bridge that a truck (!!) had broken. The metal plates fell over the edge and the supports had also bitten the dust. The towy was an army truck (they are even bigger and give way to nothing... except Kerrie) and it took a couple of hours to fix. Lots of standing around muttering and one of our drivers Tashi took to the plate with a sledgehammer Nono the other driver was also being helpful but sustained an injury. Don't know what the rest of the 30 blokes were doing. Hurry Up and wait again. A couple of the local ladies liked the look of Raj and with lots of laughs and sign language one was caught trying to pat him on the butt!
Finally got over the bridge before the traffic jam headed off. The beauty of the Enfields again.Had to cross yes another mountain pass. Got good at water crossings axel deep running off waterfalls across the roads washing whatever with them!! The Enfields again were fabulous and we were all feeling pretty cocky about the conditions. At least the weather was good. Arrived in Jispa... a guest house with yes HOT water and a loo. We dont ask for much. Dahl again ( got a little sick of this) Everyoone feeling better now we were down at a little lower altitude.

वेद्नेस्दय 22nd

Left the amazing lake and the road didn't seem so bad this time. The beauty of the Enfields again. We visited a Nomadic Schoolthat the government supports. They used to set up tents and teach the children for 3/12 then move to another camp. Now they have a school built out of town. The children live in for the term and go home for holidays and winter. They are fed clothed and seem to enjoy the place. From probably grade 1-8. The kids were great and we delivered toohbrushes & some paste that Jenny S had collected from her school and Colgate. The acting prnciple gave us a tour and said they are sent for 2 years to teach there. He was from Leh. Left a donation as they were trying to take the kids on an excursion to the Lakes! We climbed up another pass and yes it snowed but the roads were dryish. It was a long haul up as we spent more time at the school than planned.
That night we spent in Arabian Public tents, they cooked food at the front and we slept out the back. Jenny R had succumbed again to Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) and ended up at the first aid post with O2 sats of 45 not too flash and the reason why she was sleepy all the time. The meal was delicious though. Jo also fell pray to AMS overnight and spent the early hours vomiting. Choice of the car or riding... no choice at least you are in charge of the bike and can stop and do whatever whenever!!

Blogs

We will all be blogging soon and putting up some photos! The internet just STOPS sometimes in India (along with the power ) Katie Jenny Jenny & Jo are on the way home, in Singapore at the moment. Michele along with her broken arm (more to follow) is on a plane to Sydney ( No Kathmandu for her :( ) Julene is the only one continuing on her trip. Stay tuned!

तुएस्दय 21st

Dropped Katie off to Delhi at 530am!!!
Finally left for Manali the long way round ( Go Charley & Ewan) Learnt how to do water and waterfall crossings. The Enfields are amazing, first gear little or no throttle and if they dont stall, they will chugg through anything. The road had been washed away and was closed. We waited for the bulldozer to sort of clear a path and we were away.On the way our crazy lead car driver liked shortcuts... why would you use the tar if there was a dirt/sand track that cut off the hairpin? We headed over the edge at one stage- acute mountain sickness makes you sleepy which is not too much fun but this dirt/sand woke us up. Each time we think a road is bad IT GETS WORSE!! We travelled across the More Plains a large area of dust and dirt. The roads filled the valley a bit like the NT if you dont like the road you just make a new one so the whole plains are filled with tracks. Once again 1st gear no throttle and the Enfield just chugged along. Jo was chasing Raj but lost the others behind so thought she would stop. In the middle of a desert like valley, no vehicles or road to be seen in either direction. Dead quiet and where the #*#* was that road anyway. Then trucks could be seen on the far right of the valley and of course we were taking the left side. The others had caught up Michele had taken a small lie down in the sand. So we gathered together and off again. After a discussion we thought perhaps the right side might be better, surely the locals knew .... Ah well as long as we went south we would get there eventually.
We lunched at Hot springs which were not like the Peninsula ones at all. We rode through lots of wildlife Yaks, horses, goats and sheep. Passed a Nomad group of tents thought it was our accomodation would have been happy as the roads were tough. Then 40ks or fairly ordinary dirt/sand/rocks to get to the stunning Tsomoriri Lake. It was a stunning landscape but we werent up to enjoying it much. We were still up high again & acute mountain sickness claimed a few of us again. The tourist tents were great with an ensuite! No hot water but at this stage all we needed was a toilet! we did celebrate with a scotch that night. The next day were still ordinary, dont think the one drink hurt us though!

सन्डे/ Monday

Attempted access to Pangong Lake alas no permits thus a wasted day. Hurry hurry and wait seems to be the Indian way. Visited another Monastery and then home.
This was in the area where the mudslide had travelled down the hill. With no vegetation there is nothing to stop it. This was kinda like the Eastlink of vic, the road that takes you everywhere. We got good at the trafficc, roadworks and towns (also the military, the animals and the people!)
Monday Katie decided to bail and fly to Delhi Tuesday.
Michele, Jenny S Julene & Kerrie were driven to the Lake Pangong Interesting trip beautiful scenery 8 hours driving roads worse than the highest pass. Glad we weren't on the bikes.
New guest house missed the old boys. Met a group of dentist doing volunteer work from USA

फ्रिदय 17th

Friday 17th
We set off over the pass good weather, no snow, very little traffic unbelievable. At the check point we had noodles at a restaurant. Stopped at the top briefly and had a reasonable trip down. This was Julenes first attempt over the pass and no dramas! After the trip down we had a picnic lunch on the roadside. Jo heard Ritu mention trying to organise a workshop at a college and didn’t follow the lead car (it was going past the college) Consequently headed off toward the petrol station and got stuck in a heard of sheep ( always fun) both ways and ended up behind the girls which made good filming through Leh traffic. It was peak hour, school out and busy. Happy to be back at our hotel for dinner and sleep.

सतुरदय 18th

Saturday 18th
Went shopping and on tour in the car. We visited the Womens Alliance Co Operative where the middle man is cut out. We had to get the shop open and they had some interesting local garments. Katie got a fabulous red woollen jacket that everyone had tried on. We also bought some local shawls. Later we ventured up to the Tsemo Gompa where we had great views over Leh. We watched the local women and men carry stone on their backs up to the Gompa to do repairs. Trying to figure out an easier way, but we thought ah well it is employment. Then on to the Leh Palace well worth the visit where we met a Singaporean couple who were trekkers and had a lovely chat to us. Even about our PM! Back home to try for internet access and shopping. Ritu took us through the market to a jewellery shop where you can buy precious stones to have set at home or already made up. We also bought shawls and scarves.

ठुर्स्दय 16th

Thursday 15th
Early next morning Shubha Ritu Jenny Jenny & Jo went for a long walk through the area. We found prayer temples and the road up to the monastery. These are built into the side of the mountains which is an amazing feat in itself. There was Sanskrit written in stone placed at the prayer temples and also embedded in the wall on the walk to the monastery. It was peaceful and the local water source comes from the melting glaciers. The valley is almost cut off over winter. The guesthouse grew all their vegetables. The place was warmed by the sun during the day and maintained a pleasant temperature overnight.
Julenes first day on the bike and she adjusted well. A camel ride was on for those interested the next morning and we all travelled out to the sand dunes. Raj showed us how to cross rivers easily. We headed up to Diskit to another monastery from where we had a great view of a new one over the way. The off to town for lunch with the locals. A workshop had not been confirmed and Ritu & Shubha had to quickly go and set up. The local women had travelled into town for it and we were late! Jenny & Jenny went to help with the breast examination and screening. We had another pleasant evening at the guesthouse.

वेद्नेस्दय 15th

We had been briefed by Raj about the bikes and were getting used to them. There are 3 500cc Classic & 2 350 cc Classic Royal Enfields. The bikes are fabulous for the type of riding we are doing. Steady and solid. The sport bikes wouldn’t be so much fun! The traffic, animals, people horns beeping ‘ I want to pass’ or ‘I am passing’ make for a noisy environment.
We were told to be up and ready by 7am…. We left at 10! Julene was discharged from hospital and was travelling in the car. We left her bike at the hotel.
We travelled to South Pulu where we stopped for about an hour for permit checks and road opening information. The altitude was affecting us with easily getting short of breath. We had some food at the canteen local deep fried bread…… interesting and of course tea.
The ride up over the Kardongla Pass is only short in ks but long in time. The tar gives way to gravel, sand and rocks. Throw in snow, slush, trucks, buses, animals and it was probably the hardest ride we have ever done. Up at the top approx 5600m depending on which map you read it is the highest motorable road in the world. We stopped for longer than the recommended time for photos etc. Once again getting short of breath and headaches. Kerrie, Michele and Jo were SO RELIEVED to have actually made it! We breast cancer gals had a moment for our mates that have not been as fortunate as we have. We left pink ladies up there with the prayer flags.
The shop was SHUT so no souvenirs- sad face.
One of the gals had to jump in the car so Raj took the lead. The trip down was not much better- still snow and slush. Hope the helmet cam has picked up the conditions. It was amazing scenery riding through the mountains but not a lot of time for sightseeing…. Keep those eyes on the road/track.
Down at North Pulu the other check point we kept going a little further for lunch. The road was good and it was a treat to almost have fun (the beauty of Indian roads is that you cannot assume anything!)
The Nubra Valley was amazing to ride into. The mountains and road were not too bad. A few rough patches. One water crossing. Raj had shown where not to go & Jo didn’t hear the NO THROTTLE part of the conversation. Consequently nearly lost it but managed to avoid Raj, the lake and his bike. Kerrie fared better and got through with only a toe touching the water!
The guesthouse was clean & we had HOT water showers. We were so relieved to have survived the pass but were not too keen to do it all again the next day. Luckily we had 2 nights here.