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