Escape from Nubra Valley: Day 2

Last we left our adventurers, the children had crossed the glacial river and then were crossed back. No more cars were being allowed up the mountain road due to a series of avalanches before K-Top. Our heroic driver had made the decision to go it alone and take the car up to the avalanche and then continue on foot past the snow-slide to K-Top. We joined up with an American adventurer (call Central Casting: looking for Matt Damon meets Arnold Schwarzenegger hero-type to play role of mysterious [CIA?] traveler to assist hapless adventurers and an Indian journalist to find a place to stay in Nubra Valley. As the last car to cross the pass, we were also the last car to descend the valley and the last to look for a place to stay.

The first stop was full and on to Khardung we went. No street lights to light the way, the entire village was dark. Our heroic driver was mentioned, but as there were 13 of us there of course was the driver of the second car who doesn't get such high praise as he was a bit of a Nubra Valley Newbie. Despite our low expectations he was able to score us a room in the 2-room home of a village family. Thirteen weary travelers slept on the floor a typical Ladakhi village home. Alarm was set for 4:20 AM. Although every person of any authority would give us conflicting times as to when the best time to return to the pass in the AM, the local consensus was to ignore what they had to say and to get their early to be first in line.

We met up with Central Casting and drove back to the check-point truck stop to wait. At 6 AM we were car number 3 at the gate. The official line was 2 PM and 5 PM and 11 AM and any number of times in between, before the road would be repaired. We killed time, napped, ate more momos and Magi noodles, tried to guess the identity of Central Casting, a man with mountaineering skills, charming people skills, but a very quiet and need-to-know approach on sharing info. We made other friends, the young German. We made un-friends, the French who were trying to cut the line. Some army personnel who didn't care for our proactive approach the day before...

After 5+ hours of killing time, we saw a familiar face walking down the road from K-Top. It was our heroic driver. It was his opinion that the road wouldn't be done till 5 PM and that with the pending visit of the Dalai Lama that the first to go through would be all official people. He advocated that we walk up to the broken road/river crossing where he left his vehicle and drive on from there. The avalanches had been cleared he assured us. He had spent the night on K-Top.

Our current location was in the neighborhood of 4,000+ meters, the location to which we were to hike was 5,000+ and K-Top was 5,600. We had adjusted to the altitude of 4K+, but had yet to do any hiking at that height. Hero Driver was very confident in our ability. Central Casting volunteered to join us and carry any kids if need be. Merely to favor action over inaction we decided to go for it.

First we walked through the valley, leaving the winding mountain road to our right. It was gorgeous and although the terrain was light, the altitude made it difficult from the get-go. Within 20 minutes Hero Driver was carrying Kieran on his back. We had estimated the walk to be 8KM, but that number wasn't firm as we would be cutting corners off the winding road.

It felt very Sound of Music, except we couldn't really skip and twirl for fear of passing out. By the time we got to the first of the switch-back roads we were assured there was not far to go. It looked like we could accomplish our task in two to two and a half hours. Our group had stratified into the fast walkers and those of us who were bringing up the rear in deliberate, contemplative, and monastic fashion.

After two hours of walking, the slower group was met up by two army vehicles. They were a bit puzzled by our trekking and after some convincing gave us a ride up to our vehicle. It was clear we would not have made it in 2 or 3 or 4 hours. The army guys had chocolate and sweet drinks and spoke of the training necessary to do such a trek. They also said the road would open in a 1/2 hour. We were relieved to be rescued.

After some more convincing they went back and got the 1st half of our group as well. We were united at the one vehicle that had passed the river the day before. We were now 14 with 250 lb Central Casting, joining us. With luggage on top, we piled in.

We took off toward K-Top, made it 75 meters and then k-put! The fan came disengaged. Our driver opened up the car and the healthiest of our crew including, Central Casting decided to walk from there to K-Top. At this time, cars were coming down the mountain for the first time and we could see that official vehicles were delivering the all clear signal to the base of the mountain.

After 10 minutes and some little miracles our driver fixed the car. We drove past our group - the car would not be able to carry them and there should be someone available to pick them up before they got too high. Two minutes later with some hand gestures and a little more magic, Hero Driver arranged an empty cab (the first car out from the base of the hill - how was that possible?) to pick up the rest of our party.

We drove past the cleared avalanches and made it to K-Top, passing joyous buddhist monks and nuns descending into Nubra to see the Dalai Lama. We were happy to coast back down the other side to Leh.

Showers, hammocks, and showers awaited us at the Oxygen-rich height of 3,500 M. Relief!

-Ted

Misspelled and Funny Signs of Ladakh

* After whiskey driving risky
* Do not urine here. Urinating here is a offence. Defaulter will be fined of rupees $1000. Public toilet inside taxi stand.
* Be married Drive divorced
* Toliet
* Chilling 29 KM (funny cuz it was burning hot that day)
* Dinning Hall
* Hello I am Here. Use me. (trash can)
* Entry charge, just smile.
* Begal (for a bagel in a bakery)
* Photograph is strickly prohibited inside temple. Smoking and consuming alcoholik drinks in the vicinity of the temple is also strickly prohibited.

-Pari