Ladakhi Update

The internet went down in Manali and I was not able to post the rest of the entry I had written so for those of you that already ready my last post, there is yet a little more to go! :)

The internet here in Leh is more than 3 times the price I have found anywhere else so I will keep the computer time to a minimum. Just know that the trip from Manali lasted 20 hours in a small bus and... boy was it an adventure within itself!! Some of the most striking scenery I have ever seen. If harsh can be beautiful, this trip, through rocky valleys, desert-like open ground, rivers and jagged cliffs is that. Nature to me is usually so gentle and curvaceous and beauty comes from color and lush life. This "Tibetan moonscape" so it is called, is nothing of that and yet no less stunning. The down side is that little of the road is paved and at times you are simply making your way through open land, trying to avoid the deepest holes or the softest ground. I was almost sick twice, the worst of the two was mixed with the overpowering scent of tar that was being mixed and used in that area as if my nose was being coated as well for the new road. The upside were the tent villages that were set up in the middle of nowhere serving various dishes and hot tea. Many even had comfy places relax and recharge, but oh... there really was not much recharging when I had the back seat and was regularly bounced out of that seat! My head must have hit the window maybe 10 times every half hour. I had to laugh at the inevitability of it, even with my futile efforts to create a padded bonnet out of my blanket! :)

I have met a couple of great girls, a scot and an aussie and once we get used to the altitude (about 3505m but one of the passes was more than 5,500m!) we've made plans to explore Leh and the surrounding area thoroughly!