So...the last few days have been crazy... This road is simultaneously the most stunningly spectacular and thouroughly terrifying and painful trip of our lives...
Disclaimer: We have a flight back to Delhi so none of this will be repeated....
Tuesday
6am- woke up after only 5 hours of sleep to catch the local bus
8:30am- attempted to catch the first local bus but by the time we found it it was packed beyond overcrowding...people spilling out the doors and on the roof
10:30am- Tried to catch the second local bus...we were more prepared this time and chased it down as soon as it pulled into the bus depot but the mobs at the doors were too much to get through and we did not get on...a couple of foriegners did get on but they had literally no room to move and would be standing, crammed into one spot, for at least 8 hours...
11am- no more local buses today so we decided to take the tourist minibus that makes the trip in one 18ish hour journey...it doesn't leave until 2AM though...
11am-2am--try to find things to entertain ourselves...
Wednesday
2am--get on the 11 seater minibus and set off for the voyage
4am--pass over the first of three major mountain passes--this one 4300 meters...the road, if you can call it a road, was just a mud slick...we spent most of the morning slidding around trying to get over the pass...the road is barely 1.5 lanes but serves as the two lane road--passing is terrifying as we squeeze by buses and dumptrucks with no barrier and a sheer cliff to the side...
4am to noon--more crazy 'roads'...the potholes are ubiquitous and our bodies our bodies are battered and bruised...our hearts race everytime we pass someone, coming within inches of the side of a cliff...
1pm--get stuck in our first landslide--luckily, there is a bulldozer on the scene already so we only wait half an hour...brie pees on the road between two cars for shelter!
4pm--cross our second pass, at 5050 m, everyone starts to feel the symptoms of altitude sickness...
8pm--cross the third pass, at 5300m, it is three times the height of Golden Ears Mountain, our driver tells us it is the second highest mountain pass in the world...at this point, everyone has a headache from the altitude along with various other ailments such as motion sickness from the insanely bumpy ride...
11pm--we arrive in Leh, after 21 hours on the road, and more the 36 hours without sleep...we are exhausted, we are sore, we are thankful to be alive! The mountian views are like nothing I have ever seen and if there was a proper road I would recommend everyone take this voyage as it is just stunningly beautiful...but with the roads the way they are, I would not recommend anyone take this voyage...
Midnight--we finally find a hotel and fall into bed, exhausted...
Thursday
3am-- wake up and every muscle from my lower back up to the base of my skull is aching from the jarring ride...
10 am-- we wake up and are still exhausted...we are not used to the altitude and everything feels like a chore...getting changed we are out of breath...
10am-9pm--we spend most of the day in bed, resting, just getting up to eat...
Friday (today)
We are taking another rest day...our bodies haven't quite adjusted yet...hopefully tomorrow we will be able to get up and explore the town...
We are so thankful that we booked a flight back to Delhi...neither of us could do that trip again...that is definitly a once in a lifetime thing...
Hope everyone is doing well...
Maryam and Jason, we hope you had a wonderful trip! We had originally planned to trek here in Leh because it is a desert so the weather is great! It is the one place in India and Nepal that is spared the monsoon...but we are not sure if we will be able too--the altitude just drains everything out of you...
Bye for now,
Taylor and Brie
OMG what a journey!
ReplyDeleteI was shaking as I read your blog entry... it brought back such vivid (painful) memories of that mountain road in Ireland and the couple of inches we were away from the sheer drop! I'm so glad that you made it through and that you don't have to repeat the trip. I couldn't help but wonder as I was reading, how many bus loads of people have gone over the side.
Wonderful that the scenery was spectacular, so one day the memories of the incredible views may overshadow the terrifying and painful part of the trip.
We have taken the aunties back to Auntie Marie's and it was so hard to say good-bye. This may be the last time Mom (Nana) sees her sisters, so it was a particularly emotional parting.
I hope we can take her back to Ireland for one last visit.
Now we're starting to get ready for the family reunion next weekend. Everyone is so sad that you won't be here for it.
Can't wait for your next blog to hear more.
Love you both. Miss you so much.
Love and hugs,
Mom and Dad
okay, so no more of that!!!
ReplyDeleteglad you are both safe and hope you are able to function normally soon.
deck is screwed down and grass seed is spread on mayne!! home tomorrow(sat) to resume painting, missing you,
lou and dwight and j to hotsprings fri for 2 weeks, mark, aidan, jas cylie and korinna are going for the first 3 days-should be interesting-
glad you are flying back however it could also prove to be "interesting", like the saying goes...whatever doesn't.............makes you stronger, and gives you so many stories to tell.
I love you and miss you
mom
What an adventure you two are having although I'm thinking not exactly what you were looking for! Sounds absolutely terrifying! Hope you recover enough to be able to soak in some of the local culture and do a little treking, although sounds like you can still enjoy food so all is not lost!
ReplyDeletestay safe,
Love Cindy
Seriously...that trip sounded way too scary!!! Glad you guys made it safely. I've just caught up what's happening with you two and it sounds like you are having an amazing trip so far. You two are so adventurous! I can't wait to see all of your pictures when you're back. Hope you are feeling better real soon! Take care of yourselves and no more scary incidents, please!
ReplyDeleteLove Jen, Joe and Carrington
Wow, sounds like quite the adventure. We are glad you are safe and made it through that last nightmare. Hope you are feeling better Taylor and try to stay healthy as well Brie. Keep trekking and keep blogging, love it. Take care.
ReplyDeleteLove Lynn & Jay, Alex & Mel
What an amazing adventure you are having...think of the story you will be able to tell! Hope that you have adjusted and things have settled down for you. All is well here, looking forward to Osoyoos now. We will miss having you there. Safe journeys to you both, take care and we will see you soon. Mary & Al xoxo :)
ReplyDelete