Trekking in Ladakh

First, I apologise for the long hiatus since my last blog post but I do, at least, have a good excuse. Charlie Isitt has been visiting for the last three weeks so we took the opportunity to travel to Ladakh, a mountainous region in the far north of India.

Ladakh is in the state of Jammu & Kashmir which is famed for its beauty but also, sadly, its conflict owing to the ongoing border disputes between India and Pakistan.  Ladakh is far enough east to avoid most of the India / Pakistan trouble; it instead lies close to the Tibetan border for some India / China tension instead.  Although Ladakh is part of India, it was a separate kingdom (with its own monarchy) prior to independence and feels culturally very different from the rest of India.  The native people are Buddhists and the high altitude of the region (Leh, the main town, is at 3500m) and mountainous landscape results in a region much more similar to neighbouring Tibet.

We booked a 10 night stay in Ladakh through a tour guide, Stanzin, who had been recommended to us by a British friend currently living in India.  The plan was to relax in and around Leh, seeing local sites, for four days before embarking on a six day trek through the mountains (part of the Himalayas). Our trip was therefore full of a range of incredible and memorable experiences so I'm going for a multi blog post approach for our holiday. Here, I'll focus on the trek itself, and a report on the rest of our activities in Ladakh, and on the extreme effects of altitude on the human body, are yet to come...

Leh is famous for its outdoor and adventure activities and we wanted to do something brave and memorable, so a six day hike through areas with no road access climbing up to over 5000m seemed perfect.  We wanted a real adventure but, equally, did not want to underestimate the seriousness of walking in remote areas at high (and sometimes dangerous altitude) and wanted to make our lives are comfortable as we reasonably could.  We therefore enlisted Stan, our guide, and his team of one helper, one cook, one horseman and six horses.  Although we would be camping, our bags and equipment would be carried by the horses and the team did all the catering, leaving us with very little to plan or worry about other than enjoying the experience.

For reasons to be explained in the "High Altitude - Danger" blog post, Charlie could not come on the trek and had a few quiet days in Leh instead.  This was sad for us all, but the trek team were ready to go so Phil and I set out to the starting point of our walk through the Markha Valley, close to the village of Chilling.  We passed the confluence of the Indus and Zanskar rivers on the way to the start point - a beautiful sight.  We also saw lots of keen white water rafters, another popular activity in the Indus Valley in Ladakh.

Our trip was a five day walk up the Markha river, a tributary of the Zanskar river, starting at the valley floor at 3000m and crossing the 5200m pass on the final day before a steep descent back down to 3700m and to the road back to Leh.  The longest day was around 20km which was fairly flat, with shorter days at the end of the trek where we climbed steeply at punishingly high altitudes.  The trek route was fairly well known and we saw (and chatted with) several other walkers at the camp sites, but we were usually the only humans in sight and it felt remote.  We did see others doing the route without a guide but I wouldn't recommend it.  It's not hard to navigate, but hard to get out or get help if anything goes wrong.

Day 1- Chilling to Sku

Our bags, tents and provisions waiting to be loaded onto our team of horses 

First team shot (Stan took a lot of team photos...) close to the river and start point 

Despite the very low rainfull in the region, the land is lush near the river owing to irrigation.  It was harvest time in Ladakh, much of which is done by hand, to bring in the main barley crop before winter. 

Meeting another team of fully laden horses as we walked through the valley 

Stupas (kind of Buddhist shrines containing relics which you should walk around in the clockwise direction) 

Relaxing at our camp at Sku after an easy first day with mint tea, biscuits and cake.  At this point, we realised that the catering was going to be good...

Our second pre-dinner snack was noodles in a fresh vegetable broth 

Our brightly coloured accommodation for the next five nights.  Roasting in the day when the sun was out.  Freezing as soon as the sun went down. 

We always camped close to the river, our washing facilities for the trek. 

The crew had a bigger tent and managed to cook a feast each evening on only three gas hobs.  We started with Indian food but they managed soup, pasta, potato wedges, dumplings, chinese food and even cake over the course of the trip.  We did not go hungry.

The only panic of the first day for me was an apparent infestation of wasps which buzzed around everywhere in the valley.  This was not good news for someone scared of wasps.  After a good half an hour of flapping, our crew convinced me that they were wasp shaped hoverflies that don't bite or sting.  Phew!  They didn't attack me so I was happy after that.

Day 2 - Sku to Markha

My British Airways First Class pyjamas saw me through the night in a tent.  Cold mornings were helped by tea arriving at the tent door at 7am and a good hot breakfast. 

On our way.  The landscape on day 2 was fairly rocky with large crags rising up on both sides of the valley. 

Phil is looking a bit ghost like owing to the large amount of suncream that we both wore throughout.  The sun is very strong and there was no cloud cover. 

Our man Stan, who did an exemplary job of looking after us. 

Some greenery lining the river. 

We removed our shoes to cross the river shortly before Markha.  This was freezing but wonderfully refreshing after a long walk.  The river level rises a lot during the day as the water that flows down is melted snow from the mountains.  It is very clear, with a wide spectrum of colourful rocks (this area is a geologists dream). 

A pack of horses making the river crossing look a lot easier than I did. 

Relaxing at our camp.  The building in the background is a homestay, the alternative to camping along the route.

Day 3 - Markha to Thachungste

Even more spectacular rocks 

There were "tea tents" every few kilometres run by local people living in the valley.  Their homes are very remote and cut off entirely for months during the winter.  This little boy was very curious and enjoyed having visitors. 

The Kang Yaze peak (I or II, I'm not sure) appears on the horizon.  Kang Yaze 1 is 6400m and Kang Yaze II is 6170m.  To compare, Ben Nevis is 1344m and Everest is 8848m.

The peak in all its glory. We would get much closer on the next day. 

Another tea tent location.  This time guarded, curiously, by a yaks head.  We had lots of stops for tea which was required as walking at high altitude is very tiring.

A Dzo - a cross between a cow and a yak- which seemed to be a popular combo in these parts. 

After three days with no washing facilities, my hair had turned to straw and I was desperate to wash it.  The river was the only option.  The water was freezing but the sun very warm so it was great overall just not very private for full body washing.  I thoroughly enjoyed my shower at the end of the trek after five increasingly smelly days without one.

We didn't have any toilet facilities for five days either which was problematic but a popular conversation topic for Philip. The less said about that the better...

At the end of day 3, we stopped at a quiet campsite at 4000m, at the start of the big ascent...

Day 4 - Thachungste to Nimaling

Although the walk was relatively short at 2.5 hours, we climbed from 4000m to 4900m, then back down to 4700m where we camped.  Walking uphill at this altitude was very hard and I found it difficult to catch my breath, even when trudging along very slowly.  Frequent rests were required. 

 Evidence of the presence of other walkers.  This was a particularly awesome viewpoint.

At 4900m next to a lake reflecting the Kang Yaze II peak. 

There were regular piles of stones including ancient Tibetan carvings.  The language of Ladakh is Ladakhi which is very similar to Tibetan. 

 Our horses overtook us for the first time.  Evidence that we were walking particularly slowly!

 

Our campsite, a huge plateau, with a friendly baby dzo. 

The best sheep ever.  He was very cute and very fluffy! 

Life at 4700m was cold, to say the least.  After a warming dinner, I slept in five layers of clothes plus a woolly hat, a sleeping bag and a thick blanket, which just about kept me warm enough. 

Day 5 - Over the pass

The long climb from our camp to the Gongmaru pass at 5130m 

I found this extremely physically draining.  I was walking painfully slowly and needed to rest every minute or two.  Stan said that we were quicker than average though which makes me feel a bit better. 

Made it! Although I was feeling very rough at the tough. My body wanted to get to lower ground and a more oxygen rich environment as soon as possible. 

Stan the man.  Apparently not tired at all. 

Group hug before the descent. 

 It was really quite snowy and cold at the top, another reason to get down quickly.

The incredible descent which helped to restore my oxygen equilibrium.  Unfortunately, the photos don't do justice to the colours.  Much of the rock was bright green - it made me think of a cross between the Wizard of Oz and The Lord of the Rings.

A rock gate 

Going down... 

Close to our final camp and feeling very happy that we'd made it through in one piece!

Final camp and end of the trek

Phil's 10 year old walking boots were a little worse for wear.  We left them in Leh. 

 Charlie joined us for the final night camping so had a taste of the trekking experience.  Here is our crew from L to R - the horse man, Phil,me, Stan, Charlie, our cook and our helper.

Amazingly, the team managed to bake a cake for us for breakfast.  We were impressed. 

Our final trekking breakfast 

With our cook, driver and helper before returning to Leh

Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry

On Sunday, we returned from another long weekend (I do honestly work five days a week...), this time in the south-east of India, in Tamil Nadu.  In contrast to our trip to Coonoor in the hills two weeks ago, we stayed on the coast for some sun, sea and sand in two well known but contrasting towns; Mahabalipuram (don't ask me to pronounce it) and Pondicherry.

Mahabalipuram is a bit like a mini-Hampi, with a 7th century temple (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and various other impressive rocks and carvings.  We arrived in the town on Friday afternoon, having flown into Chennai, and picked up a cheerful guide who showed us around the major sites.  His tour wasn't heavy on historical content, but he was very enthusiastic about taking pictures of us standing together against various old bits of rock.  He also though turned out to be rather unfit and nearly collapsed on Philip whilst walking up a hill, and then proceeded to drink all our water to recover.  All good fun and I hope that he uses his 500 rupee fee for some good quality heart tablets.

The monuments in the town are impressive and in very good condition.  My favourite site was Krishna's butter ball; a giant bolder perched on a slope which defies gravity by holding its position.  It was a busy day owing to the Public Holiday for the first day of the Ganpati festival (the one where statues of Ganesh (with an elephant's head) are immersed in the sea) with lots of other locals enjoying a day trip out.

A tough looking fish lady.  Not to be messed with. 

Not particularly relevant, but I like this goat picture before.  I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but "mutton" in India tends to be goat. 

Visiting the Shore Temple 

The Shore Temple - It's small but perfectly proportioned

Posing in front of the five rathas.  These were carved from a single huge bit of rock from the top down, and represent five brothers.

Next obligatory pose in front of the elephant.  This was a particularly popular posing place.  We had to elbow a few others out of the way to get this shot. 

Children riding the UNESCO World Heritage bull 

The lighthouse - a rather appealing British construction built in 1900. 

The butter ball, complete with people trying to push it over 

Good balancing 

Checking for fleas

We met a few friendly locals including a chap who lives partly in Exeter as a stonemason at the cathedral.  We had a good walk and conversation with him, although his invitation to try his grandmother's chai did sadly and inevitably lead to being taken hostage in his stone carving workshop where we were offered a "very good price".  We extricated ourselves (and our wallets) in one piece and finished the day with a tasty fresh fish supper in a local cafe close to the beach.  There is a fairly active European traveller population in the town, which means that there were lots of cheap but tasty dining options from which to choose.

 Catching fish

Eating fish

On Saturday morning, we were brave and caught the bus to Pondicherry, which was predictably busy and somewhat hair raising, but we made it to Pondy in one piece.  We stayed in a lovely heritage hotel, converted from an old French colonial building, which was a haven of peace in the bustling town beyond.

Bus proof

Pondicherry is an interesting mix of old French colonial streets, with plenty of Gallic charm, and normal, crazy India with its noise, heat and dust.  The French did, though, leave a lot in Pondicherry in the form of beautiful old houses, impressive churches, French street signs and parks in the French Quarter of the city.  Wandering around the French quarter, you can't quite bring yourself to believe that you are in France (the large canal / open sewer running through the city is particularly off-putting), but it is charming and was remarkably quiet for India.  The seafront too feels spacious and calm (albeit very hot) and we spent a pleasant afternoon exploring Pondy.

The best bit, of course, is the food as Pondicherry is packed with bakeries and charming cafes serving authentic French fodder.  Within a couple of hours of arriving, we found a lovely little courtyard cafe for a fresh salad lunch before moving to the next cafe for a nutella crepe (though no Orangina, sadly). What's more, you can get a real beef steak!!

Well, theoretically, you can get a real beef steak. Having carefully identified a restaurant for dinner with plenty of beef on the menu, we were only told at the point of ordering that they had run out.  Phil was rather disappointed!  He will have to make do with a bit of buffalo back in Mumbai instead.

Anyone who has read The Life of Pi will be questioning whether we visited the zoo.  Well...there is no zoo and the site of the zoo in the film, the Botantical Gardens, is currently been renovated so we didn't bother going to see it (it's rated 23 of 24 on tripadvisor, where 24 doesn't have any reviews...). So we are left to imagine what a zoo would be like if it existed in Pondicherry.  We saw plenty of street dogs and an elephant outside a temple, so we didn't do too badly.

We packed away croissants, quiche and an apple pastry before leaving the town at lunchtime on Sunday, making the most of the bakeries before leaving.

Street signs in French and Tamil

 A relatively peaceful French avenue

A lovely soup and salad lunch at La Maison Rose 

Phil entertaining himself with photography whilst waiting for his crepe 

The aforementioned crepe 

A beautifully kept church in the French Quarter

 On the outside.  It has an excuse for looking good as it's been rebuilt three times since the mid 19th century.

A long lunch break... 

Fresh morning croissants 

Another pretty church with blue skies to match

My final memorable experience of the weekend was at the airport where I made the somewhat rash decision to have a manicure at the airport spa given that we had time to spare and £8 for a manicure sounded ok to me.  This was a big error.  The 45 minute manicure lasted 20 minutes in which time my carefully grown nails (well, long for me) had been cut down short and jagged with no paint and, frankly, looked terrible.  It's a rare occurrence but I did, this time, refuse to pay, and I'm sure that I have a below average level of fussiness about my nails.  This is a lesson to all - never go to the spa at Chennai airport!  I am letting them grow back again and will be visiting the Taj spa instead in future.

Human Pyramids / The Dahi Handi festival

Only in India could you have a festival which consists of people creating huge human pyramids with the aim of hitting a clay pot full of yogurt or buttermilk (dahi) with a stick.

There is a religious basis to the festival; it is based on the legend of the child god Lord Krishna who used to make human pyramids with friends to steal butter. I'm not quite sure what the moral of the story is, or if their is one at all, but it's a lot of fun and is a particularly popular festival in Mumbai.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahi_Handi

Although the pot traditionally contains dahi, the main attraction these days is the prize money on offer for the teams that manage to smash the pots.  Political parties and others put up fairly large cash prizes and lots of teams train for months to perfect their pyramids.

This is, though, a sport for the brave.  Last year, several people died falling off the pyramids and many more were hospitalised.  This year, a height limit of 20 feet has been imposed and people must be at least 12 years of age to compete.  Based on what I saw on Monday, both these requirements were ignored, but the Tuesdays papers reported that there were zero fatalities from the festivities.

I was at work on Monday (no holiday for this festival sadly) but Phil picked me up at 7pm and we went to watch our local pyramid competition on Hill Road.  As expected, it was loud, chaotic and exciting with a large crowd of people and pyramids springing up along the street.  There is serious skill and strength in the pyramids and strategy is important.  We didn't see a pot being broken, but a six person high pyramid is impressive enough.

Phil chatted to several locals and was invited to join a pyramid but he politely declined which was a relief.

Here are a few pictures of our experience:

Phil bonding with a local team 

 An unbroken dahi handi

 The little boy on the top (a very small 12 year-old) had a helmet and, strangely, a life jacket.  I assume to protect him in case he landed in a puddle of water...

This picture shows the climbing action up the side of the pyramid

The wobbly bit...standing up at the top 

Standing tall

Visitors - The Hall family and the return of the Butlers

Over the last few weeks we've been fortunate to welcome two sets of visitors; the Hall family and my parents (who were brave enough for a return visit).

Robin, Dorothy, Matthew and Arthur came for the weekend at the end of July, and we had such a lovely time that we forgot to take any photos!  What a missed opportunity.  As proof that they did come to India, here is a family picture at the Taj Mahal, which the Hall family visited after staying with us in Mumbai.

Dorothy, Arthur, Matthew and Robin

We beat the monsoon during their visit (which tried its best to derail us) and visited several sites in South Mumbai, including the Gandhi museum, the Gateway and we had tea at the Taj, as well as exploring the local area (Bandra Fort, Mount Mary and a good Indian massage).  Matthew and Arthur were undeterred by the heat and put our treadmill through its paces, whilst Robin rang his first handbell peal for several years to notch up the Cambridge University Guild's first peal in India.

http://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=345060

Two weeks later, we met up with my parents for a long weekend in Goa (yes, another long weekend...) at the end of their holiday exploring Delhi, Agra and Kolkata.  My father's view of India hadn't changed much, it was still dirty, but they seemed to have enjoyed the trip overall.  The weekend coincided with my Dad's birthday (Saturday) and my Mum's (Sunday) which gave the perfect excuse for a celebratory spa treatment on Sunday (me and Mum) and a few beers on every other day (for all).

We spent the weekend relaxing, including lots of swimming, table tennis, walking on the beach / visiting local sites and visiting the Taj spa.  Mum and I had a facial on her birthday and I was rather indulgent and had a pedicure too.  Phil also had a spa treatment which was a waste of time as he went for the deep tissue massage and asked for this to be as hard as possible.  He could hardly walk afterwards and didn't enjoy it very much!  The hotel ran yoga classes which I joined one morning and found challenging but fun.  Apparently I'm quite bendy which bodes well for more yoga in the future (my next project...)

A relatively sunny day in the monsoon 

An appropriate sign for a couple with a combined age of 108

We were treated to cake on my Dad's birthday by the Taj staff who secretly decorated my parents' room with towel sculptures, rose petals and a cake.  This brought back memories of our hotel lifestyle over a year ago.

More pictures to follow...