Ladakh Marathon Trip - Day 10 - Kargil to SriNagar

• We set out early on, close to 6:15 AM, we have our tea and we start, with a plan to attempt at River Rafting, which our driver promised to get a rafting trip along our route to SriNagar
• Early on we had a pit stop, with some great solo snaps and scenic early morning sunrise pics, we cruise on again. With our principle of not taking too many stops, it worked out really well, not feeling the hardships that we had earlier in our trip.

 

• All were really drained I suppose, all were in their own slumber mode, had fun capturing the various poses of people in sleep mode :)
• We were sighting the burnt tents down in the valley where people were stationed for the amarnath yatra, that was signs of us nearing Sonomar, where the chopper ride and normal trek route starts for the Holy Amar
• We stopped at Sonomar for breakfast, this time we headed to the JK tourism hotel and had our large order done and waiting.

 

• While Gupta and Sridhar go to the enquiry desk there and started to enquire about chopper ride to amarnath, happy enough they came back with the news that there was chopper rides to amarnath in an hour's time and with a tentative plan to reach back sonomar by 3PM, with some initial hesitation, everybody agreed to take up the chopper ride except uday.
• We had our breakfast, dump all the luggage into a room at the JK center, with uday waiting to rest for some time and we head to the place where the chopper tickets were sold and would take off, which was close to 3 kms away.
• Within no time everybody reaches out to parents and get approvals and what not, all were really excited to the potential ride to Amarnath, but only after reaching there and enquiry did we know that there is no chance of getting a ticket immediately, and the return trip was not guaranteed to be on time.
• With all of us having the flights the next day, and with the certain plan of staying at the amarnath site over night, no body was ready, we all headed back to the room and loaded our luggages back to our van and we set out to our last option of a River rafting, Uday had a sudden change in plan, he had a flight at 4:30 PM that day, hence had to skip the rafting trip and took a ride on his own to the srinagar airport directly.
• Our driver Fareed rides for quite a while, to the extent that we ended up reminding him that he has to stop for a river rafting trip.
• In some time we reach a spot where we saw quite a few rafts being lined up, and close to 8 folks who have never done the ride before headed out for the rafting ride which was a 3 k sail, which potentially looked like a Rapid 2 ride

 

• We snap and record video of all our folks along the route of the sail, we stop at the end point, had enough snaps, all first timers enjoying it, get their clothes changed, and all were immediately set for lunch
• We again capture a hotel nearby and had a list of orders until everybody was really full, had a heavy lunch and there we go, close to 80k left to Srinagar.
• While many were into their slumber mode again, I started to collate all the photographs from every person, so that it would be easier to share to folks.

 

• As I finish my write up for the pending days, we sighted Dal lake again, a different view of dal lake on a sunny afternoon. We head to the same hotel where we went on our onward journey.
• Everybody freshens up  in an hour's time we head out to the srinagar town, to get some shopping done, we walked towards the zero point bridge, take a bus to Lal chowk, started our stroll along the streets
• For all obvious reasons, locals could sense the tourists, there are enough people by your side along while you walk, asking if we need shawls, dry fruits, and other authentic local produce
• We stop at the dry fruits shop, enquire for quite a bit, and start our purchase spree of black current, almonds, dry garlic and almost every one item in the store :)
• We walked a bit more, looking out for sweet shop, our second group arrived and were clearing out the dry fruit shop.
• We head into JK handicrafts only to realize that all the items are marked up 100 to 200% as opposing to the local shops, quickly we enquire and head towards the sweet shop to taste the so called Rasagolla which few of our group members were bragging about.
• We had a sudden change in plan head out to an exhibition near dal lake, we head there in an auto, purchased few local made handicrafts and stuffs and we went in search of a nice hotel to dine at.
• Soon we settle in a hotel, which seemed to be best around, we were on our last stretch of eating spree, we ate so much for close to a bill of 6k for 11 folks, we ate so much and still had something left over to pack enough.
• Not a single soul was ready to walk back to the hotel, we hitch on auto and all set back to our hotel rooms, only enough energy left to change clothes and hit our beds