- Early we raise, that day
getting ready to take up a travel to pangong lake, planning to leave by
7:30 AM, had an early breakfast and hopped on to our respective cars
- Tried and sneaked into one of
the cars to get the front seat so that I can get some of my writing done,
and managed to cover up for quite a bit
- Many were so interested to
get to the Pangong lake, for its familiarity were the Climax Scene of 3
idiots was shot, not knowing the long drive that we had to go through
- It was totally 185 kms from
leh to pangong lake, with majority of it through ghat roads, with some
parts being washed away and some parts being worked upon by the Border
Roads organisation
- Briefly did we stop at a tea
shop and munching stuffs, when we were told that the lunch stop just 5 kms
away, we had a nice lunch, first chance to meet all the fellow runners
other than hyderabad runners
- After lunch, headed out
towards the lake, soon after few kms we had a glimpse of the lake, by fact
40% of the lake is in the Indian territory and 60% by china.
- We were appraised by the
driver that we will reach the camp in some time, but after off roading, he
went on and on and every single person in every car for sure would have
lost patience
- It was like the climax scene
which had suspense to just have a glimpse of some camp site, finally after
close to an hour's off roading ride we reach our camp site
- We dump our baggage into our
respective tents and settle for a high tea, was a great relief after a
long drive
- Quickly we set out to walk
along the lake, tons of photos clicked, myself , gupta and balaji went on
walking along the stretch to the level of covering over 3 kms or so. It
was nice and different views
- Walking across some sections
along the shore I felt like getting stuck into quicksand, the layers were
like that it gives such instant feeling
- We climbed on to a high spot, where we had quite a different view, awesome feeling, lying on our
back, with wide lake in the foreground and pale blue sky up, what a serene
experience it was
- We potentially walked for
around 2 hours, and soon to be joined by madhu, devyani and santhoshi, we
tried to find our way back to our camp jumping over some fences :)
- Soon did madhu realize that
she hasn't run at all, starting running towards the camp, only to stop few
hundred meters ahead :)
- We finally sneak into our
camp, settle in for dinner, everybody was getting introduced to runners
from other parts of the country.
- Our own Uday was potentially
overselling runners from Hyderabad runners group and luring folks to
register for Hyderabad marathon.
- We did see one of the folk
struggling to breath, later to realize that he was really low on oxygen
levels and also potentially had infection, doctors in the crowd was
helping out to get him back to normal.
- Gupta having first hand
experience with high altitude sickness during his trek in roopkhund, was
worried about the guy, checking the camp site owner and doctor about the
potential evacuation plan.
- Upon inquiry is when we
realized that there was NO evacuation plan set in place and the tour
organizers did not even have the basic stuffs like stethoscope, BP monitor
which the doctor was asking the tour organizer. A feedback to the tour
organizers for sure
-
- Had a awesome dinner, the
tastiest food that we had all over the trip, with some veg mamoos and hot
soup, was a tasty dinner, with prolonged conversations with fellow
runners.
- While we were busy having
dinner, few of the Air-India pilots who were on their road trip , were
there into our camp kitchen to invite the whole crowd for a bonfire.
- Post dinner few of our folks
set out to the bonfire, it was a clear sky, pitch dark, with umpteen
number of stars to sight with a sight of milky way as well.
- We spent some time around the
bonfire, with the really drunk pilots, who were happy to have some
company. We headed back by around 11 PM and crashed into our beds
We were to wake up by 5:30AM
the next day to have a sunrise walk, so all set into their tents.
- Up by 4:50 AM, felt much
better from last night, caught up some sleep, we already heard about few
drop outs for the day's trip then.
- We had a huge increase in
elevation, with our day's trip to nubra valley, via khardungla which is
the highest motorable road in the world.
- Starting with 10500 feet at
leh, we gained quite considerabally over the course, we had a pit stop at
14000 ft and proceeded towards khardungala pass which is the highest
motarable road in the world, eagerly looking forward for it
- We reached Khardungala Pass
which is at an altitude of 18380 ft , which is the highest motarable road
in the world. It was too cold out there, had quite a few snaps and all
being excited about being in there
- One of the three cars set
aside for hyderabad runners, returned back to leh because few of our
runners were ill and wanted to take rest
- Rest two cars proceeded
towards a decline of 9500 ft towards Nebrua Valley, where we had sand
dunes and camel safari
- With high expectations about
sand dunes, when we arrive there around 12:30 or so, I myself was kind of
disappointed with the size of what they call it as sand dunes, still not
too bad
- We had nice small stream of
water flowing around near that which was a releif in that hot open area of
sand dunes
- Myself, Padma, Ashish and
Gupta were in one car , we set on to a camel safari soon after we reached
there, cute small camels and reasonable big ones with unique bells being
hanged on them was nice sight
- We set on a camel ride with
each one of us on one camel, went on for a 15 minute camel ride, it was
nice one, had fun talking about camels, how one could be a male camel
because its staring at girls or so…nice 15 minutes well spent
- As we were finishing our ride
, we had our second contingent of runners shiv, kirnamai, devyani, Uday
arrived and starting their ride, had few snaps taken across each other.
- Uday was waiting alone in the
tent, where we all settled for our second group of riders to return back
from the camel safari
- Once all had come in had a
few snaps around the stream and headed to lunch in a nearby local camp
- Returned back from neubra
valley, with one of our cautious runner drinking excessive water and
puking, but was better, then on.
- I could see the sense of joy
shown by a person who is playing around with snow, writing on it and
throwing it around, none other than our shiv kosgi.
- We again briefly stopped at
khardungala pass for pit stop, purchased some collectibles and started
again.
- Being worried about the
acclimatization run, few of us set out for a 5k run heading towards the
airport, it was a 2.5 km out and back with onward totally being downhill
and return being totally uphill, man that was the toughest 5k I ran in 7
years.
- Everybody was visibly tired
and was worried about the next day's early morning start, quickly had our
dinner and hit our bed
- Nice beginning of the day,
slept the previous night at around
4 AM after the FIFA Final, and woken up around 7 AM by our coach,
to make sure if Argentina won the finals :) , that too with a penalty
shoot-out :)
- We were expected to be ready
by 8 AM when the breakfast was going to available, but then quick thought
of trying out a short run came in my mind, and I hopped out with my
sneakers on out for a 4 k run.
- Just to put out my experience
of run, the first mile I was running a 10 min/mile, but was having feel of
doing a 1:20 400 repeat. May be the mental feel of altitude and people
speaking about it made me feel that. But my second mile came down to
8:10/mile and was able to keep up that for the next half mile as well.
Though the heart rate was little up for the pace, I am confident that with
couple of days of 5 to 8k run, would feel comfortable to get to race pace.
- Post run and a shower with a
guilt feel of being late went to the officer's mess to realize that the
breakfast was still not ready. Within few minutes it was on and had fun
pulling each other's legs.
- We were fortunate enough to
be helped out by the captain of the army camp Mr Manish to visit one of
the LOC camp post, we were helped with permission letter for visiting the
camp
- We headed out to the LOC
post, was explained in detail about the various LOCpoints, we were
possibly less than 100 meters from 3 Pakistani posts. We could see the
Pakistani flags, and was appraised that they could see us as well at ease.
- There were some Indian posts
were at 12000+ feet which we were able to see, where supplies have to be
taken by the men and with a difficult climbing conditions. Man salute the
men being posted there and their tenacity to be there and handle the
conditions and that too susceptible ones.
- It was already past 12 noon
when we were wrapping up our visit to the LOC camp site, headed out from
there with a plan to avoid any pit stops that is not important.
- We went past a nice set of
dry vegetation less hills with multi colored patches, which accordingly to
our Scientific expert Balaji is the mix of Asian plate mixing with Indian
plate(God knows where he picked it up from ;)
- With barely any stops for
lunch we kept going to make sure for a reasonable reach out before dinner
to leh we kept going, man that was one long ride which made majority of us
feel tired and few of us sick, yet we had to do it
- We were kept entertained for
some time by madhuri with her dragon story and the anxious kid balaji
eagerly listening to it :)
- Stopped for a late lunch at
around 5PM, and with our typical hyderabad runners trademark of emptying
the hotel, we were on a rampage once again eating for around 3k in that
small town :)
- Soon at around 6 pm we again
depart from there and we had another 129k to cover, with it being majority
of downhill , we covered a lot of ground and reach leh at around 8:30 PM
- Once into to town we were in
the hunt for the hotel, with some hiccups we managed to reach the hotel at
around 9:15, with quick freshening up, went on to have our dinner
- Everybody literally crashed
on with the tiredness of travel all over the day, I am sure everybody
should have a sound sleep and for a early start again the next day at 5:30
AM.
- Managed to catch up with some
writing of this blog and slept by 10:30 PM. Had a good night sleep.
- Being tired from the previous
day's walk and a hefty dinner and being late, everybody crashed into bed .
- It was so late in the night
that we realized that there was a curfew declared for overnight and would
be in in effect the following day, so we had to leave early around 5 AM
- All planned for an early wake
up , unusually and unexpectedly ;) people were all ready and we sneaked
out of the hotel at 5:20 AM,
- With an alternative awesome
view of the dal lake without any of the house boats blocking the view, was
nice one indeed.
- We stopped for a breakfast at around 7 AM, only enough
to give a feel to the server at the hotel that we haven't eaten in days,
it went to that level people wanted to have a short walk to feel better
from bloated bin :)
- We were headed to the famous
location heard by any Indian, KARGIL, yes we went along the familiar
ranges i.e. Tiger Hill, Kargil Memorial, Tololing Pass.
- Only by noon did we realize
the target of 2 PM seems ambitious given our flock of sheep go around,
eat, run, the moment we stop our van :)
- Unfortunately we had a flat
tire with our van, but fortunate enough we had it identified at right
terrain.
- We gave business to every
single vendor along the route, few water melons, 40 odd omelets, emptying
shop after shop , but I am pretty sure everybody enjoyed whatever they
were doing and eating along
- Fulfilling the wishes of some
of the girls to hop on to the top of the van for few SOLO snaps, we leave
on to visit the Kargil memorial. What a daring feat have our heroes done,
just couldn't do much beyond loads of respect for those who were involved
in the Kargil combat
- We were to stay in an Army
Guest house, after few enquires we reach the army workshop "Kargil
Eagles", soon settled down in our respective rooms, with triple
sharing
- Soon started to recollect my
NCC trekking camp days, being put up in a similar set up, inside an army
camp.
- After a high tea and a brief
introduction to the Camp Captain , we managed to get few games of
volleyball, along with some of the jawans stationed in the camp, had fun
games.
- Few women started to walk and
slowly jog with the intent to get acclimatized to the elevation
- We gathered again to the
officer's mess for the dinner at 8:30, with Padma helping out the cook
inside the kitchen, folks had a great dinner.
- We managed to watch the FIFA
world cup final, until 3:30 AM along with the camp captain and our
sleeping stretch capable Coach Shiv kosgi :), Balaji, myself, gupta and
shiv post watching the matched settled in our rooms with utmost fear to
the almost dozen dogs within the camp which we had to negotiate to get to
our rooms
