“Bhaiyya, gate kholdena…” I said the lodge dude while loading my machine.
At last, it was the day to bid bye to Leh & I did the same by 6:45 AM. Rode peacefully as the road was good taking few photo breaks. Gave me first break at Upshi for breakfast.
“Bhaiyya, Aloo paratha, dahi aura char leke aana!!” I placed the order.
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| Monastery nearing Karu... |
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| Read carefully!!! |
There was another group who had come on their bicycles. And the group consisted of ladies too. Boy! They are very strong. Post breakfast, the day’s trouble started with stone roads in between the good ones. This kinda road continued till Rumtse after which the road got slightly better again. As the Army convey had already started to move, overtaking them on curves was quite a stress but could compromise for the views aroundJ. As the distance rolled, the climb slightly began to increase & that’s when I realised that I would be on days first ‘La’. Climbing Taglang La was quite a pain due to super bad roads, small slushy paths & important of all, the cold climate. As usual, the bikers from opposite side were waving me Thumps Up & I did give them the same. Dealing with all the pain of climbing a pass, at last I was at Second Highest Motorable Pass of the world by 10:40 AM. Now being on top, what else than customary snap???
“Excuse me; can you take a snap of mine along with bike???” I asked an English man who was at distance from their biking group.
“Oh! Sure…” & he clicked the snap in my SLR. |
| Red hills |
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| Manali, So close yet so far... |
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| Landscape on the way to Taglang La |
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| I have done it :) |
“Bhaiyya, yeh Tso-Moriri ka raasta kaisa hain??” I asked another cab driver.
“Tso-Moriri jaana hain aapko?? Toh Upshi se hi nikal jaate! Woh raasta bahut achha tha…”
“Yeh raasta kaisa hain???” I asked showing me the map pointing to Tso Kar route.
“Yeh bhi achha hain, lekin thoda lamba padega aapko…”
“Aura age Manali thak raasta kaisa hain???”
“Raasta karaab hain bhai! Kya kare?? Aage Zing-Zang bar ke paas ek nalla aatha hain! Bahut khatarnak hain! Kabhi kabhi mera sheesha thak paani aa jatha hain!” Man o man, what non-sense is he talking about???
He told me to follow him so that he can show me the diversion to Tso-Moriri & I stated to follow him from Taglang La decline. But where to catch that idiot?? He was driving as though he is in 4-Lane NH. Lost his vision soon & thought to ask the local once reaching Debring.
After the decline, soon I was in Moreh Plains with super skiddy sands. Man! Why can’t they make any roads here??? There isn’t anything like landslide, water crossing, avalanche & so on but still no roadsL.
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| Moreh Plains... |
After reaching Debring, asked a local about route to Tso-Moriri but came to know he is hearing that word for the first time. Rode ahead & asked again & that’s when a military guy came out & showed me the narrow tarmac road. Boy! Lucky that at least this road has tarmac to enjoy. Riding in tarmac was kinda drinking Red Bull for meJ. As soon as I crossed one hill, got the view of Tso Kar at a distance. Continued ahead enjoying the virgin nature of Ladakh clicking good amount of snaps. Crossed Tso Kar village & after around 5 Kms, the trouble started to play the game. Road ahead is full of gravels. Damn shit! How long would this be now?? I wanted to ask anyone but whom to ask? Road was completely empty with no one around. Thought this road would end soon & continued but it doesn’t seem to end at all. Luckily, a guy was walking on other side of the road & enquired him about the road ahead.
“Raasta toh aisa hi hain kareeb bhees Kms tak. Uske baad sirf theen Kms tak raasta achha hain bus…”
Boy! Did you want Tso-Moriri?? Now gone case. It was already 1:00 PM but me without lunch & hungry too. More than anything, the pain of riding here with no other living being around. Trust me, I dint even find even a buffalo or cow on the road. It was completely barren. Hoping for the best, rode ahead & come to a point where it was a steep right turn & I was sure I can’t do that alone as my bike would skid & tip over. I had already partially decided to head back by then & this curve gave me the good option to move back. While stopping the engine & thinking what to do, to my luck, 2 English ladies were coming in Pulsar on other side.
“How is the road ahead???” I asked helplessly.
“It’s like this for another 1.5 hrs! From Sumdo, it’s good for half a distance…” they responded waiting for another friend to arrive.
“How long it will take to reach Tso-Moriri??”
“Another 3 to 3.5 Hrs..”
“Oh no! Then I think I will head back. Anyways I have already visited Pangong Tso. So I don’t think it will be better than that…”
“No no! Don’t head back. Move on… You are close. Lake is beautiful” they said but I had already made my mind to head back.
“Can we reach Leh today???” it was their turn to fire question. All in all, I was happy to spot some humans to speakJ.
“I started from Leh at 6:45 AM & now it’s already 2:45 PM. I think it’s difficult.”
Meanwhile, their friend came with loosened fuel can. While they got engaged in tying it again, I took a U-Turn & started to head back. It was just 50 odd mtrs that I had headed back,
“What the hell are you doing??? How can you be so coward??? Is this the reason why you came here! To skip the place midway which you had planned to visit???” my mind started giving lecture to my heart. Before the lecture could complete, I said
“Let’s see what will happen..” & took a U-Turn towards Tso-MoririJ. Man! It was my second mistake of listening to heart.
But to get down from that steep right turn, took a help of English lady & then continued ahead wishing them luck ahead & thanking the pretty ladyJ. Reached Sumdo & was very glad to see black tarmac.
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| Narrow tarmac leading to Tso-Moriri!!! |
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| Tso-Kar spotted! |
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| Dead Sumdo village... |
While I had just increased my throttle, saw 2 bullets & 3 guys standing beside it. Had a casual conversation with them & moved ahead after they telling that even they would be heading to Tso-Moriri. 13 Kms of smooth tarmac was kinda fun but after that, it’s again the same. Oh god! When will this get over??? It was very painful to ride on these roads & could see a small blue lake with tents beside it. Is Tso-Moriri so small?? I wondered while riding. That’s when the bulleters crossed me & rode ahead. ‘Krishna! Just follow them..’ I said to myself & did the same only to realise that it was not Tso-Moriri.
“How long will this road continue??” I asked one guy on bullet waiting for his friend to arrive.
“I have no idea!”
After a stressful, painful & horrible 26 Kms, I finally made it to Karzok & military dude stopped me.
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| I mistook it for Tso-Moriri |
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| First view of Tso-Moriri!!! |
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| Boy! How long to ride in these??? |
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| Beautiful landscape!!! |
“Permits??”
After showing them what they asked,
“Itne dhoor tak akele?? Kaha se??”
“Ha sir! Akele.. Bangalore se..”
“Arre! Itna dhoor aane ki kya zaroorat thi??”
“Thoda photo wagera keech ne ke liye…”
“Dekha, aisa hi ho tha hain bhai…” one dude said to other.
After completing the process, reached Karzok & settled in Tashi’s guest house for 150/day. As I was dead tired with bad roads & no lunch, took some rest grabbing a 5-star chocolate I was carrying. After some rest, went beside the lake for captures.
“Excuse me, can you take a snap of mine??” I asked a white lady…
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| That's Tso-Moriri |
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| Looking cool huh!!! |
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| Another view |
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| Swans found |
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| Karzok village beside Tso-Moriri!!! |
After good amount of snaps, got back to room as it was very cold outside & again some rest time. Before going to dinner, went to loo & boy! What kind of toilet is this??? Very strange. Post dinner, slept tight with the hope of reaching Manali-Leh road safely tomorrow.
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