Ladakh - 2

Day 2 of our journey to Leh was dominated by 3 colors.Brown,blue and white.Piercing blue skies,puffy white clouds and more mountains in every shade of brown.Occasionally we would pass a military check post where a handful of army men wearing green uniforms would provide the only contrast to an otherwise uninhabited land.We were climbing higher and higher to the world's second highest motorable pass at 17852ft called Tanglangla.Suddenly all around us were snow capped mountains.The ones at a distance looked darker and very much like a black forest cake with all the icing. The clouds were so dense and so close to the mountain tops that their shadows were cast on them.









I don't think I can really explain the feel of that day.The smell of the barren mountains,the feel of the dust on our faces,the cold breeze layering our skin and the sun blazing at a distance trying to permeate some warmth. Many of the glaciers were melting because of which several mountains had lovely waterfalls at every other crevice.From a distance they looked like thin white ribbons.

I guess all that sand hardened over the years and the wind and erosion chiselled out wierd projections and formations on the rocks.It was interesting because we spent long hours in the car discussing and interpreting our prespectives of those formations.The journey to Tanglangla was one straight vertical road up a mountain.An ascent to almost 18000ft is a bizzare experience.The lack of sufficient oxygen to the brain disorients the person, the simple task of inhalation becomes tiresome.For some people. Here I shall proudly claim that I would have put a mountain goat to shame with my agility. I belonged there. The world is different at that height, thoughts are different, strange emotions seep in. The body feels lighter even though breathing is difficult. This was one of my favorite part of the vacation.

We reached Leh that evening caked with dust, hungry and very very happy.After having crossed 7 towering mountains and spanned 500 kms,it felt amazing to arrive.
..........contd.........