La Revista: 18th May ’09, 11.00pm, Leh

Got up from bed later than usual. There was no breakfast available at the hotel. We had to go outside. We actually had breakfast at noon. It was too late to go to Hemis by cycle. After making a few calculations regarding our travel, we decided that we have to leave tomorrow. So, there was no way Palzer and I were going to waste the rest of the day wandering in the market.

After a late breakfast, Palzer, Wolf and I hired some cycles and went mountain-biking to Stok which is around 15kms from here. Kenny decided to stay back and surf the internet (which he claimed he had not done for ages). Today was the first time I rode a cycle with gears. The first 6kms of the way went downhill (and it was quite steep). Irrespective of the traffic, we raced down at a breakneck speed (for a cycle). I was lucky to escape without breaking my neck! The rest of the way to Stok went uphill, though it was not as steep. It was an experience that cannot be described – cycling through the picturesque mountainside. Those reading this will have a better idea of what I’m trying to say if they went through our photos of this trip. Yes, photos – Palzer was busy, shamelessly capturing all these memorable moments inside the magic box called the camera.

We reached Stok palace sometime in the evening. Had a nice time glancing over the items in the museum inside the palace. The palace was not a grand one like the others in other regions of the country, but I found it impressive. I would definitely have enjoyed staying there, inside those cosy walls. After our inspection of the ancient place, we sat on top of the palace gates and shared some light hearted moments together. The scenery around a place seems so much better when you have to work hard and tire yourself to get there. It is like, “Harder the work, sweeter the success.”

The way back seemed much shorter now that we were going downhill. Within half an hour, we were sitting on the banks of the Indus River. We had taken hours to cover the same distance while going uphill. It was around 5.30 in the evening when we sat down on the banks of this historic river and had our ‘lunch,’ which consisted of biscuits, chips, uncooked noodles (which were ready-to-eat) and cold drinks. It was one of the most beautiful spots I have ‘dined’ in. from the Indus, Leh was still 6kms away. It was uphill all the way and the road was steep. I found it quite tough to ride uphill along this road even though I was in the first gear. My thighs were screaming for mercy and I obliged. I got down from the cycle and walked with it beside me nearly all the way up to Leh. I didn’t mind walking at all. In fact, I enjoyed it thoroughly. I love to walk especially in the hilly regions. Palzer and Wolf didn’t seem to have a problem cycling uphill at all. I was quite content to follow them on foot from a distance. I was glad to have two things squeezed into this short trip – mountain-biking and a short hike.

We returned back to Leh by eight in the evening. On reaching the hotel, a cup of hot tea and a hot bath sent me to heaven, if only for a few minutes. I must mention that so far I have been touched by the warmth and kindness of the people in this part of the country. Sometimes I really wonder if I am still in India!

For dinner, the food was the same as the one we had had yesterday, and it was just as delicious. Kenny has a flight to catch early tomorrow morning. He has gone to bed early. Palzer is teaching Wolf a Nepali song. Now as I write, Wolf is singing in Nepali and singing quite well for a foreigner. The music has created a beautiful atmosphere for me to write. I must stop now so that I can listen to him more intently.