Chadar Day 2: Frozen waterfalls and a heart burn

It snowed all night. This is Day 3 morning. In front of me is the Zanskar flowing peacefully, the big and mighty Himalayas are all around. There's sand mixed with snow outside the tent. Someone's dusting something and it's echoing across the mountain range. We are going to start our day in a few minutes.

Yesterday (Day 2) was a lot of fun. It was also long. 7 hours of trekking on ice, snow, some gravel, some sand. I loved sliding down a waterfall - a frozen one of course. Weird to even think of it. It was spectacularly amazing. I sat for a long time touching the wavy texture. Was talking to Tania about Anish Kapoor's art and the Delhi art scene. We were talking, walking and looking at the frozen, paused splash of a waterfall. At what point of time, did it decide to just pause time?



Later in the afternoon, we walked faster. Vikram walked even faster. He kept pace with the porters. The local Ladakhis are amazing - what strength and resilience. Last night was a difficult night. I ate baked beans for dinner and slept almost immediately. This led to severe heart burn and discomfort in my chest area. I think I slept almost at 2AM but slept alright after that. Early in the morning (5AM?), we had our Mammut jokes - that the Mammut plays with snow leopards and then there are Mammutoids. The Mammut takes a dump once a week and that's how the mountains are formed. Haha!

Alright, have to return the pencil. The trek to Nyeruk today will be interesting. It's all snow.

Chadar Day 1: Hello Zanskar!

It's Day 2 morning. I'm sitting next to the kitchen tent. The Zanksar river is slowly drifting in front of me. Himalayas encompassing all of us - all of everything. We are at a camp site called Lower Shingri/ Deepyokma? The porters are behind me - there are three fire spots to keep everyone warm. They slept outside. 23 porters for the 9 of us - what privilege?!

Yesterday, we trekked for about three hours. We were dropped off at the sorta end of the road. Then we trekked down to the frozen Zanskar river. It was pretty much a straight forward hike. We saw fresh foot prints of a snow leopard and that got everyone really excited.



Out here, everything distills down to the basics - including happiness. Taking a dump (any kinda dump) and just emptying bowels is a big deal. Everything tastes better - the tea, the noodles, the thukpa. When your hands and toes finally warm up, you feel really, really happy.

My tent mates and the rest of the gang are a lot of fun. Why isn't the city the same? The simplest of the silliest things make us laugh our heads off. The fact that everyone's going through this cold, cold weather, I guess creates a common pain-bond - if you will. Divya - for example - is the Mammut (derived from Mamut, an outdoor stuff brand). So Mammut is a huge creature that talks a lot, has a lot of hair instead of wool and has really white teeth. Oh what fun!

There is enough time to do everything at a pace that agrees with Nature and it feels correct. Why isn't it the same in the city? Ang Dui just walked by and asked me what I was doing. He told me everyone calls him "Senapati" pyar se.

Coming back to stuff here - on the way here, somewhere - there was an isolated house. Two actually. I asked Milan, "Why do they stay here? What makes them stay here?" Milan responded well, "Well, they would say - why not?"

When you look up at the sky - the expanse of the universe - the Ladakhi sky - Oh God that was something. I kept looking and looking trying to find meaning in the nothingness. I saw one constellation after another - looks so brilliant from down here. Bhavna helped me spot Mars and Venus. I swirl my head a 360 degrees and I see the edges of the HImalayas all around this space and then I see the huge, huge, ever expanding universe on top of me. Beautiful. Milan described it as a black chart sprinkled with random white paint - true - a million, billion dots - shining, twinkling brilliantly everywhere.

I slept so-so last night - quite disturbed. It was also very cold. Wonder how many hours I slept. Anyway, who cares. We are doing 6-7 hours of hiking today. Alright, everyone's here for breakfast - am off.

Chadar trek: Time at the Shey palace and stupas

It was amazing. I enjoyed the stupa - could said there in the tranquility and just gaze around. there was a school in the monastery. I met a dog there. It was interesting. I didn't want to go back to the guest house so stopped at this market place. people here are amazing. there's a class going on - a computer class.

I kept looking up and how people built all this. why did they build it? I met a monk at the palace - there was a stunning buddha - a huge one inside.

Chadar trek: Arriving at Leh

This whole day was about acclimatization. I didn't realize the seriousness until people around me started falling sick, puking, fainting...AMS is serious stuff. It was cold - mad cold like crazy. Met the interesting gang - Milan the leader of course, then Tanya the graphic designer, then divya the tam-panju, then ajay the ladhakh repeater, then vikram with the solar charger, then bhavana the economist, amrita the 6month traveler, hazel who fainted. tensing of course and his great family looking after us - they are amazing.

I peed like a million times. Spent the whole day drinking water and shivering in the cold.

Dumping in warmer places

Am taking a peaceful dump at Delhi's newly minted terminal T3. The next many dumps will be in cold, cold Ladhakh. I spent the night at the airport. The body is amazing. You really don't need the trappings of modern day comfort. I was really uncomfy then very comfy on the chairs of the visitors' lounge. They are very cleverly designed to discourage long term sitting.
Met the team- my traveling companions. Nice. Milan reaches out very well.

Day 0 - Dilli airport

Am here at the Foodie's Bar - quite a un-unique name I must say - at the Dilli airport. It's nice though. The staff is trained to please. A couple of YLV luggage fans are busy on their Macs. They look to be from the fashion industry - I saw large pics of male models on their Macs. A couple - a bald white man and a was-pretty blond woman who've been here a long time are moving away. I'm reading about China building a railroad into Laos - Laos and Vientiane a place of my interest - because of that Finnish guy I met in Andamans. I can see his bald head-face now, it's amazing.

I'm supposed to rest for the trek. But am having this Kingfisher beer in an emerald colored bottle. After just two beers, I don't want another one. I made a few phone calls. Mind is quite random. I want to sleep on the airport floor. Suz said how can you? Your body needs proper rest. Hey, my mind needs a proper chill. If it feels scratchy in the morning, I'll find a lounge with shower afyer security. They won't let me in now. China is interesting. I need to feed myself well tonight. Bakrid = bakri, Thanksgiving = turkey, Chadar = cheeku - enjoy! :)

Words before flight - Chadar trek

So am sitting at gate A4 after a mad yday at the office, after emailing 3days ka stuff on one night until 1am, after a cranky day w Ahaan today, after getting a no-thanks for an interesting proposal :), after going to the absolutely wrong old terminal, after buying 4 thermals, 4 pairs of blister-free socks, 3 pairs of new undies, after buying a whistle+compass+thermometer all in one, after eating a super breakfast of aloo and gobi parathas (ate 2 each) at vinita's place with suz and ahaan, after deciding last minute not to go to that Adventure 18 place to buy some gear stuff and take a chance, after not booking a place to stay in Delhi for tonight and deciding to stay at the "sleep pod" in the airport, after have a mini nap with Ahaan and seeing him awake quicker than usual, after a semi calm kriya pre-lunch, after a nice early morning blahdebloo, after constantly feeling I've forgotten something.

Okay am ready Chadar - let's have fun and figure you out!

I've been here before...

I'm a couple of days away from my Ladakh - underprepared, overwhelmed with other local stuff, work stuff clogging the brain and fully excited! I've been here before. During the motorcycle trek - it was pretty much the same. The Mumbai rider I met (Prashanth) along the way was shocked to not find all the motorcycle spares that I was supposed to be carrying. Oh well, right now am missing polypropelene thermals, undies, socks and other similar stuff - realized when I talked to Pankaj today who's done Chadar before. Will figure it out. I always figure it out. Right now, the whole software stuff is driving me mad and up the wall - am almost like wanting to go up to ladakh, come down quickly and get on with getting things done here -- but what's the point...drop it!

Chadar: The plan

DAY 1
Early morning flight to leh. Transfer to Guest House. spend the day resting. Remember we have flown to 10,500 feet, and need to acclimatise.

DAY 2
in keeping with our acclimatisation schedule, this day will be light as well. A chance to see the monasteries around leh – driving of course. overnight at guest house.

DAY 3
last day in leh. We will do a short acclimatisation trek around leh to work the lungs and legs and help prepare for the rigour ahead. overnight at guest house.

DAY 4
The trek starts. We drive to Nemu, the confluence of the Zanskar and the indus, cross the river and move along the Zanskar to the start point of the trek at Alam Tilit. We descend to the river and trek to shingra (4 hrs). overnight in tent at camp by the river.

DAY 5
Trek to Dibyokma (4 -5 hrs). overnight in tent at camp by the river.

DAY 6
Trek to Nyerak Pullu (6 hrs). overnight in tent at camp by the river.

DAY 7
some distance away leave the river and follow the lingshed nala upto the beautiful village of lingshed (6 hrs). overnight in Zanskari house.

DAY 8
Rest day in lingshed. Visit the monastery. lie in the sun, write, and do nothing at all! overnight in Zanskari house.

DAY 9
Return. Trek to Nyerak Pullu (5 hrs). overnight in tent at camp by the river.

DAY 10
Trek to Dibyokma (5-6 hrs). overnight in tent at camp by the river.

DAY 11
Trek to Alam Tilit (5 hrs). Transfer to vehicles, onward to leh. overnight at guest house.

DAY 12
Back home! Early morning flight to Delhi.

NOTES:
The plan above should be treated as a guideline only. The nature of the trek is unique – the night halts and distances travelled on the river each day are tweaked and adapted, depending upon the conditions encountered. The trek allows a day of cushion-time to ride out inclement conditions without compro- mising the trek. These are outside chances – but it makes more sense to build in the buffer, than ruin a trip. Also, should conditions be favourable, there is a scope of changing the schedule so as to gain more time on the Chadar!

Chadar: my list

Questions?
- satellite phone ka number for emergency contact? (it doesn't matter actually)
- do I need nalgene bottle? (no, will be provided)
- do I need a sleeping bag? (no, will be provided)
- do I carry a flash light?
- do I carry a rain jacket? (wind sheeter)

My list of things to buy/ carry
- hand sanitizer
- two strong plastic bags for shoes
- baby wipes (20 wipes)
- quick drying towel
- midsize towel
- small soap
- thermals (3-4 changes) - polypropelene
- Diamox (1 strip)
- medication kit
- band aid (10)
- chadar shoes and socks
- point and shoot camera, extra battery
- rain jacket
- flash light with lithium batteries
- sun screen
- parachut oil quick ones (did it for the motorcycle trip)
- vaseline
- long trousers, long t-shirts
- 1 mid-layer
- 4-5 inner wear
- 1 litre bottle if you wish
- 1 pack of electral ORS
- crocs

Stuff am getting from Milan
HEAD:
Warm cap - Rs 250 -
Balaclava - Rs 400 -
Head lamp - Rs 500 -
Glacier glasses (specs) - Rs 350 -

UPPER BODY:
Down jacket (which we can get in Leh for approx Rs 2,500)
Outermost Goretex jacket with fleece liner - Rs 3,000 -
Thick fleece jacket - Rs 750 -
Micro-fleece jacket - Rs 500 -
Poly pro liner (inner most) - Rs 800 -

LOWER BODY:
Outermost Goretex trouser - Rs 900 -
Fleece liner (will get two just in case) - Rs 350 per -
Poly pro liner (inner most) - Rs 800 -

GLOVES:
Inner layer - Rs 500 -
Outer layer - Rs 500 -

ALSO:
Collapsible trekking stick - Rs 500 -
Sleeping bag liner - Rs 750 -