We should be in the Nubra Valley right now but this morning getting a hopeful, cheerful start for Nubra we drove up to the 18,300 ft pass and there was a traffic jam and snowing buckets. There were cars and trucks stuck on the other side of the pass where it had been snowing all night, so the road was closed. The prospect of taking this road in snow has no allure for us. The road is very narrow with precipitous drop offs with no guard rails -- scary when dry and sunny. Many of those seemingly near death experiences when meeting trucks and cars on hair pin turns. So we are back in Leh waiting for the road to reopen - hopefully in the morning.
Side note as I write this I am listening to the group I am sitting with discussing the trekking maps --- Nubra will be much closer to Pakistan. Looking at the maps we see mountains named K10, K15. Etc. we are told that when the map makers started to make the maps the mountains were the Karakoram mountains but had no local names because of their remoteness so they were numbered K1, 2, 3 etc we see a K 25 on the map. End of side note.
The group are very nice special people we have met here, two young German Couples and a man we call Ace, a professional photographer who will be with us in Nubra Valley and mentioned in the last blog post.
Lalit and his French group motorcycle tour has left for Delhi, Where they will start their journey home. It is so exciting to be talking and laughing with all the people from all over the world who all seem to be making some adventure plan or other. Where have you been, where are you going, tell us all about it and it seems hours pass with more diverse groups joining the talking.
Sometimes we all go on our separate treks and then days later we meet up here in Leh and tell each other all about the adventure. The wrong turn that added hours of walking to an already hard day and the how's and whys of the wrong turn and then the looking at the maps to show the detail of the error. Ha! A bunch of outdoor junkies in love with this place and the local people.
Consistent in all the stories is the kind gentleness of the Ladakhis people we meet everywhere during these adventures many of whom save us from our mistakes along the way.
The snow line in the surrounding mountains has moved lower and it has been cold today but when the sun come out it is very warm. We are adding some more warm clothes for going to Nubra tomorrow morning.
We have the same drinker and guide as the last trek and will keep them for Markah Valley Trek. Stinzing and Wangtuk. Such nice guys. All is good an we feel part of the community. Ace says we could be the mayor of this guest house in another few weeks, bringing all the different adventurers together. Ha! But I say that's what Americans are good with! After all that's who we are as a nation.
OK .. Over the edge . Off we go to dinner with our head lamps and no power and no Internet yet. Maybe later tonight. Looking at the surrounding mountains in the fading light it looks as if it is still snowing up there. Bye for now.
Curley and Bud.
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