28th June’2016-Day 5
In this blog i will cover my journey of “Pang, Leh, Kargil, Srinagar, Jammu” and my final destination for which i started this journey at first place i.e. “World’s Highest Motorable Road”. At the time of my travel, Ladakh was a region of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Then Ladakh became a Union Territory on 31st October 2019 according to the act passed by Parliament of India.
On Day 5, i halted at “Pang”. This is not a good place to stop by because level of oxygen is too low here. I walked only 10 steps and stood still to catch my breath for next 10 steps. This place have no plant or trees at all. It is all surrounded by sand hills and i was standing in the middle of it. I pitched my tent for the night next to a doctor’s tent where the doctor was not available at the moment i checked in. I was going through the worst headache and i was breathless. I was literally thinking of going back from this point but half of my journey was already covered. I waited for the doctor for hours and went back to my tent without meeting him. That night was the toughest night in my life. I was half dead due to headache and high fever. I had no water left and i was starving. I wanted to talk to my mother to feel better but there was no network at that place. They have a cue in Pang to make calls through satellite phone where people stand for hours to make a call. Next morning i met the doctor, he gave me some pills for my headache and told me not to stop anywhere before i reach Leh.
On Day 6, i left for “Leh”. There i took a room at a cost of only 350 indian rupees with free dinner included. This was the day when i reached “The Highest Motorable Road of The World” at “Khardungla”. This is located at a stretch of 25 kms from Leh. Now all my sickness was gone. I was at the “top of the world”. I stayed there for sometime and felt that moment. Then i came back to Leh and did local sight seeing. There are museums and temples. One of the famous temple i visited here is “Shanti Stoop”. Then i went to “Hall Of Fame”- a museum where you will know about history of their culture, traditions and wars. On this very day, I was on Cloud 7.
On Day 7, i left for “Kargil” when i encountered “Magnetic Hill” on my way. There are two lines drawn on the road, if you park your vehicle between these lines, the bike/car will start to move on its own. I experienced this wonder on my bike. It is said that these hills have magnets that pulls the bike/car. I even have a video of this incident on YouTube. Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu47iN9Vr8s. I totally enjoyed my halt at Magnetic Hill. There were steep hills where everyone was riding for fun. Video of the steep hill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZLxIABt8GE. On this very road there was this Gurudwara- “Gurudwara Sri Pathar Sahib”. I had such a hygienic, heavy and satisfying meal at this holy place, provided to everyone by the Sikhs for free as a good deed. Then comes “THE WAR MEMORIAL” of Kargil. This place is dedicated to all the Indian Martyrs who sacrificed in the battle of Kargil in 1999. One of the names that was being highlighted is “Captain Vikram Batra”, who fought with bravery with many others for India’s win over the Kargil. One picture features the beautiful hills known as “Moonland” below this paragraph. My stay at Kargil was full of exposure of so many new things that i did not see or hear about earlier in life.
On Day 8, i left for “Srinagar”. Dude, this place was so not ok. I felt terror at every second. Some young Locals were looking at me, they were following my bike and were constantly staring at me as if i was some alien. This place is a war zone. Anything can happen here at anytime. You will find a police or army officer standing at every 50 to 100 metres of distance. Here i stayed at a Hindu temple in the night because i was not feeling safe. Outside that temple located at “Lal Chowk” there were two army trucks. Soldiers were posted with fencing and guns there 24*7 for the safety of people inside temple. This was not something that was there due to a particular reason. Srinagar is like this at all the times. This was also one kind of thrill i never experienced before.
On Day 9, i halted at “Jammu”. This city is very developed. I used to think of it as a small place built on hills. But in real, Jammu is majestic with open roads, restaurants and much more. I enjoyed my whole day at Jammu, had pizza, roamed in the markets and then next morning i left for Chandigarh. On Day 10, i covered a total distance of 400 km non stop. The road from Jammu to Chandigarh is straight and smooth. My average speed was of 100 km per hour.
With this, my solo trip came to an end. It was a successful journey with lifetime memory that i would like to repeat once again. Thank You for reading 🙂 Watch the video here https://youtu.be/p5kAZ1Q4bpQ
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