Addiction may cause strong people

Now that I am here in Gorakhpur(50km away from Nepalese border) thinking of what shall I think of the past 2-month-India-experience, with certain I can conclude one: the time is 'never' enough. In a way it is very hectic but chilled country which is being ruined by fast western self-consuming trend. Some may say that India is dirty and its people unclean, but I call it honest dirt. It is not nice to have trash everywhere but at least one can see what consequences this type of life-approach bring right away, while in west it is all being buried and incinerated away from mass' sight, 'it wasn't me' whistling while kicking the s.h.i.t. under the carpet. No excuse for any of these. India and its people still feel more innocent then western, still more dignity, respect and honesty but then one usually gets a cold shower in form of obvious trust abuser. I would say one of key social problems nowadays and anywhere is such an abuse of relationship, trust and honesty, that we distance ourselves, build the walls of prejudice and close little gate to the world and life. I suppose it is us and our rotten momentary nature. I declare my-rotten-self a war!
Anyhow I also wanted to mention some good times I have recently gone through. I met a good old friend in Vashisht, small village near Manali. No, it was not a coincidence we knew it was going to happen, sooner or later. Lu and her recent friend took me for climbing session, I have to note my first outdoor sport(rope) climbing. I have also been trusted enough to do my first ever belaying. Just very relaxed and joyful seansa including chocolate and chocolate biscuits. Later in the night we all very hungry found a pleasant place to dine and unwound interesting philosophic topics with yet another to me very enjoyable human-incarnation from Slovenja. And that was he who mentioned he was leaving to mountains for very good boulders day after the next and this idea made me visit Saku again next day.
Just in front of the wooden temple I met Jay fully packed ready for trip to Delhi and towards Nepal. We went on having a special lassi - bhang lassi, which have made the rest of my day more intense. With Saku I have confirmed the time of departure next morning at five, which I was too lazy to make. Leaving my guesthouse at around 9am I bought few apples and garlic on my way to bus-stand. There I was able to get local bus going near enough. Late in the afternoon I got off and exchanged my 3 hours sleeping sacrifice for walking to the spot before dusk. I would say a good deal done! Reaching C@#$u(I feel like not disclosing the name of this place in order to keep it as good and not so popular; only to those who ask and prove themselves) I found three dhabas. I was coming and asking whether they knew my friend Saku and at the last one they had even heard of me. Laloo's Dhaba, what an honour. Few days of lazy chill in/out of this 'restaurtent' surrounded by high hills, organic green peas farm and great boulders. No more I needed. Later me, Saku and Enrike took our tents and food stocks and went even more wild. Living among the rocks, cooking our own stow-food, enjoying life-climbing...

My mind is still there with them.

Ask me, I will try to answer.

Rooftops

Steep, deep, won't retreat!

Driving a bus in Himalaya is an art of steering wheel. Passengers holding their breath when bus wobbling over deep chasm, loose edges of the road between Srinagar and Leh make a ride adrenaline experience. Bus was stopping half-way in Kirgil where dormitory near the bus stand became our overnight shelter, joining few other 'stuck' travelers in this little village discussing fair trade over a local cup of kahwa tea.
Leh is an ancient capital of Himalayan Kingdom, now such a beautiful place being destructed by development of this area, in last few decades when it was opened for tourism.
Overland accessibility only few months during a year makes number of visitors peak in mid summer. 3500 meters above sea level is good starting point for further adventure.
With couple of freshly made friends from Srinagar-Leh tour Jay and Lei we decided to find information about doable trek without professional guidance. United finger pointed the Digar on map searched.
Starting point was at Leh bus station, packed up with usual trekking gear and food for 2-3 days we left at around 17:30 reaching the far end of Saboo village 40 minutes later. There we started to walk following the river up the valley. Less than hour it took for sun to hide and under dusk we settled. To make a fire we collected dry grass and yak's feces which make very good fire fuel where there is no wood available.
Early next morning after munching local home-made apricot jam and bread we folded the tents and sleeping bags back into our rucksacks and started hiking further up the river. Constant not-too-steep ascend took several hours before we met first person going the opposite direction and so we were assured of correct way to the pass. Digar La was reached after non-easy 'free-walking' (when one can not find the path and takes whichever supposed the most enjoyable) over sharp rocks and final zig-zag 200-300 meters to total 5300. Headache and weakness wanted to overwhelm us but we did play hard. Great feeling when spotting the other side of a hill is sort of reward which need not many words, just inhaling fresh air and feeding eyes with rich views. After both eyes and stomachs fed we parted with Lei who had to head back to Leh to catch a flight back to Mumbai next day. So only Jay and me continued down hill towards the other-side camp which we managed to find in 2 hours.

One red and one dark green tent signified the site surrounded by Sherpas' horses and semi-wild yaks. First we tried to make a fire but supposedly such altitude and oxygen lack make it difficult. Being greeted by Sherpas I chopped onions and carrots which I then cooked on their stove adding in their salt and fresh spring water. Humble soup was later upgraded by Sherpa's tasty chilly-vegetable stew and crumbled toasting bread making it the best fit for a dinner at the time. While me preparing dinner Jay found a wooden box and other leftovers which we later used as fuel for warming fire. The night was very cold and we did not manage to sleep a lot. Waking up and little wash in a spring set us up for another hike, now towards the Digar village. Incredible wheat fields growing in local sandy soil allow these people to produce most of what they consume. Their remote position makes them almost completely self-sufficient, powered by little hydroelectric power plant and photovoltaic panels installed. Asking locals where we could seek for a place to obtain food, one of local families invited us to their home and provided the hospitality which is nothing unusual here. Very traditional Mountain Dew(r) and Tetley's lemon tea unfortunately proved presence of globalisation even in so difficultly accessed area, but family members and tasty local dish made all those unexpected materials look innocent. Saying our thanks and farewell journey continued through long and exhausting deserted plateaus. Walking was tiring but scenery rewarding and pushing us step forward. From the Digar village it was approximately 30 KM which we walked to more civillised place called Khalsar. Setting our new single day walking record to over 40 KM we had filling dinner at local tea/food house. Later we were accommodated at next door guesthouse which as we later found out was facilitated with no toilet nor bathroom and after short discussion with landlord I negotiated our stay for no more than 50 Rupees per person/night. Omelet breakfasts and wash in a river was good start for hitchhiking attempt towards Nubra Valley. Second car which was driven by a happy monk called Lotus picked us up and an entertainment took a place while reaching monastry in Somur. There we enjoyed a prayer and tea+bread hospitality.
Now three days passed since we left Leh and we decided to head back to town. Getting on those few passing vehicles did not turn up to be easiest. First part was traveled thanks to army truck and its agreeable crew. Finding ourselves back in Khalsar we were trying luck for couple of hours finalising our wait by defeat and unfull contacted car/shared taxi. Fast and furious were driver's throttle/break pedal pushing - steering wheel handling but assured we were by Insha'Allah. Well we survived even though not making it in time on after-fasting dinner.

Back in Leh. Now in Manali, local charas is a quality and many good climbing spots make me think of staying longer...