Solo Feet Around Ladakh- Rimple’s Thrillophilia Review
“That is Pakistan”
“Really? Around that mountain?”
“Yes. Can you see that village there? That's their last village”
I was standing in Turtuk, Leh.
The Country of Mountain Passes
Have you ever wondered how difficult it would be for the locals living there to get their hands on water and food and all the resources that we tourists list down in our itineraries as ‘must-haves’? Do we give back enough to the place?
With so many movements going on in Ladakh regarding saving its environment, there has been an awakening in the minds of the general public outside of Ladakh. And the manner I experienced this trip to Ladakh with Thrillophilia reflected that. Starting from waste management to utilisation of each resource, they curated the trip in an extraordinary way, a sustainable way.
To start with, our Sham Valley excursion was a great learning experience. We went to the SECMOL School, the Shanti Stupa, the confluence of Indus and Zanskar, and the Leh Monastery. The huge statues of Buddha were as magnificent as the towering background of the rugged peaks.
The magnetic hill raised goosebumps all over my body because what I saw seemed to have come out of a dream. The vehicles were moving without any acceleration and the directions seemed confusing. After knowing the scientific explanation behind this activity, I was sure that there were still a lot of things left in the world for me to experience.
I was travelling solo, so I had enough time to draw small sketches and create a few postcards with small write-ups. The air was magical, and I felt so liberated seeing the vast expanses of mesmerising landscapes that my heart felt joy unbound.
The Nubra Note
Touring the cold desert was a one-of-a-kind experience. The biting cold and the double-humped camelback ride offered a memorable adventure. But I was not satisfied, the ATV ride interested me so I tried that activity as well!
I knew that the next two days were to be spent there as one day we were to go to Turtuk and on the second day, we would leave for Pangong. So, I took adequate rest on the first night, after a lovely bonfire session with the group I was travelling with. The people were really nice, sharing stories about their hometowns and narrating their experiences of previous trips to different parts of the world.
I realised that night that the best thing about travelling solo is getting the chance to meet different people and talk to them without any limitations. You are on your own, and that can be as scary as freeing.
Turtuk Village provided me with food for thought.
Going around the village and seeing the lifestyle of the people was as warming as it was saddening. I just wished for a better life for them, not because of the space, but because of the disrupted life that they were living.
Moving on to the day after, our trip to Pangong was a highlight. I saw the famous colour-changing saltwater lake. I did spend a good amount of time observing that, and to my surprise, it was actually prominently noticeable! I also rode the famous yellow scooter around the banks of the river. Our accommodation near the Pangong Lake was also mesmerising. We got hot water, which is a big deal, and also saw two tiny beavers playing together near the entrance of our stay.
We came back to Leh via Chang-La Pass. It was an achievement in itself for me..having stood there in front of the signboard and clicking a picture at one of the highest passes in the world!
A Story of Chances
Thiksey Monastery is regarded as one of the most famous ones in Ladakh. And it undoubtedly was.
But more than that I enjoyed touring the campus of Druk Padma School. It was truly a lovely feeling to be pretending to be one of the actors of a popular Bollywood movie (talking about 3 idiots here).
After coming back to Leh, I went for a group dinner with the friends I had made on the trip. We tried the local dishes of Skyu and Tingmo, paired with butter tea. I noted they all made the best use of all their available resources. And I loved how they sustained themselves, depending on nothing apart from nature.
There was a lady in our Leh hotel with whom I had grown quite friendly, and she gifted me one of their locally made hats as a sign of gratitude. I, in return, gave her a postcard that said-
“To believe in yourself is to believe in the universe. Things work out for the best if you want them to”
The card had a picture of me and her in front her kitchen, and she immediately took it to one of her shelves and placed it securely there.
It was time for me to leave, I knew. But I just could not console my heart. This was one of the best trips of my life to date, and I will be eternally thankful to Thrillophilia for this unparalleled vacation!
Read More: Thrillophilia Ladakh Trip Reviews