Looking in the eye of freedom- Surya’s trip review of Ladakh
There is a movie named ‘Into the Wild’. In this movie, the protagonist abandons everything that he owns and sets off to travel the world, to live without any riches, and to depend entirely on nature and instincts for survival.
I wished I could too.
Leave it all behind to just travel in a caravan…have my bed and kitchen set inside the vehicle itself. I would grow my bear and stitch up old clothes to recycle them. There will be no concept of fashion, or material needs. Only survival in the lap of nature.
I want to look in the eye of this feeling of being free, it must be scary, but I would not know until I try.
I know perhaps I wouldn't last even a month.
But the heart wants what it wants right?
Firing up the soul
I came closest to this feeling on my trip to Ladakh.
Once we were out on the road to Nubra, there were no houses in sight, no buses or cars, just plain vast land and mountains that know only peace. We came across some villages on the way but none of them seemed to cause any harm to the surroundings. They blended well with the terrain, and the locals adapted their architectural styles, lifestyle and food habits according to the demands of the region.
We were a group of 5, travelling with Thrillophilia. I had my father with me who had come all the way from Hyderabad just to spend my birthday together. Yes, it was my birthday trip and I just hoped that no one would know about it until it was gone.
I don't like celebrating birthdays, it makes me feel like a slave in the hands of capitalism and the growing need to show more than what you have.
Hence, shh. No birthday talk. I even conveyed this to my father. And since I was old enough to make decisions now, he could not cross me. I was just afraid that he would spit it out in front of the group on the bonfire night in Nubra Valley.
He didn't. All was fine and he respected the fact that I wanted to keep it under wraps, and I appreciated his efforts.
Although, the birthday night went pretty well actually- we danced, we sang the old melodies, and also engaged in some hilarious games that uplifted the mood of all five people.
The cottage in Nubra had a beautiful space to walk around. So after most of them had retired to their camps, my father and I went for a walk around the area. It did not feel much safe to wander around Nubra in the dark of the night, so we kept the vicinity close.
While walking, my father told me about one of his own solo trips, during which he went to the Moila top in Uttarakhand. It was his first and his last solo trek, and he shared stories about all the people he met there and all the things that he did.
It kind of inspired me to take a step ahead and go for a solo myself. Perhaps that could be a nice thing to do, I thought.
The trip story
The trip went well. Pangong was fun, with ‘3 Idiot’ themes sitting arrangements on the bank and the yellow scooter ride activity there.
I felt so much at peace with myself that day. We did try some fun poses while we were there, dipping our feet in the lake, taking long strolls around the banks, and of course getting to know some interesting folktales of the place from our driver who was also our guide. My father was busy balancing rocks while talking to the other tourists.
Then I sat down beside the lake and just stared into nothingness. The sky, the space, the air, and the water, all seemed hollow, yet so alive. I thought, perhaps nature is always providing something or the other to us humans, while we do nothing. I felt really sad, tourism has affected the climate of the region negatively, and I wanted to do something about it.
When we paid a visit to the SECMOL school that Sonam Wangchuk runs, I realised that his contribution to tackling climate change has been very crucial.
Ladakh is very precious, and we must do anything to save its unique ecosystem. On that birthday, I learnt a very important lesson- Save the environment!
The cherries on top of the cake
Our stays were fabulous, with attentive services and top-notch food. The driver was welcoming and he did outstanding as a guide as well. He not only helped us tour the place, but he also gave us important insights to better know the place, its people, its cultural history and heritage.
We met a cute little beaver in the meadows of Stok Village. I will admit that it was quite photogenic. Although I wanted to take it back home with me, I realised it would be best to let it thrive in its own natural environment. That is what you do when you love something, you want it to thrive.
And lastly, we went for a river rafting session in the Sangam- the confluence of Zanskar and Indus Rivers. My father bailed out on this one, so I assigned him the job of recording us while we rafted.
He had forgotten to press the start button of the video, so we don't have any proof of how well we did. Although, if you trust my words, we had a great time.
Thrillophilia had done a great job arranging our trip yet again. We had no issues, and the itinerary touched upon all major parts of the destination which I absolutely loved. This was our third trip with them and their consistency has started to make me wonder if something is wrong- how can a company be so flawless?
Anyway, it works well for us travellers as long as you keep it up (please do)!
See you on the next trip!
Read More: Thrillophilia Ladakh Trip Reviews