Travel – WilmaPaul.Blog

I recently got a tattoo on my ankle that has a small airplane on it, in an infinity symbol. The obvious theory would be that it speaks of endless travel. There is some truth in that. But one would also look at it and assume I’m already an avid traveler and have been to some 20+ countries so far. That is far from the truth. One would then assume it is a rather incomplete representation of myself 🙂 but I assure you, that is hardly so.

Every time I’m on Instagram, I come across users posting innumerable pictures of themselves on trips across the globe. Some for work, some leisure, some on a family holiday, some on a soul searching expedition, and then there’s the evident travel genius who uploads 40 pictures in one post.

For me, to be able to travel for leisure and/or exploration always came with a whole lot of excitement and preparation. Right from choosing whom to go with, to choosing seats on an airplane, for me the whole process is an experience that I want to remember forever. And therefore, while I do travel quite a lot for work, I’m taking it one country at a time for a more personal experience.

Walking down cobbled streets on a cold evening..clinging to my jacket, opening a frosted window to reach out to first snowflakes of the morning, digging my feet into the warm sand on a beach, exploring heritage cities on a cold night, indulging in an Italian lunch on a hot middle-eastern afternoon, waking up to sounds of an aircraft piercing through the silence of the snow clad Himalayan peaks… these and a ton of other eternal memories are what prevent me from ‘traveling in a hurry’ ! I’m not (and will never be) the type who will speed through 5-6 countries on a Euro-trip in 2 weeks.

I recently read a blog titled ‘Why You Should Travel Less in 2019‘ by #passionpassport and they talk about why you should throw away the long practiced habit of ‘traveling for travel’s sake’. They couldn’t be more correct and it saddens me to realize that our ‘kind’ are far from realizing the beauty of truly cherishing another culture and landscape.

I admire people who take a good couple of weeks to really soak in the sounds and sights of a new place. That is what I aim to be!

Sure, we want those fabulous pictures for good old Instagram. But would it hurt to take it slow? Would it make a difference to me and/or the environment and the people of the country I’d like to visit if fewer of us showed up every once in a while with our cultural differences, bad habits, lack of appreciation for their civic sense and art (just using examples, no offence).

I’m positive there are many just like me, who sometimes break under the pressure of Instagram ‘Influencers’ and experience #FOMO to the next level. It’s one big social media race to the finish out there!

My advice to you is to hang in there, cherish the experience of slowly but surely planning a nice trip to a destination YOU’VE always wanted to go to – and not some place chosen by a survey on social media. Take time to research, chose a great friend / sibling / travel group to go with, and live to tell the story – just like I’m doing here.

Yours truly

PS – You should totally follow https://passionpassport.com/ for their superb, contemporary, meaningful content!

If there’s one place on almost every other travel bucket-list in the world… it is Ladakh! There’s something magnetic about the stark unforgiving beauty of Ladakh that lures many a hitchhiker, adventure enthusiast, senior citizens on a group tour, a bunch of college kids waiting for that selfie at the few Bollywood movie spots and well.. Me!

After a year or two of voluntary avoidance (I’m a total beach person, mountains need convincing!) I finally traveled to Ladakh with two of my very close girl friends, both of whom had never been and had finally found the time.

Throughout the week long trip I often found myself thinking about other travelers who, like me, are preparing for their first trip to Ladakh and after having browsed a dozen travel blogs and websites, just want a basic no-frills low down about what to expect before/while traveling to Ladakh. I’ve tried to help – Hope you find it useful 🙂

Note: If you’re the kind of traveler who seeks worth from every penny spent – let me warn you, this post is NOT for you 🙂 , that’s not the kind of traveler I am.

GETTING THERE

My friends and I are based in Mumbai, so we took a direct flight to Leh. This is advisable on some levels, especially if you want to make it to Leh directly and not via Srinagar (not the best thing to do if you’ve been partying the night away before a 4 am departure! enter sleep deprivation)

Having said that, I will own up to the fact that I suffered from dizziness and difficulty in breathing (can be comapred with ACM – Acute Mountain Sickness) barely half an hour after we arrived in Leh.

Advisory Note : Since Leh is located at 10000+ ft above sea level (and so are other places in Ladakh), acclimatization is something you should really prepare well for, before you travel. Which is why, getting to Leh via Srinagar/Manali is probably a better option since you have time to/a chance to acclimatize gradually.

My friends and I came prepared with medicines (ask your local doctor for these) and were well hydrated at all times, but I had a constant headache for the first 2 days in Leh. You may want to consult your doctor before travel, especially if you have respiratory issues and lack physical exercise in your daily routine.

LEH

Views from the aircraft while descending into Leh are in one word – Breathtaking! As the airplane circles into final approach, you cannot help but stick your nose to the window, I know I did! The airport is small, so you’re basically off the plane and into the arrivals lounge in seconds, no time wasted.

On arrival at your accommodation (Hotel/Home-stay) you may want to rest up for a few hours before venturing out anywhere. Chances are you may feel lightheaded especially while climbing stairs, but if you take medicines and stay hydrated, with rest – You’ll be fine!

Things to do in LEH

Buddhist Monasteries – The 2 prominent monasteries are Hemis and Thikse which are a 1-2 hour drive from the main city center, and if you have the time and energy – visit the Stok Palace and Monastery. We visited the latter and did our best to get up to the highest point at both. Again, if you’re suffering from dizziness, you may want to avoid climbing too many steps. Every nook and corner of the Monasteries is aesthetically appealing and serene, so you will not miss an experience if you choose not to climb on to the next levels too much.

Shanti Stupa – My personal Favorite ! The Stupa is on a hill, reachable by car. It is also reachable by some 500 odd steps which many tourists ardently take. The Shanti Stupa holds the relics of the Buddha at its base, enshrined by the 14th Dalai Lama. It is one of the most peaceful places in Leh (when not crowded with noisy tourists), offering crystal clear panoramic views of the whole city of Leh. My friends and I spent quite a few enjoyable moments before sunset on two occasions, and the skies lit up so magically, it is a treat for us city dwellers who seldom get to experience such unfiltered natural beauty! If you want those breathtaking pictures from Leh, head to the Shanti Stupa, you will not be disappointed!

Leh Palace, War Museum and Leh market – If you’ve had your fill at the Monasteries you could skip the Leh Palace. The War Museum is an experience you may not want to 🙂 and finally, if there’s one place you’ll find yourself walking to everyday – it’s the market (read WiFi). From local restaurants and cafes to vibrant souvenir shops and jewelers, the market place is bustling during the day, up until 9-10 pm and is easily walk-able.

FOOD in LEH

My friends and I ate everything including Thukpa (Tibetan noodle soup) & momos (steamed dumplings) from the local restaurants, but were unapologetic about devouring some pizza and pasta at this really nice Italian cafe. My top picks from the places we ate at are: Chopsticks Noodle Bar (this was our favourite!), The Tibetan Kitchen, Bon Appetit and Coffee Culture. City brats that we are, we also did lunch at the Hotel – Grand Dragon one afternoon, with a view to kill!

KARGIL

This 2 day trip was recommended by our itinerary maker, and we decided to play along. The highlight was our journey to Dras War Memorial (Dras is the coldest place in India) . A few silent moments spent here paying homage to Indian soldiers who fought in the war make a lot of difference to an Indian traveler who has knowledge of and cared enough about the war.

Our hosts at the hotel in Kargil were very friendly, welcoming and hospitable! They told us some spine-chilling stories from the Kargil war, but also soothed our temporarily shaken nerves with a hot delicious meal.

If you’re on a tight trip (a week) I would not recommend Kargil. While the experience was eye opening and unique, and we truly cherished our visit to the Kargil War Memorial in Dras, we could have covered another attraction in Ladakh considering it is quite a distance from Leh to Kargil/Dras and back. The roads however, are not too bad (NH 1) and you will miss this when you make your way through the mountain passes later on (Khardung La and Chang La)

River Rafting on the Zanskar

I’ll admit I didn’t do this one, my enthusiastic friends did! and boy did they have fun! Our tour driver took us to the river rafting booking centers, where my friends were given wet-suits and other safety gear, and then we drove about 20-25 min to the starting point upriver. While my friends were busy splashing away in the mighty Zanskar (which meets the river Indus at Sangam Point) I was having meaningful conversations with our tour driver’s (Mr Phunsuk) 5 year old daughter Stanzin 🙂

Nubra Valley / Hunder

After the Shanti Stupa, Nubra Valley has got to be my favourite! It is an absolute MUST DO if you’re in Ladakh.

A challenging, very bumpy 5-6 hour journey through the unforgiving mountain pass of Khardung-la brings you to Nubra Valley, home to the Diskit Monastery where you will find the iconic 32 meter Maitreya Buddha statue. Diskit has a lot of restaurants and cafes, an ideal place to set base and set out to explore Nubra Valley with it’s famous sand dunes and double humped Bactrian camels situated a short distance away – in Hunder.

If you find the cold desert of Hunder more appealing, there are many options for accommodation, from affordable hotels to Eco-friendly tents and camps. We spent a good amount of time here, idly dipping our feet in a stream that ran parallel to the sand dunes, calmly taking in the sights and sounds of our almost heavenly surroundings.

After spending a few days in Leh, and traveling to Kargil, one would think the seemingly supernatural landscape everywhere you went would cease to impress and inspire further. I can assure you, that is not the case. The sheer magnificence and meditative aura of Nubra lingers in your senses long after you’ve left.

We then headed to our homestay in a village called Sumur, approximately an hour’s drive from Hunder. Point to note here – If you really want to take in the sights and sounds of Hunder I strongly suggest staying IN Hunder or Diskit. The village seemed secluded, with barely a few kids playing on the dirt road, but the greenery around lent a calming reassurance after a hectic travel day! We reached in time for tea, and a delicious home cooked meal thereafter.

One of the many blessings of being in a place like Nubra valley is the chance to gaze upon a crystal clear night sky and even catch a glimpse of the Milky Way. Whether you’re staying in one of the luxury tents/camps or even a resort, you MUST make time for an evening outdoors by a camp fire and some good music!

BACK TO LEH!

Our journey back to Leh was a mixture of long silent pauses in between music and conversation, each one of us probably contemplating the past few days and everything we experienced. Our tour driver and guide Phunsukji told us many a wonderful story about his innumerable travels within Ladakh.

On our last day in Leh, we treated ourselves with another visit to the Shanti Stupa (did I mention this is my favorite spot in Leh?) and some non-ladakhi food for a change! I strongly recommend a meal at Bon Apetit when in Leh, especially when your city-bred stomach is craving for the usual!

THINGS WE DID’NT DO/YOU MUST!

A visit to the famous Pangong Tso lake is a must on every Ladakh tour list! However, we were advised to rather go to the lake Tso Moriri – by an elderly army gentleman and his wife who claimed it was far better, cleaner, and more beautiful (read – unexplored)

My journey through this trip has been nothing short of eventful – I have been amazed and awestruck several times, and yet troubled by tiring car journeys. I have been both uncomfortable, and extremely calm depending on landscape and every single day has had an influence on my perception of ‘travel’ and what it really is as opposed to what we expect it to be.

Having said that, I am looking forward to my second (longer) trip to Ladakh soon, to explore and meet with experiences we missed out on! I hope you find the time to make your way to Ladakh once in your life. If not anything, it is a trip you will never forget and will want to tell stories about to your friends and family too!

Yours Truly