Tin Tin goes to Manali

On 18th May, me and my 2 travel mate depart Leh in a 4WD for our new destination-Manali.

During my 3 days of rest in Leh, I was introduced to Tin Tin. I enjoyed my first episode of Tin Tin in Tibet.

Actually, prior to reading my first Tin Tin. I read on the papers that 2 mega movie director-Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg will collaborate to produce movie on Tin Tin. Supposedly they had already selected the series. I hope the Tibet series will be made into a film. Mountains, adventure, loyalty to friend. Sounds appealing to me.

Yah, we also had quite a bit of adventure on our 4WD journey.

First, besides the driver and the 3 of us, we have other passengers. They are from the Indian Army. So at 0130hrs, we made our way to their army camp to pick them up. At the gate, the driver was denial entry. After like 20mins of talking, explaining and phonecalls, he return to us with one other moustache guy. This time, we were allowed to drive into the camp to pick up the rest from their living quarter.

There are so many of them, we really wonder how many are just onlookers and how many will be our fellow passengers. Also, their luggage was enormous. Later on, as I found out, they have received now posting. And hence the size of their luggage.

As I was in the semi-unconscious state, I couldn't fully recalled all the details. Next thing I know, there was an empty jeep parked next to ours and the 2 drivers are transferring the luggage from the top of our jeep to the young drivers. I get the message now: our vehicle has broken down, we're getting on another jeep.

While they're doing the loading, 2 other jeep appears. These jeeps are almost vacant.

When the moving is done, we were split into 3 jeeps unevenly. With me was Fang and Suat. Suat, not wanting to squeeze in the front row with Fang, moved to the back row. Due to the design of most jeep, the last row tends to be the bumpiest. I suppose she preferred a bumpy but spacious seat. And we journey on.

I've yet to speak a word to our Indian friends but I've already acquainted myself with them, physically literally.

As I dived deeper into sleep, my body starts to curl sideways, with my head planted on the shoulder of my Indian friend.

I realised that but the position was so comfortable that i just couldn't summon the energy to adjust my head away from him. Honestly, I've never rested my head on a shoulder as solid and as comfortable like his. Not once did he fidget or wake me up to move away.






Mountains...roads...blackout...snow...mountains...blackout...roads....
This is what I remember for the next few hours until we stopped for breakfast at Pang.

The locals cleverly make use of unused cargo parachutes to recycle them into makeshift tents. There were about 8-10 tents in total. Each tent is a kitchen cum dining area. Further inside is what seems like a room with bed and blankets. I suppose that would be the owners living quarter.

When the road closes every year in Aug/Sep, I think the tents would be packed and the owners returned to their home or some other placed for business or trading.

We arrived in Manali at 2000hrs, that makes the total journey 18 hrs.

We were full of anxiety. Manali is a new place and a busy one. This is the trekking season, many Indians made their way to this popular mountainous state. With all our bearing still in a state of uncertainty, we spot a restaurant, went in and decide to take dinner before hunting for accommodation. The streets were busy, we wonder if there's available accommodation.

We checked into Hotel Seagull for the first night. For 900rs/night, we find the condition of our room unjustifiable. SO the next morning, we moved to Johnson Hotel, slightly up-market but value for money. The hotel resembles Changi Chalets. On the ground floor with balcony overlooking a field.

I spent 1 hour or so checking out the trekking options available . Most of the office are not very enthusiastic to answer queries. Some are open but not manned. A few companies quoted USD50 per pax per day for a 5 days trek. I was about to give up asking when we arrived at the office of Mountain Expedition. I was shocked when they asked for 100rp (USD 25) per day per pax.

Mountain Expedition
Every year during the trekking season, the company set up temporary campsite that lasted thru the trekking season. Campsites are complete with sleeping tents and sleeping bags, Kitchen (fully equipped with cooking pots, stoves etc.)

With such a clever arrangement, all we need is a guide to show us the way. There's no need to carry tents and food nor do we need to hire horseman(and their horses) or porters to help us.,

We bargain further, out trekking cost us 800rp (20USD) per pax per day. What a steal.

Ladakh-Indian Himalayan

What a relieve to exit the blazing hot weather of Delhi to the Indian Himalayan.

I am now in Leh, Ladakh which is in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Temperature in Leh (3500mt) range from 28 to 14 DC. Delhi is hovering in the 40s. Now you understand why it is such a relieve.

I've been spending the past 2 days acclimatizing. As my rest heart rate increases from 60 (beats per min) to 85 bpm.

Tomorrow, I am going to do a famous trek in Ladakh, The Markha Valley Trek. Typically, this trek will take 8 days. I will be taking a detour to try to attempt a summit- Stok Kangri at 6130mt. Little mountaineering experience is needed for this summit, subject to the weather. The detour will add another 3 days to the Markha Valley Trek

My first choice was to do the Zanskar Trek. It will take 20days to trek from Lamayaru via Padum to Darcha which is not far from Manali. Zanskar Trek is reputed to be the best in Ladakh, with landscape that resembles that of the moon.

A Ladakhi guide told me that the apparent global warming is affecting this part of the world as well. 10 years ago, he has to trek over glacier for a good stretch of 2 km on the Zanskar Trek. 2 years ago, he return to find the glacier disappeared. Not so good news...

I'll be back with more stories. Till then bye...

Taj Mahal

The temperature soar to 42DC. After lunch, I try to read some magazine. Within 30mins, I felt giddy and had a little difficulty trying to concentrate. So I follow the footsteps of Fang and Suat and hid in the room for the rest of the afternoon.

Immediately, I fell into deep sleep without taking a much needed shower. At 1600hrs, I crawled out of my bed to shower. Time to visit Taj before sunset.

Paris had the Eiffel Tower, China has The Great Wall. America has the Statue of Liberty. Malaysia has the Twin Tower (Petronas Tower). Singapore? We have Chilly Crab. No no no... I mean we have the Merlion. Till today, I still find it an awkward icon.

Besides costing 750INR to get into Taj Mahal, I don't have much to say about it. It was built by a King for his beloved wife in the 17 century. There're lots of marble, in fact, everything is built using marble. There are lots of Indian tourist and a couple of foreigners from China, Japan and Korea.

Indian Helicopter.
Rickshaw rider affectionately introduce their rickshaw as Indian Helicopter. After exiting Taj from the West Gate, we intended to visit the Agra Fort ( the King who built Taj lives in the fort). An Indian Helicopter followed and persuaded us for 15 mins to pilot us to the Fort,

Sensing that the Fort could be closed by sunset, we gave up and walk back towards the direction of our hotel at the East Gate.

Our stomach guided us to a rooftop restaurant.

2 more travel companions coming from Singapore

At long last, after hanging around Delhi for 5 days, my companion will be arriving today . I was practically lazing around in Delhi, doing almost the same thing for the past few days- reading, blogging, going to Connaught Place, eating at bakeries, McDonald's and occasionally Indian food.

1400hrs. as agreed on previously via email, we're meeting in Main Bazaar, also known as Paharganj. This place is where most budget GH are situated. I stayed in Yes Please GH, recommended by the Canadian who share taxi with me from the airport.

Each carrying a big bag pack and a small day pack, Suat and Fang walked into the lobby of Vivek Hotel. I stop reading the book review on Tokkien's latest work .

We greeted each other warmly. The last I saw Suat was 6 months ago.

At the beginning of my trip, I met Fang and our trekking gang at a hotel in Taipei. And now, the last leg of my travel, I can see Fang at a hotel lobby again. She was with me at the beginning and the end.

My welcome gift was food from Singapore- 4 slices of Pandan cake from Bengawan Solo.

Before departing S'pore, Fang actually made a lot of effort to research on the best food to bring over to Delhi from Singapore, knowing that I've yearned for S'pore food for months.

Charmaine has no idea what I like so Fang consider Chee Cheong Fan. But considering the limited space she has, she settles on the Pandan cakes.

We proceed to do the admin stuff of sorting out our belongings-those that we need for the golden triangle (Agra, Jaipur and Delhi as well as Varanasi). Basically, I emptied my trekking stuff (especially the warm clothing). With temperature soaring above 40 DC, warm cloths is the last thing I went to lug in my Mac Pac.

Ganges

Every activity is held in (or around) the river.

The Hindu death ritual is held along the river bank. The body will be burned and eventually into the river.

Men shower in the river, there is even swimming lessons

Most parts of India, and especially so at the Ganges, are dominated by men( where are the women). I felt tempted to jump into the river which appears to be acceptably clean. But then again...I don't think so.

Directly on the street level besides our hotel, there was celebration accompanied by loud music. It went on for 5 days, from 0600hrs to 0200hrs. According to the locals, this is the wedding season.

We retreated to our room at midnight, children are talking exuberantly, loud music persisted on. I put on Sun Yanzi latest album to muff the street noise.

Delhi

Central Park is located at Connaught Place. Singapore also have a place called Connaught Place. This park is surrounded by old British colonial style building. The park and the buildings reminds me of Singapore.

I like this park, I spend time sitting around the grass and read my book. SO nice.

India Visa

My visa expires on 30 May. Usually, Singaporeans are given 180 days tourist visa. For some reason, when I was ask by the Indian embassy, I just told him 60 days.

I will be home before 1 June 2007. HURREY. However, I shall keep you in suspense on my actual day of arrive.

HAHA!!! I'm so happy!

A day of goodbyes

Anxious to find out the status of my flight ticket to Delhi on Sunday morning. I went down to the reception first thing in the morning. Tickets are not issued yet but they assure me of securing my tickets.

Today is the last day for my Singaporean friends. We had our last breakfast at Weizen, one of the best restaurant/bakery in Thamel. There's more shipping to be done. My friends have this obsession to spent every single domination in their wallet.

The last stop was a T-shirt shop. They had made order sometime ago to make some customised design on T-shirts. This will be the 3rd time they're back here. The previous 2 visit was disappointing, the shop owner got the design wrong. I bet they were banking on this 3rd visit to be fruitful.

Another round of heated words were exchanged. My friends were fuming. While the shop attendance are just confused. 3 mins into it, I realised that it's not going to end soon. And so I left for the hotel, leaving them at the battle front.

It's kind of disappointing that we didn't have a proper farewell. But I really have to go. Church meeting starts in 20mins. I need to grab a cab.

Goodbye my friends, see you in June 2007. I wanted to wish them all the best in their career. Deepak was quite nice, he walked me to the main road to get a cab. I needed his help to explain to the driver my destination.

Sunday service and farewell to Shammi
Service starts at 1030hrs, 30mins earlier than usual. Today, the church have a special program. Shammi is leaving for India and the church gave him a farewell.

It was moving to see so many disciple coming forward to share about Shammi and his family. Many were weeping. Disciples are mobile. We go wherever and whenever the lord calls. Shammi is going to India to start a new HOPE project at a town 3 hrs away from Delhi by car.