30th of May, 2023.
Hitchhiking in India: Leh
The queue of cars and trucks is already immense. When I get to the police barricade, I am told that the road will be closed until 2 p.m. What? Apparently, because the road gets really narrow somewhere ahead, they are letting only one side pass freely, and after they will open for us. That’s also due to the bad weather. It is my second road block during this trip.
I start asking in the cars, actually showing my sign which reads Leh, if they can give me a lift. Through the whole extension my eyes and legs can reach, I get only negative answers. Some people tell me to be going to Lee, but they are full. Most of the cars are full, and I can actually see it.
When I ask in a black Scorpio, with six Sikh men, they are all very kind but tell me they are also full. I return to the barricade and start to think. Not much time to do so, as I see some other Sikh men with whom I haven’t talk to yet. They say I can come! Wow! They are only two and have enough space in their car for me. And they are going to Leh! Finally! Yay!
After my lift was arranged, everything turned into a very interesting, funny and peculiar scene. When I come with the two Sikh guys to their car, they are actually parked near to the other Sikh guys, in the Scorpio. They don’t know each other from before this road block, but they act as old friends. We all gather together then, and we start talking. More than that, we have chai! Laugh. Because everybody believes that the road will be closed until 2 p.m. (something was actually telling me that it would be open earlier), they start cooking, preparing food and in our case, chai. It is a curious moment, to look this immense queue of cars and trucks, and everybody start living by the road for now, just as I always do. And the chai is delicious, by the way!
The guys are all very nice and I like to hear their stories too. One of them is a marathonist, and after a while waiting, he starts walking towards Leh, saying that when we catch up with him, he will board the car. Laugh. Meanwhile, me and some of the younger guys, go for a walk nearby the river. The views around here are actually really pretty, and the river running down there it has a clear turquoise water. There are a few houses by the river and, if it wasn’t for the bad weather and the cold, which is quite constant in this area, it would be a wonderful place to live.
The road opens around noon. Some of the people are still cooking, so they have to rush up.
The way to Leh is stanning! For the whole duration of day light under we are driving, I am astonished with the beauty of this road! Everywhere, all the time, gorgeous mountains and valleys decorate the landscape and it seems like they will never end. The sky is of a vivid blue, but with big fatty clouds, which makes everything look even more beautiful. It is not that easy to take photos though, from inside the car, so you will have to take my word for it. But I got some good shots too.
Another interesting thing is that, we get many different weather. And at some point, all we can see is snow. Everything is covered with a thick layer of snow.
There is some music playing on the radio. Indian music. It is a nice moment, watching these beautiful views at the sound of Indian songs.
After a while, we meet our other Sikh friends again. They had planned before of stopping to have lunch together. And they are cooking! The guys from the other car have been camping and travelling, so they have all the necessary equipment. They cook; we eat and wash the dishes; and we carry on.
Then something surprises me. Actually, the word I should use is “shock” because it is not really a good thing. The two Sick guys with whom I am travelling, start to drink. They have whisky and Coke in the car, and they stop to prepare a drink many times on the way. At least, we can also take some photos during this time they stop to make a drink. They also offer me, but I refuse, of course. I only accept some Coke and some cookies.
But we end up arriving very late in Leh, something around 11 p.m. They guys try to help me to find a Gurudwara, which is located outside Leh, but I cannot stay there. I tell them they should just drop me off in Leh, and I will figure out.
The problem is the late hour. Even the dogs keep barking because everything is so quiet. I walk around for a while but it seems as everybody is already sleeping. All of sudden, I realize that I am, finally, in Ladakh! The transition scaped me, due to the darkness of our last few hours driving.
I see a building which looks like a temple or something. Lights are on. I go up some stairs and knock. After a while, a man comes out. He cannot speak English but he understands what I am asking for, which is actually just to pinch my tent outside the building, still upstairs, just outside his front door. He agrees. And another important thing he does is to bring me a very strong blanket, like a really thick one. Bravo! It is thankfully to his compassion and his blanket that I don’t freeze at night.
I leave early morning, before anybody from the house wakes up. It is a shame, I know, but because I am not staying in Leh, and there is still a long way to Pangong Tso, I must resume my journey early in the morning. But I do wonder: what would they think about me and my apparition in the middle of the night, alone, seeking for a place to camp? I guess I will never know…
10 Years Around the World 