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This is a collection of pictures of trip to Khardungla in Laddakh.
Khardungla, supposedly world's highest motorable road.
It was a group of bikers attempting to put their names in Guinness book of world
Records. 110 bikers were flagged off from Chanakyapuri in Delhi by
Dr. Karan Singh.
I was engaged by youth hostel association of India, who were also organizers of
This trip. We passed through Panipat and Karnal for our night halt at Chandigarh.
Next night at Kullu. Next day marked by a beautiful ride to bijli mahadev and
An unnecessarily tiring track of 5kms.
The actual adventure biking started the next day onwards when we were closing
On Rohtang pass . We were not actually ready for the cold and piercing gale.
Then bikers had to wait till 11 pm for their tents and dinner.
Coming two days were probably the worst ones. The adventure part was ok but
Motor cyclist's lives were put in danger. A number of mobikes ran out of fuel and
Could only survive out of sheer grit and comradeship. Pictures of participants
Digging fuel out of their own depleted tanks to help their stranded companions are
Included. There were quite a few breakdowns as well. If this was not enough,
A huge snowfall struck and struck bad . The unending plains of pang were elusive
Enough for any passing traveler. I believe coming out of this alive needed
A huge chunk of fortune , but then these were the kind of people who make
Their own luck.
Leh was a relief after all this. Leh festival was not bad at all, a heaven for
Photography and our group had a number of professional and amateur
Photographers. The 2 hours trip to Khardungla was a piece of cake as compared
To the calamities already faced.
Next morning we started from leh wondering and trying to capture an
Iota of mysterious and pictorial Laddakh. The way to Kargil was so unreal like
Looking at the photographs of moon's surface. This day was marked by a number
Of incidents including a truck running into a head on collision with a biker,
minutes after we saw the motorcycle with its vital parts missing but the defiant
Biker was grinning without a scratch.
In fact a few bikers go so late and lost that they had to hitch a ride with
Trucks plying on route. They reached at half past one at night and because
we were given the specific time to move forward towards Srinagar, these
thick skinned riders were ready to move again at 3 in sub zero temperatures.
This included the efforts of mountain biking and the stamina of a triathlon.
Honeymoon started as soon as we entered Srinagar with hoards of
People, students, photographers, press reporters gathered to welcome us.
It continued in Jammu as well. Till we were within Jammu and Kashmir territory.
This initiative by J&K government, for whatever purpose, was really something.
This shower of petals at all the small towns was enough to make the bikers
Believe they had done some real achievement .walk in the clouds. Literally with some reluctance i declare that it was an honor to be the official
Photographer of this expedition. These were no ordinary people. These
Were individuals with grit, determination, wander lust, very strong
Individuality and most importantly each one of these was carrying an
Oddity which would outshine all the compulsions and obligations, personal
And professional , that life will throw in their paths. This trip was no party,
Nor was it just an adventure trip. Although i am an avid traveler myself
But i have been a solitary traveler mostly. And never been an organized
Group traveler. I just hope this gets included in Guinness book. Even if that
Doesn't happen, that would take nothing away from this marvelous
Expedition.
All photographs are not included here. More photographs
And pictures of adventurers would be added.
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