Today was workshop day. It started off by saying goodbye
to Anil and Nadeem who flew off to Bangalore and Delhi respectively. Anil had
been away from work for too long and though he wished he could be a part of the
Trilogy, he just had to go back. Nadeem could not take the pressures of
altitude anymore and decided to head for the warmer climes and lower altitudes
that Delhi provided. Radhey Shyam and Sushil saw them off at the airport and
brought back the water body/pump that the Gypuzu needed so badly. It had
arrived and despite no identification papers, the airline cargo handed over the
consignment and we were good to go. Breakfast done, we headed for the workshop
and were prepared to leave for Tangtse in a couple of hours. The couple of
hours dragged on and by the time the job was finished it was after four in the
evening.
There was no way we could go to Tangtse today. And that
meant that the Trilogy route had to be modified yet again. Well, we could
always lose another day and start from Marsimik La, but the weather was closing
in very fast and it had started to snow in the upper reaches. I did not want to
risk being stranded up here because the roads had closed down. I had to get
down into Manali and beyond.
So the revised plan is to start from Khardung La tomorrow
morning. The route now will be Khardung La to Wari La to Chang La to Marsimik
La to Tanglang La. That would finish the first attempt, that of the FIVE
PASSES. I hope to complete this in about 15 hours. If I start at five in the
morning from Khardung La, I should be at Tanglang La around eight in the
evening.
The second attempt would start after Tanglang La as a
continuation of the ride and the attempt is to cover as many passes as possible
within 24 hours. Five done, I would come back to Upshi and head for the Tso
Moriri region to cover Namshang La and Polokongka La. That would give me seven
passes. I have no idea about the road from Polokongka La to the Morey Plain and
I have not conducted a recce there. This stretch of the route is worrying me. I
have to depend only on my GPS to see me through, more so since this stretch of
the route will be in complete darkness! In the best of times there is no one to
ask for directions and this time of the year, end of season and all, it is
going to be worse. People tell me there is a road, but I doubt it. I have never
seen it on the Morey Plains, where it is supposed to end! Scary thought and I
am not looking forward to this stretch.
Once we hit the Morey Plains, will come Kangla Jal,
Lachulung La, Nakeela and Baralacha La. I hope I can be at Baralacha La by
around five in the morning. This will give me eleven passes traversed within 24
hours, a new world record.
Depending on how I feel, I will continue on to Rohtang
for the the maximum passes covered in a single journey – TWELVE. This would be
the third world record attempt. But I seriously doubt whether I will be
physically be able to do the trip to Rohtang without some sort of a break to
rest and recuperate – myself and the Gypuzu. Well, that’s the plan anyway.
I cannot afford to rest after Rohtang since the next
attempt – TRANS HIMALAYAN TRAVERSE – would already have started at Khardung La.
Because I want tog et off the mountain, I am combining all the attempts. I am
losing almost 15-20 hours this way for the Trans Himalayan attempt, but I am
hoping that once in the foothills I will be able to make ups ome time. I need
to do Leh to Tezu in eight days or less, and I think it is possible. I am
hoping that if I can make up an hour a day, I should be able to make up the
lost time in the first stage.
Hope is what I am depending on and the confidence I have
driving around this region. Like it is said, never deprive someone of hope, it
might be the only thing he has. I have hope and confidence. Now I need your
support, prayers and good wishes to see me through.
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