Today we drove to Khardung La , at 18380 feet this is suppose to be worlds highest motorable road. Except altitude there is no challenge here . BRO < The amazing Border Road organization  which creates roads from no-where has widen this road at many places and making it 2 lane road soon.

The same organization had made another high altitude road for Army in Pangong region, called Marsemik La , which is at 19,600 feet with some minimal work is going to be challenge.

This is a last post before we enter Changthang platuae , at average 15000 feet , this is vast desert region on Tibet border  and has most of the high altitude lakes of Ladakh. Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri, Tso Kar, Kyun Tso etc.  This region is still not in any network except BSNL satellite  pay phone in some villages.  So will not be posting anything for another 6-7 days till back to connectivity.

wild roses and other flowers of ladakh

We reached Leh on 6th day morning after leaving Mumbai, It could have been possible to reach on the 4th day night if we would have driven whole day, but once we left Srinagar, we started taking halts for photography and then at Jozila  we have to wait  for some work to get over.  So we took 2 days from Srinagar to Leh, stopping at Kargil & Lamayuru, enjoying different hues of ladakh  and yes thousands of wild roses in bloom everywhere.

We also paid homage to martyrs of Kargil War, visited the memorial, Looked at Tiger hill & other peaks with  moist eyes and  hand on heart. After driving through vastness of western India these heroes at frontiers have our respect and gratitude.

This war memorial is at Drass, worlds second most coldest inhabited place after Saiberia. In 90's one day of that winter, the temperature recorded here was Minus 60. I have been to ladakh in winter and had been to Minus 30, but can't imagine staying at minus 60.  So we have in our country temperature range from minus 60 to plus 52.  Nearly 100 degree range of diversity.  

Bholenath is there on Amarnath route to bless devotees

@ Patnitop

Reached Srinagar in middle of the night, City looks very peaceful, may be the troubled past is over. Could reach our houseboat with MapMyIndia Android application with ease.
The temperature is cooler than Punjab.

In last three days we travelled 2380 KMS through states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and  Jammu & Kashmir. Did 2 night halts at Udaipur & Kurushetra for 4-5 hrs. So on average we did around 800 kms per day. Not bad for the first timers :)

My Scorpio is behaving as this journey was no trouble at all. Superb vehicle for such long journey through different terrains.  We will leave for Kargil tomorrow and then to Leh.

Crossed gujarat into rajasthan,

Nighthalt @ Udaipur OR proceed to Jaipur??? Most probably Udaipur and we will leave early morning with aim to reach pathankot tomorrow, 

12.30, Macdonald @Vapi

Started at 9.30 am from Kandiwali in first heavy rains of this monsoon, Flagged off by near and dear ones. Cake cutting, luggage strapping and flagging made the start interesting . Just now at Vapi, Parthiv and Ganesh enjoying large meals and me and Manoj on diet :)

Tomorrow morning we will start on out first leg of the journey. I am excited for this trip, which I was planning for last 2 years and now its reality. Thanks to all, particularly Deepa, My wife , Pratik & Aabha, my 2 kids to accept my such hobbies, my parents,particularly  my mother  who expedited her bypass operation so that she will recover before my trip and I can proceed ahead with this drive.

My many friends who supported me and motivated me , special thanks to  Sachin Deshpande, Mohit Handa & Deepa Arjunan  from Mahindra & Mahindra , they went out of their way to help us to prepare for this trip. Its good that this is happening on the 10th anniversary of Scorpio , my Scorpio has stood with me in difficult situation in my off road adventures till now and I am confident that it will prove this every time. 

Packing started, Route finalized, 7 days to go

Changed tyres to   Yokohama Geolander, All Terrain  tyres
2 ARB Jerry cans for extra fuel arrived today
2 pro-recovery straps will arrive this week
2 extra fog lights fitted
equipped with shovel, axe for emergency

I will be soon going to the Land of Passes, LADAKH with 3 of my friends, like last 4 years.  The only difference this time, we will be driving from Mumbai to Ladakh.