AUG 10, 2008 .. LADAKH Part 3/4
Sunday.. August 10.. 2008.. Kargil..
Ladakh..
IF THIS goes anywhere it will be a miracle..
THE TRIP NORTH FROM PADUM TO KARGIL..
First.. a note about dentistry.. I grind my teeth at
night..so my dentist made me a dental night guard.. it fits
my upper teeth.. is heavy poly or plastic.. and separates my
top teeth from my bottom teeth.. got it..
Second.. athletes in major contact sports..
football.. ice hockey.. boxing.. wear the same thing only
call it a ‘mouth piece’.. got it..
Third.. one (l) minute (60) seconds..
OK here we go.. Padum in the Zanskar Valley North to
Kargil..
I was at the bus.. in the rain.. one hour early.. boarded
got settled early..
The bus left precisely at 4 o’clock in the AM.. Sunday ..
August 10th..
GET THIS.. THIS TELLS YOU ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW..
We had only been going one minute.. and it was so bad
I thought I was going to break some teeth.. so I got into my
back pack and got out my dental night guard.. or my ‘mouth
piece’ and wore it the rest of the trip..
THAT IS HOW BAD THE ROAD IS..
I had a window seat.. moved myself to an aisle seat.. with
a vertical pole beside my aisle seat.. for the trip I held
tightly to the pole.. when we hit a horrible bump.. which was
often.. I held myself up off the seat using the vertical
pole to support me.. so I would not injure my spine..
THAT IS HOW BAD THE ROAD IS..
The seats were bad.. no leg room.. I had to ride side
saddle.. my feet and my legs out in the aisle.. fighting
with the baggage IN the aisle..
No arm rests.. but the screws that used to hold them
remained.. my own arm rest was a danger..
Being a local bus of sorts.. people were on.. and people
were off.. climbing.. walking on top of the luggage in the
aisle..
Falling onto me and others..
We left at precisely 4 o’clock AM and arrived into
Kargil at 7:06 PM.. they all lied.. the ride for me was
FIFTEEN HOURS AND SIX MINUTES..
I thought I was going to lose my mind..
THAT IS HOW BAD IT WAS..
My hotel room has no electricity.. I had to get water from
the water well.. and am about to sign off because I want
this out..
I LEAVE TOMORROW.. MONDAY.. AUGUST 11th.. at 4 o’clock AM
for Leh..
I could write a book about today.. can’t do it..
have to be ready at 3 o’clock..
THIS ONE RIDE QUALIFIES ME AS A WORLD TRAVELLER..
MUCH JOY.. MUCH LOVE.. MANY THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST
AND FOR YOUR SUPPORT.. GOTTA RUN..NO.. GOTTA D A S H
.. LOVE.. CAP
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