La notte ha reso la nostra prima salita in quota un po’ fangosa e sì, the idiot stuck in the picture is me. From northern India we go to Ladakh through the Rohtang Pass.
"Wet-out, Starting lucky "we said, forking the Royal Enfield stuck to us Manali. We knew that the first is, that of the southern, would have been the most critical from the standpoint of meteorological. And, in fact, It rained all night and the rise to Rohtang La (The mean step in Ladako, La-dakh è infatti la “terra degli alti passi”), the first of the major steps, ci avvisano sia una bella fanghiglia.
The Rohtang hour 3.979 meters above sea level and off the bike when I'm out of breath even to make shooting with the camera. I have never been so high and my body is still getting used to, it will take me almost four days to acclimatize at altitude. I compare myself with other fellow travelers, all have the same symptoms and decide to start taking Diamox*, the medicine of the mountaineers. At the shortness of breath you add the drastic deterioration of the road when we begin to descend on the northern front: huge puddles and mud slow down the march and make us sweat. Remain implanted to let pass a truck.
Yes, because this is the only road to reach the Ladakh from the south and is then visited by the fearsome Indian truck drivers or truck that will meet military abundant during our journey.
When we reach a tiny village and we stop for a moment of rest is a real relief. The temperature here is higher and even the smell of rain. We are immediately surrounded by a group of ragged boys of Roma. We ask for some rupee and even if you squeeze the heart does not want to feed the bad habit of almsgiving which in India is a real social problem. That, instead of loose change, offer them a part of our ration. We have some snacks to offer, but their eyes light up when they see our fruit! They are ready to fight over a pear or a banana, autentiche rarità da queste parti e non possiamo non fare subito un paragone con i nostri bambini…
Before the evening we reach Jispa, one of the few villages that are the obligatory crossroads for those who follow this path and find accommodation in a hotel full of running water even, not so hot, but abundant.
(*a diuretic which helps to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of cerebral edema)
The rest of the report can be found in the November issue of Cafè Racer Italia.
photo credit: Marco Denicolò and Motoreetto.
Special thanks to Tucano Urbano.
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