Disaster

We left for Manali again. We were driving quite happily when a truck full of women waved frantically at us. They were parked in a corner behind a cliff wall. We waved back when a little further road builders urged us to stop. They were blasting ahead, and we needed to take cover as quickly as possible. We turned around and joined the women when two huge explosions thundered in between the mountains. The blasts caused several landslides. Once they were all cleared (the big rocks were hammered with a hammer), we reached a hotel and restaurant (two tents) by the side of a pasture. Had a warm chai there - it was getting very cold - and accepted that the bike just wasn't performing. And that we had to turn around and go back to Leh (85km each way - or a six hour journey in total) to a mechanic, as there are no mechanics between Leh and Manali - for three days. It was so disappointing.

On the way we flagged down another Enfield rider. A lone rider. Very intriguing fellow. Definitely alpha-male, but also slightly camp. Or maybe just arty. He's been riding this road for that past five years, and always sleeps inside a cave just before Pang (our first night's stop). He also agreed that we have to return to Leh - as Tanglang La (the first pass) is a very dangerous place to get stuck, as it is over 5000 meters high and the weather can be very unpredictable.

Never figured out what he does.

Got back to Leh and the mechanic fiddled in various places and it felt better, so we decided to leave the next morning.

Had extremely delicious food at our guesthouse again. So fresh.