I was lucky on the road after all. Honestly? I didn’t really doubt it. After all, I was in India and there’s always something to be found.
There was a taxi from Ladakh with a passenger from Hariyana who had to rush home, probably because of his mother. He was very worried, but was sometimes able to make phone calls and everything was still OK. Anyway, I had a really good time with a comfortable back seat and space for my luggage and so we sped along the road, which I hadn’t travelled for a very long time. Lots of tarmac, but also gravel roadworks. From somewhere before Keylong to the Altai Tunnel, I was just amazed: accommodation next to restaurant next to accommodation. There used to be almost nothing here! There were lots of (Indian) motorbike riders on the road, as well as couples and families in cars. Unfortunately, it was already dark – but my decision was quickly made: I have to go again with time and light. Another time.
The Altai tunnel was already mentioned in last year’s blog, i.e. the one between Manali and the barren Himalayan world. The taxi travelled as far as Manali, what luck I had! And then I was even driven to my accommodation! (which was just great with all the luggage clutter). It was already after 23:00, the guesthouse people had to be woken up, but they even recognised me, there was a room and even more luck. Such a shower and soft mattress and balmy night temperature, what a treat!
In the morning I had breakfast – as usual – at the German Bakery in my lane.
A year ago there was the Hamas attack in Israel and the Israelis on holiday here all went home quickly. This year they were all back. In any case, I heard almost nothing but Hebrew around me. There were lots of stickers in some restaurants, which I curiously had translated with my mobile phone:
It’s kind of ‘funny’, I mainly meet Israelis in India, but we hardly ever have contact. In the meantime, there is also a huge age and life difference. But this time it was almost mute, or rather our lives differed so immensely that it somehow made a conversation even more impossible, at least for me. Despite perhaps many questions, but they would have needed a different kind of room. And so I just looked and felt ‘strange’.
Then I took some laundry to the laundry and borrowed tents etc. to a hotel where someone would take them to Ladakh. I wandered around a bit, lolled on the bed and was unhappy that I had to go home again. I drowned my sorrows in baghsu cake with espresso – so delicious!
After 1.5 days, I travelled back to Delhi by night bus. I took a few photos on the way back:
Apparently there was a new leisure attraction in Kullutal: going up in a balloon and looking down:
Apart from that, there was a lot of monsoon damage to be seen again, I was a little worried about some of the road sections and the speedy bus spiralled down the winding roads. It was great to have a two-seater all to myself at the front. Nevertheless, I couldn’t really sleep – unlike my seat neighbours:
But I learnt that it was easy to socialise with a powerbank – it was very popular and I often had to borrow it. And I was still sad to have to go home already.
We arrived in Delhi at 4.00 a.m., where it was hot, but not yet the scary 35° daytime temperatures. Unfortunately, my Delhi cousin no longer lives here but in New York. But Ashfaq had helped me out and organised a hotel. Unfortunately, my taxi app wouldn’t work and I wasn’t quite so good at negotiating and ended up travelling at a higher price in an autorickshaw. But the driver was quick and I was quickly back in my new soft bed. And still sad about the imminent departure.
But before that I walked around in the heat and bought some new cables for my devices – and met Ashfaq again, this time with his brother and one of the German-speaking guides for Diamir. We sat in a café, ate cheesecake and had a good time chatting. Well, I probably talked the most because I like to talk anyway and had been silent for so many days. I hope I was at least entertaining.
In any case, it seemed to me to be a meeting of ‘tourism-minded people’ – and I’m always happy about that anyway. There was a special picture of me and guide Suraj for a presentation:
What I like about him is that he makes a great effort to give travellers an understanding of everyday life in India. That makes my heart beat faster.
But first I struggled with the pain of saying goodbye; a few hours later I was already in the air on my way to Germany. And at least I knew that I would be back in two months – at least I already had a plane ticket. But then I’ll be travelling to a completely different part of India….
But before there is a new blog, there will be an ‘After the trip’ to read here. But I have to write that first.