Showing posts with label Lachen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lachen. Show all posts

Thursday, July 24, 2008

How Desolate Is My Valley?

The phrase Valley Of Flowers conjures up some endless grassy knoll, with a million rainbow blooms swaying in a gentle breeze, bringing with it their heady perfume. Unfortunately, we were a month too late. Other than a few mocking traces, the flora was all gone and all that was left was a bitterly cold desolation with spitting rain and an icy Teesta River.

Yumthang Valley - North Sikkim (Go in March or April)




Saturday, May 31, 2008

Great Plains

En route to Gurudongmar Lake, four hours from Lachen and an hour away from the nearest army camp and humanity, the great plains stretch endlessly, broken only by bald hills and snow mountains. I didn't get to go to Ladakh this time around but I was told that it was only 80kms away and only accessible on foot. I didn't bite. We were barely allowed out of the car due to the high altitude, so walking was pretty much a laughable suggestion. This place had all that desolation that Ladakh has to offer and took mind, body and soul beyond the mundane. It all worked out. And the lake was around the corner.