On the road again

I've made it to Leh! But what an adventure getting back here.

The day that I last posted, there was no bus in Padum that would be going to Leh. So, the next day I was back again, to hunt down the bus. Lauren came too, which was a great help since she speaks the language and can talk to more people more clearly and directly about the bus situation. At first, there was no bus, not the usual bus that runs between Leh and Padum. We talked to a few people, and a man that Lauren trusts said that he'd book seats for Mojun and I when the bus came in and send a message to Sani to let us know when to leave. Then, we ran into a lama that Lauren knows who seems to know everyone, and he said that there was a bus leaving for Leh the next day. What chance! We went with him to meet the driver and book our seats. We had it all arraigned: the driver was leaving Padum at 6am, so he would stop on the road just below the nunnery at 6:30am and we would be down there with our bags, ready to go. It is always the most carefully laid plans that seem to go array.

By 2pm, Lauren and I were ready to head back to the nunnery, we'd finished everything that we'd wanted to do. But the bus doesn't leave until 4pm some days. We tried to find a ride back, seeing if any jeeps were heading that way. One man said he'd be leaving soon, but after waiting for half an hour, we decided that he wasn't leaving any time soon. So, we decided to walk back. With heavy bags. In the afternoon sun. Right, smart idea. On our walk back, we stopped at a house for tea and chang. That was a nice break in our walk back. After a bit more, we caught the bus. I think I prefer doing it that way; walking back a bit, stopping in a house, then getting the bus. Plus, it's less crowded after a few stops.

We stopped at another house in Sani for tea and chang. Another nice break before heading up the hill to the nunnery. When we got back to the nunnery, we told Mojun that it was time to pack up, we're heading out the next day. Of course she was already mostly packed. I had to pack all of my things still, organise and sort out what I wanted to leave with the nuns. I left them all of the school supplies that I had brought, and gave Lauren my medicines that I felt I wouldn't need for the rest of the trip. She can administer them out to the nuns and villagers as needed. I can always get more cold medicine, but it is much more difficult to get out there.

We had our favorite dinner that night, momos, or dumplings. The nuns gave us socks as a gift, and Lauren was translator for the evening. They're such wonderful people, I miss them all so much already.

The morning of our departure, we woke up early to have some tea and have plenty of time to walk down to the road. We started down at 10 minutes to 6, the nuns carrying our bags for us. At about 6, we saw what looked like our bus roll on by, not stopping. The nuns tried to run after it, but it didn't stop. So there went our ride. Who knows why it didn't stop, why it came 30 minutes early. We decided to wait down by the road to see if we could catch a ride to Kargil, where we would certainly be able to find a bus to Leh.

After a bit, a car came by, but he was asking way too much to take us to Kargil, about double the price of the bus fare to Leh, and double the price for a local to go to Kargil. We let him continue on. Then, just around 6:30, another car came along. He accepted the local price for us, and would help us find the bus in Kargil. The nuns and Lauren piled in the jeep as well, to make sure that we'd get past a certain spot. This spot is where the Zanskar taxi union blocks the road and sees who is going in and out. As we're not local but getting the local price, the taxi union was not going to be pleased about this.

I'm glad that the nuns and Lauren came along. The man who was working that day was not pleased at all. He didn't want to let us go through. First the driver was arguing with him, then the nuns all got involved, then the driver turned off the car and got out, then two nuns also got out. I didn't know what was being said, but I figured that I should look very sad and convey that it was essential for us to get through. Eventually, Mojun and I got out. Lauren said that if we cried, we would probably be able to get through. But the driver and the union man walked into a little hut before I could work up the tears. But we made it through!

About half-way through the drive, we stopped at one police check point where there is a lunch spot. And there was our bus! We were able to get on, and paid the jeep driver a bit less, although I probably should have bargained for a cheaper rate. I was just happy to be on the bus that was going all the way to Leh.

The bus ride was not so bad. It's slower, but that's okay. We spent the night on the bus, as we stopped about an hour past Kargil. We made it to Leh yesterday afternoon, and then took a taxi up to a guest house that Lauren had recommended. It was booked up, though, so we drove from guest house to guest house until we found one with rooms. Our guest house is nice, clean, and a bit outside the center of town, which is nice. It has a shared bathroom, and we're on the first floor, not much of a view. It's also pretty cheap. The family that runs it is very nice, and when we came back from our early dinner last night, they invited us in to watch the opening ceremony for the Olympics. I didn't think I'd have the opportunity to watch that!

Many stores are closed today. From one shopkeeper, I got that a lama was killed on this day some years ago, so they all remember him today. I'm glad that we found an Internet cafe that's open. It's also pretty fast, not too expensive. I'll probably be back before I head to Delhi on the 12th.