A hint of things to come...

Our first instructions upon arrival in Leh were quite simply to rest! I don't know about you, but I am a fidgetty person and find this difficult, however, that first attempt at walking up about 18 stairs was a killer, so I did as I was told. At 4 o'clock we were allowed a gently amble around the city. At this point, let me introduce you to my level of walking fitness, I am what I describe as a 'puffing Billy' and that is in normal circumstances, at 3,000 or so metres, that needs to be magnified into a steam contraption that feels as if it is about to overheat!!! The gentle stroll took us into a monastery in the city - the first of many and very interesting it was too. There was a school for Buddhism running and the teenagers were all attending even though it was Saturday afternoon. The decorations in side were going to prove to be extremely interesting in most of the monasteries. They were colourful and certainly entertaining!





The photo shows a building at the top of a hill which was to be part of another day's walk, the mere threat of that was so daunting!!

However, we spent the first day ambling through the streets drinking in the atmosphere. I think it is true to say that Leh in the summer months put on the stalls for the tourists as this is their main way of eraning currency. The city is blocked in by the snow for 6-9 months and then reverts back to true Ladakhi style of living. But I loved it, the older people dressed in traditional style clothing, three or four layers of woollen clothing despite the heat!

Little and often, I think!

Did you ever receive the invite from friends to 'come and see our holiday photographs'? Three hours later you were regretting it? Well, you have my permission to look away now! I have just downloaded my digital photographs and I think there are more than a thousand, so I shall be very selective and in March I shall go through them with a fine tooth comb and delete lots of them. However, at this moment I shall just throw in a few of the favourite nuggets.

I think my most impressive breakfast to-date, was that eaten whilst flying over the Himalayas, the food was not all that impressive, but the view was amazing, something I shall never forget.

I had no idea what Ladakh would look like, so the beautiful green valleys should not have been a surprise, but they were. As were the sandy mountains, the snowy capped peaks were there too, but thankfully not close enough for us to climb!


This was the small hotel we acclimatised in, all very friendly until we climbed the stairs to go to our rooms, that was the first real indication of altitude and it was a corker.

I'm back - cooooeeee!

What a holiday - wow! I will post pickies - but not anywhere near the total of almost 2000 ..yes, that many. I love digital photography, I can click away at things and not worry about the cost of having them processed. (Must admit I took the old camera too, so I also have some films to be done, I still love the old fashioned thing of opening the pack and finding the holiday brought back to me as I look through them - often standing in the middle fo the pavement outside the shop! The photograph albums are also a great joy.)
I arrived home this morning after a very long day yesterday - it went on for something like 30 hours, mostly in the air or at airports. More of those later... My sister picked us up at Heathrow and then we drove to Leicester to drop off Shirley then onto Shropshire.
The post has piled up, the clematis hasn't quite blocked the path in to the garden, but it is almost like the Secret Garden, and there on the steps are some sacks of donkey dung to welcome me home! (Thank goodness I don't hear our local animals at night as we frequently did in Ladakh.) Again, more about the ghostly noises that go screaming in the night at a later date. Australia are all out for 218 - what a wonderful topping to the bountiful cake.
More later and soon - I promise, but I need to buy some food!

Found it!!

Yes, another moment of panic when I could not find my mobile phone earlier this week. The house has had its usual frenetic turning upside down to find it, but this morning a flash of insight happened again - it was at the gym!! So I can send silly texts from somewhere on another continent. What fun!
I have been plagued by moths recently so I am leaving vile smelling sachets around to 'sort them out' while I am not breathing in the fumes.
Back some time soon

Last words of wisdom.

Knickers! (Excuse me - I can hear you saying it!!) Its very important to take the right knickers, comfy, and ones that are guaranteed to dry overnight. Ummm, yes, I see, I don't want to be carting damp underwear around, or walking into it when I pile into the tent at night. They are rather expensive I am told - about 20 knicker!!!!(OK, I am sorry about that one!) But I only pay that for lacy ones I thought, so the present plan is to look for some in Leciester tomorrwo, then draw some pretty flowers or lacy patterns on them so that I don't feel so bad about buying them. Mind you, they are grey - ugh.
The other thing is to mix up 1 litre of water with a tablespoonful of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt if I ever get dehydrated.I MUST REMEMBER THE TICKETS AND PASSPORT - hang on, I'll put them on the pile. (I have been known to get down to London to find out that I have put my passport on the kitchen table and forgotten to pick it up!)

So far then, each morning take the pills, 1 aspirin, 6 brewer's yeast, 2 malarial pills, I castor oil, 2 garlic, then I also have the tummy ones on a just-in-case basis. Pack the plasters before each walk, fill the water bottle and water sack with boiled water. Take the loo paper on each walk together with a trowel, put the camera with spare batteries in, a hat, smother myself in sun and bug cream, oh yes, and the binoculars. This sounds more like a route march than a holiday, but the excitement is unbearable now and I cannot get myself sorted out to do anything.
Choice of clothes is simple - very little and then I can buy some if I need any and there is very little to wash.
The first thing I must eat is yogurt so that I start to put the right bugs in the tum. No ice, no salad, no unwashed fruit, wash my hands at every turn... I think I need a minder!
I will take photos by the hundred probably, both real and digital. So be prepared for the holiday snaps when I return, you will be bored out of your minds! So, signing out until I can next post any activity.