LAKE PANGONG IN LADAKH

 Ladakh demands a 360* rotation of the cervix to take in the entire landscape, at every halt you make. It may stun you into long silence or make you gasp but then you were cautioned before the journey.  A half day's journey over both roller coaster roads and the serpentine ones, carries you from Leh to the Lake and leaves you stupefied at this vision of magic. Sighting Pangong lake is like a view of heaven as imagined by  artists.  Turquoise blue at our first sighting and as sheer as possible, it has a bland mineral mountain range surrounding it from most sides and to complete that feeling of disbelief, the sailing clouds overhead appear to take a halt as they park at the lake.  

Even a week long tour only partly fulfills the greedy heart. The land is a bit frugal on oxygen and thus needing one to acclimatise at the start, but the heart soon adapts and begins to revel at the contact with pure air. For every other assistance just look upto the generous, warm Ladakhis. 

TERRAIN THAT HOSTS THE GANGES

HARIDWAR is a much visited temple town. Rishikesh, its twin town, is where River Ganga - the Ganges - descends from the Himalayan ranges into the plains. Venerated by the faithful & the grateful for supporting farming and life, for nourishing & sustaining cities on its banks over thousands of known years......Ganga in rapid flow is an awesome sight. Her epic journey truly begins here.

Rajaji National Park, hems it for a while to one side. Host to Elephants, Tigers, Panthers, and gentler wildlife, an early morning or evening walk through the woods (guided) lifts up the spirit of the city dweller. We didn't encounter danger but the probability kept blood in a rush.