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2003-07-19 - Kargil - Panikhar (Day 95)

The morning weather is lovely as we set out on the Padum road down into Zanskar. The first 40 km is through small villages, which are just waking up to the morning sunshine and starting the morning rituals for the day which makes a lovely scene to ride past. We stop in one small village for a chai an hour or so out of Kargil to find a reminder that we are on a road seldom traveled by the western tourist. Seemingly, the entire village came out and surrounded us and the bikes as we road into town and parked. Fingers pointing, giggling and with all the marks of being on display in the zoo we got off the bikes and had breakfast with the village grouped around the door watching us. I hadn't had the feeling of being that much of an oddity anywhere in India to this point but it was clear that not many westerners come down this road, and that those who do are behind the windows of Tata jeeps and don't stop.

Another hour along and we all pull to the side and stand there mouth open. We were facing a river crossing; wide, deep, and fast, which put even the ones that I had found on the road from Manali to Leh to shame. We all got off the bike as were just staring at it and after 30 mins of staring, throwing rocks in to judge the depth and wading into the torrent, we were still stumped on if the bikes would be able to make it through such a mess. Moreover, of course there is the second thought of if I cross this, what comes next? If it gets worse, I'll have to come back to this again...

As we stand there contemplating, a local to whom this is obviously just a fact of life pulls up on a scooter on the other side. His wife matter of factly gets off takes off her shoes, grabs the family bags and wades out and across the river. The man also pulls off his shoes, matter of factly wraps them in plastic revs the engine and rides right into the river as fast as the scooter can probably go. He makes it about half way, the current turns the bike over, and he drops into the water. However the scooter is light, he is able to pick it up and with difficulty pushes it the rest of the way across and out of the river. His wife has already made it across and put on her shoes, he unwraps his, kicks a few times, the scooter comes back to life, and they are off.

We are standing there watching this with mouths open amazed that anyone would even attempt this on a scooter and more amazed that he made it. Now of course our egos are on the line as it is obviously possible to cross, but on the other hand, the Enfield is not going to be picked up so easily in the current and walked out if it goes down. As Steve and I stand there, Adrian apparently has got tired of the vacillating and goes over and starts his bike. Steve and I wade in as the general assumption is that the bike won't make it and it will take the three of us to right it and try to push it out ...that is if it isn't washed over the side by the current. Adrian revs the bike and drives straight in and the bike just keeps going down, with the full tailpipe underwater, wheels under past the axles and still going deeper. Then Adrian guns it more and rides right past Steve and I, both with our mouths agape. Well, Adrian gets off his bike on the other side and gives a bit of a victory jig and his smile reaches from ear to ear. Steve and I of course, still standing in the river have our egos on the line and just look at each other... it is clear that with one bike across we are committed now.

Steve heads in but midway through hits a rock and stops. He is able to hold the bike up long enough for Adrian to run in and grab the bike and I push from the back. Amazingly, the bike is still running and with a good push, Steve starts off again and rides through to the other side. I get on and completely prepared for this to be like several of the water crossing before where I'm quickly in the water, I ride in and to my great surprise right out through to the other side. Frankly, this just blows away anything they have got at Disneyland for getting the adrenalin running and we are all smiles of having done something that impressed us.

The ride since early morning has been facing the snow covered peaks of Kun and Nun both towering above 7,000 meters. They are simply stunning in the reflected noon sun light through the thin mountain air. We reach the stop for the night at the little village of Panikhar. Here we get another taste of the truly world-class bureaucracy of Indian government officials. The local hotel is run by the government tourism department and only has one room available. There is a second room "for VIP's" but that is not "under the manager's jurisdiction." We were not able to get clarity from the manager on exactly whose jurisdiction the room was under and spent a good wasted 30 mins just arguing about the empty room. He eventually relented and we got the two rooms though the whole process was a pointless waste of time.

Dinner was "same same" with the only thing available in the one little restaurant was omelet, chapatti and dal which is the same thing I have eaten on far too many days.

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