In the morning there’s a guy in the reception who knows nothing about deals with complementary food and transport.
We haggle a bit, then order uber as usually and leave without paying extra for food. This part of travel in India was until now strangely missing.
Breakfast in an already familiar place and this time we get to board the plane. Before that I confuse the security check where based upon haircut I’m sent to the gents row. In Leh is beautiful sunny weather, the wet towel has finally been removed. People are friendly, guesthouse nice. No cell phone network.
We start acclimatizing right away. The guesthouse owner is worried and comes many times to ask how are we feeling. But we are going to check out the town. The center is a bit uphill and going takes us slightly out of breath. We eat in one place and then in another place. Although plastic bags were forbidden in Ladakh already ten years ago that does not bother people using plastic straws. We look for our trekking agency but it has either moved or changed its name. Some signs at least are familiar and in the same place. The main street that was being excavated five years ago has turned into modern pedestrian area.
We split up. Mari goes to investigate shawl shops, me and Kalle buy apricots and wander around old town where we find a brand new Sikh gurudwara that shines white above construction sites. While main street merchants are focused only on tourists then locals have escaped to small backstreets. Strangely Kalle lets himself to be lured into a souvenir shop. In ghe middle of the room sits an elderly man dressed in shorts and hiking boots and looks at fabrics that are rolled out in front of him. He suggests that we help him choose a bed cover. I would not take the pink one and I’m not going to buy anything because first I don’t have a home and bed and secondly, I don’t like shopping and things. The old man has to manage his choice himself. The bookshop still sells the same copied books wrapped in plastic.
In hotel electricity has departed meantime and that also means no water. I can only wash half of the apriots. The ones that get clean, taste good. As it seems that it doesn’t get any better we walk back a bit. In the restaurant behind the prayer wheel they have electricity, food and beer but no internet. Through a flower bed is access to a hotel that has internet. Mari has disappeared.
Finally as well as electricity and Mari come back but not internet. Internet kaputt.
Breakfast in an already familiar place and this time we get to board the plane. Before that I confuse the security check where based upon haircut I’m sent to the gents row. In Leh is beautiful sunny weather, the wet towel has finally been removed. People are friendly, guesthouse nice. No cell phone network.
We start acclimatizing right away. The guesthouse owner is worried and comes many times to ask how are we feeling. But we are going to check out the town. The center is a bit uphill and going takes us slightly out of breath. We eat in one place and then in another place. Although plastic bags were forbidden in Ladakh already ten years ago that does not bother people using plastic straws. We look for our trekking agency but it has either moved or changed its name. Some signs at least are familiar and in the same place. The main street that was being excavated five years ago has turned into modern pedestrian area.
We split up. Mari goes to investigate shawl shops, me and Kalle buy apricots and wander around old town where we find a brand new Sikh gurudwara that shines white above construction sites. While main street merchants are focused only on tourists then locals have escaped to small backstreets. Strangely Kalle lets himself to be lured into a souvenir shop. In ghe middle of the room sits an elderly man dressed in shorts and hiking boots and looks at fabrics that are rolled out in front of him. He suggests that we help him choose a bed cover. I would not take the pink one and I’m not going to buy anything because first I don’t have a home and bed and secondly, I don’t like shopping and things. The old man has to manage his choice himself. The bookshop still sells the same copied books wrapped in plastic.
In hotel electricity has departed meantime and that also means no water. I can only wash half of the apriots. The ones that get clean, taste good. As it seems that it doesn’t get any better we walk back a bit. In the restaurant behind the prayer wheel they have electricity, food and beer but no internet. Through a flower bed is access to a hotel that has internet. Mari has disappeared.
Finally as well as electricity and Mari come back but not internet. Internet kaputt.
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