Once in a lifeless planet

I started to move upwards as the time was running & we had an ultimate challenge to win- any how reaching the Gurudongmar Lake- the pious lake was already visited by me in last June. But truly I am enough curious this time as this is the month of snow. I must tell those people who have this thrill to visit a land full of snow in month of December-January -they surely have something craziness which the rest of the mass can never feel.

We already had left for Thangu valley– which already you have gone through I guess.

The total distance you can easily imagine how difficult that could be. Almost 30 KM you need to cover by road in an uphill road- the most difficult journey still now. We convinced the driver we would tolerate all the difficulties. Driver was also convinced in a certain term that he would carry us as much as the road condition would permit. Now that is the biggest risk of that moment. Because as we were moving upwards we began to witness the harshness of nature as well as the road conditions. we were gradually optimised with the scenario that it would last for some 1 hour maximum. The serene beauty of the sikim made me just spell bound- the forever ice sheets everywhere reminded me of my dreamland. The atmosphere was as silent as death. Even you could be able to feel the whispers of the leaves who are burdened with ice dusts.

We crossed an army check post & now suddenly the soil roads started to become muddy with melted ice & in 10-15 minutes the roads transformed into complete ice sheet. It was like we have come to visit iceland, where no greenery, no men, no house, all abandoned. Just like all left this place for no hope. I recapitulate one movie from my memory- Zombie land . Where the entire city is vacant , you can enter in any house, shopping mall as your wish. No one is watching you, You need no permission. You just need to remain alive. All these things were in my mind suddenly the vehicle slipped from its track. Holy shit. Everyone is scared, as till now we have never experienced a car’s behavior in thick ice. Tire started to behave suspiciously – Even after applying driver’s 110% skill car was moving in a zigzag way. Now the biggest fear is the road is as narrow as only one car can move by this and just beside the road an almost frozen river was flowing with its death like cold water. If the car did not stop its automated behave its no wonder that we could be in the river within a moment. Driver now became annoyed & reminded us his warning that its the reason why he was reluctant to come over here.

Just within 10 minutes we faced a real problem which may be we never thought of before making todays start. As there was no chain in tires, suddenly front tires got stuck in ice. Driver made an uncountable number of attempts to get rid of this situation but all in vain- resulting more pathetic scenario- tires were more into the ice. At a point driver instructed us to make the vehicle light, in simple words, “please Get out from car.” Now its no wonder we came to know that our journey to reach Gurudongmar Lake is a day dream. We have to pass the time here. We became shattered, requested the driver to make a way. But the other passengers present there weren’t fearless as the spark of adventure was burning within me & my cousin. The helpless us, decided to roam around, at least make some good memory here in this Iceland.

We informed our crew members that we would be back in an hour as we were walking towards up on foot. one of those boys, followed us. We were strolling slowly- shoes became new (for the ice melted water), burdened with ice. Each moment taking a single breathe became painful & talking to your fellow human being just within 1 feet distant was making me idle & lazy. This is a strategy I learned from my ice trips that always stay relax, dont toil or walk fast. Dont do extra work that could lead you to be exhaust. because extra work is extra performance= extra duty for heart= more oxygen to be supplied. And in this height oxygen is very thin, so it would lead you to breathing problem,extreme headache, vomiting .

I felt that time just became paused its cycle here, everywhere is calm, no birds, no network coverage, no men. Just we had reached to an early era of civilization of human evolution history.

As there were no people in that vast area, we could have options to take snaps using their balconies, their used varandas, even we can use their wood stocks which were left unused outside of their house. In the mean time, I got shout from back, the another guy who was following us, he called us back with a sign of his fatigued hands – I assumed that may be that was a sign to go back, as we stood too far from the car point where it got still.

Though I was very reluctant to go back but we could loss the company, besides the other people they were frightened enough , so to move backward was the only choice for us.

The scene was pretty clear now. Car is now free from ice. Driver & other passengers planned to go back to a point where some foods or people can be availed. We insisted them to come with car, as me, my brother decided to walk down – I mean we were pretty excited to walk on ice rather than having a ride, so this time again we were the front men.

we crossed the bridge, rivers walking along with our cameras, Yes we only concentrated on photographs, the whole atmosphere was pleasant enough to be captured- all the corners, all angles were photo perfect, we were just capturing & capturing. On the other hand the newly married couple they were playing on ice boarding from the car, I could hear the shout of the husband as may be the wife felt down on ice.

The never ending path was laid in front of us. One side guarded by the high hills & the other side was disclosed- the horizon could be clearly visible with icy valleys.

But this was not THE END. Still we had pretty good time in hand to pass, and we didnot know how to pass the ball before the time went. Dont forget to read what was next, how we spent that situation- We just came back home with empty hand or something more exciting was left ?!