ON OUR THIRD DAY IN LEH, WE TOOK A JEEP RIDE ALONG THE HIGHEST MOTORABLE ROAD IN THE WORLD - KHARDUNGLA PASS. AT THE HIGHEST POINT, THE ELEVATION IS 5600 METERS! THE RIDE WAS...WELL...NERVE-RACKING TO SAY THE LEAST! (DO LOOSE ROCKS MAKE ANYONE ELSE NERVOUS?) THE ROAD WE WERE ON SEEMED VERY, VERY NARROW, AND THE DRIVER SEEMED TO DRIVE A BIT TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE FOR MY TASTES - BUT I HAVE TO ADMIT HE WAS A GREAT DRIVER! HE KNEW JUST HOW TO MANEUVER ALL THE TIGHT SPOTS, AND OUR JEEP NEVER ONCE GOT STUCK OR FELL OFF A CLIFF! SERIOUSLY THOUGH, OUR DRIVER EVEN PAID ATTENTION TO WHAT WE WERE SNAPPING PICS. OF ON THE WAY UP (MOSTLY THE AMAZING SNOWY PEAKS AND THE VARIOUS MOUNTAIN ANIMALS), AND HE MADE A POINT TO SLOW DOWN AT GREAT SPOTS AND POINT OUT ANIMALS WE MIGHT HAVE OTHERWISED MISSED. HE WOULD EVEN TELL US THEIR NAMES IN THE LOCAL LANGUAGE - ALTHOUGH YOU WILL HAVE TO ASK HANK WHAT WE SAW - HE IS MUCH BETTER WITH FOREIGN WORDS THAN I AM! WE MADE IT UP SAFE, AND FOR THE LAST 20 MINUTES OF THE DRIVE (ABOUT A 2 HR. TRIP UP IN ALL) WE GOT TO SEE SNOW ON THE MOUNTAINS AROUND US. THE DRIVER SAID IT WAS FRESH - IT HAD JUST FALLEN THE DAY BEFORE.
OUR DRIVER HAD STOPPED ONCE ON THE WAY UP, TO LET US GET SOME PICS. AND TAKE A BREAK FROM THE QUICK ALTITUDE CHANGE. THEN, RIGHT BACK INTO THE JEEP FOR MORE TWISTS AND TURNS. WHEN WE GOT TO THE TOP OF THE PASS AND WERE ABLE TO GET OUT AND WALK AROUND - AT THE HIGHEST POINT - IT WAS AMAZING! BEAUTIFUL VIEWS AND THE BEST PART - IT WAS ACTUALLY SNOWING SOFTLY! FROM HEAT EXHAUSTION IN AGRA TO LIGHT SNOWFALL IN LEH! WOW!
AFTER SPENDING ABOUT 15 MINUTES WALKING AROUND AND TAKING PICTURES, WE HAD TO GET BACK INTO THE JEEP -- IT WAS FREEZING!!! WE MADE OUR DESCENT (ANOTHER 2 HRS. - WELL, ACTUALLY LONGER, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO KEEP STOPPING AND "GIVING WAY" TO THOSE VEHICLES COMING UP THE MOUNTAIN) AND THEN WE WENT BACK TO THE HOTEL FOR LUNCH. THAT AFTERNOON OUR DRIVER TOOK US TO A FEW OF THE MORE LOCAL (IN TOWN) SIGHTS. WE HAD A GREAT LAST FULL DAY IN LEH, AND WE WERE REALLY SAD GOING TO BED THAT NIGHT - KNOWING THAT OUR TRIP TO LEH (AND INDIA) WAS COMING TO AN END ALREADY.
WE TOOK A TON OF PICTURES THAT LAST DAY IN LEH. HERE'S THE LINK TO THE WEB-ALBUM: http://picasaweb.google.com/April.Gay/LehFinalDay
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