Ladakhi Paradise

We made it! This is our first access to Internet since arriving in Leh, which is in the Ladakh (Eastern) region of Kashmir. We are in the Himalayas in a town that is at 11,500 ft. I got really sick the second day here from the altitude change. I lost about 4 pounds in two days, which I figure puts me back at normal because I gained weight in Mumbai and Delhi. One of our escapes from the heat was eating in air-conditioned restaurants. Now I am back to normal and pretty well adjusted. We have to do everything slow because of the lack of oxygen. Just walking to town, which is a 3-mile round trip journey, requires several breaks and a good nap when we get back to our guesthouse.

Our guesthouse is amazing. Jeni started up a conversation with a woman at the airport who, later, randomly sat next to us on the plane. She had a car picking her up and recommended that we share the ride and stay at the same guesthouse. Goba Guesthouse is located just outside of the main town area in Changspa. The Goba is ran by a beautiful Buddhist family and is 300 rupees per night for a double. That’s $3.48 each for Jeni and I. Granted there is only electricity at night and it is not guaranteed, hot water only comes in buckets and we are in the middle of nowhere. However, we are surrounded by rice fields, vegetable gardens, poplar trees, cows, amazing birds, colorful lizards and we eat home cooked meals for breakfast and dinner, which our host picks from her garden that day (the best food I have ever had in my life!) We are extending our stay here because we both love it so much…

This morning Jeni and I climbed a mountain with steps to see the Shanti Stupa (Peace Temple) that was actually opened by the Dalai Lama back in 1986. It was spectacular, as is our view in every direction. We are surrounded in all directions by mountains of all colors with trees, snow, rivers, temples, villages, etc. We will be planning a trek in the next couple of days, which will consist of walking and camping, visiting nunneries and temples, enjoying nature, not bathing (ahhh), and having a guide/cook/protector.

I will write more when I can. This internet place is run off of satellite and just opened today! There are other internet café’s but they are all on dial-up and cannot connect even for a second. This place is 4 times as expensive to use the internet as the big cities, so expect fewer (and shorter!) posts for the next few weeks.

Livin’ it up in paradise, Jeeni (slightly out of breathe either from the beauty or lack of oxygen…)

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Yes folks, we are LOVING it here in HEAVEN – I mean Leh. I have to say that this is the most beautiful place on earth. Snow-capped Himalayan peaks grace our view in every direction. Buddhist stupas (temples) dot the hillsides. This morning, we saw a bird that looked like a tiny zebra with a lion’s head out of our bedroom window. The family we are staying with has made us feel welcome, loved, and safe. Also, this is where all of the NGOs are located in Kashmir – so we can go about the interviews and picture-taking assignments as if we are just fellow trekking fanatics or meditation seekers, drawn to Ladakh for its fresh air or it’s prospects for spiritual enlightenment.

Behind our guesthouse is a huge set of barracks housing the Indian Army (perfectly and ironically situated for us, I might add) and I have to say how foreign and small the military presence is compared to the majesty of the Himalayas. Last night we went to sleep to the bizarre sound of bagpipes and marching soldiers. In the morning we awoke to birdsong and a bright sun rising over expansive fields of rice. Weird, eh?

Anyway, we will have some awesome pictures to post as soon as we find a working USB port to upload to. The view from the airplane window touching down in Leh is rumored to be the best in the entire world – and we have the pictures to prove it! It looked as though the wings of the plane were going to scrape the mountains on either side and the sun was so bright and the land below was a glowing emerald green.

missing you lots,
Jeni