The Practicalities
     Getting there: Leh is connected to the rest of India by air and road.  
Air: Flying to Leh is by far the the easier alternative; it's quick as compared to the road journey, which takes a minimum of two days, and its's comfortable. Leh Airport is 5Km from the town, and lies on the Srinagar-Leh Highway. The Flights in winters are a serious concern as bad weather leads to the cancellation and serious delays.

Road: The alternative to going by air is to go by road and though it needs plenty of preparation and more than a little toughness to do the journey, its definitely one of the world's most spectacular road journeys.
         Two roads connect Leh to the rest of India: the first is the srinagar-Leh highway ( National Highway no.1a), a 434-Km stretch that passes through Dras, kargil, Mulbek and Lamayoru.
  The Manali-Leh 484Km highways is the second alternative. This road passes through the Rohtang Pass via Keylong, Sarchu and Upshi and though it is the more arduous of the two roads, it is more frequently used.
  Both roads- Srinagar-Leh Highway and the Manali-Leh Highway - require a drive of two days.
  The second is the route of my plan that I would be following on with expecting it to complete in 3 days not two just avoid over-exertion from the first high alti that I might get into for the first time.
 

         GETTING ON TOP OF HIGH ALTITUDE SICKNESS

        Ladakh's average altitude is close to 3500m and high-altitude sickness can be very real danger for tourists. The main reason is the highly rarefied atmosphere; oxygen is scarce here, and if one is not careful, the symptoms of Hi-Alti (as the army tends to term it) can strike. In its least severe form, high-altitude sickness is characterized by dizziness, shortness of breath, insomnia, headaches and a general feeling of lethargy. At its worst, it can cause nausea, vomiting, apnoea and marked fatigue and can, in very severe cases be FATAL.
       High Altitude sickness can strike in attitudes above 2500m, but it is most likely to set in above 3050m. The degree to which it affects people depend considerably upon factors such as age and physical fitness. There are, however, some precautions you can take, which will reduce your chances of being effected by high-altitude sickness:

  • Acclimatize yourself; ascend slowly. Ideally, this should mean that you start walking above 3050m, but as an alternative, driving is good. If you're flying to Leh, this means taking it very easy for the first 24 hours. Try not to exert for the first day after you arrive.
  • Drink plenty of fluids- and that doesn't mean alcohol! keep away from liquor, as well as tobacco, anti -depressant drugs, barbituaries, tranquilizers and sleeping pills - all can worsen symptoms.
  • Consume plenty of carbohydrates. Atleast 70% of your diet, while in Ladakh, should consist of carbohydrates.
  • All through your Sojourn in Ladakh, go slow- dont over-exert yourself.
  • Try, if possible, to sleep at lower altitudes. If going trekking, for instance climb up to the top of the mountains to admire the view, but return to bottom by nightfall.
  • If you start experiencing symptoms of high-altitude sickness, don't go to higher altitudes until the symptoms subside.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             


       My Expenses before I started my Sojourn
 

      This was most expensive part of my whole where in I never expected but would have been exceeded my own expectations. The budget was now hard to mantain as to make sure I was keeping in a limited money for my journey. Some of the expenses that I have already done are mentioned here on my this small section.
      Money spent as on the individual expenses

 Bike expenses (split individually)  
       Front Disk brake pads replacement         625 Rs
       Handle Cone Set replacement                  150 Rs
       Spark-plug + its covering cap                  100 Rs
       Labour Charges for the above                 190 Rs    
       Chain-Sprocket set                                625 Rs
       Front tyre + tube replacement                550 Rs 
       Engine Oil replacement + service             330 Rs
       Handle weight on Bar(both sides)             105 Rs
               In Total (Only on bike)                2675 INRs

 Other expenses
      Digital Camera (kodak CX6200)            6500 Rs
      Memory Card (128 Mb)                        2250 Rs
      Camera carry Bag                                   200 Rs    
      SLR (service)                                         400 Rs
             In Total (otherwise)                   12,025 Rs   till 23rdApr'04
 

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