http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/balladeauboutdumonde/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from balladeauboutdumonde en-us Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:01:06 +0000 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:01:06 +0000 Sikh Golden Temple Lodhi gardens and party at the end of the trip http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/National-Capital-Territory/Delhi/blog-424163.html Holy sites around Katra and views from Jammu capital city of Jammu and Kashmir http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/Jammu-City/blog-424161.html Vaishno Devi is an Hindou pilgrimage on a sacred mountain every day dozens of thousands of Indian people come there to show their respect to the Mother Godess.The monsoon started when we were there hence the impressive pictures of water falling down the roads. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/Jammu-City/blog-424155.html Views from the houseboats and shikaras on Dal Lake.Also pictures in the Moghol gardens of Srinagar. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/Srinagar/blog-424153.html Road from Mulbeck to Srinagar over Kargil Dras and Zojila pass http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/Kargil-Town/blog-424151.html Trek in the center of Ladakh from Shilling to Mulbeck http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/Leh/blog-424136.html Pictures from Leh the capital city of Ladakh and monasteries around Leh http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/Leh/blog-424130.html Yesterday we took part in a huge hindou pilgrimage called Vaishnou Devi on top of a mountain.As the monsoon started while we were on the mountain rocks fell several times on the path miraculously noone was hurt. Indian people said it was as expected they had been praying to the Mother Godess Jai Mata Di so they were protected.After two weeks in Ladakh and one week in Kashmir I definitel http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/Jammu-City/blog-423262.html Hiso here I am in a web cafe in Leh getting used to altitude was kinda harasch but we have already seen so many astonishing landscapes and monasteries that it is easily forgotten.The group is small 3 girls the guide and me but getting along ok so far. The guide is expectional very charismatic and with encyclopedic knowledge of Buddhist culture and Ladakh world.The trek starts two days fron n http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/Leh/blog-417774.html According to forums one can find Web access in Leh and Srinagar so this weekend and around July 26th for our trip.Hopefully I can update the blog at those dates. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/blog-416763.html A few days holiday in Paris to finish shopping for the trek mostly medicinerelated stuff pack everything and review the planning.Here are two maps I drew from the trek's description and the official maps of LadakhFirst map is the complete itinerary including plane truck and train travels. Length is about 1'500 km.Second one is trekonly that's when we do the walking. Length is 80 km. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/blog-415680.html Obtaining a Visa is mandatory to travel to India.As a tourist you may ask for a 3 months 6 months or 1 year Visa.From France Visa requests may be done through a specialized agency if you lack the time to go yourself or directly at the India Visa Center in Paris 10th.A common mistake when filling out the web form is forgetting to note down the Request Ident. The ident is necessary to review th http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/blog-410395.html So at long last we are four suscribed travelers on our way to Ladakh and Kashmire. Including our guide Igor that makes five.After so much trouble finding enough people to join the trek newspaper talk about governments closing frontiers to avoid spreading Swine Flu. Argh Anyway time to get a visa and the remaining stuff ready. Only 30 days left to departure and thank you Redbull for keeping m http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/blog-407635.html I called the travel agency once more today it really looks like not enough people can join the trek.But no worry I am still going to Ladakh with this triplinkSo what are the pros and cons pros a part of he trip is in Kashmir where there are extremely few tourists at any time the guide Igor is renowned as the best guide in the whole Himalayas or so the travel advisor says longer walks http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/blog-400291.html From the Western parts of Ladah you can see the K2 mountain which may or may not be the highest place in the world but is in any case renowned to be the most difficult peak to climb.As for 2008 299 people have completed the ascent nearly 300 they must be of Spartan blood versus 2600 for the Everest.Obviously no travel agency organizes group climbing that high. This would be irresponsi http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/blog-398091.html First of all some good news I went by the Travel Agency last weekend two more people joined to the trek this is in favour of confirming the departure.And even in the worst case where less than two additional people join before the end of May I took an option on a similar but shorter trek where enough people have already suscribed.So here is the planning as given by the Agency Day 1 and 2 http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/blog-396538.html Do you remember this strip in Tintin in Tibet where captain Haddock falls down the mountain while Tintin shouts him to stay to the left of a chortenChorten are a religious Tibetan monuments generally supposed to contain relics of Buddha and Saints. They are also very useful to help mountainers and trekkers find their wayIn Ladakh and Tibet every small village has its small chorten which can a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/blog-395326.html Check list vaccinations done finally It did not hurt even once material mostly done all that's left are medicine and some lastminute material. Starting from naught the complete material cost me around one thousand Euro. I guess you could find a lot cheaper but I prefer to have the best available stuff there won't be any chance to find better material up there new camera done th http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/blog-394719.html I have finally received the book by Olivier Fllmi that I mentioned two weeks ago in this blog.This is actually not a novel but a short story of the author's travels to Zanskar with dozens of incredible photographs of the mountains and of Zanskari people.He tells how he got to know this land how he made friends with a local mountain guide and how he agreed to bring the guide's child to a school http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/blog-393653.html Acute Mountain Sickness is an extreme form of body's reaction to altitude and lack of oxygen that may appear above 2400 metres.When this happens you had best go down the mountain because it only gets worse... Easier solution is to climb slowly spend several days at a middle altitude before heading for the true adventure.Our trek will start from the lowest areas of Zanskar in Lamayuru and end http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Jammu-and-Kashmir/blog-392767.html