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Published: July 22nd 2009
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We left the Baspa River valley and headed back along the mighty Sutlej River once again. Still amazing mountain views - I guess we will have similar views now for the rest of the trip. We wound our way along the river bank, through some very high gorges and above some very high gorges. Up and down all morning, once again passing dam construction sites and roadworks. Again many young women with babys on their backs breaking up rocks to build the roads. Very sad to see. The tent villages had all the older children ln them doing the daily chores, including looking after the younger children whilst their parents worked. They always cheerfully waved to us as we drove past. We stopped at Reckong Peo, the principle town of the Kinnaur region. It was still very tiny but with a busy market area. We found an internet cafe there - we wouldn't see another one for over a week. The town was dominated by the massive snow capped peak of Kinner Kailash and many other slightly lower peaks. The sky was vibrant blue and the mountain snow literally sparkled!
Around lunchtime we wound our way up yet again from the
Switch back bends in the Kinnaur Valley
We must have gone around hundreds of these bends. valley floor to arrive at the small village of Kalpa at 2960 metres. Sanju drove us to a guest house set high above the village and once we took a look at the view from our balcony we decided to stay 2 nights instead of the scheduled one. It was stunning - the sunset that evening was even better when all the snow caps turned pink! There was one peak which had a 64 feet high needle like rock sitting on top of it. Surprisingly it was very visible to the naked eye - and like all things in this part of the world there was a legend attached to it!
Later that afternoon Sanju drove us the 10 kilometres to the next village - again the last village in this valley. It was the most frightening trip - the whole road was cut out of the mountain side and there was a 1000 meter drop to the river far, far below. We were told in Shimla that most people decide to walk back as they can't face the drive again. I actually love things like that though Jerry has a fear of heights so he didn't enjoy it as
much. Sanju had to reverse along the room to allow the local large bus to pass - that was scary! He cheerfully told us that the bus always comes along at that time - I think he deliberately plans to be on that road at that time as there wouldn't be a lot of buses using that road. We did love the village though. Totally traditional with big wooden houses with the most amazing carvings on their deeply sloped slate roofs. The streets (footpaths- as no cars or motorbikes could have driven on them) were all cobbled.
We spent a lot of time exploring and talking to some of the local people who were all very friendly. We bravely took the jeep back - probably as it would have been dark by the time we would have walked back.
Next morning we headed off down the mountain to the village and spent a very happy day walking through the apple orchards which surrounded Kalpa. Great old houses, piled stone fences, lots of wild pink roses everywhere and many people working in the fields mainly cutting grass for animal fodder. It was a fabulous day! Late that afternoon we decided to
walk back to the Rogi road to check out the impressive drop but clouds came down and we turned back. We had been very lucky to see the mountains the day before in all their splendour as the other groups travelling in Bandbox jeeps who arrived that evening only saw them under cloud. Next day we were leaving the green scenery of Kinnaur and heading gradually up into the high altitude desert of the Spiti Valley. We had a great evening chatting with the other guests and drivers and Jerry discovered Sanju could play the flute so lent him his bamboo flute which he happily spent the evening playing - between overacted bollywood dramas on theTV in the guesthouse dining room.
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anonymous
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Rekong Pio is very natural