Whats in her Mind: My Backpacking Story to India Sept 2019 (Day 2)

My Backpacking Story to India Sept 2019 (Day 2)

Day 2 started super early for us which is around 4am in the morning because we need to catch our 6am flight to Leh. We booked a cab via Grab for the early morning ride to airport. The main place that we wanted to go eagerly.

Before I start over let me talk about Leh.

Leh is the joint capital of Ladakh territory which situated above the altitude of 10,000 feet (3524 metres). It is advised to consume (AMS) acute mountain sickness pill before u reach Leh. So, acclimatization to the high altitude condition should be the most important thing to prepare before u planning for a trip to Ladakh especially. Some of the symptoms like dizziness, shortness of breath and headaches are very common when you reach Leh.

I do experience slight dizziness and my ears feeling like congested probably due to the pressure differences

Most Important

don't forget to consume AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) pill which you can purchase from any pharmacy in Malaysia or India.

Leh is connected via National Highway to Srinagar in the Southwest and to Manali in the South via Leh Manali Highway.

Leh was an important stopover on trade routes along the Indus Valley between Tibet to the east, Kashmir to the west and also between India and China for centuries. The main goods carried were salt, grain, pashm or cashmere wool, charas or cannabis resin from the Tarim Basin, indigo, silk yarn and Banaras brocade. -Wikipedia

The mountain dominated the landscape around Leh with an altitude of 3,500m. The principal access roads include the 434 km Srinagar-Leh highway which connects Leh with Srinagar and the 473 km Leh-Manali Highway which connects Manali with Leh. Both roads are open only on a seasonal basis. That is we did alot of research before we book our flight tickets. You cannot travel on the road in Leh, Ladakh region during the snow season which is normally from October till April where most of the roads will be closed as well due to snowfall. The summer season which is from June till September is the best time to do road trip around Ladakh. This is very important before you plan for Ladakh trip !!😎

But its important GIFs - Get the best GIF on GIPHY

Now, lets back to business. Half of the flight journey was crossing through the Himalayan mountain region and it is freaking beautiful. Leh airport was one of the most beautiful airport I ever seen in my life. Rooban, Satish, Ummul, Selvan, Arun Anne who use to travel said the same thing as my remark won't be really valid as this is my first backpack trip. 😇😆😅

This is Leh Airport Guys. Isn't it is so beautiful?

Its Not Perfect But Its Mine GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

Once you reach Leh airport around 8am, you can see alot of cab drivers outside of the airport. You just need to mention where you would like to go then, they will bring you. They are very friendly and you can give tips if you want to. We booked a backpacker hostel called Rover's Den which is around 5.5Km from the Airport. We met a lot of backpackers there and you can cook there as well.

Leh Population Statistics

We were super hungry so we decided to grab some local food. Leh is situated on the border of Tibet so you can see the influence of Tibetan Cuisine in most of the restaurants.I really enjoyed the Tibetan Food. It is also very healthy.

Palak Momo - my favorite dish of other dishes we ate. 😍

After that we go back to rest and get ourselves acclimatize. But, Satish, Ummul, Selvan and me went to District office to get our Inner line Permit.

What is Inner Line Permit?

Inner Line Permit, or ILP, is a travel document issued by the Government of India which allows an Indian and foreigner travelers to travel to a protected area for a limited time period. Obtaining this permit is mandatory for all the citizens who do not belong to Jammu and Kashmir State. Foreigners visiting Ladakh are required to obtain Ladakh Protected Area Permit (PAP) before entering this region. The Inner Line Permit, or ILP, is valid for a period of 3 weeks for Indians, and 1 week for foreigners. It should also be remembered that there is no limit on the number of times you visit a place within a valid period as long as you have the necessary permits with you.

Which Areas Need an Inner Line Permit?

Please noted that the Inner line Permit is not required for visiting all the areas. In fact, it is only required for some areas like Nubra valley, Khardung La, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri, Dah, Hanu Villages, Man, Merak, Nyoma, Loma Bend, Turtuk, Tyakshi, Chusul, Hanle, Digger La, Tangyar (for trekking only).

Anyway, the district officer still wants us to deal with any travel agent to apply for the permits. we went to one of the travel Agent something like Local Taxi Agency over there to get our Pricing for the trip.

You can rent bike as well depends on your interest. But, I need you to have an international license for that.

The Taxi package for our whole Journey for 4 days 3 night was only RM250 each which is super cheap if you ask me. You can email me for full detail on the expenses. The inner line permit was RM35 and the balance for the Taxi fee together with the driver service. Our driver's name was Rinjan. After we settle everything on that day, we go around the Leh town. Dont forget to buy your head cover, gloves and thick Jacket. Very Very Important. Its freaking cold at night guys. But, I love Leh so much.