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A few cars had stopped and a bunch of people were climbing down the side of a cliff to a demolished car. An hour earlier we had just passed the highest motorable point in the world (5600 meters) and were now on our way down to Nubra Valley. As one could expect the often narrow road through this pass of the Himalayan mountain range could get anyones hair to rise.
We were told that the car that had plummeted down the cliff was actually an accident from the day before, three people had died. Despite the morbid circumstances of the trip and the numerous other car wrecks we spotted along the road, the scenary was stunning and diverse.
A few days earlier three Danish friends back from my college dorm had come to visit me here in Hindustan (India). We decided that the trip should go to the Ladakh in the far north western part of India. It was to be a road trip to Leh, which took one night in a bus to Manali and there after two days by jeep to Leh. However, long and tough this trip sounds it was well worth it. The scenery varies extensively and is stunning.
The trip however is tough. Altitude sickness hits the majority of travelers, but is unpredictable. In our case we all had strong symptoms, which resulted in an emergency stop at one point. At 5000+ meters one really wonders whether you really are as unfit as you sound, as you are strongly short of breath.
In fact, when wer reaching the highest point of 5600 meters the road had been hit by a rockslide. This had stopped a long row of military vehicles mainly consisting of large trucks. They had been holding still for at least an hour when we arrived and it seemed that they had been clearing a path threw the large rocks. To my horror when looking down the cliff side I saw the remnants of an identical military vehicle at the bottom of the cliff side. Thinking that this was something that the rock slide had caused, I asked our driver. My theory was disproved, he claimed that the accident had happened a year ago. In that area alone I think we spotted maybe five vehicles that had suffered the same fate.
It was a great trip, but I have had enough mountain driving for this year.
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