Pangong Lake 9/22-23
I have been informed that when I copy and paste from the iPad word processor to the blog that the formatting seems to disappear and it is difficult to read. I apologize and am afraid that I can't do much about it. It would be better if I could sit and compose directly onto the blog, but because of the need to post in a slow Internet cafe I need to compose when not connected. I have also been trying to include some pictures but they also,don't seem to copy and paste the way I compose them and only 1 or 2 actually copy with the text. That's Internet and computers in a 3rd world. Not only Internet- electricity as well. When I arrived home this afternoon there was no electricity thus no hot water = no hot shower. Finally got a shower just before dinner, but now the electricity went out again and I am writing this in the dark.
The trip started Saturday morning in typical Indian fashion. I was supposed to be picked up at 8 and we eventually left Leh around 9:30. I shared the taxi with two 30 yr old Thai women from Bangkok who work in advertising and are on vacation in India. They didn't speak a lot of English and were mostly plugged into their iPods for each of the 6 hr trips (to and from). It was another typical Ladakh road trip with beautiful scenery, high mountain pass (17,586' Chang La pass- 3rd highest), terrible switchbacky, potholed roads, impressive old monasteries and a bit of wildlife. Saw a few birds on the way up: white wagtails and a few flocks of francolins (kind of grouse). I kept entertained watching the scenery and trying to get pictures of the crazy road signs. The BRO(Border Region Organization- army road builders) puts yellow Burma Shave type signs ( all on one sign though) with safety messages about every half kilometer ( not sure how safe they are since they are often in windy areas and I imagine drivers would be distracted reading them). Last year we liked the one that said "driving risky after whiskey", but on these roads they were even better. Some are normal road warnings: go slow, dangerous curve, speed kills, but others are somewhat entertaining rhymes (speed and safety never better, peep peep don't sleep), some slightly suggestive(I am curvaceous go slow, be soft on my curves) and others that make absolutely no sense(don't become gamma in the land of lama, got brakes got license, be Mr late not late Mr.), some serious(if you sleep your family will weep) or my favorite(drive like hell and you will be there). I tried to take pictures but it is difficult when moving. I think it would be a fun project to ride a motorcycle and document them all in a book. (guess it was too good of an idea, today I found a book called, "peep peep don't sleep" and it is exactly what I was thinking!)
After we passed over the pass we entered the high pasture plateaus ( with beautiful clear mountain streams and towering snow covered peaks) of the Chang Pa nomadic tribes and their herds of yaks, cows, sheep, horses and pashmina goats (cashmere wool- it only comes from the under the chin area). As we passed through the end of this plateau before dropping down to Pangong Lake, we came across 2 small herds of healthy, tawny colored wild asses grazing.
We eventually reached Pangong Lake around 3 PM and had lunch in one of the numerous tent restaurants at the beginning of the lake enforce heading 10 km to the small Chang Pa village of Spangmik on the south shore of the lake. The lake is beautiful clear, deep blue (VERY deep- unknown...?) long (130 km), narrow (4 miles), at 13,915'. It runs east-west and about 30 % of it is in India. The rest in Tibet (China). It is surrounding by ridges steep ridges and many 5-6000 meter peaks. Other than Indian army presence there are only 3 small villages on the south shore in the Indian portion. The villages are mostly composed of formerly nomadic tribes who still have some goat herds but now mostly run small guesthouses. In addition to the small guest noises there are now a few larger "luxury resorts". Other than a couple of small army patrol launches there are no boats. The lake is slightly saline and I was told there are no fish because of the salt. I tasted it and it was not very salty, but I also saw no signs of any fish (Yangchan told me she did see some small dead fish on the shore when they went 5 years ago.....?)
We arrived at Spamgmik at about 3:30 and drove to the Wonderland Eco tent resort where my car mates had reserved a "luxury" 2 person wall tent with private bath and 3 meals for Rs 3500. I got a small room with a cot, one solar powered light bulb and beautiful view of the lake for 200 ( and my meals with a beer cost about 400). Interesting observation: the euro and American/Canadian tourists tend towards the cheap 100-200 Rs rooms while it seems to be Indian tourists and Asians spending 10-20 x that. Someone told me that in Leh the guesthouses charge euros and Americans 200 for a room that they charge 500 to Indians, and that the Indians would not stay if they only paid 200.
After settling in I went for a walk along the shore for a couple hours in the brisk cold wind. Saw a pair of Ruddy Shelducks (brahmini duck) and a bar-headed goose, a few gulls and lots of other small nondescript LGBs. I was surprised not to see any shorebirds, and I am so far really disappointed that I have not seen a single raptor....?
On my walk back I ran into a group of about 8 other euro/NA (actually Canada, Italy Germany, Austria, UK and south African who had arrived on the bus together and decided to share rooms Ina small guesthouse. We gathered a few others ( an Israeli couple on a motorcycle and a french student) and spent the evening in a small guest house, eating and drinking chai and beer and having great discussion about politics, literature,etc. My first real entry into the camaraderie of the Asian backpackers society- great fun.
Woke up before sunrise and climbed the ridge high above the village to watch the sunrise over Tibet and watch the villagers bring the goats and yaks up,to pasture (actually,almost nothing growing). Flushed a couple of flocks of francolins and a tall long eared rabbit (Himalayan rabbit?). It was quite spectacular watching the colors of the lake change as the light from the sun hit it at increasing angles.
Left at mid morning and had a mostly uneventful return trip. The two cools things were the colony of marmots ( of course with Indian tourists petting and feeding them chocolates next to the sign saying don't feed the wild animals), an date best being the herd of 12 wild Ibex that ran across the road in front of us!
Tomorrow, I will have been gone for 3 weeks- seems a lot longer than that!
9/24
External Assessments continue for classes 9 and 10 and today I filled in as needed. In 11 Arts I taught a lesson ( made up) on the US election and our government and comparing to the Indian parliament. Think I got it mostly right- sure would be nice to have an in class Internet source to look up and double check facts and numbers. When I taught the 12th class ( a small very rowdy group) I taught them about "senioritis" as well as US politics ( and was told by some teachers later that this group has had it for 2 years)
With the assessments going on I have noticed the similarities in terminology between here and "IB speak" ( not the same number of acronyms here) and I am at least familiar with much of the terminology including: mark schemes, external assessments, and even the role of the creepy sounding Invigilator (always sounds to me like a torturer during the inquisition- look it up or ask an IB student).
Today I realized another difference between the US and here. When you mistakenly touch under a desk table or chair here there is no dried up gum!
9/25
Internet access at the school finally!
Had no classes this AM and have spent the time backing things up and working on reservations at hotels for the rest of the trip.
I have been informed that when I copy and paste from the iPad word processor to the blog that the formatting seems to disappear and it is difficult to read. I apologize and am afraid that I can't do much about it. It would be better if I could sit and compose directly onto the blog, but because of the need to post in a slow Internet cafe I need to compose when not connected. I have also been trying to include some pictures but they also,don't seem to copy and paste the way I compose them and only 1 or 2 actually copy with the text. That's Internet and computers in a 3rd world. Not only Internet- electricity as well. When I arrived home this afternoon there was no electricity thus no hot water = no hot shower. Finally got a shower just before dinner, but now the electricity went out again and I am writing this in the dark.
The trip started Saturday morning in typical Indian fashion. I was supposed to be picked up at 8 and we eventually left Leh around 9:30. I shared the taxi with two 30 yr old Thai women from Bangkok who work in advertising and are on vacation in India. They didn't speak a lot of English and were mostly plugged into their iPods for each of the 6 hr trips (to and from). It was another typical Ladakh road trip with beautiful scenery, high mountain pass (17,586' Chang La pass- 3rd highest), terrible switchbacky, potholed roads, impressive old monasteries and a bit of wildlife. Saw a few birds on the way up: white wagtails and a few flocks of francolins (kind of grouse). I kept entertained watching the scenery and trying to get pictures of the crazy road signs. The BRO(Border Region Organization- army road builders) puts yellow Burma Shave type signs ( all on one sign though) with safety messages about every half kilometer ( not sure how safe they are since they are often in windy areas and I imagine drivers would be distracted reading them). Last year we liked the one that said "driving risky after whiskey", but on these roads they were even better. Some are normal road warnings: go slow, dangerous curve, speed kills, but others are somewhat entertaining rhymes (speed and safety never better, peep peep don't sleep), some slightly suggestive(I am curvaceous go slow, be soft on my curves) and others that make absolutely no sense(don't become gamma in the land of lama, got brakes got license, be Mr late not late Mr.), some serious(if you sleep your family will weep) or my favorite(drive like hell and you will be there). I tried to take pictures but it is difficult when moving. I think it would be a fun project to ride a motorcycle and document them all in a book. (guess it was too good of an idea, today I found a book called, "peep peep don't sleep" and it is exactly what I was thinking!)
After we passed over the pass we entered the high pasture plateaus ( with beautiful clear mountain streams and towering snow covered peaks) of the Chang Pa nomadic tribes and their herds of yaks, cows, sheep, horses and pashmina goats (cashmere wool- it only comes from the under the chin area). As we passed through the end of this plateau before dropping down to Pangong Lake, we came across 2 small herds of healthy, tawny colored wild asses grazing.
We eventually reached Pangong Lake around 3 PM and had lunch in one of the numerous tent restaurants at the beginning of the lake enforce heading 10 km to the small Chang Pa village of Spangmik on the south shore of the lake. The lake is beautiful clear, deep blue (VERY deep- unknown...?) long (130 km), narrow (4 miles), at 13,915'. It runs east-west and about 30 % of it is in India. The rest in Tibet (China). It is surrounding by ridges steep ridges and many 5-6000 meter peaks. Other than Indian army presence there are only 3 small villages on the south shore in the Indian portion. The villages are mostly composed of formerly nomadic tribes who still have some goat herds but now mostly run small guesthouses. In addition to the small guest noises there are now a few larger "luxury resorts". Other than a couple of small army patrol launches there are no boats. The lake is slightly saline and I was told there are no fish because of the salt. I tasted it and it was not very salty, but I also saw no signs of any fish (Yangchan told me she did see some small dead fish on the shore when they went 5 years ago.....?)
We arrived at Spamgmik at about 3:30 and drove to the Wonderland Eco tent resort where my car mates had reserved a "luxury" 2 person wall tent with private bath and 3 meals for Rs 3500. I got a small room with a cot, one solar powered light bulb and beautiful view of the lake for 200 ( and my meals with a beer cost about 400). Interesting observation: the euro and American/Canadian tourists tend towards the cheap 100-200 Rs rooms while it seems to be Indian tourists and Asians spending 10-20 x that. Someone told me that in Leh the guesthouses charge euros and Americans 200 for a room that they charge 500 to Indians, and that the Indians would not stay if they only paid 200.
After settling in I went for a walk along the shore for a couple hours in the brisk cold wind. Saw a pair of Ruddy Shelducks (brahmini duck) and a bar-headed goose, a few gulls and lots of other small nondescript LGBs. I was surprised not to see any shorebirds, and I am so far really disappointed that I have not seen a single raptor....?
On my walk back I ran into a group of about 8 other euro/NA (actually Canada, Italy Germany, Austria, UK and south African who had arrived on the bus together and decided to share rooms Ina small guesthouse. We gathered a few others ( an Israeli couple on a motorcycle and a french student) and spent the evening in a small guest house, eating and drinking chai and beer and having great discussion about politics, literature,etc. My first real entry into the camaraderie of the Asian backpackers society- great fun.
Woke up before sunrise and climbed the ridge high above the village to watch the sunrise over Tibet and watch the villagers bring the goats and yaks up,to pasture (actually,almost nothing growing). Flushed a couple of flocks of francolins and a tall long eared rabbit (Himalayan rabbit?). It was quite spectacular watching the colors of the lake change as the light from the sun hit it at increasing angles.
Left at mid morning and had a mostly uneventful return trip. The two cools things were the colony of marmots ( of course with Indian tourists petting and feeding them chocolates next to the sign saying don't feed the wild animals), an date best being the herd of 12 wild Ibex that ran across the road in front of us!
Tomorrow, I will have been gone for 3 weeks- seems a lot longer than that!
9/24
External Assessments continue for classes 9 and 10 and today I filled in as needed. In 11 Arts I taught a lesson ( made up) on the US election and our government and comparing to the Indian parliament. Think I got it mostly right- sure would be nice to have an in class Internet source to look up and double check facts and numbers. When I taught the 12th class ( a small very rowdy group) I taught them about "senioritis" as well as US politics ( and was told by some teachers later that this group has had it for 2 years)
With the assessments going on I have noticed the similarities in terminology between here and "IB speak" ( not the same number of acronyms here) and I am at least familiar with much of the terminology including: mark schemes, external assessments, and even the role of the creepy sounding Invigilator (always sounds to me like a torturer during the inquisition- look it up or ask an IB student).
Today I realized another difference between the US and here. When you mistakenly touch under a desk table or chair here there is no dried up gum!
9/25
Internet access at the school finally!
Had no classes this AM and have spent the time backing things up and working on reservations at hotels for the rest of the trip.
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