Leh-Spituk-Zingchen (Stok Valley, Leh-Ladakh)

After a few days in Leh, I was itching to be back on the trail. The city was packed with trek agencies, I strolled around the city looking for a sign. I'm a sucker in my belief in signs. I believed if I walked around long enough, I'd get a sign which would tell me which of these trek agencies I should go into and talk. After a while, I slowly strolled by La-Yul Adventures on Fort Road. As I glanced inside, a young guy sitting on a desk inside looked up and smiled. I walked in. And that was the beginning of a friendship to cherish.

Javed Malik runs La-Yul Adventures and he made my journey into Stok valley possible. I told him I didn't have the kind of cash that one pays for a full fledged trek with agencies, all I needed was a map and a couple of beasts to carry the rations. I didn't think anyone running an agency would waste their time helping out a wanderer trekker when there's nothing in it for them. I was wrong. Javed bhai organised for mules, kerosene, lent me a pressure cooker, recommended a doc for my blisters, jeep drop and pickup from start, end point, etc. I guess there are still some people for whom their work is more than just a business...pity I never took a snap of us together. Something I will fix next time I'm in Leh. Needless to say, its only La-Yul Adventures for me !

And so I was away again. Jeep drop to Spituk. While I was grabbing a cup of tea and chatting up a couple of nice old ladies, Tanzing the 70 year old farmer from Stok village who had come with the 3 mules set off without me, thinking I had already started off on the trail. I walked briskly, took a wrong turn, doubled back to the trail, and caught up with him in half hour. He was relieved to have found me again...

Walked along the mighty Indus river and headed around the mountains into Stok valley. Reached Zingchen campsite in about 4 hours. Pitched camp and fired up the stove for tea. Tanzing eats only sattu so I'll have to cook my own meals on this trek. It was a nice starry night and I sat out till late watching the bright little wonders...ah the cosmos, it seemed so close