Arrived in Leh from Srinagar on Friday 28th May (after the long journey by jeep). Was very dissapointed with Leh itself. Dirty, noisy etc.....;things don't change. The town is really just a tourist town that eagerly awaits the tourists who use the town as their treking base. Nothing more, nothing less.

Went to Thiksay monastry by public bus; an hour away from Leh. A beautiful monastry with plenty to see, and away from the noise of Leh. On that point, have taken in the region of 2000 photos so far. 50% go straight into the bin, 40 to 60 are in the catergory for potential exhibition photos, and the rest being more average tourist shots.

On the way to Leh stopped and had a small meal in Lamayuru to break up the very uncomfortable and cramped ride. A much smaller monastry built on the hill in the small village. The rock formation around Lamayuru is much lighter than anywhere else on the route and resembles an ochre honeycombed landscape. Unusal and beautiful.

Also on the route spent one night at Sankoo. A hamlet in barren landscape off the main route. Pouring with rain, cold, and desolate. Washed in a room no higher than 1.5 cubic metres with the humid odour of my companion next door..........a steaming cow. The pleasures of life. I had to ask for hot water to be boiled, which wasn't that appreciated, as the inhabitants wash (not frequently that is) with cold water; even during winter in temperatures of minus 20 centigrade.

Also spent one night in Kargil. A filfthy disgusting room by any standard. Didn't feel that comfortable due to the political and religious tensions. Told later that it was a dangerous place to be.

Back to Leh.......as mentioned you need several days to acclimatise to the altitude, otherwise you feel very week, and experience blood in the nose.
The main problem with Leh is that wherever there are tourists, there will be touts, and Indians who have travelled from all over India to set up a so-called shop. Many people I spoke to told me Leh was much nicer 3 years earlier, but now had totally changed.

Monday 31st May - Tuesday 1st June spent 2 nights back in Srinagar at the house of Mouneer our jeep driver. Planned on staying only one night but arrived late on the Monday evening after having spent 16 hours in a jeep from Leh, and really need 2 days to recover before heading back to Jammu. We left Leh at 5.30 a.m. The only road back to Srinagar had already been closed for 2 days whilst we were in Leh; due to landslides, and melting snow.

The road to Srinagar is not only one of the highest roads in the world, but also the most dangerous. Apart from the altitude to contend with is there is also the stream of overloaded lorries heading to Leh and beyond, and convoy after convoy of military vehicles. There are hardly any stretches of tarmacd road surface; the majority of the route being a pitted, water logged track. Leh being the coldest habitlal town in the world, with Kargil second. The mountain scenery is breath-taking, otherwise most of your concentraion is focused on how close your driver is to the precipise below. Several interesting points on route are Magnet Hill, and Tiger Hill. The latter being where the Pakistani army attacked India in 1999 - 2000; resulting in Indian losses of around 10,000. It's a little disconcerting when you spot road signs 'You are under enemy observation'. At Magnet Hill, however hard the driver puts his foot on the accelerater; he cannot accelerate due to the magnetism under the road surface. Basically, the whole region of Kashmir is a militarised zone, check points everywhere, and with check points comes corruption. Our driver although Kashmiri had to pay 50 to 100 rupees each time he was stopped at police check points......'.TII boss (This is India boss) my driver often said.

Later on the route to Jammu we were behind an army jeep (called a Gypsy) when we were waved down to stop. Mouneer our driver (22 years old) got out of the jeep, and with seconds one of the soldiers started beating him. What can you do? when that happens 3 metres infront of you. I jumped out and approached the officer (a captain) at speed, and told him in no uncertain terms what I thought of him.....basically that he was a disgrace to the Indian army; had no control of his subordinates, and he didn't deserve to hold a commissioned rank. That did the job, and the out of control soldier was grabed by another soldier and placed in the back of the Gypsy. Again, not a good experience, and even worse for Mouneer who like us was shocked. Everytime after that if Mouneer had to leave the vehicle, then I went with him. It's really sad, not only to witness such treatment, but worse to continually hear your driver say everytime there was a problem 'It's no problem boss', when it is a real problem and the guy is at the mercy of corrupt police officers, and renegade military.

Mouneer's family in Srinagar were very friendly, his elderly grandfather cooked the meals; as he has been a cook on a house boat for the past 45 years. Rather embarassing

Today has been the most frustrating day since being in India. Am continually trying to get a steady internet connection on this laptop; after having bought an !dea (Trademark) dongle for internet connection. It's supposed to be high speed...................joke, a snail could get up Everest faster than this. DON'T buy this make/supplier of dongle........it's La MERDE!!!!!!

It has taken all day to successfully book a train ticket out of this dust bowl of a City. The only thing worth seeing here is The Golden Temple, the old architecture around the bizaar area of the old part of town. I could have seen it all in 3 hours and then left.
You learn the hard way here. To be sure of a train ticket it's best to book 2 to 3 days in advance; otherwise you are practically trapped. Buses run for sure; but take 8 hours to anywhere interesting.
I will try and download a photo, and leave the laptop on for an hour in the hope it will work.

Briefly, Amritsar is a heaving, dirty, and overpopulated city; stinks of urine, pollution. Would have been better to have bought a postcard of the Golden Temple than come here. Anyhow, will take bus to Attari, and the rickshaw to Wagah tomorrow evening to see the border military ceremony.
Then 7. 30 a.m on Wednesday will take train back to Delhi, and on to Agra.

NOT A GOOD DAY.......;also have 20 street pigs/boars as neighbours.

Dharamasla to Pathankot

Arrived in Jammu on Wednesday from Srinagar by jeep (10 hours), and Thursday morning took train for Pathankot and then directly took bus to Dharamasla (3 and a half hour bus journey). On arrival in the old town that looks over the subhurbs, and inturn is overlooked by snow peaked mountains soon found a cheap hotel room. Had to pay 50 rupees more to have hot water, but the condition being that I had to inform the owner 30 minutes before I needed the hot water. The basic things we take for granted in the west just don't apply here. You never stop asking questions! You can never be sure of having water or electricty. A must for India is a torch, and of course lavatory paper. It's never provided, let alone soap etc.

The idea of going to Dhramasla was to pop up to Mcleod and see a monastry, and the Dali Lama's residence where the Tibetan government in exile is based, no pivate audience had been granted. However, all good plans change, and after spending a sleepless night; firstly with dogs fighting, and then a violent domestic dispute in a neighbouring house that lasted from 3 to 6a.m (woman squealing like a pig with it's throat cut) decided to head back to Pathankot.

The old part of Dharamasla is extremely noisly, filthy and what with the vehicle fumes etc isn't really worth the effort to get there. I think the fumes affected me more than it should have done as I had slight monoxide poisioning from previously spending 16 hours in a fume filled jeep from Leh to Srinagar two days before, and on top of that also had slight altitude sickness whilst I was in Leh. Slight nose bleeds, and physically tired due to the altitude, and less oxygen. (Normally takes a few days to for the body to adjust). Should have gone directly (a further 9 km) to Mcleod. Slightly dissapointed with Dharamasla......no, correction very dissapointed.

Friday 4th June - Panthankot

Arrived Friday lunchtime in Panthakot by bus from Dhramshala. Again a 3 hour public bus journey (cost 100 rupee). A quick word on buses; sit as close to the front as possible otherwise you will have a very bumpy ride at the back - shock absorbers are a problem here. It's best to sit directly behind the driver. If you sit on the bench seatfacing the driver then 100% guaranteed you will regret it. You can pay on the bus which makes things easier than than finding the ticket office. The buses stop where and when they want to collect passengers, and no sooner that your foot has entered the bus the driver is on his way again.If the door is open (no air conditioning) you risk falling out.
I found myself completely wedged on the bench seat. Woman especially will find anywhere to sit; and if it means stamping on your legs and feet; they will do it. So after 3 hours being stuck to sweaty passengers we arrived in Panthakot. Panthakot being a dusty town, a transport hub with the usual pollution, noise problems.
Found a reasonably good hotel to clean up, wash some clothes before taking camera to explore the immediate area, although temperature was in the 40's the light was bad; so returned to hotel to rest.

An hour later, as always the electricity cuts out in the room (this is normal here, you never know how long you will have either light, or air conditioning). Anyhow, went downstairs, and realised that a violent storm was directly above us, incredible wind; violent flashes of lightening. As I went out of the front doors the scene of debris flying down the side street was a god warning not to risk descending the sheltered steps into the side street. There is one born every minute! As I stood watching the events a man in his early 50's descended the steps, smiled at me, and on his first footstep into the street he was violently hit by a sheet of corrugated iron travelling at lighening speed. He was lucky not to be decapitated! The sheet of metal hit him in a downward motion, cutting his face, and hands. Hence, he made a rapid re-entry into the hotel and was rushed to hospital.
Moral of the story. Use your brain, and if there is a violent storm stay well under cover. These early monsoon tornadoes are killers, mainly due to all the un attached building materials that have been unsecured on the roof tops during the previous months.

But I love the auto rickshaws in Panthakot, they look like they come from the Wacky Races animated cartoons from the early 1970's.

Pathankot.......................dust, dust, and more dust; not to forget all the dogs, horses, and cows that roam the streets.

Golden Temple - Amritsa

Yesterday evening went to the Golden Temple (only a ten minute walk from the main bus station). Quite a performance to enter the Temple area; shoes have to be deposited in a locker area, touts try and sell you head scarfs, but not necessary as outside the main entrance they are provided free of charge. Interesting that you are not allowed to smoke in the busy side roads around the Temple, and when you enter you are checked for cigarettes, but not knives, hand grenates etc..... The Temple itself is very impressive !!!!! at anytime there must be in the region of 5 to 10 thousand pilgrims (most being Sikh). Photographs are allowed around the lake, but not inside. The queue to enter the Temple itself is always long, and can take up to 2 hours to get in.

Well worth a visit!!! The calm, beauty and tranquilty of the location is thought provoking, even if you just visit to temporary escape the filth, noise and pollution of the rest of the town.

All the towns, and even villages I have visit never change...........no hygiene, never ending noise, continual hassele from children; rickshaw drivers etc. All very, very tiring.

TII, THIS IS INDIA, and love it or hate it's not going to change in my lifetime.

Back in contact........ just from the Western Punjab.

Am well behind with the blog due to no internet connection, but will try in the next few days to back tract since my last entry. So today I have arrived in Western Punjab; a 3 hour public bus journey from Pathankot (Saturday 5th June). Train journey would cost about 550 rupees; bus 65 rupees (1.25 euros). Have had quite a lot of hassel from rickshaw drivers etc, and only 15 minutes ago a man pulled a gun on me whilst I was out having a chai tea. He thought it was funny, I didn't!!!!!!!!!, but without seeming macho, my extremely sharp knife was very close at hand. Kindly sharpened free of charge by a young guy in Pathankot last night.

Here in Amritsar for two reasons: 1. to see the Sikh Golden Temple, and 2) travel to the Pakistan border (half an hour in auto rickshaw) to witness both the Indian and Pakistani armies taunting each other with military prouess. Might pay 20 rupees shortly to a rickshaw driver to take me to see the sunset at the Golden Temple