Trekking in Ladakh : Introduction.

Ladakh, India.

It seems like only yesterday that we completed our gruelling 7-day trek in Srinagar, Kashmir. Now that July is just around the corner, it is time to start planning our next trek.

This time, our destination is the beautiful land of Leh and Ladakh. Like last year, I will be accompanied by my son Shawn, and my brother Roy.

I have not yet identified the exact route we will use, as I am still researching the best options available. My objective is to stretch ourselves a bit more than last year, by doing a trek that is around 8-9 days. Also, I want to ensure that we reach an altitude of at least 5000 meters (the highest point we reached during our Srinagar trek was 4100 meters).

Why this obsession with height, you may ask?. Well, next year, I have set my sight on the "Mount Everest Base Camp Trek". This trek lasts for nearly 15 days, and at the highest point, we would be at 5500 meters. If you find yourself suddenly at this height, there is a very good chance that you will get altitude sickness. Hopefully, the Ladadkh trek will help us gauge our readiness to tackle the bigger challenge ahead of us. Also, my son will be much bigger by then.

I have already booked our flights from Goa to Srinagar. We plan to drive from Srinagar to Leh (via Sonamarg/Kargil). The 2-day journey from Srinagar to Leh, and back to Srinagar, promises to be an adventure in itself.

Looking forward to the challenge.

Explore Maharashtra : Bibi-Ka-Maqbara

Bibi-Ka-Maqbara, Aurangabad City, India.

If you did a double-take and wondered what the heck happened to the beautiful Taj Mahal, you wouldn't be the first.

During our trip to Aurangabad, to see the famous Ellora and Ajanta Caves, our driver suggested that we stop by and have a look at Bibi-Ka-Maqbar, a sort of a replica of the Taj Mahal. Since it was very close to where we were staying, we decided to visit it and check it out.

Here's an inscription that is posted at the gate of Bibi-Ka-Maqbar and gives a historical explanation of this monument.