Journey ... India - Robert M Weir - Bog

First day: some elevation gain. Second day destination: Keylong (elevation 10,000 feet), a good place to acclimate. Third day: 17 hours to Leh (elevation 11,500 feet). Our "road" the infamous Leh-Manali Highway. Narrow, few guardrails. Mud, rocks, water cascading across the road, avalanches, mudslides, dust. Elevations of more than 17,000 feet. Countless trucks, buses, military convoys; cars, motorcycles, bicyclists; vehicles lying at the bottom of ravines. Sheep, goats, horses. "Handiworkers" who repair the road by hand because heavy equipment is practically useless. Our average speed: 10 miles per hour. But the majestic scenery was beyond belief. It was an experience!