The drive back to Leh was tough like the onward leg, and we were exhausted by the time we checked into our hotel. We spent the next day exploring the Hemis and Thikse monasteries and visited the Druk White Lotus School, made famous by the Hindi film ‘3 Idiots’ and, in particular, the building where two students drop a bulb on a live wire at a spot where one of the protagonists relieves himself.
Exiting Leh with a somewhat heavy heart, we drove towards Sarchu. This was the longest leg of our journey so far by some distance, with 250 kilometres to be dispatched in one day. On the way, we went through three passes: Taglang La, the highest point on the Leh-Manali route, the second-highest motorable road in the world, and a very windy, very cold place; Lachulung La, the descent from which takes you through the 21-loop Gata Loops; and Naki La, a quiet little pass marked by just a cement outpost and prayer flags.
