Destination Nubra valley

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After the heavenly pilgrimage to Pangong lake,  other locations  in Ladakh have to fight for their place. Nubra valley comes close to giving it a good fight for two reasons. The first reason being that one has to cross khardung La pass at 18,379ft to get to nubra valley. The claim of highest motor able road has been disputed but hey that didn't stop us from taking pictures next to a board proclaiming the same. 


The second reason is a personal one and most might not agree with it. Well it is the bird life of nubra valley. The first is a well known fact but the second came as a surprise. I wish I had known before. I would have skipped the sand dunes and the double hump camel ride and spent more time walking around this oasis.
















The place we called home for the night was Nubra organic retreat. A quaint little place surrounded by  vegetable and fruit garden and soothing sound of flowing streams all across the property. The tented accommodation was certainly better than the one in pangong lake and food even better! It was their that I first tried the ladhaki bread and apricot jam. Considering this camp is supposed to be organic and to large extent self sufficient for their food needs , it reflected in the taste. I could not recreate the tingly taste buds at any other locale  after the camp's  apricot jam and ladhaki bread.






As mentioned earlier the thing to do in Nubra valley is be bumped between two humps of a camel and  of course pay your respects at the monastery.  The  pit stop at the monastery greets you with a  looming 32 meter high Maitreya Buddha  surrounded by cold desert dunes, green oasis and harsh brown mountains and the multi level Diskit monastery .





 As I had already visited few monasteries , I decided to pay my respect from a distance with this particular monastery. It was the sound of gushing water that took us to the rear of monastery and we discovered a hidden water fall. We later got to know the monk would carry the water all the way from the valley up to the monastery during construction. The monks have my respect. I wish all of us get inspired by their dedication to their life of simplicity.  Why don't we make an effort to know more about them and their religion as we take in their monastery? Yes, traveling is not just about sight seeing but it also about inspiration. The degree of the inspiration can vary person to person but most seasoned travelers  would agree there is more to holidaying than just holidaying !

Date of travel : June, 2013
Place: Nubra valley , ladakh

Tip: Walk the oasis
First : Oasis in valley of cold desert sand dunes
The travel connection : Epiphany of inspiration.
Location: Diskit 194401

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