Over the last three days we:1. Managed to set out on our only trail in Leh - an easy trek from Spituk to Stok whose only tricky point was the relatively high pass at Stok La - 4900 m.2. On the first day we walked along the Indus river and then along the Jingchen stream for several hours. The stream has to be crossed from time to time as the trail snakes through the ravine. If you miss the crossing, you find yourself on the wrong side of the stream (a pretty rapid...

Over the last two days we:1. Were overjoyed to find the Himalayan Indians (most are Tibetans and Nepali anyway, to tell the truth) quieter, much less insistent and pushy than elsewhere in the country so far.2. Realized the word "refugee" makes for an excellent sales pitch in Leh. As in "Tibetan refugee bazaar" of which there are at least three in town. All making a killing selling handicrafts and tawdry souvenirs.3. Were thrilled to learn that a feisty "julley!" ...

Over the last three days and nights we:1. Survived an annoying 15 hour bus trip from Delhi to Manali, a Himalayan trekking base in the Himachal Pradesh state, which included a miserable dinner stop at 10pm at a roadside bar, where we got charged mid-level Delhi restaurant prices for a bowl of bones in gravy (chicken curry) and stale rice. A royal ripoff and I'm sure the drive had a cut.2. Found the town delightfully cool. beautifully situated on majestic hill...

Over the last three days we:1. Were annoyed to observe taxis (when you could find one!) and rickshaw drivers were even more reluctant to use meters in Delhi than elsewhere in India.2. Learned that central Delhi is famous for so-called 'shoeshine tricksters'. Don't ask me for details, look it up. I'm still in stitches...3. Mastered the art of crossing the street in Delhi - and compared to Bombay that's a horse of a different color.4. Got into a...

Yesterday and today we:1. Saw sparrows scuttling happily about the brand new shiny terminal of the Bangalore International Airport and boarded the plane to the nation's capital.2. Excitedly rode the sparkling new metro in Delhi - airport to downtown - and realized a taxi would have cost us less.3. After specifically picking a hotel within a WALKING distance of the Delhi train station we rebelliously trudged that distance. With our elephant packs on our backs,...