Leh Ladakh India Trip Day 3 : Leh Sightseeing

Day 3 - Leh to Nubra Valley: Leh - Khardung La - Deskit - Hunder - Sumoor via Stamstanling Monastery.

Second day in Leh, still starting from S.N.M. (Sonam Norboo Memorial) Hospital. Finally, we were allowed to discharge from the hospital after being checked by nurses, our condition had improved a lot. Alhamdulillah, our condition was indeed good enough this morning after getting enough rest and getting enough oxygen and diamox for the night. We are encouraged to always prepare Diamox during this trip in Leh Ladakh, one tablet after eating if symptoms of sickness occur again, and more eating and drinking water along the trip (it is indeed highly matter), and to keep portable oxygen available for backup. We discharged from the hospital around 8 o'clock, stopped by the Drug Store in front of the hospital to buy Diamox and Oxygen (drug stores only exist in the area around the hospital), and take a taxi to Leh Market as our first destination in Leh. 


Hari kedua pagi di Leh, masih diawali dari S.N.M. (Sonam Norboo Memorial) Hospital. Akhirnya, kami diperbolehkan discharge dari RS setelah dicek oleh perawat kondisi kami sudah jauh lebih membaik. Alhamdulillah, dan memang kondisi kami sudah cukup baik pagi ini setelah cukup istirahat dan dapat cukup asupan oksigen serta diamox semalaman. Kami dihimbau untuk persiapan Diamox selama perjalanan di Leh Ladakh ini, satu tablet setelah makan jika muncul gejala sickness lagi, dan perbanyak makan serta minum air putih (ini memang sangat berpengaruh), dan untuk jaga2 sedia portable oksigen untuk cadangan. Keluar dari RS sekitar jam 8, mampir di Toko Obat depan RS (toko obat hanya ada di area sekitar RS memang), untuk membeli Diamox dan Oksigen, naik taksi menuju Leh Market, our first destination in Leh. 

Sonam Norboo Memorial Hospital

 

Morning street view: Wazwan Restaurant where we ate last night, and drugstores where we buy Diamox and Oxygen

Morning street view: you gonna find many cows around here walking just like that in the middle of the road

We were a bit lost here, while looking for a Prayer Wheel and Leh Market, we found this town gate

I thought the prayer wheel is in temple, but here we can found many of prayer wheels like this in the roadsides

Arriving at the Market, we took photos for a while, walked to see the shops that had just opened, and stopped at one of the shops because the seller was very friendly (aka good at selling and promotions plus value plus he was good looking hahahaha nuff said).

Sampai di Market, kami foto2 sebentar, jalan melihat toko2 yang baru saja buka, dan singgah di salah satu toko yang penjualnya sangat friendly (alias jago jualan dan promosi ditambah nilai plus dia ganteng hahahaha doh nuff said). Setelah beberapa lama nyoba2 pashmina, sempat kalaplah kita (masih hari pertama aak).

Entering Leh Market

First shop we visited

State Bank of India, expected as money changer

After a while of trying Pashmina, we spent too much in them yet it still the first day. Realizing the previous spent at the first shop, we took a walk in Leh Market only for a short time, after first we tried to find an ATM or bank to keep an eye on ATM withdrawal transactions or the next currency exchange (stop briefly at the jewelry and mineral kiosk jewelry), and continue to the destination Next, Leh Palace.

Menyadari kekalapan sebelumnya di "first shop", kita jalan-jalan di Leh Market sebentar saja  setelah menemukan ATM atau Bank untuk jaga-jaga transaksi tarik ATM atau penukaran mata uang berikutnya (mampir sebentar di kiosk jewelry dari mineral dan batuan) terus lanjut ke destinasi berikutnya, Leh Palace.

Leh Palace!

Arriving at Leh Palace, climb a bit towards the entrance and ticket booth. Leh Palace entrance ticket per person is 200 INR (in budget details). The visiting time is from 7 am (07.00 am) to 4 pm (04.00 pm). Leh Palace is a landmark located at an altitude that overlooks the city of Leh and its surroundings, which was once a royal palace. From here we can see the full scenery, panoramic views of the city of Leh to Ladakh and the Himalayas. Cool at any rate, not to mention the eccentric architecture typical of the Medieval tibetan himalayan architecture. Many groups visited here, many found  especially from Korea and China. Leh Palace was built in 1553, completed in the 17th century. It began with Tsewang Namgyal and was completed by Sengge Namgyal, both from the Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh. You can read the full history here:

https://www.culturalindia.net/monuments/leh-palace.htmlhttps://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/leh-palace-the-story-of-its-rise-and-fall/as63999208.cmsWe returned on foot from Leh Palace.

We still didn't know any shortcut before so we took a taxi for getting here. It turns out that from Leh Palace there is a shortcut road (alley) to Leh Market, fortunately, so we could go by walk instead of by taxi (moreover the taxi could hardly found above). Arrived in Leh Market, we took photos for a while looking for a shop "Pashmina Hut" but only found something similar (my obsession with photos of that shop) lol.

By the evening, we book a taxi and take care of the PAP documents tomorrow to Nubra Valley. I got a recommendation from trip advisor to Sonam (a person, not Sonam Hospital). At that time it was closed several times but finally I found it today. However, we were joined the Indian Himalayan Expedition travel agent for the taxi rental because the Sonam rental taxi at that time got full book (I forgot actually between full book or even empty).

We eat for dinner at Wazwan Restaurant, still in Leh Market, located on the top floor of the department store. After dinner, we confirmed to book a taxi tomorrow and take the PAP permit document at the travel agent.


Sampai di Leh Palace, nanjak dikit ke arah pintu masuk dan tiket booth. Tiket masuk Leh Palace per orang 200 INR (ada di rincian budget). Waktu berkunjung dari jam 7 pagi (07.00 am) sampai jam 4 sore (04.00 pm). Leh Palace ini merupakan landmark yang ada di ketinggian yang menghadap kota Leh dan sekitarnya, yang dulunya adalah royal palace atau istana kerajaan. Dari sini kita bisa melihat full scenery, panorama kota Leh hingga Ladakh dan Himalaya. Cool pokoknya, belum lagi arsitekturnya yang eksentrik khas arsitektur Medieval tibetan himalaya. Banyak rombongan yang berkunjung kesini, terutama dari banyak dijumpai dari Korea dan China. Leh Palace dibangun pada tahun 1553, selesai pada abad ke 17. Dimulai dari Tsewang Namgyal dan diselesaikan oleh Sengge Namgyal, keduanya dari dinasti Namgyal dari Ladakh. Sejarah lengkapnya bisa baca disini: 

https://www.culturalindia.net/monuments/leh-palace.html

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/leh-palace-the-story-of-its-rise-and-fall/as63999208.cms

Pulangnya kita jalan kaki dari Leh Palace. Ternyata dari Leh Palace ada jalan tikus (gang) shortcut ke Leh Market, beruntungnya kalau pulangnya kan jalan turun ya, pas berangkat tadi masih belum tau dan nanjak pula jadi kita naik taksi. Sampai Leh Market foto-foto sebentar nyari toko "Pashmina Hut" tapi cuma ketemu yang mirip (obsesi gw foto toko itu) haha.

Sorenya kita booking taksi dan mengurus dokumen PAP untuk besok ke Nubra Valley. Saya dapat rekomendasi dari trip advisor ke Sonam (ini bapak beda lagi ya, bukan Sonam Hospital). Waktu itu sempat beberapa kali tutup tapi akhirnya hari ini ketemu. Tapi untuk rental taksi, kami jadinya ikut travel agen Indian Himalaya Expedition karena rental taksinya Sonam waktu itu lupa antara penuh atau justru kosong taksinya. Malamnya kita makan di Restoran Wazwan, masih dalam Leh Market, tempatnya di lantai atas pertokoan. Habis makan, kita konfirmasi untuk booking taksi besok dan ambil dokumen permit PAP.

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Date and time: July 31, 2017

Budget (INR):

• Taxi hospital 50
• Leh Palace Taxi 200
• Leh Palace 200 tickets per people 400
• Water 2 60
• Taxi home 100
• PAP 650 per people 1300
• Wazwan dinner 320

Budget (INR):

• Taksi hospital 50
• Taksi Leh Palace 200
• Tiket Leh Palace 200 per org 400
• Air 2 60
• Taksi pulang 100
• PAP 650 per org 1300
• Makan malam Wazwan 320