Ladakh: It's all downhill!

From Ladakh!!!!

The three Meek men enjoy a happy father's day together

Although having Dad set off for Delhi and home, Jon and I were both glad that he was heading in the direction of good medical care and convalescence.

Jon and I spent the next week doing another homestay trek. But before we headed off on the trail we decided to do an adventurous mountain biking ride that we'd seen advertised around town.

From Ladakh X 2

The bike ride sounded perfect: get driven up to Khardung La, the highest motorable pass in the world, and then enjoy the force of gravity and ride downhill all the way back to Leh.

From Ladakh X 2

At the top of Khardung La: 18,380 feet

Two notable things about this photo. First where we're standing: on top of a wall. Driving from Leh at 11 thousand and change up to over 18,000 was relatively easy physically. Sure, even sitting in the car we could feel the air getting thinner, but all seemed well when we reached the pass. However, when we got to the pass and climbed onto this wall to take a photo I immediately felt the earth start to shake. Dropping to my knees I knew it wasn't an earthquake. But the altitude! Determined not to spend too much time at this altitude we got ready to head down. The other remarkable thing about this photo is that it captures a "ghost" pictured behind and to the side of us...inhabiting the ethereal high altitudes of the Himalayas.

From Ladakh X 2

Setting off for the 50 km ride downhill!

From Ladakh X 2

Breathtaking (literally!) scenery

From Ladakh X 2

Perhaps what was even more incredible was what passes for a road!

From Ladakh X 2

And on this road, two directions of big trucks trying to pass each other

We came around a corner at one point, and saw a truck being pulled back over the edge, having gone over in some ridiculous game of cat and mouse.

From Ladakh X 2

Truck is seen as shiny white object amidst the rock the slope. Rescue vehicles above it on the road.

From Ladakh X 2

Leh is visible as the green oasis down below

From Ladakh X 2

Jon taking a breather (literally) in front of a field of Buddhist chortens on the way back to Leh

Homeward!

From month_0

Jo, Annabelle (in white blanket!), and Dave happily leave the hospital for the outside world and home!

From month_0

Winnie's excited to be at home she decided to open her eyes! (and yes, we're trying out Winnie in addition to Annie as the

From month_0

Annabelle is underwhelmed with the outside world, maybe it's because she can't see out the window yet.

From month_0

Keep that baby out of the Indian sun!

From month_0

So surreal, we left the apartment as two, and came home as three!

From month_0

I'm not sure whose more excited about her first cloth diaper, Dave the maker, or Annabelle the wearer

From month_0

And the first diaper? A lovely recycling of fabric from our guest sheet set.

It's great to have friends!

Aftab, Sibghat, and Sneha peer in at the little potato

It has been so nice to have friends here in Delhi. In addition to the hundreds of messages we've received via online channels (email, facebook, +, skype, etc, which have been absolutely fantastic, it's been really nice to have some very friendly faces come and greet little Annabelle.

Sibghat (holding Annie) and Sneha (in green)

Shubra, my really good friend from many visits to India, holding Annie. We all have Shubra to thank for the amazing photos of Annie, which have introduced her into your lives.

All of these photos were from Day 0. Except for the following, which is of Beth, another long-term India friend, who came and was a great help to us today.

It's great to have friends (and family!) to share this exciting time with!

Ladakh: Off on the trail X 2

The rest of our week on the trail was one extended adventure. In addition to what under any circumstances would be some tough terrain, we were hiking at around 12,000 feet.

From Ladakh!!!!

From Ladakh!!!!

From Ladakh!!!!

From Ladakh!!!!

Dave and Jon negotiating a slightly hairy river crossing

Add to the terrain and the altitude the fact that Dad had a really "special" case of whooping cough (although we didn't know that yet) and a local GI problem....we were left with faces like these:

From Ladakh!!!!

Joking aside, Dad did absolutely amazing given the altitude, whooping cough, and that he has nearly 40 years on us! As you'll hear about when I write about the portion of the trip with Jon (once I came down with whooping cough) I didn't do anywhere near as well as Dad did.

From Ladakh!!!!

Dad in good form!

Unfortunately, there were also moments when we just needed to rest as Dad's coughing fits were pretty scary.

From Ladakh!!!!

Dad laying on a log while Jon provides some bluegrass to take his mind off the cough.


Aside from those not so happy moments, there were also some really sweet guys moments

From Ladakh!!!!

Dad, Jon, and Dave enjoying a hug up at the top of Pho La (La means pass) (12,000 feet or so)

Along the way we saw absolutely amazing natural scenery and cultural relics. An example of a cultural artifact is the mani wall. These walls dot the landscape in Ladakh and from far away look like a small stone wall, maybe 100 feet long by six feet wide.

From Ladakh!!!!

Mani wall from above

From Ladakh!!!!

Dad hiking by a mani wall-you must always pass with it your right!

To the best of my knowledge, these mani walls are essentially religious penances that wealthy businessman (who seem to always need to do penance) would pay to have constructed by Buddhist monks. They're called mani walls because they are covered in stones that are carved with the repeating phrase "Om mani padmi om".

From Ladakh!!!!

From Ladakh!!!!

Mani wall stone close up

From Ladakh!!!!

Mani wall close up 2

From Ladakh!!!!

Jon and Dad checking out Mani wall

Welcoming Annabelle Winifred Meek

Annabelle greets her Mommy and Daddy

Dave getting the "name bracelet" for the nameless "baby baby of Lesley Jo Weaver Meek". She now has a new real name tag, and guess what it says?

Magic revisited

As children we believe that the existence of magic is self-evident. Playing in the woods, we know that there are fairies that live in under mushrooms, and elves that live in ancient tree stumps. As we mature into adults we start to forget about this magic. But then there comes a point when we remember there's magic: it's when we become parents.

Whether it was hearing Annabelle's first kitten like cries as she entered the world, being the first thing that her sleepy little eyes saw as they opened for the first time, having my thumb be the first thing she grasped, or the minutes that stretch into hours as I spend the day staring into her little sleeping face I remember that there's magic in the world, and it's in my heart and in my love for my daughter.

Wow, those are either the words of an emotional new parent, or those of an A-class cheese ball...

Annabelle Winifred Slideshow