Thursday, July 16, 2009

India

Yes, I've been in India since June 30th, but the internet hasn't been, well, user-friendly.
The first two days we rested (except for one person) and prepared for a jeep trek to the nomads in the ChangThang area.
Once there, we went to several nomad encampments. What was it like? Well, cold, for one thing. We woke up morning with snow on our tents!
Interesting, for another. In ChangThang, we are high in the Himalayas, above the tree line. Very rocky and dusty, except the very occaisonal area where there are springs or streams (from glacier melt).
Scary, with the mountain roads (if there are roads at all) and with that one person contracting pulmonary edema from high altitude sickness--because he didn't rest when we got to Leh! But he went back down to Leh and spent the night in the hospital and was fine by the time we returned from ChangTang.
Smelly, sleeping beside the goats and yaks.
Beautiful, with the mountains, and the wonderfully welcoming people. We watched the nomads herding their yaks and pashmina goats, visited the highest village in the world, saw monks at their devotions...
Next week we will be going to another part of Ladakh.
and IF (a big if) the internet is working, I'll write some more later!
PS I got some lovely Indian cotton fabric to make a dress or skirt/top with!

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