Bearing a Snowstorm at Changla Pass on a Motorbike!

Our hopes and prayers or anything for that matter falls short when one is standing against the mighty nature.

It had been raining all night. The thought of being stuck on the way due to landslide had already given us enough anxiety. We were all getting ready to gear up our bikes to set off for the final lap.

The moment we stepped out, a gust of cold wind got our adrenaline up and rushing. We rode off to our first pit stop– Chang La. The roads were revealing their ruggedness as we rode on.

Tourists travelling in SUVs that went past us had the benefits of staying warm and enjoying the snow-clad mountain views, except one worry that their car might skid off the layers of snow on the road. I kept on humming songs in an attempt to distract myself from the sub-zero temperatures.

It is very essential to be equipped with the right set of riding gears else, you can only imagine the kind of trouble that waits to surprise you. Kaka, who had been leading us all that while, told us not to stop anywhere unless it was inevitable. He emphasized that the weather at the Chang La pass would be deteriorating further, thanks to the incessant drizzle.

We reached an army checkpoint where we had to halt. A snowstorm was there, blocking the road to Chang La. Meanwhile, we were getting desperate to warm our frozen feet and hands (despite the gears).

After an hour of desperate prayers, diggers cleared the roadblock. Thanks to the Indian Army for being there to serve us day and night. On the way to the second-highest pass, cruising my Himalayan Enfield through the roads with layers of snow shook me a bit. However, I made sure that no matter what, I would not turn off the engine to reach the peak without being stuck.

One would not want to be stuck in such an intense weather. We had almost reached Chang La then another snowstorm hit us and stranded us in the snow for another hour. We relished a second breakfast at the Changla Pass.

On our return journey, the snow on the roads had started to melt and we heaved a sigh of relief that the weather was getting better for the rest of the day. I could feel the relief of not having to miss my flights the next morning as I entered the beautiful city of Leh again.