Ladakh felt out of this world
[OC]
I have been wanting to go to Ladakh for a long time, and since I’ll be moving out of India soon, I just pulled the trigger. I went in winter on purpose because I didn’t want tourists. I wanted to see what the place feels like when it’s just itself. Started from Manali, went into Zanskar, and kept pushing further to places like Yoche and Zongkhul where there was literally no one around. Upper Kumik stood out the most though. It’s one of those villages where you barely see any tourists, and when I went they were having their once a year archery festival. It’s so isolated that people don’t even bother locking their doors. That kind of trust and simplicity is something you don’t really see anymore. I spent time just sitting around, talking to people, trying to understand how life works there, and it felt way more real than anything else on the trip.
I stayed in Purne and Padum for a bit in a homestay with a local family, and that ended up being one of the best parts. It didn’t feel like staying somewhere, it felt like being let into their life for a while. Sitting with them, eating what they eat, just watching how their day goes without any rush or noise. You start noticing how simple everything is and how complete it still feels. We were drinking straight from natural springs and it didn’t even feel unusual after a point. Everything out there feels unreal. The roads and the mountains and the silence all at once, like you’ve stepped out of your normal life into something way more raw. The cold was brutal, breathing felt off and your body slows down, and the roads weren’t forgiving either, but that’s exactly what made it worth it because you actually earn every bit of what you see. Also, if you carry chocolates you’ll instantly become every kid’s favourite. Don’t forget to have a postpaid SIM though, prepaid ones won’t work.