A photo journey through the first day of a two day bus ride through the Himalayas to the desert town of Leh (Ladakh), India.
Reaching elevations of 13,000 and 17,480 feet, the two-day bus ride from Manali to Leh (Ladakh), India is not for the faint of heart. Not knowing much about Leh (or where it was exactly), I joined my friends on a standard yet seemingly ill-equipped-for-mountainous-terrain public bus while battling one of the worst mysterious travel illnesses I have ever had (more on that another day – the memory is still to painful). Though the Himalayan mountain views were some of the most stunning views I’ve ever witnessed, I was pretty certain we would slide off the road at some point…But we didn’t. 🙂 The roads contain no railings and the bus drivers somehow make one lane roads into two lane roads by driving on the edge of the mountain when another truck needs to pass by. My general rule is to only get scared when locals get scared, and let me tell you, they were scared. But look at the views!! 🚌😍
The following photos depict landscapes between Manali (the Goa of India during the rainy season – many businesses have one location in the beachside region of Goa and the hilly town of Manali) and Keylong. Keylong is a VERY small place that serves as an overnight stopping point for travelers and bus drivers. The climate and views were quite different on the second part of the journey (see more about the second day of the journey here).
The Bohemian Mermaid 