Message from Colin on Sat phone - 23 August.
Not the best nights sleep. Lots of shouting throughout the night. I attempted to find some toiletries but nothing opens 'til mid-morning so set off up the mountain leaving Kargil behind. One and half hours later I stop to take a picture of yet another amazing landscape when I discover my camera is missing. I'm devastated, the images I've taken; of monasteries, monks in their saffron robes with my bike, colourful prayer flags fluttering against the snow clad mountain tops and so many more flash through my mind like a slide show in fast motion. How? When and who? I left my camera packed in my bag at the hotel for a half hour while I made a phone call and searched for shops that sell toiletries. I also left it for a short time when making arrangements to leave. These were the only times I'd left my belongings. I had to make a choice, continue on my journey without a camera and keep to schedule or turn back down the mountain and confront the hotel and report the theft to the police. With tears of anger and frustration I headed back. Of course the hotel denied my accusations so I went to the police and spent a few hours making a report and completing paperwork. No one but the police chief could speak english. He wanted me to stay for 3 days while they carry out an investigation, to which I flatly refused. If I had all the time in the world this would be last place I'd spend it in. There will be no investigation, just my resignation to the facts and to try and make do. By now the bazars had opened so bought some toiletries. I found the one and only camera store and bought another camera so I could at least record the second half of my journey. It was now too late to resume my ride back to Drass so resigned myself to spending another day here. When wondering the bazars I found the hotel I was supposed to stay in last night, a clean and friendly place, but because of the demonstrations I was unable to get to it, I checked in. If only I'd arrived in Kargil today, my experience of this place would be a happier story.
Not the best nights sleep. Lots of shouting throughout the night. I attempted to find some toiletries but nothing opens 'til mid-morning so set off up the mountain leaving Kargil behind. One and half hours later I stop to take a picture of yet another amazing landscape when I discover my camera is missing. I'm devastated, the images I've taken; of monasteries, monks in their saffron robes with my bike, colourful prayer flags fluttering against the snow clad mountain tops and so many more flash through my mind like a slide show in fast motion. How? When and who? I left my camera packed in my bag at the hotel for a half hour while I made a phone call and searched for shops that sell toiletries. I also left it for a short time when making arrangements to leave. These were the only times I'd left my belongings. I had to make a choice, continue on my journey without a camera and keep to schedule or turn back down the mountain and confront the hotel and report the theft to the police. With tears of anger and frustration I headed back. Of course the hotel denied my accusations so I went to the police and spent a few hours making a report and completing paperwork. No one but the police chief could speak english. He wanted me to stay for 3 days while they carry out an investigation, to which I flatly refused. If I had all the time in the world this would be last place I'd spend it in. There will be no investigation, just my resignation to the facts and to try and make do. By now the bazars had opened so bought some toiletries. I found the one and only camera store and bought another camera so I could at least record the second half of my journey. It was now too late to resume my ride back to Drass so resigned myself to spending another day here. When wondering the bazars I found the hotel I was supposed to stay in last night, a clean and friendly place, but because of the demonstrations I was unable to get to it, I checked in. If only I'd arrived in Kargil today, my experience of this place would be a happier story.
Keep going Colin, your blog makes great reading, photos or not. Greetings from Austria.
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