Low on fuel reserves, we opt to engage only three of our faithful steeds. The Passion emerges as the shining star amongst all today owing to its superior fuel efficiency. We reckon that in the dreary event of our failing to acquire fuel the day hence, one could ride the Passion to Leh and return with fuel reserves to support the rest. At least that seems possible.
Hundur, at a distance of 7kms from Diskit, owes its prominence to its sand dunes and Bactrian two humped camels and it is precisely them we set out to see. Our first visit is in vain for camel rides are scheduled for only a few hours a day and at the present time we are one hour away from the next scheduled line up. We turn back and find shelter in Cafe 125 located a stone's throw away from an army base camp. We will be served maggie continually though I must admit that with coriander leaves and spices added to the mix this would be the best maggie preparation I would sample across the entire expedition.
An hour on the clock and we return to the humps. However, on surveying them, we decide to give the ride a go for them camels seem well past their prime. We do not wish to burden them no more. RomeoMike's steed is ailing as well for she too has contracted a puncture. For now she stands unescorted in an isolated patch on the sand dunes. Given the lack of inhabitants, RomeoMike seems comfortable with the fact.
For the next several hours, we will pixellate the sand dunes, the humps and even some mules. The mules are of particular interest to Spiderweb, it would seem, for he spends an inordinate amount of time photographing them. RomeoMike will make cheeky comments to the effect that Spiderweb has finally found his likeness in them. The others will only giggle.
We return to the cafe and spend the remainder of the day sampling maggie, samosas, tea, coffee, mangola and anything else we can set eyes on. We will relish old Bollywood stereotypical flicks on Star Gold. Spiderweb, Motorbreath and I will pick up tracks that broadcast our achievement of scaling Khardung La - the world's highest motorable road. We will even pick up some underwear.
RomeoMike will dismember his wheel and return to Diskit with Drifter to fix the puncture. While we await their return, I strike up a conversation with an elderly gentlemen who looks upon us curiously. He introduces himself as a retired fighter jet pilot. He claims he is currently here on vacation and expresses his desire to ride like we do some day. He remarks that those who know him consider him to be too old to achieve such a feat. Despite their rants, he says, he intends to ride the peaks of Leh in the following year. He chooses the Pulsar 220 as his weapon of choice for he says it has superior handling. On being informed that I own an R-15, he quickly adds that he would have preferred it to the Pulsar, but his aging spine is not amenable to a cowling position. The conversation now turns to us. He asks us of our journey and our future path. I inform him of our fuel situation. He expresses his disappointment over the fact that they ride a diesel, for they have ample reserves. The conversation continues onto other subjects. He is met with some locals who apparently know him. He introduces me as a close friend and asks them if they could help us out with obtaining fuel. They seem ill at ease and decline at first. In due course though, they claim that they might be able to provide some assistance.
As the former pilot prepares to leave, he expresses regret over his inability to help us out. He confesses that he believes he is letting us down. I retort that our unpreparedness was not his folly. It was ours and ours alone - and we bear the consequences. Furthermore, I add, the fact that he introduced us to the locals who had offered us some hope out of our quandary was perhaps a lot more than we had expected, for we had expected nothing.
Thirty minutes to the clock and the locals ask me to speak with the owner of the canteen. I do as instructed. I am asked how many litres I need. I count roughly a minimum 30 litres between all of us. He says he will arrange it for a compensation of 50 bucks a litre, 5 bucks less than the legit rate. I gladly accept. We are asked to bring in our steeds and wait on the approach road. In time, we are told, a truck would rendezvous with us and deliver the necessary fuel. We were to pay on delivery. We agree.
As RomeoMike returns and re-attaches the dismembered wheel, we return to Diskit to fetch our steeds. I go pillion with Vishal who will have me rolling with laughter for he claims that should his future wife ask to ride to Leh with him, he will prefer instead to show her photographs and ask her to be satisfied with it. He has not a iota of will to retrace his steps. He further claims that he understands that he now needs a more powerful bike and that on return, he will invest in a Passion Pro. Of course he jests.
We re-engage our steeds and ride back, hoping they will make the 7kms. On my way back I will offer a ride to a hitchhiker who as it turns out, is stoned out of his skull. He will scream "Wow" at every corner and eventually get off at a random spot and run downhill muttering similar Wows.
We must wait long for the fuel to arrive. Roughly an hour as it turns out. In the meantime, Spiderweb will pixellate while Motorbreath and I will twiddle our thumbs. RomeoMike and company will spend time in the cafe. As the fuel is delivered, we are told that we must tank up and return the vessel. In a bid to complete the illegitimate transaction at the earliest, we will empty the vessel into three steeds - Spiderweb's, Motorbreath's and mine. This, predictably, agitates RomeoMike for he believes he is running short on fuel as well. This time round, I promise him that I will ride with him even if it means detaching myself from my herd. Should he need fuel, he can draw some from mine. Understanding our fear and our decision to complete the transaction quickly, RomeoMike will settle down.
One more time we will commence our ride as six. We must once again scale the mighty Khardung La and find our way into the familiar embrace of Leh.
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