Travel Stories : Ladakh (Part 1)

Write up by Sis Tag-Along

DAY 1 : AIRPORT TO AIRPORT : Barely made it!

KUL > DEL T3 > DEL T1 > LEH

FYI, the airport facilities in India is good BUT it has a very complicate system. It can be quite stressful especially for a first timer. So, here are few lists ( facts and tips ) on how to survive Indian airports (generally).

29 SEPTEMBER 2017

DEL T3 ( International ) > DEL T1 ( Domestic )

via Airport Shuttle / 8km/ 10Min / 38°C

1/ Take the Airport Shuttle

They have FREE airport shuttle for travellers just outside the main exit. We just showed our boarding passes at the counter near the waiting area. It was pretty easy. Waiting time for shuttle was approximately 20 minutes and the journey to the DEL T1 took probably 10 mins. But Delhi’s traffic is unpredictable. You never know.

TIPS: Plan your time. Give plenty of room for unprecedented delay.

2/ You Cannot Simply Enter the Airport

Just for heads up, most airport security in India is very thorough. It’s quite nuisances. At the entrance, the military guard asked us to present our flight confirmation email showing our itinerary and passport. You won’t get into airport if you failed to do so. This means non-traveling friends or family are not allowed in the building. Not that that we have one at that moment.

Then, they screened our bags even before we able to check-in. MAKE SURE you screened your luggage or if not you will be sent to back of the line.

TIPS:

• Book flight in advance

• Print all the e-tickets / proof confirmation prior.

• Don’t be ‘cincai’ (lazy) and skip screening your bags

3/ Security Check Just Got Real

Finally, we were inside the airport. We checked-in at the counter and was on our way to the departure hall, where there was another security point (oh. You thought it was over?).

This part was more annoying. Just make sure you remove ALL electronics from your bags. I wasn't aware of this level of tight security screening at the time. So the security held me back and took all the time they had searching through my bags and rescanning them several times. I brought a DSLR camera and weirdly they asked me to switch it on and off. I'm not sure why but I bet many airports do this, just that I have never encountered one before.

Oh! One of the good thing about Indian airport security is that they have a special queue for ladies so that you will be petted down in private screens so that the men can't stare at you.

That’s very considerate! But also this tells you something else about the way the opposite sex may view us. This may cause paranoia in the future.

TIPS:

• Organise your stuff well

• Make sure you remove all the electronics from your bags. EVERYTHING

• Be patient. Just take it easy. Stay calm.

4/ Make yourself at home

Since we had some time to kill before boarding, we decided to take a nap. The departure hall was crowded with people and they seem quite “comfortable”. They sleep everywhere. Don’t be alarmed. This is how things work here.

5/ Bus ride to the plane

Our gate changed at the last minute. It was confusing but after some troubles, we found the right gate. While waiting to board, some other people lay on the floor while waiting. So just do what you want.

Then we were packed into a bus that took us to the plane.

30 SEPTEMBER 2017

DEL T1 > LEH

via Go Air / 624km / 1H 30Min / 10 °C

6/ Pretty Sight Out of the Window

Ladakh in general is very pretty. So you can expect some breathtaking aerial views.

We didn’t expect this. Also, after all the fuss at the airport earlier, we became tired and fell asleep almost throughout the flight until my friend Leanna woke us up for subuh pray.

All the tiredness changed to excitement when we saw the view of Trans-Himalayas, everything covered with snow.

But we had to rush for pray as the subuh period was almost over hoping that we could enjoy the view more after we were done. Unfortunately, we passed that view. SAD. And not a single photo. SAD-er.

TIPS:

• Be camera ready because there’s a lot of different scenes to see.

• It is always fun to see sunrise view in the air. So preferably book an early flight and window seat if you can.

This is the view of Trans-Himalayan that we failed to capture.

Still regret sleeping in that flight till this day .:(

Photo Outsource: https://www.tripoto.com/profile/nakul5909230

Morning landscape of Northern India as the sun illuminates the horizon.

7/ Dizzy landing

Since Leh is surrounded by mountains, the flight had to do some circles and went back up several times before reaching the runway. So here we were treated to this view of Leh with its river. At some point we got a bit close to the beautiful and majestic mountains. The airport itself was really small and humble but it was one of the most beautiful airport scene I personally have ever seen.

TIPS: Just enjoy your time.

The plane was flying right next to the mountain.

Touchdown!

8/ Request a Pick-up

We were so relieved that the hotel we booked agreed to pick us up at the airport, making our journey so much easier. And the driver seems friendly too even though he didn't speak much English.

LEH Airport- waiting / drop off area.

Who needs a fancy structure when you have this view?

END OF PART 1.

- Sis Tag-Along