Love in the Himalayas: Smriti’s Romantic Ladakh Retreat with Thrillophilia
“So, how was it..? Tell me everything!”
This was Neha, my younger sister, asking me about my recent Ladakh adventure with my husband.
“I don’t even know where to start, Neha. The trip was so incredible that even now, I feel like a part of me is still wandering in Ladakh.” I added with a sigh, staring at my unopened suitcase.
“Let’s make a cup of coffee while we’re on the call and then I’ll tell you all about it”, I added.
With each of us in our own kitchens, making coffee together on the call, it felt like distance didn’t matter at all.
Snuggled up in bed with a hot cup of coffee and some snacks, I said, “Well, it all started from Leh….”
Stepping into the Adventure!
“You know we travelled with a group of 20-25 people who we met in Leh. At first, I was not sure about this but as the days passed, I started enjoying their company so much that now I feel like I miss them.” I said.
With a surprise, she asked, “But how did this happen…? You don’t easily mingle up with people.”
I added, “I know right! But it was different this time. We all were like-minded travellers and we gossiped so much about what places we have travelled and where we are planning our next adventure. I think what really bonded all of us was the jamming sessions at night. And let me tell you, we had quite a few great singers in our batch and you would have loved it there!”
I continued my experience in Leh, “So, in Leh we did not really do much apart from wandering around and exploring on our own. At night, we went to a local dhaba from where we tried Tingmo and Chhurpi. I really liked Tingmo but I think Chhurpi was not my thing…! We even went to the Leh Market and we did quite a lot of shopping. We even got you a little gift!”
She interrupted excitedly, “Wait, what did you get me?”
I laughed and said, “No, no…! You will have to get here and collect it yourself!”
With a sad tone she replied, “Okay, fine. Where did you go after Leh?”
I continued, “After Leh, we drove all the way to Sham Valley. You know the Magnetic Hill that we talked about so much, we went there and it is true, the vehicle starts rolling backwards there. It was so fascinating!”
“In between, we passed through a village where we got to see such a vast and beautiful apricot orchard. We talked to the locals there and even tried the traditional Gur-gur Cha which was basically Butter Tea!”
Pouring a second cup of coffee from the kettle, I continued, “The next day, from Sham Valley we went to Nubra Valley.”
She exclaimed, “Nubra! Wait, please tell me you guys did stargazing there!”
I smiled and added, “Yes, we did and it was epic…!”
A Night under the Stars!
With a heavy sigh, remembering the beauty of Nubra Valley, I added, “You cannot even imagine how beautiful it was! You remember the scenic pictures we used to download from Google and set it up as our wallpaper..? I was standing amidst one of those sceneries!”
Neha exclaimed once again, “My goodness! Now, I really want to go to Ladakh. How was the stargazing experience?”
I replied, “So we all lit up a huge bonfire, in front of our camps. First, we had a really wholesome meal because we all needed the energy! After finishing up our dinner, as usual, people brought their guitars and gathered around the bonfire for a musical night. We all spent the night singing and looking up at the sky.”
The sky was so beautiful and clear. There were so many stars, shining so bright! It was literally the best moment in the entire trip. After an hour, your jiju and I decided to change our spot and look for something quieter. So, while others were still jamming, both of us were enjoying the peace and calm of our surroundings.”
She added with a teasing tone, “Hmm, romantic, huh? Oh, did you also get to see the 3 Idiots’ school and lake?”
I replied, “Oh, yes! I almost forgot to tell you about our filmy scene!”
Living the Filmy Dream at Pangong!
She asked, “What filmy scene?”
I replied, “So, after exploring the Pangong Lake, we saw that there was a poster nearby which displayed a bike scene from the movie, ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’. You know how much I love SRK, so I had to recreate it. Then we stood right in front of the poster, gave the exact same pose as SRK and Anushka and clicked my favourite picture of the trip.
Not just that, we also got to see the Druk Padma Karpo School where 3 Idiots was shot. And believe it or not, the school was exactly like how it was shown in the movie. Our guide informed us that the founder of the school helps students who struggle with traditional schooling”
Her next question was, “I saw online that there was a prop from the 3 Idiots movie in that school. Did you also get a photo there?”
I replied teasingly, “No, my idiot (Neha) was not there so we did not. If you would have been there then it would have been the perfect place to get a picture with you!”
We both burst out laughing.
She interrupted and said, “Okay now send me the picture of my gift. I won’t be able to come there before Friday and I cannot for two more days. So at least send me a picture and let me see what it is.”
I replied, “Okay, fine, check your whatsapp.”
I got up from my bed, knowing it was finally time to open my suitcase and unpack as the adventure was over!
Read More: Thrillophilia Ladakh Reviews