The 03/09 I left the shore of Thadsang Karu after having greeted the monks. I went again in opposite direction the metalled road up to the junction to Thukje. It then becomes a track with a rather bad surface quality, holes and corrugated sheet. I crossed the pass of Polo Kongka at a GPS altitude of 4966 meters high. Along the road workmen broke rocks to prepare it in view of its asphalting. At the end of the morning I stopped little before Thukje to publish pages of my website by the satellite modem. The only interest of the hamlet of Thukje is to have a pump drawing water in the ground water. I filled the tanks. Arrived on the asphalted road from Leh to Manali I bivouacked at its proximity at an altitude of 4659 meters high.

 
Polo KongKa 
the 03/09/2007 

Rock brakeage workmen 
the 03/09/2007 

The following day was one day of driving on the NH20 from Leh to Manali. It crosses the Mounts of Zanskar then the Himalayas before going down to Manali. I drove 120 kilometres in six hours stops deduced in a fairy-like landscape by crossing the pass of Lachlung La at a GPS altitude of 5085 meters high. During all this day on a narrow road with a degraded surface I dreamed of a roadway with the European standards to appreciate the landscape, succession of gorges, peaks with glittering colours. Since I left Leh, I was at an average altitude of 45OO meters high with passes over 5000 metres high.

 
Gorge 
the 04/09/2007 

The 05/09 was still a day of driving which started on a bumped road in a dramatic landscape. Alas that did not last a long time. The up hill of the pass of Baralacha La, 4927 meters at the GPS, was a bravery bit. Then the down hill was done on an entirely new surfacing roadway. But after a few kilometres the road became an abominable track. One strong moment on this narrow and very degraded with landslides and works in progress road was the passing of buses and tankers. On several occasions the wheels of my truck were at a few centimetres of the ravine. One of the advantages of the left-drive truck is to be able to drive to nearest. Moreover I was brought to get out several times of my truck to recall to tanker drivers the rule of the priority to up-hill vehicles, «Give a way for up hill traffic», obliging sometimes drivers to move back.
I bivouacked in Keylong at the Bus Stand. The main street is a multitude of shops and guesthouses.

 
Day start 
the 05/09/2007 

Towards the Baralacha La 
the 05/09/2007 

 
Afterwards the Baralacha La 
the 05/09/2007 

The following day I moved towards Manali. I put 4:50 to drive the 69 kilometres from Keylong to Rothang-La, 3983 meters of GPS altitude. I bivouacked on the southern slope in front of the tourists shops.

The 07/09 I discovered while getting up that there was a Dutch truck close to me. We made knowledge and we exchanged information. They went to Leh.
The 53 km from Rothang-La to Manali were drove in four hours. I met Johann Pavia, treks operator in Manali (see menu Information). He gave me useful advice to visit Spiti and Kinnaur valleys. I bivouacked on the Mall opposite the Piccadily Resorts.

Two trucks 
le 07/09/2007 

The following weeks were dedicated to Spiti and Kinnaur valleys.