Leh-Manali - part 4

Sunday 01 September

Of course there has to be a climb, but not as high or as long as the last five days. So we enjoy another morning of amazing scenery, now becoming more like Europe as there are permanent buildings and cultivation all along the valley. We actually cover 55 km and get to lunch before noon. And from there it's the bus to Manali.

Road construction people camp where the work is, and when
Ursula takes out the camera, they all want to get into a selfie

 Notable through all this area are the rock and mudslides, Where the highway has actually been constructed as a two-lane road, chances are that one lane will be covered by debris that has slid onto the road, leaving only one lane open. Other places, on the drop-off side, the edge will have eroded away leaving a precipitous drop. There isn't room in most places for a guard rail, and in the few places where there is, they don't stand a chance against the slides which simply wipe them out.

After lunch, it's onto the van for the drive to Manali. A big climb to the pass, and on the other side, the weather was terrible and we were so glad not to be riding in it. There are fresh slides. This one held us up for a bit. Two-wheel drive vehicles were reluctant to try to got through. We got through okay after weaving through waiting traffic. You can see that part of the road edge has disappeared behind the guy in the yellow jacket

The guy on the motorcycle following behind us certainly needed to clean his shoes tonight, but he got through. And mud wasn't all that obstructed the descent to Manali...

...goats...

...cows...

...rocks...

The driver was amazing. All we can say is that it is certainly not for the faint of heart. And now I understand much better how bus accidents happen in places like this. I'll bet it isn't speed or recklessness that causes them. Much more likely a bus trying to use every centimetre of the road width to get by obstructions or other traffic, maybe a misjudgement of the edge or maybe to have the edge of the road give way due to erosion or other effects of it being built on such a steep hill edge.

So into a nice hotel for a rest day here... more later.