Day 24 Wednesday 25 July. Leh

My recovery was a miracle. I gingerly stepped from the bed to the bathroom. I was getting worried Alan would have to leave and I would be left alone unable to cycle anywhere and would have to then arrange my own flight home.

I took things extremely carefully. Our appetites were still keen and with every possibility available we chose to have a full breakfast. Eggs, coffee, toast, and marmalade. Not exactly local cuisine but we craved for it. happy birthday for yesterday and catch up on the family. It was then down to the internet place to wish Keryn a I bought a few more supplies for the next leg to Manali which will take 10-12 days. We were able to download our photos onto a thumb-drive and CD just as a backup. Down at the markets we couldn’t resist a kilo of apricots and plums.

The rest of the day we did some gift shopping. pieces. I am being selective hunting down the right pieces. I have been looking for a brass/ silver tumbler for Jack like the one Alan bought me many years ago on his Himalayan travels. They are very old and not so common. I have bought some silver jewellery for Keryn and Emma. I will pack everything I have purchased to send tomorrow in a parcel with some of my unused winter thermals. I will then be traveling even lighter.

After searching around we found a pleasant Ladakhi Kitchen Restaurant featuring traditional vegetarian food for dinner. It was excellent. Back in our guest house we started sorting and packing. Alan has given me his medicines, sleeping bag liner, bike lock and other bits and pieces that I can use for the remainder of the trip.