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dras photo

~Photo (c)1999 TwoFeathers~
Three friends and myself set off for Srinagar from Kargil, about 200km east of the summer capital. After trying to get a bus ticket for two days, we decided to be a bit adventurous and try to hitch a ride with one of the goods transport trucks. Within fifteen minutes and a bit of haggling, we were off to Srinagar for a fraction of the price of a bus ride with a couple of drivers who we would soon become forever connected to in a way we could never have imagined, soon to experience an event that would forever change our lives...

This photo was taken just outside of Drass (140km east of Srinagar, elev. ~5200m) early in the morning as we were heading out. Even though the first snows of the year had just started to arrive and the temps were fairly low, the exhiliration of riding on the top of the truck was too much to pass up.

Later on that day, we reached a makeshift truckstop where at least a hundred transports were held up due to the road being washed out a week earlier. The army stationed there informed everyone that it would take another day to reopen. The sun had started shining, so the drivers of our truck and ourselves decided that we should backtrack to this clearing near the river and have a picnic to pass the time.

A few hours into our rice and dal feast, we were approached by Indian army personnel who were rather livid at finding us in this clearing. When we asked them why the fuss, they pointed across the river and said 'That is Pakistan!' They ordered us to pack up and head back to the truck stop. Obliging their request, we hastily gathered up our stuff and took off. This was where fate decided to make a cameo appearance...
All photos (c)copyright TwoFeathers. You are more than welcome to use any of the photos. All I ask is that you ask first out of respect.