That’s Rakesh on the right. On the left is Podamsa, a Nepali who ran the guesthouse in Ratcham in the Sangla Valley. Rakesh was supplied to my by the government tourism office. He takes people on these long drives in his company’s taxi, mostly to this region and to Rajastan. He seems to be a real nice guy, though our cultures are so different, it’s hard to tell for sure. He sure has a lot of friends. I’m guessing that’s because he’s always going to these places and taking us to his prefered guesthouses, and then he’s left alone to socialize with whomever he’s gotten to know over the ten years he’s been doing this. He’s friendly, though his behavior toward me is so deferential it’s hard to say what our “relationship” is. It would be easier if he spoke more that a little bit of English. Anyway, I know he’s unmarried, lives in Delhi when he’s not working, has a degree in zoology but the money’s a lot better in driving, has incredible and daring driving skills, and always is eager to help, and has a kind look in his eye. He tries to be something of a tour guide. I guess most tourists want to see the temples, so he wants to take me to those. He always prays at the Hindu temples for a couple of minutes. He waits outside the Buddhist and Sikh temples. I’m almost temples out already, myself, except for the Buddhist ones. I’m good for a few monasteries in Ladakh. After that there won’t be many Buddhist sights.
Podamsa spoke much better English. What a relief. He also helped communicate some leftover thoughts Rakesh and I couldn’t pull off ourselves. He works this hotel in Sangla, then returns to Nepal with his savings to give to his parents and siblings. Apparently, after he’s run the gauntlet of border guards and police there, there’s not much left. He’s very friendly and curious. He guided us around the area at the end of the road in the Sangla Valley, past a town named Chitkul.
As for meeting the locals, I’ve met the people Rakesh and his friends and hotel guys he’s brought around or we’ve run into. The Kinnauri who live in the Kinnaur and Sangla Valleys are interesting. I have a hard time, though, pointing a camera at anyone, so I don’t have pictures I’m sure would be entertaining. The women are particularly interesting looking, with different dress from locale to locale. Even these women above cutting ogla, a grain with red leaves, are interesting. But I just can’t go up to them and shoot. They generally look so stern anyway. Take it from me that they look half Indian and half Tibetan, which they are. The one thing they have in common is they wear these round, mostly purple felt caps. If you want to see more about them, search “Kinnaur”.
This is a nicer Hamachal village house, with typical stone and wooden construction.
This is the roadway, with many areas blasted out of granite.
These are kids hanging out on the roof of the house next door to my guesthouse in Ratcham. Aw, I got a flower on my veranda covering one of the kid’s heads.
People threshing wheat.
Traffic jam near Kalpa.