Dangerous, yet awesome ride

The 10th edition of the Raid-de Himalaya is not only throwing surprises at the participants but is also keeping the media team on their toes.

The roads are treacherous. The journey from Manali to Kaza on the second leg of the rally was a rollercoaster. The nine-hour drive on a switchback road was frightening to say the least. After crossing river after river, the journey wound through two passes - Rhotang (3,900 metres from the sea level) and Kunjum La (4,551 metres). A slight loss in concentration by the cab driver would have been the end in a deep ravine.

The road to Rohtang was steep and narrow with the rough spots where it had been washed out and filled with a curious mixture of mud. The 203-km road is punctuated with steering-breaking hairpins and broken rocks. Snow makes the road even more slippery.

An array of tombstones en route in memory of those who had died in accidents summed up the nature of our journey. However, the first glimpse of the snow-covered mountains alleviated the pain. The air was clean, but it was rarefied, necessitating the use of oxygen mask. At sunset, the colourful mountains were a sight to behold. After punctures and a hydraulic brake failure, it was a big relief to reach Kaza. Time for some well-deserved rest in a tourist guesthouse. "Don't we really deserve a bravery award for completing the leg?" quipped a companion.

The third leg was a historic journey as the rally reached Komic, the highest inhabited village in the world. Situated 4,553 metres above the sea level, it shares the border with Nepal and has 10 monasteries.

Komic is also in the record books for having the world's highest school, polling booth and petrol station. The village has only 115 people and they earn their bread and butter brewing a local beer called 'Chang'.

C. Santhosh Kumar