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Latest news:
24th August 2001

Location:
Hotel, Leh

The expedition almost feels under way. Our hotel in Leh is too comfortable for us to feel we are really on an expedition to a totally unexplored mountain range.

Our journey has gone very smoothly - an easy flight to Mumbai (Bombay), meeting Mark Richey in the Departure Lounge at Heathrow, followed by two delightful days of relaxation and superb food at the Kapadia household. We also visited the Bombay race course to join Harish on his early morning exercise, walking or running round the course a couple of times and then undertaking a set of Joga exercises. We traveled over night on the Rajdhani Express to reach New Delhi at 1030 on the morning of 21 August. Briefing by Colonel Nath, Director of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation, meeting up with our liaison officer, Captain Lingwal and then in the evening a lecture to the Himalayan Club by Mark Richey. Mark Wilford arrived late that night, direct from Salt Lake City and we all set out for the Air Port at 3.30am that morning. It was at that moment that I discovered that I had left the box containing all our communication and film equipment under the seat of the train. The fact that I'm posting this report shows that we recovered the box thanks to the energy of Yangdo of Rimo, our agents and the honesty of Indian Railway staff. It caught up with me in Leh on the 24th.

Meanwhile, on the morning of 22 August we enjoyed a superb flight with views of the mountains of Lahoul and Kishtwar jutting out of the clouds to fly into the valley of Leh surrounded by arid brown peaks. It is a sprawling town full of curio shops and small locally run hotels and restaurants. At a height of 3340 metres acclimatisation is essential which is why we are spending three days here at the excellent and very friendly Khanglachen Hotel, visiting some of the local monasteries and undertaking a hectic social schedule - Harish has made many friends over the years that he has explored the Eastern Karakoram.

Tomorrow we drive across the Khardung La to drop down into the Nubra Valley where we shall spend a further two days acclimatising before walking up the Tirit Valley to Arganglas, the start of our climbing area.

Setting out from Mumbai on the Rajdhani Express.
Left to right:
Cyrus Shroff, Mark Richey, Harish Kapadia, Divyesh Muni and Chris Bonington

Expedition group at the Shanti Stupa above Leh taken on the day after arrival.
Left to right:
Divyesh Muni, Satya Dam, Jim Lowther, Chris Bonington, Cyrus Shroff, Harish Kapadia, Mark Wilford, Mark Richey, Burjor Banaji, Suman Dubey. (Burjor and Suman are accompanying the expedition to base camp)