I’ll travel 15 miles and 3,800 feet in elevation from my starting point in the
elevation from my starting point in the
elevation from my starting point in the city of leh to my first destination the
city of leh to my first destination the
city of leh to my first destination the Indian Army’s South Pole Oh check point
Indian Army’s South Pole Oh check point
Indian Army’s South Pole Oh check point with the tensions between India and
with the tensions between India and
with the tensions between India and Pakistan authorities require all
Pakistan authorities require all
Pakistan authorities require all vehicles to stop and register before
vehicles to stop and register before
vehicles to stop and register before proceeding northward as my companion
proceeding northward as my companion
proceeding northward as my companion Harish Kohli and I climb into the
Harish Kohli and I climb into the
Harish Kohli and I climb into the mountains the dangers we face become
mountains the dangers we face become
mountains the dangers we face become more real Harish points out the type of
more real Harish points out the type of
more real Harish points out the type of terrain that generates avalanches and
terrain that generates avalanches and
terrain that generates avalanches and landslides you can see the size of those
landslides you can see the size of those
landslides you can see the size of those boulders just hanging over this road
boulders just hanging over this road
boulders just hanging over this road here it wouldn’t take much to knock one
here it wouldn’t take much to knock one
here it wouldn’t take much to knock one of those often I guess they would come
of those often I guess they would come
of those often I guess they would come down like cannonballs yeah
on this cliff here that is easily a
on this cliff here that is easily a thousand feet to the right here
thousand feet to the right here
thousand feet to the right here keep an eye on the road now I’ll try to
keep an eye on the road now I’ll try to
keep an eye on the road now I’ll try to keep an eye on the road I’m not making
keep an eye on the road I’m not making
keep an eye on the road I’m not making you nervous am i I’ve always knows all
you nervous am i I’ve always knows all
you nervous am i I’ve always knows all these voters I’d rather walk it rather
these voters I’d rather walk it rather
these voters I’d rather walk it rather than this and this is coming from a man
than this and this is coming from a man
than this and this is coming from a man who’s skied across the entire Hema
who’s skied across the entire Hema
who’s skied across the entire Hema layers like I’m fine when I walk it oh
layers like I’m fine when I walk it oh
layers like I’m fine when I walk it oh when you’re on your own two feet
60-degree drop-offs are bad enough but
60-degree drop-offs are bad enough but there’s a man-made danger to military
there’s a man-made danger to military
there’s a man-made danger to military traffic as you see behind me the army
traffic as you see behind me the army
traffic as you see behind me the army uses this road is a vital lifeline to
uses this road is a vital lifeline to
uses this road is a vital lifeline to the nubra valley caravans of transport
the nubra valley caravans of transport
the nubra valley caravans of transport vehicles dominate the road on occasion
vehicles dominate the road on occasion
vehicles dominate the road on occasion the military even closes the route to
the military even closes the route to
the military even closes the route to civilian traffic to accommodate the
civilian traffic to accommodate the
civilian traffic to accommodate the convoys in 1947 when India gained
convoys in 1947 when India gained
convoys in 1947 when India gained independence from Great Britain the
independence from Great Britain the
independence from Great Britain the country was partitioned into Islamic
country was partitioned into Islamic
country was partitioned into Islamic Pakistan and Hindu India the new
Pakistan and Hindu India the new
Pakistan and Hindu India the new countries argued over the exact border
countries argued over the exact border
countries argued over the exact border in 1984 each moved troops onto the sea
in 1984 each moved troops onto the sea
in 1984 each moved troops onto the sea ash and glacier which is on the other
ash and glacier which is on the other
ash and glacier which is on the other side of the Cardin pass both countries
side of the Cardin pass both countries
side of the Cardin pass both countries have nuclear weapons and as recently as
have nuclear weapons and as recently as
have nuclear weapons and as recently as the year 2000 u.s. President Bill
the year 2000 u.s. President Bill
the year 2000 u.s. President Bill Clinton called the region the most
Clinton called the region the most
Clinton called the region the most dangerous place in the world today
dangerous place in the world today
dangerous place in the world today Harish Kohli served more than 30 years
Harish Kohli served more than 30 years
Harish Kohli served more than 30 years as an army officer and he still knows
as an army officer and he still knows
as an army officer and he still knows people fighting on the glacier today
people fighting on the glacier today
people fighting on the glacier today getting caught up in the conflict is an
getting caught up in the conflict is an
getting caught up in the conflict is an ever-present risk
as we continue our push up the winding
as we continue our push up the winding south face of the Cardin pass I find
south face of the Cardin pass I find
south face of the Cardin pass I find myself in awe of the travelers and
myself in awe of the travelers and
myself in awe of the travelers and traders who have made this trek along
traders who have made this trek along
traders who have made this trek along what is known as the Silk Road on foot
what is known as the Silk Road on foot
what is known as the Silk Road on foot the Silk Road entered the Western
the Silk Road entered the Western
the Silk Road entered the Western imagination around 1300 ad when Venetian
imagination around 1300 ad when Venetian
imagination around 1300 ad when Venetian trader and explorer Marco Polo wrote an
trader and explorer Marco Polo wrote an
trader and explorer Marco Polo wrote an account of his travels to China
account of his travels to China
account of his travels to China Cyrus before the invention of things
Cyrus before the invention of things
Cyrus before the invention of things like cars and helicopters and more nice
like cars and helicopters and more nice
like cars and helicopters and more nice technological advancements that we have
technological advancements that we have
technological advancements that we have people used to track this yeah on camel
people used to track this yeah on camel
people used to track this yeah on camel on foot with donkey yeah back then
on foot with donkey yeah back then
on foot with donkey yeah back then getting stranded on the mountain with no
getting stranded on the mountain with no
getting stranded on the mountain with no food or shelter was a death sentence
food or shelter was a death sentence
food or shelter was a death sentence there was a time when the whole area was
there was a time when the whole area was
there was a time when the whole area was littered with OPS’s of horses and camels
littered with OPS’s of horses and camels
littered with OPS’s of horses and camels and there were dead bodies soon all over
and there were dead bodies soon all over
and there were dead bodies soon all over and even today it is littered with bones
and even today it is littered with bones
and even today it is littered with bones so the the also road was kind of a road
so the the also road was kind of a road
so the the also road was kind of a road of bones hey close quarry Oh rolled-up
of bones hey close quarry Oh rolled-up
of bones hey close quarry Oh rolled-up bones yeah and it’s nearly as risky
bones yeah and it’s nearly as risky
bones yeah and it’s nearly as risky today
”
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