Despite
being on a flight at 0650 we arrived at the airport and starting checking in at
around 0430. According to our papers and reservation confirmations we would
have a weight limit of 23 kg on the flight to Leh. When checking in the
employees – for some of us – insisted the limit was 15kg and we therefore had
to pay for the excess luggage. Bo and I were two of the affected so we were
referred to another booth to handle the payment. We managed to convince them
that our reservations said 23kg but they insisted on seeing our boarding passes
for our previous flight to prove that we had just arrived and therefore didn’t
know any better. Bo had his handled immediately, whereas I, for the first time
ever, had cleaned out the paperwork for the now (I assumed) non-relevant flight
to Delhi. With long talks back and forth we managed to convince them that we
(Bo, I and the others) had been on the same flight and both our fees were
waivered. That was much more stupid than it had to be.
Going
through security my bag was stopped and I was told that they had to confiscate
my scissors. I informed them that there were none in in my bag, and they
emptied the bag and brought the things through the scanner separately again.
Yup – they could still see the scissors. They then came over and began a
thorough search of my bag. A couple of years ago I received a small first aid
kit from my the travel insurance I usually use; as I already had/have a larger
kit I decided to keep this one as a spare in the bag I use as a carry-on and
day-pack. Because I already had one with what I needed I never took a thorough
look at what the small kit contained. See where this is going? Yes, security
found a small pair of scissors. I apologized profusely that I had completely
forgotten about it and therefore constantly insisting I didn’t have any, they
apologized for confiscating it, and that was it.
2 years
I have had the small first aid kit. All that time it was in my carry-on bag. I
have been travelling quite a lot the previous years, but not until now the
scissors were found. Yeah…
The rest
of the stay at the airport and the flight to Leh was uneventful and at around
1000 we arrived at the hotel where we met the last participant of the group.
After a
short rest and check-in we took a walk through the town to get our bearings.
Apparently the Dalai Lama is nearby doing his teachings these days so some of
us are discussing trying to get a chance to go and see him if we have the time
at some point when in Leh. This is something he does regularly in different
places in the world; it’s called the Kalachakra and apparently the first time
in more than 20 years it is done near Leh. We had lunch at the hotel, a couple
of hours rest before we had a walk up to Shanti Stupa, a stupa just outside the
town. In the evening we met up with out guides for the next couple of days
while situated in Leh. Dinner at 2000 and afterwards everyone pretty much just
went to bed.
I can
easily feel that we've come directly from New Delhi to Leh at 3500m. After
having been drinking plenty of water I expect tomorrow, after a good night’s
sleep, to be much better (and less headache-ish).
A cup of tea was had at the hotel upon arrival. Stok Kangri can be seen in the distance.
Leh.
Shanti Stupa.
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