Yogesh Sarkar
Administrator
The stranded Storme
We checked with a few passersby, they didn’t know where the occupants of the Storme were. We checked with a shopkeeper nearby and he told us that they were here in the morning. Safari Storme wasn’t starting, so they tried to tow start it and that didn’t work. He said they were getting a replacement battery from Leh and were in a hotel in Nyoma.
His phone too was down, so we couldn’t call them and decided to check out guesthouses nearby. Eventually, KP found them in a small guesthouse, not too far away.
Soon all of us met and the trio started narrating their experience.
Turns out they had made it to Nyoma yesterday, after visiting Hanle. The battery of their car had died and all attempts to revive it had been futile. Jumpstarts, tow-starts etc. have not worked, since Safari needs a battery to keep the engine going. Eventually, Rahul called Dorjey, thinking I was traveling with him. Since my phone number was unreachable today.
Dorjey had agreed to buy a car battery for them from Leh, and send it in a taxi. As we spoke, the car battery was probably en route.
Since mobile phone network was down, we decided to stick around and wait for it.
After a couple of hours, mobile phone network started working and we got confirmation from the driver, that he was en route and he had the battery with him. Since it was already past 4pm, we decided to head to Leh, hoping to catch the driver en route.
Rahul was planning to start for Leh as soon as the Safari started working. I tried to dissuade him from doing that at night since the road between Nyoma and Upshi was in bad condition. However, the max concession I could get from him was, he would only do it if the driver too was heading back to Leh. In that case, he would follow his vehicle back to Leh.
We once again began our journey back to Leh. I had slept for barely 3 and a half hours, and now, I was feeling sleepy. That along with stomach ache ensured that I lost my will to do any photography and instead chose to lose myself in thoughts and the road we were driving on. After all, this was one of my favorites stretches in Ladakh. Running along the Indus River.
Of course, my SJCAM SJ4000+ was recording the entire journey in the form of a hyper-lapse.
We stopped en route at Chumathang, while Neha and KP went to have a look at the hot springs, I decided to stay put. I wanted to rest, and the car felt cozy. I guess my lazy mode had just switched on. Photography for me was over. And whenever I get into that mindset, I put away my camera.
After about half an hour, we got back on the road and headed back to Leh. En route we crossed a Scorpio, being driven at a blazing fast speed.
Sonam recognized it easily, it was none other than Dorjey’s father. Turned out, he was the one, who was taking the battery to Rahul.
An old man (only by looks), with a cigarette in his mouth and a style of driving, that could easily rival most spirited young drivers.
We were now sure, Rahul would soon have a battery for his Safari Storme and would be meeting us in Leh.
The evening turned into night, and conversations continued.
Once we reached around Upshi, I called Otsal and requested him to get our rooms ready and another room for the trio, as well as food for all of us.
We managed to reach Leh around 7:30pm and headed straight for Otsal Guest House.
Once there, we were welcomed by the ever cheerful and warm smile of Otsal and got our rooms back.
Sadly the only other room available didn’t have an attached toilet. However, Otsal promised to provide warm food till midnight or even later, depending on when Rahul arrived.
We went back to our rooms, after calling home, I crashed and immediately fell asleep.
I eventually woke up around 11:30, saw there were a couple of missed calls from Neha. The trio too arrived at the guest house and I met them. By then Neha and KP had gone to sleep.
There was a shock in store for me.
The trio had been in an accident! A major one at that and Storme’s bumper and bonnet had suffered a lot of damage.
Rahul was pissed but laughing, once again he hadn’t listened to what I had said (I had warned him about battery before leaving Delhi) and worst fears had come true.
Worst still, they had rear-ended the very person, who had in a way, rescued them from Nyoma, Dorjey’s father!
Turns out, he was as usual driving at a fast pace on dirt roads and these guys were following him. He climbed a culvert, which wasn’t complete and braked hard. Rahul initially thought he was slowing down and only braked hard at the last moment. By then it was too late, Safari Storme banged the rear door of the Scorpio real hard. With enough force to catapult the Scorpio several feet ahead.
Thankfully only Mini sustained minor injuries in the accident, and no one was seriously hurt.
Dorjey’s dad, while furious initially, still accompanied them to Leh and had even helped them tie the bumper and bonnet.
As we talked and laughed about this incident over dinner, all of us knew, tomorrow was going to be a long day.
Prashant moved in my room, while Rahul and Mini had to make do with a beautiful room adjacent to mine, though without any attached toilet.
It had been a long day, and now, it was time to go to sleep.
Scroll down to read the next part
We checked with a few passersby, they didn’t know where the occupants of the Storme were. We checked with a shopkeeper nearby and he told us that they were here in the morning. Safari Storme wasn’t starting, so they tried to tow start it and that didn’t work. He said they were getting a replacement battery from Leh and were in a hotel in Nyoma.
His phone too was down, so we couldn’t call them and decided to check out guesthouses nearby. Eventually, KP found them in a small guesthouse, not too far away.
Soon all of us met and the trio started narrating their experience.
Turns out they had made it to Nyoma yesterday, after visiting Hanle. The battery of their car had died and all attempts to revive it had been futile. Jumpstarts, tow-starts etc. have not worked, since Safari needs a battery to keep the engine going. Eventually, Rahul called Dorjey, thinking I was traveling with him. Since my phone number was unreachable today.
Dorjey had agreed to buy a car battery for them from Leh, and send it in a taxi. As we spoke, the car battery was probably en route.
Since mobile phone network was down, we decided to stick around and wait for it.
After a couple of hours, mobile phone network started working and we got confirmation from the driver, that he was en route and he had the battery with him. Since it was already past 4pm, we decided to head to Leh, hoping to catch the driver en route.
Rahul was planning to start for Leh as soon as the Safari started working. I tried to dissuade him from doing that at night since the road between Nyoma and Upshi was in bad condition. However, the max concession I could get from him was, he would only do it if the driver too was heading back to Leh. In that case, he would follow his vehicle back to Leh.
We once again began our journey back to Leh. I had slept for barely 3 and a half hours, and now, I was feeling sleepy. That along with stomach ache ensured that I lost my will to do any photography and instead chose to lose myself in thoughts and the road we were driving on. After all, this was one of my favorites stretches in Ladakh. Running along the Indus River.
Of course, my SJCAM SJ4000+ was recording the entire journey in the form of a hyper-lapse.
We stopped en route at Chumathang, while Neha and KP went to have a look at the hot springs, I decided to stay put. I wanted to rest, and the car felt cozy. I guess my lazy mode had just switched on. Photography for me was over. And whenever I get into that mindset, I put away my camera.
After about half an hour, we got back on the road and headed back to Leh. En route we crossed a Scorpio, being driven at a blazing fast speed.
Sonam recognized it easily, it was none other than Dorjey’s father. Turned out, he was the one, who was taking the battery to Rahul.
An old man (only by looks), with a cigarette in his mouth and a style of driving, that could easily rival most spirited young drivers.
We were now sure, Rahul would soon have a battery for his Safari Storme and would be meeting us in Leh.
The evening turned into night, and conversations continued.
Once we reached around Upshi, I called Otsal and requested him to get our rooms ready and another room for the trio, as well as food for all of us.
We managed to reach Leh around 7:30pm and headed straight for Otsal Guest House.
Once there, we were welcomed by the ever cheerful and warm smile of Otsal and got our rooms back.
Sadly the only other room available didn’t have an attached toilet. However, Otsal promised to provide warm food till midnight or even later, depending on when Rahul arrived.
We went back to our rooms, after calling home, I crashed and immediately fell asleep.
I eventually woke up around 11:30, saw there were a couple of missed calls from Neha. The trio too arrived at the guest house and I met them. By then Neha and KP had gone to sleep.
There was a shock in store for me.
The trio had been in an accident! A major one at that and Storme’s bumper and bonnet had suffered a lot of damage.
Rahul was pissed but laughing, once again he hadn’t listened to what I had said (I had warned him about battery before leaving Delhi) and worst fears had come true.
Worst still, they had rear-ended the very person, who had in a way, rescued them from Nyoma, Dorjey’s father!
Turns out, he was as usual driving at a fast pace on dirt roads and these guys were following him. He climbed a culvert, which wasn’t complete and braked hard. Rahul initially thought he was slowing down and only braked hard at the last moment. By then it was too late, Safari Storme banged the rear door of the Scorpio real hard. With enough force to catapult the Scorpio several feet ahead.
Thankfully only Mini sustained minor injuries in the accident, and no one was seriously hurt.
Dorjey’s dad, while furious initially, still accompanied them to Leh and had even helped them tie the bumper and bonnet.
As we talked and laughed about this incident over dinner, all of us knew, tomorrow was going to be a long day.
Prashant moved in my room, while Rahul and Mini had to make do with a beautiful room adjacent to mine, though without any attached toilet.
It had been a long day, and now, it was time to go to sleep.
Scroll down to read the next part
Last edited:
