High Altitude: Acclimatization and Illnesses

motographer

motographer

Civilized Mountain Man
I've felt sick while being driven around. Its Acute Motion Sickness (another AMS) :)! I feel dumb when I just sit around in a car/jeep or even as pillion on a bike for that matter. To me, the best part is driving or riding the vehicle!

BTW, I had my bout with AMS on my first trip to Ladakh. I had to cross the bone-chilling-waist-deep stream because of a broken bridge near Darcha and ride over B'La at night in pitch darkness. Stayed in the make-do tent at Bharatpur which is just a little below B'La -- higher than Sarchu. To make matters worse, it started pouring. Yes, a friggin downpour and I thought it was a rain-shadow region! The Nepali tent owners said they're seeing rain there after 5 years :mad:

Looking back now, I think, I never really enjoyed that ride because first off I was with the wrong company and secondly, were just rushing past which I think was in sheer disrespect for the Mighty One - The Himalayas!

My bro who rode with me then didn't really have any problem despite smoking and drinking :confused: I guess his lungs were already used to getting less oxygen because of smoking -- heh, kidding! I guess its only got to do with proper acclimatization. Hope everything will be alright this time around :)
 
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Yogesh Sarkar

Yogesh Sarkar

Administrator
motographer said:
BTW, I had my bout with AMS on my first trip to Ladakh. I had to cross the bone-chilling-waist-deep stream because of a broken bridge near Darcha and ride over B'La at night in pitch darkness. Stayed in the make-do tent at Bharatpur which is just a little below B'La -- higher than Sarchu. To make matters worse, it started pouring. Yes, a friggin downpour and I thought it was a rain-shadow region! The Nepali tent owners said they're seeing rain there after 5 years :mad:
Click to expand...
Thats what they always say, despite the fact that it almost rains daily at Baralacha La! :roll:
 
Salil

Salil

Administrator
Staff member
Even if the region is a rain shadow region in general, the small area that comes under the Manali side of almost all passes in the Manali - Leh route does experience more rains than other areas. Be it Rohtang jot, Baralacha La or Tanglang La. The reasons are obvious to people who have studied a bit of Geography in school. And it is always recommended to spend the nigh at the lowest altitude possible specially on the Manali - Leh highway.
 
Prasham

Prasham

Armchair Traveller :(
As far as I know due to the Some Mountain Range that lies to North of Himalayas... Sorry Great Himalayas.... face lots of rain and the clouds that come afterwards in India are empty of water.

Similar to Mumbai - Pune Situation. Mumbai receives lot of rains while same can't be said for Pune.


Hope it is little clearer now....
 
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