While cycling was down the Indus, headwind and constant little ascents ensured we never got to lazy in this stunning wine coloured valley
Ladakhi villages along the way offer a 'relieving' contrast to the beautiful stark and barren rock
Ama-le (grandma) and her two grandchildren - I love the community element of Ladakh, everything is shared: work, food and family
In a land so parched, the flowers overcame the water barrier and bloomed so brightly and boldly
Purple....
...and orange hues
Broken by splashes of green: poplars, wheat and barley field all fed by glacial melt water offering a cool respite from the harsh sun
and vibrant colour like these roadside roses
The swollen and turbid Indus
Houses are built with thick white washed adobe walls, cool in the hots summers while keeping warmth in during the sub-zero winters
The flat rooves are piled high with chaff and fodder for the long winters. Nothing is wasted or thrown away, even an old piec of clothing that can no longer be repaired will be used to channel/block water through their irrigation channels