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    Mimi Cho - Photo Scholarship

    India

    There are [5] photos and [1] story about India

    Waking up to bright skies and fresh Himalayan air evokes new hope in our travel group. But alas, halfway into our descent we find ourselves deserting our beloved minibus to trek over the pesky landslide that forced our impromptu overnight stopover. A hitchhike or two later we find ourselves in a three hour traffic jam before a sixteen hour bus ride to Delhi. The roads are filled with South Indian tourists, and mink coats and ski suits for sale. Oh India, you sure know how to surprise! by: mimicho Views[212] I spoke too soon. Light rains have caused a landslide just big enough to force an impromptu stop in the village of Chhatru - population 120 at 11,100 feet. Chhatru's only cafe makes a killing that night. With nothing to do but wait for morning and hope for clear roads, stranded travellers (local and international) pass time with chow mein and chai. by: mimicho Views[452] Spiti is a cold desert valley in the Northern Himalayas. We travel along the Chandra river to arrive at Rohtang “Pile of dead bodies” Pass. The winding dirt roads of this beautiful mountain range freeze over all but a few weeks a year. While icy conditions on our ascent forced us to take an alternate route, on our descent the sun may not be the only deity shining on us. by: mimicho Views[412] The lady beside me speaks no English nor I Spitian but through hand gestures she’s understood and accepted my offer to carry her crate of eggs on my lap, for which she shares her packet of marsala ‘twisties’. The eclectic North Indian music playing from the radio is the perfect soundtrack to the rugged rocky landscape we are rolling through. We pass a herd of goats, then a red fox darts across the road in front of us then vanishes up the mountain as quickly as it appeared. by: mimicho Views[222] It's time to begin our descent. 60 hours from Himalayan isolation to one of the densest capital cities on earth begins on a minibus at 5000 metres above sea level. Our local escorts are so skilled at the wheel that the possibility of icy road blocks, flash floods and landslides hardly causes them to bat an eyelid. by: mimicho Views[265]
     

    A 'place' I have visited

    Thursday, 4 Jul 2013 | Photo Gallery | Scholarship Entry

    I am a visual person. Nothing moves me more than a powerful image – beautiful, sad, inspiring, or all of the above. Photography has always been an instinctual part of my life. From my first disposable camera to my first DSLR, I have enjoyed experimenting ... Read more >
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    Tags: Travel Photography Scholarship 2013

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