Day 11 :: TUESDAY 25 Aug 2015 the return leg begins ….. Darchen to Saga

Guru Puja in the morning at Darchen, a quick breakfast and we boarded the two Tibetan Tourist buses (King Long buses) back to the Manasarovar Tourist office. After a quick 30 min ride, we reached the office and exited these two buses to board our respective group-wise buses which had been parked there.

Left early as it was a long drive back to Saga. As usual, stopped midway for a packed lunch , drove into Saga at the same hotel by late evening around 1800 hrs.

This time we ensured that we got more rooms and therefore we did not have to be crammed in 4 or 5 to a room. Hot water was promised at 8 pm, and a few of the lucky rooms did get hot water for a while. After many days few of the lucky ones had a proper bath. We had to supplement the hot water coming in the taps with a few electric kettles of boiling water to have a decent bath.

A few of the enterprising ones went to a paid public bath giving hot showers for 25 Yuan. Grabbed a quick dinner and some of us were lucky to partake of some vettakuzhambu paste that had been brought by Vinutha akka. Mixed that with plain rice and added a little yoghurt (slightly sweetened packed yoghurt bought at a nearby store) . Tasted divine.. After so many days of the sherpas cooking with a limited repertoire of vegetables and spices, the tongue was yearning for something spicy and sour!! And we had a little taste of heaven from that vettakuzhambu paste bottle. Thanks to Vinutha akka!!

the 2 King Long buses..