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We had to get
a permit for tourists in advance. This region is close to the boarder to
China. Therefore the Indians want to know which people are crossing the
Chang-la Pass. The travel agency tales care of this matter for us.
At eight o'clock our taxi leaves with Dolker and Armin in direction Durbuck. The road towards the Chang-la Pass is sometimes covered with little snow, even during this winter there is less snow on the high altitude. Our driver has to show Armins passport and he has to give a copy of the allowance on every control check point. This happens at least four times during the whole trip to Shayok-valley.
Street towards Chang-la Pass
We have to take pictures on the top of this pass road on an altitude of 17800 feet, like it has to be for tourist. There is a little snowfall, we would like to have a better view.
Dolker and Armin on the Chang-la Pass
The way to Shayok leads in a small valley. The walls are very steep, it seemed like they would go up to the sky and cover the ceiling.
Small valley with river and street
It opens up at the end of this small valley and suddenly we get into a big valley. The Shayok-river runs on the bottom of this beautiful plateau and a few minutes later we arrive in the village with the same name (Shayok)
View over Shayok-valley from the monks house
There is a
wonderful and friendly atmosphere in the village and also at the monks house.
Nobody knew something about our arrival, because there is no telephone in
this place. We are going to stay for two nights and they aren't even surprised.
We bring some nuts, dried fruits, carrots and onions to the family. This
is like a grateful present for all the delicious food we will get here.
We give a red sweater to Tarchin Konchok, because this family is not so
rich to buy many clothes. Tarchins mother is serving us "Sol-Cha"
(Sweet-the) and biscuits as usual here in Ladakh.
After this refreshment and a little rest we are starting the first treatments.
In 2001 it happened a scooter-accident to him. He got a brain bleeding and
since then he can not speak proper sentences, he can not walk without help
and his coordination in the arms is bad (it is called ataxy).
We are doing some exercises for strengthening the leg- and trunk-muscles,
coordination for the extremities and balancing training. After a while his
concentration is getting weak and he needs a break.
Tarchins mother is carrying him on her back outside of the house to the
toilets. She will already be about sixty years old. For me it is heavy to
understand this situation, in Ladakh there is no solution to get aid of
someone else for disabled persons. The family has to take care of those
even if they are turning older.
For us it is sure, Tarchin Konchoks longtime goal is walking. With support
on the pelvis we walk back to the living room together.
Tarchin is walking with support of Armin
He is tired
and happy about the work he has done. The rest is useful for him, and Dolker
and Armin leave him taking a nap.
We wanted to do also some exercise. The river looks very nice, and we decide
to go down and enjoy the little walk. Because there was no activity for
us today except sitting in the car.
On the way back we get the message about a theater that should start in
a few minutes. The people are laughing about the jokes and also Dolker,
but Armin doesn´t understand almost anything, except the translations
of Dolker. It is beautiful to see the actors and also the other people,
than it is much different when we compare it to theaters in Switzerland.
Theater about renewable energy
When we leave
this theater it is already very dark outside. In Shayok there is no electricity
and also no lights on the street. Luckily Dolker has her handy with her,
then otherwise we could not find the way back to Tarchins house. We look
at the stars in the sky. In Shayok it seems to have more stars than in other
places in the world.
Back in their house, we start an other therapy for the monk with a new elastic
band, we brought him. These exercises are for shoulder-, arm- and back muscles.
An other treatment is throwing and catching a ball. He has much difficulty
by doing that, because of his bad coordination in the extremities. And now
we have to do again some exercise for his legs. The monk has to stand up
several times and also to balance on his feet.
After this therapy we eat a fabulous dinner, which was cooked over the bukhari.
We are allowed to sleep in the living room. It is much warmer because of
the bukhari there….
In the morning after a Thukpa for breakfast, Tarchin has do fulfill a next
walking program. The step out of the door is very difficult for the monk,
but we have also to be very carefull. In their garden is placed a stick,
on which Tachin can hold on when he is standing. There we do also some balancing-,
walking- and strengthening exercise.
Balancing- and standing exercise at the stick with support of Armin
Instead a walker we take a chair for walking the way back. At the next time we will bring a proper walker to him, with that he can improve much more. Actually it works out really good with this chair.
Tarchin is walking on a chair with support of Dolker
Back in the living room we keep on repeating the same exercises from yesterday.
Afterwards there is a very good lunch. It seems that we are eating for the
whole weekend.
We also get a sour crème yoghurt for dessert. Tarchin Konchoks mother
made it by herself. It is very hard to prepare it. But I is interesting
to watch how "Ama-le" (mother) is doing.
Preparing the yoghurt of Tarchins mother
This yoghurt tastes very good with sugar or "tsampa" (s special kind of flour in Ladakh).
After an other
walk in the Shayok valley, Dolker and Armin are entering the kitchen, where
almost the whole family is sitting. Tarchins sister is preparing thimmok
(a fluffy dough) with soup.
The monk needs a next treatment similar to this of yesterday. But he is
doing much better (especially the balancing).
On Sunday morning we have to leave already this very kind family. But first Tarchin has to walk again a short distance. We will miss them, because we can not go there very often in a year.
Parents of the monk - Tarchin Konchuk and Dolker
Our drive out of Shayok is splitted in parts, because there are many food transports by horses.
The trip to Satoo is beautiful. The valley is going on and on. We always are thinking now is the end of this valley, but the road is not stopping. Finally we get to Satoo on a high altitude of 4300 m (about 14000 feet)
Wonderful view from Satoo
In the house
of our next patient, he is called Shakya, we get a sweet tea and biscuits.
This ritual is famous here in Ladakh.
The diagnosis of the ten year old Shakya is C.P. He is not moving by himself
a lot. He is turning his head to both sides. He always wants to take his
left thumb in his mouth. His right hand is twisted, that we have some difficulty
to see in which direction we should stretch the muscles.
Shakya in his main position
After a longer sequence of therapy, we eat Yak meat for lunch. Armin has never seen a Yak before. The two brothers of Shakya, Dolker and Armin are leaving for a walk. This is a beautiful place to hike a little bit. The colors are form yellow from the grasses to dark blue of the sky to the white snow. After some minutes we see already the first Yaks.
Yak with long hair and bushy tail
Beautiful panorama with Yaks in front
After some more steps we see a flock of sheep and their herdsman….
Herdsman and his flock of sheep
In our room
we heat up the Bukhari to get little warmer. We wanted to do some more exercise
with Shakya, but he sleeps very hard, we can not wake him up.
It is already dark outside. We eat dinner and afterwards we are so tired
that we go to bed early.
In the morning Shakya gets finally his second therapy. We show the mother
some stretching exercise and we think about to bring the next time a glove.
He puts always his right thumb in his mouth and we are afraid of a bad skin
on it.
We say good bye to everybody and leave for our drive back to leh.
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Our Driver, cousin of Dolker with littler daughter and Dolker - Sister and brother of Shakya
On the way back we pick up a cousin of Dolker and his wife and daughter. They are living also in Leh and we have enough space to give them a ride.
(Picture: Our driver, Cousin of Dolker with little daughter and Dolker)
After some
stops at the check points, we get back to Leh.
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