Home » India China » From Russia to India (part VII: Travel notes on how to loose 20 lb effortlessly)

I am in Kunming, China, just arrived. I weighed myself on accurate airport scales and found that I lost 20 lbs and returned to my high school weight. I spent almost two months in Pakistan and India combined. Food is vegetarian there and pretty dull. Mostly rice with dal (kind of spicy bean sauce). But major factor in weight loss is not food itself but how they serve it. Here in China food is serviced usually by attractive, neatly dressed girls. In India/Pakistan it is always served by overworked boy, who looks dirty and put food on your plate with his bare hands even if a spoon is available. Passion for low sanitary food handling in these countries is very strong and unexplainable.

From Russia to India (part VII: Travel notes on how to loose 20 lb effortlessly)

Alex Mumzhiu
2006-03-22 19:38:33

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which helped me to boil water for noodle soup. I did not feel any symptoms of high altitude sickness. However walking uphill was difficult. It also was comfortable in my tent during the night.

From Leh I went to even higher pass: Khardung La 5600 m (18380 ft). It is one kilometer higher than Mount Blank. Absolute difference the altitudes with Leh is 2000 m. It was like hili biking. Not all of my readers probably know what the heli biking is. It is the same as heli skiing, but instead of skiers, the helicopter takes bicyclists. Normally heli biking costs hundreds of dollars. But I got to Khardung pass by public bus. The bus was full and the driver initially did not let me in. But when he realized what I am going to do, he found place for me. The bus was full of typical terrorists, men with black beards and mustaches and eyebrows joined together. It goes to the Pakistani boarder in Nubra valley, where the majority of people are Muslims. Driver also was looking like terrorist. But every man has an inner child. He was very exited by my idea to ride funny looking small bike from this high pass to the Leh. Third thing I did to familiarize myself with Cheng Tang - I took a tour to Pangon Lake located on border with China in the middle of typical Chang Tang landscape. Lake is beautiful. Water is slightly salted and absolutely clear. It is cold, but I swim in lake with French guy from our group, see picture.

So, now I am ready for Cheng Tang and I will go there sooner or later.

Alex Mumzhiu
Kunming, China
Aug 28 2005 11pm

Hello everybody,

Some readers found my previous report on India a little bit depressing. It reflected my feeling upon arriving in Delhi. Everybody get upset when came to Delhi. Below some more pictures from India:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mumzhiu/album?.dir=/738c&.src=ph&.tok=phfrRoDBBnHAEwkX

Most of them do not need explanation. But some do:

1. They ...