CONCLUDING CLINICS OF EXTENDED LADAKH MEDICAL MISSION

1. Index to Aug-A-series concluding medical mission to Ladakh
2. Panamik: our last, and possibly most spectacular medical camp venue, from the guest house near the clinic, our late arrival begins with a delivery, and proceeds through a very busy first-time clinic with a very different ethnic group events of our first clinic day of our extended mission with half our former staff.
3. The second full clinic day at Panamik, which begins with me trying to wade the impassable Shyok River, and concludes-unlike the previous day with me climbing a mountain-- with a grandfathers' celebration, before I crash, ill with a bad URI.
4. The slow start and drowsy return drive through Khardungla, to arrive at Lei, still ill, but with enough energy to re-pack and pick up the tailoring I had ordered in the tailor shop, before our evening rendezvous and regrouping.
5. Our "holiday at leisure" in Lei, as half our residual group leaves early for a futile airport wait; the intrepid six take on the class iii white waters of the mighty Indus River-one swims and loses time and good pics-and all of us wave at an overflying aircraft, which does not contain our colleagues delayed to Delhi, so we are now all going to try again for early departure.
6. "D-Day" for Departure to Delhi, to begin the long and laborious return trip from the far side of the world, at its Roof Line and Coming Down to its Water Line on Virginia's birthday: a long delay through intricate, redundant security checks, while awaiting coffins, battery-stripping, and hand baggage sequestering, until we fly to Delhi, to check into the unaccustomed luxury of the Park Hotel to await international takeoff.
7. The 2:45 AM alleged departure time of Lufthansa from Delhi to Frankfurt, connecting on to the Washington flight for a return home-a harbinger of a half dozen repeat global round trips for next year?
8. My message home from the plush luxury of my temporary stay at the Park Hotel in Delhi, at departure, an email message on leaving India to balance my prior email message on arrival in Lei, Ladakh, three weeks ago at the start of Ladakh-'01.
9. A "Juice Junkie" arrives at a rainy dawn in Frankfurt, in search of an electric line to connect to, to send you the last in transit note of Ladakh-'01.
10. The photo series returns on-line from Ladakh-'01.
11. Ravi sends a message back from Ladakh-'01 and prepares to launch Spiti Valley-'01.

Return to Journal Index