TRAVERSE Issue 43 - August 2024 | Page 167

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the last town , we as foreigners , could reach before being turned back by the military near the settlement of Chhiyalekh . The Indian military take border protection very seriously , China is just a stones throw away and occasional skirmishes are not uncommon .
The military personnel were friendly enough , providing us with a tour of the nearby hills and offering us momos for lunch , it helped that Vishu is a Nepali as were our new military friends , indeed members of the Gorkhali Army , famed throughout the world .
Satiated , we made the descent on what can only be described as one of the worlds great motorcycle roads , in fact it could easily outclass any of the much more celebrated passes of the European Alps , and nothing in my homeland comes close . It took us back to Budhi where we sought a nights accommodation . Discovering a homestay that would prove to be a highlight at the end of the road .
Located at an altitude of around 2700 metres Budhi has a population of just 665 , most leave the area during the winter months seeking lower altitudes and warmer climes .
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