The remoteness of Ladakh - the Land of High Passes - has isolated it from the rest of India and preserved its traditional Buddhist culture of ancient monasteries, friendly people, remote villages and dramatic landscapes.
At a roadside dhaba at Khaltse and have possibly the world's best samosas - fresh, light and flaky crisp. We drive on past the monastery at Lamayuru heading west towards Kargil. It turns into a day of amazing surprises.
Before the Chinese annexation of Tibet in 1949, caravans came down to Leh from the north loaded with wool and salt to be traded for cottons, silks and spices coming up from India.
Ladakh - Little Tibet! Good to be back in Leh with its friendly greeting of "Jullay!". Or even Jullay, jullay, jullay. As many jullays as you like, a delightful word meaning hello, goodbye, please etc.
Caravans would come down to Leh across the Karakoram through Kashmir and from the Chang Tang and Tibet carrying wool and salt to be traded for cotton, silk, dyes, spices and dried fruit.